There is a bad connection between the power cord and the port into which it fits. this bad connect has lasted for weeks. i've been able to jiggle the cord and situate it so their is a connection. but, now...
The port on the laptop where the AC adapter, (Charger to some), plugs into is the DC Power Jack.
(Or DC-in )
This is an example of an aftermarket manufacturers offering for a DC Power jack, that fits an Acer Aspire 4520 Series Notebook, (Laptop),
http://www.laptopjacks.com/view_part/Acer-Laptop-DC-Power-Jack-AC91316.html
Click on the photo of the jack, showing three views of it. This will enlarge for better detail.
As you probably know computers use DC voltage.
Your laptop battery, and a flashlight battery are examples of stored DC electricity.
Looking at all three views, the middle pin of the jack is for the Positive connection. Down inside the round opening on the side, is a strip of metal. One on each side. These are for the Negative connection.
Looking at the jack in all three views, you will note a flat pin, or Prong, that comes up in the middle, and at the back of the jack.
You will note that it is riveted to the center pin, or Positive connection.
The two flat pins, (Or Prongs), immediately on either side of the middle flat pin, are for the Negative connection. They connect to the strips of metal inside the round jack opening.
In relation to how the jack sits inside the laptop, the jack is upside down. The flat pins go down through the motherboard, and are soldered to the motherboard on the other side.
1.The body of the DC Power Jack is made of a type of Phenolic plastic. Hard, and has great insulating qualities.
It is also easily broken.
If you can move the center pin around, this is what has happened. (Battery REMOVED!)
Solution is to replace the DC Power Jack.
2.Where the flat pins go through the motherboard, and are soldered, is called a Solder Joint. The area where the flat pin meets the motherboard, and solder is applied.
One, or more solder joints can crack.
This gives you an intermittent connection, such as you have described.
Solution is to re-solder the solder joint/s.
3.There are also laptops that have a bad motherboard design.
The DC Power Jack is placed on an area of the motherboard, that is weak.
If you think of a 1 foot square sheet of plastic, as being the main body of the motherboard, and attach a 2 inch strip to the main body, this is the area shape that I'm referring to.
The 2 inch strip can crack, where it meets the main body.
Motherboards have Circuit Traces. Think of them as Very, Flat, Thin, copper wires.
Circuit traces go across the main body of the motherboard, and lead to the 2 inch strip. If this 2 inch strip cracks away from the main body of the motherboard, the circuit traces break.
If you move the AC adapter plug while in the DC Power Jack, you may be able to make the broken circuit traces touch each other, making a connection.
Eventually this fails to work.
Solution is to replace the motherboard. With this type of bad design the problem will reoccur.
This link is for the Acer Aspire 4520 Service Manual.
It is free.
http://www.tim.id.au/blog/tims-laptop-service-manuals/#toc-acer
As you can see there are many service manuals listed for Acers.
Scroll down with your eyes to the second Aspire listing. (Starts with 1200, 1300, 1310, 1350, and so on)
Scroll across the third line down, until you come to - 4520
Click right on 4520
This is a PDF file download. After you click on 4520, you may not see anything happening for a few seconds. The file is downloading in the background.
Advise letting the file download all the way, before looking through it. You might break the download connection.
If you wish to save a copy to your computer, go up to the top header, and click on the Floppy Disk icon.
This is the second icon from the left.
If you hover your mouse cursor over the icon, it will briefly reveal, 'Click to save this to your computer or another location'
After you click on the icon a small window comes up.
Save a copy...
Down in the Save a copy box you will see -
File name:
In the box to the right of File name, you will see -
aspire 4520 1220 4520g 4220g
Advise put your mouse cursor right after the g in 4220g, Left-click Twice, then make one space with your space bar.
Now type - Service Manual
Makes it much easier to find.
If you save it to your computer, you won't have to download it again. You can also burn it off to CD disk, and free up space on your harddrive.
I haven't worked on the Acer Aspire 4520 series yet.
The DC-in jack, (DC Power Jack) is on the Right side at the rear. (Page 17)
Looking at the Board Layout, Top View, on Page 12, you can see the DC Power Jack.
Come down below the 1 with the red small rectangle. Look straight to the left of the Half Moon hole, with the two top corners cut off. The DC Power Jackis on near the edge of the motherboard. (Board)
(You can click on the + sign in the top header, to zoom in)
On Page 13 you're looking at the Bottom view of the motherboard. (Board)
The little silvery dots are solder joints.
Your motherboard design does not follow Item 3,
I listed above.
You have a broken DC Power Jack, or cracked solder joints.
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