My laptop is powerless
August 17, 2016 7:38 AM Subscribe
Help me diagnose why my laptop won't charge.
I was on vacation and surfing happily away on my Acer laptop, when I noticed it wasn't charging. I looked at the cord and saw the rubber housing had been worn off in two places with the wires showing through. I think this must have happened because at home the laptop is kept next to the dog crate, and maybe the cord got caught in the crate's door. Anyway, I tried a different outlet, and the laptop started charging again, but then the next day it wouldn't anywhere. Electrical tape around the frayed part didn't help. The battery drained down, and the laptop died.
I ordered a brand new cord which was waiting for me when I returned from vacation. But the laptop still won't charge. Thinking the issue might be the battery, I removed it and plugged in the laptop again, but it's still dead. (It's supposed to draw power directly from the wall when the battery is removed, right?)
So did the frayed cord permanently mess up the machine's ability to draw power? What's my next step?
I was on vacation and surfing happily away on my Acer laptop, when I noticed it wasn't charging. I looked at the cord and saw the rubber housing had been worn off in two places with the wires showing through. I think this must have happened because at home the laptop is kept next to the dog crate, and maybe the cord got caught in the crate's door. Anyway, I tried a different outlet, and the laptop started charging again, but then the next day it wouldn't anywhere. Electrical tape around the frayed part didn't help. The battery drained down, and the laptop died.
I ordered a brand new cord which was waiting for me when I returned from vacation. But the laptop still won't charge. Thinking the issue might be the battery, I removed it and plugged in the laptop again, but it's still dead. (It's supposed to draw power directly from the wall when the battery is removed, right?)
So did the frayed cord permanently mess up the machine's ability to draw power? What's my next step?
My guess is that the laptop plug on the replacement cord is almost, but not quite, compatible with your laptop.
posted by flabdablet at 7:57 AM on August 17, 2016
posted by flabdablet at 7:57 AM on August 17, 2016
What I usually do in these situations is discharge the capacitors by pulling all the power sources and holding in the power button for 5 seconds. The excess charge may lead the motherboard to protect itself by refusing to power on.
posted by Rubbstone at 7:59 AM on August 17, 2016
posted by Rubbstone at 7:59 AM on August 17, 2016
I'd try just getting a new battery.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 9:15 AM on August 17, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 9:15 AM on August 17, 2016 [1 favorite]
The laptop is supposed to draw power from the wall when the battery is removed. It could be either an incompatible or bad charger, or more likely, bad charging circuitry in the laptop.
I'd either:
1. Buy another charger, making sure it's made by the manufacturer and with every intention of returning it. If the third charger doesn't power the laptop, it's the laptop itself.
2. Call the manufacturer and ask about repair, assuming it's not under warranty.
3. Take it to a place that does laptop/electronics repair (not just software work, and not the Geek Squad) and see what they say. Sometimes this kind of thing requires replacing the whole motherboard, and other times it's a separate part. The problem is often that on consumer laptops, the parts just flat out aren't manufactured.
posted by cnc at 9:43 AM on August 17, 2016 [1 favorite]
I'd either:
1. Buy another charger, making sure it's made by the manufacturer and with every intention of returning it. If the third charger doesn't power the laptop, it's the laptop itself.
2. Call the manufacturer and ask about repair, assuming it's not under warranty.
3. Take it to a place that does laptop/electronics repair (not just software work, and not the Geek Squad) and see what they say. Sometimes this kind of thing requires replacing the whole motherboard, and other times it's a separate part. The problem is often that on consumer laptops, the parts just flat out aren't manufactured.
posted by cnc at 9:43 AM on August 17, 2016 [1 favorite]
Is the jack loose? I had an similar issue with an Acer and it turned out the the power jack wasn't secure and over time the soldered connection failed.
It can be fixed.
posted by zinon at 10:32 AM on August 17, 2016
It can be fixed.
posted by zinon at 10:32 AM on August 17, 2016
Response by poster: Update: I checked when I got the machine. I bought it exactly two years ago today, and I have a two-year warranty. The company wasn't going to honor it, but I made the argument that I didn't actually receive the machine until at least three days later.
It turns out I forgot that I had a power issue with this machine before, and they had to send me a new charger. The actual charging issue is different this time, but maybe it has nothing to do with the frayed cord.
In any case, they're sending me a box to send it in. Thanks.
posted by Leontine at 7:49 PM on August 17, 2016
It turns out I forgot that I had a power issue with this machine before, and they had to send me a new charger. The actual charging issue is different this time, but maybe it has nothing to do with the frayed cord.
In any case, they're sending me a box to send it in. Thanks.
posted by Leontine at 7:49 PM on August 17, 2016
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That's just a guess, though. I'd recommend taking it to a repair shop and letting a professional look it over, unless it's under warranty in which case I'd pursue it through the manufacturer.
posted by Anticipation Of A New Lover's Arrival, The at 7:45 AM on August 17, 2016 [1 favorite]