laptop power cord

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hi there!

The power cord provides power to the laptop but doesn't charge the battery. It used to be able to but not anymore. I got it to work the other night on a fluke but haven't been able to again.

I'm wondering if the plug (male) isn't too old and I need to get a new one. There's a plastic ring around the outside edge that's cracked. Don't know if that's the problem.

Is there anything I can do to get it to not only power the laptop but charge the battery as well?

I have to explain what I think "male" means; it's the one that fits into the hole. Is that right? There's also a pin inside the connection. I don't know if there's something inside the laptop's power connector that fits inside the cord's connector so I'm calling it male. So, cord-male, laptop-female.

I believe the battery is fine. It's a problem either with my cord or where the cord connects to.

This post is irrelevant

Last edited by Nim on 13 May 2011, 9:36 am, edited 1 time in total.

Usually the charger part of the cord gets worn out in the middle area. Especially if you charge it while using the laptop on the couch or something and things constantly hit the plug where it connects to the laptop. I've also seen the prong on the dc jack on the laptop become broken, but mostly on very old laptops.

Take the battery out and try it with just the charger cord. If the laptop doesn't turn on then you know it is either the cord or the dc jack. Buy a new charger cord (you can get universal cords just about everywhere). If it still doesn't work then it is most likely the dc jack on the laptop.

thanks!

DC jack, that's what I was looking for!

It's a Dell Inspiron. I wish it were an HP.

Doh.. lol.

I misunderstood.

Technically if your battery isn't charging but the laptop is your battery is probably toast. After I use my laptops for a prolonged period of time - and then I let them sit a few months, the battery's sometimes never charge again.

FYI, if you need a cord set up, I suggest you buy on Amazon or Ebay. The local big box stores will offer you 'universal' or OEM that will be horribly overpriced. Do some research and you'll see what I mean, you may save as much as $60 going to A or E for the cord, no lie.

totally!

Like I said, the battery charges and lasts the amount of time it was designed for when fully charged. Just that the power cordwon't get a good connection. It's the cord or connection for sure. The battery's fine.

You have a very confusing issue. Keep us informed how it turns out.

Try another power adapter that's compatible with your Dell. If it works, you just need a new power adapter/cord. You can buy one from Dell or get a compatible generic online from someone else.

If the problem remains you might have a damaged power port, not common, but it happens. I don't know if it can be fixed affordably or not. You'd be better served taking it to a local PC shop that does electronic repairs and ask what's possible.

If it's just the power cord, you can get a replacement at Best Buy or Radio Shack for under $10.

If it's the Line Wart (PSU) that converts 120VAC to the DC voltage that you computer uses, you can still find a universal at Best Buy, but it will cost you @ $90. Make sure that the Secondary voltages and Current draw are about what your computer uses. --A higher current rating (Amps/Ampereage) will be OK, but you'll have issues with a lower current rating.

If your the notebook runs fine when hooked to AC, but doesn't charge, it could be a battery issue, or a battery charging issue. If it's a battery issue, pull the thing out, and find the model or part# on the battery. Chances are high that the battery in your computer was used with several other models of del from the same era. You may be able to find an NOS battery of the same Model# on Ebay, but usually you have to go through Dell for it. You may also have luck searching for parts for your computer via google by typing in 'Dell Inspiron (Your Model#) Parts' in the search box. Dell will most likely be the most expensive option for this, (usually between $70-$150) so try an eBay or Google search first.

If none of the above soles your problem, then it's an internal computer issue, (usually a loose/shorted connection to the battery), which I personally wouldn't touch without knowing exactly what I was doing and how the laptop internals were laid out.

Frys Electronics in California has a good selection of laptop power supply cords:

http://www.frys.com/

The "universal" ones cost a lot ($70) so try to look for ones specific to your laptop. You will need to know the exact model number of your Dell, although most Dells use the same plugs. Frys ships anywhere in the USA. If the jack inside the machine has busted off (it happens) it can be hard to find somebody to fix it, it requires soldering and few computer geeks even know how anymore.

I had to replace the cord and converter for my Gateway laptop and both pieces plus shipping ran me $15 from Amazon. Yes, the cord and the 'line wart' cost $15 w/ shipping from Amazon, amazing right? That's why I mentioned it, DO NOT GO TO BEST BUY FOR POWER CORD OR CONVERTER, they are a rip off. You will find an adequate replacement on Amazon or Ebay for a fraction of what you'd spend at the big box joints (including WalMart).

good thing I have a friend who dabbles in soldering and computer stuff.

You've got me very confused here

Could someone please explain to me how if it is delivering power to the laptop and running it the power cord can be described as faulty. Surely if the power is getting to the laptop, the fault resulting in the non charging battery lies elsewhere?

you're right, it sounds more like a connection/battery issue than a cord issue.

my only interest in opining was to make sure, if the OP needed or wanted a cord, that they bought from the cheapest source possible. I had to replace my cord recently because the cat got a taste of the OEM, rendering it useless (and amazingly not hurting the feline). When I went to buy a replacement, I found that it was incredibly expensive to buy at a Best Buy or WalMart, precipitating my awareness and my input here.

BTW, do you think your location in Australia gives you any savings on Asian goods over what we might pay here in the states? Just wondering...

Dunno, but the A$ at around US$1.08 is making for really good internet shopping