Using Old Laptop Charger?

December 20, 2008 9:22 AM

My old laptop blew the motherboard after 3 years of great use (Acer Aspire 5670). I just bought a new laptop (Acer Extensa 5630Z). Can I use the power charger/AC Adapter from my old on my new without doing damage? The new one is rated 19V 3.43A. The old one is 19V 4.4A. (plugs are the same). Long live the hive mind!
posted by bytemover to computers & internet (10 comments total)

go for it. the current rating given corresponds the maximum that it can supply.
posted by ArgentCorvid at 9:24 AM on December 20, 2008

Seconding ArgentCorvid, so long as the pin assignments on the connector are the same (which I expect they would be).
posted by exogenous at 9:57 AM on December 20, 2008

Once again the collective wisdom of the masses brings forth the succinct solutions to the world's greatest questions! Thanks all.
posted by bytemover at 10:05 AM on December 20, 2008

just want to know for myself, it's just the Volage matters and the fact that AC(?) is less or equal the desired one?
posted by erifneerg at 10:40 AM on December 20, 2008

The voltage has to match, and the supply current rating has to exceed the expected current requirement of the load.

In this case, since the power brick that came with the computer has a lower current rating than the old one, and since they have the same voltage rating, there should be no problem.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 10:51 AM on December 20, 2008

It's unlikely they're different, but make sure the power supplies have the same polarity as well (+ / -).
posted by Calloused_Foot at 11:14 AM on December 20, 2008

Seconding the recommendation to validate the polarity. On just about any AC adapter there's a raised figure near the plug that looks something like this.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 12:31 PM on December 20, 2008

A similar question was asked very recently. Follow the links from this comment.
posted by Chuckles at 12:46 PM on December 20, 2008

Just so you know, my girlfriend's Acer had a bad power supply that was screwing with the computer's operation. We know it was the power supply, because once it burst into a puff of sparks and blue smoke and I replaced it with an old Gateway cord I had laying around, her laptop was much more stable. I'd hate for a bad power supply to ruin TWO laptops.
posted by Benjy at 1:23 PM on December 20, 2008

Thanks all. I plugged in her in, and all is well. Now I don't have to schlep the cord from my favorite surfing chair to my treadmill!
posted by bytemover at 6:16 PM on December 20, 2008