Help me not fry my laptop
September 28, 2013 9:24 AM Subscribe
I have two laptops, both Dells. I'm going on a trip and would like to take only one power brick. Can I do it? Specs inside.
Work Laptop's power brick accepts 100-240V and 2.5A, and it outputs 19.5V and 3.34A.
Personal Laptop's power brick accepts 100-240V and 1.6A, and it outputs 19.5V and 6.7A.
Both are standard US-plug adapters, nothing quirky there.
Both physical connectors are the same, so either power brick will physically fit into either laptop.
Can I safely use the 6.7A adapter for both, without frying Work Laptop?
Googling for this is surprisingly hard, or else I'm just bad at it....
Work Laptop's power brick accepts 100-240V and 2.5A, and it outputs 19.5V and 3.34A.
Personal Laptop's power brick accepts 100-240V and 1.6A, and it outputs 19.5V and 6.7A.
Both are standard US-plug adapters, nothing quirky there.
Both physical connectors are the same, so either power brick will physically fit into either laptop.
Can I safely use the 6.7A adapter for both, without frying Work Laptop?
Googling for this is surprisingly hard, or else I'm just bad at it....
Best answer: Yes, a power supply that is rated to output 19.5VDC, 6.7A means that it can deliver up to 6.7 amps. You could theoretically connect a 19.5VDC, 1 amp load to it and it would work fine. Assuming the plug is the same you can definitely power a 3.34A load laptop from it.
As for the other part both power supplies are 110-240VAC 50/60Hz, as all laptops are these days, so you do not need to worry about voltage anywhere in the world.
posted by thewalrus at 10:18 AM on September 28, 2013
As for the other part both power supplies are 110-240VAC 50/60Hz, as all laptops are these days, so you do not need to worry about voltage anywhere in the world.
posted by thewalrus at 10:18 AM on September 28, 2013
Best answer: Most Dell power adapters automatically identify themselves to the laptop and either the laptop will decline to charge or else will choose the correct charging rate within the safe limits of the adapter.
Look at the laptop end of the power cord. It should be a fat hollow cylinder. If you look into the hollow end of it, way down in the center will be a tiny gold pin. This pin is the data wire that the adapter uses to identify itself to the laptop.
So you can't do any harm. Just try plugging the higher rated adapter, the one with the 6.7A output into both laptops. If you don't see any warning messages on the screen, you are good to go.
posted by JackFlash at 10:44 AM on September 28, 2013
Look at the laptop end of the power cord. It should be a fat hollow cylinder. If you look into the hollow end of it, way down in the center will be a tiny gold pin. This pin is the data wire that the adapter uses to identify itself to the laptop.
So you can't do any harm. Just try plugging the higher rated adapter, the one with the 6.7A output into both laptops. If you don't see any warning messages on the screen, you are good to go.
posted by JackFlash at 10:44 AM on September 28, 2013
Are you sure you read (and typed) the input current and output current and voltages correctly? It doesn't make a lot of sense for the power adapter which draws less power to be able to supply twice the power of the other one.
posted by Juffo-Wup at 11:27 AM on September 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Juffo-Wup at 11:27 AM on September 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Juffo-Wup, you're right, I swapped them. The one that outputs 6.7A is the one that takes in 2.5A. Oops.
Thanks all, looks like I'm set.
posted by Dilligas at 3:16 PM on September 28, 2013
Thanks all, looks like I'm set.
posted by Dilligas at 3:16 PM on September 28, 2013
Ahh, that makes more sense. I agree that you are all set to use the more powerful one for either of your laptops.
posted by Juffo-Wup at 5:49 PM on September 28, 2013
posted by Juffo-Wup at 5:49 PM on September 28, 2013
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Behemoth at 9:26 AM on September 28, 2013