# Huh. Strange. . . Has anyone ever had a laptop power supply konk out? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 6, 2016, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huh-strange-has-anyone-ever-had-a-laptop-power-supply-konk-out/754036 "2016-05-06T00:20:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2016, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huh-strange-has-anyone-ever-had-a-laptop-power-supply-konk-out/754036/1 "2016-05-06T00:20:02Z")
Damn. I was right in the middle of a NetFlix binge, too. My battery drained down. I had my laptop plugged in, but apparently it was running on the battery the whole time. While I had ‘the brick’ plugged into my laptop, I didn’t notice, but the “charging light” was not lit. Simple logic tells me the brick is . . . well, _bricked._ Anyone ever see that before? For the record, it _is_ a six year old system. Runs like a champ otherwise! Tripler Confused. Curious. Enquiring minds want to know. ---
**Author:** ![Fuzzy\_Dunlop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/848f3c/32.png) [@Fuzzy\_Dunlop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuzzy_Dunlop)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2016, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huh-strange-has-anyone-ever-had-a-laptop-power-supply-konk-out/754036/2 "2016-05-06T00:33:32Z")
> [@Tripler](#): > > Damn. I was right in the middle of a NetFlix binge, too. > > My battery drained down. I had my laptop plugged in, but apparently it was running on the battery the whole time. While I had ‘the brick’ plugged into my laptop, I didn’t notice, but the “charging light” was not lit. Simple logic tells me the brick is . . . well, _bricked._ Anyone ever see that before? > > For the record, it _is_ a six year old system. Runs like a champ otherwise! > > Tripler > Confused. Curious. Enquiring minds want to know. This happens to me with frustrating regularity. Apple’s extended warranty is extremely worthwhile because I can count on 3-4 of their chargers breaking during the period and they’re $80 each. I’ve had all my Windows chargers break eventually too though. I’ve never had one as poorly made as Apple’s though, and my Macs usually sit at home all the time whereas my PC laptops travel frequently for work. ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2016, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huh-strange-has-anyone-ever-had-a-laptop-power-supply-konk-out/754036/3 "2016-05-06T00:41:32Z")
Funny you mention that. I just got back today from a road trip to Texas. I wonder if that had anything to do with it. They’re $20 to replace on Amazon, but anyone else have this? Tripler No moving parts. Weeeeird. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2016, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huh-strange-has-anyone-ever-had-a-laptop-power-supply-konk-out/754036/4 "2016-05-06T00:53:41Z")
A few of those have died on me over the years. Most recently a Dell adapter. It’s usually a wire coming loose inside. Maybe some of them have a fusible link that can blow out. ---
**Author:** ![DinoR](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dinor/32/2821_2.png) [@DinoR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DinoR)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2016, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huh-strange-has-anyone-ever-had-a-laptop-power-supply-konk-out/754036/5 "2016-05-06T01:05:25Z")
It happens. There’s also the possibility of damage to the port where you plug in besides the brick. I had one laptop where long service and bumping/tugging the cord l resulted in it being very finicky. I assumed the internal connection was damaged based on how it acted. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2016, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huh-strange-has-anyone-ever-had-a-laptop-power-supply-konk-out/754036/6 "2016-05-06T01:47:38Z")
Just last week as a matter of fact. I ordered a new one from Amazon and it didn’t do any good so I assumed it was a problem with the lap top itself. I took it to a computer repair shop and they found that the adapter that I bought was a dud. So two in one week. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2016, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huh-strange-has-anyone-ever-had-a-laptop-power-supply-konk-out/754036/7 "2016-05-06T02:04:19Z")
> [@DinoR](#): > > It happens. There’s also the possibility of damage to the port where you plug in besides the brick. I had one laptop where long service and bumping/tugging the cord l resulted in it being very finicky. I assumed the internal connection was damaged based on how it acted. This. it could be the power supply or the laptop port. I’ve broken the port before. Now I wrap the cord so there is slack in case it gets tugged on. I’ve had the power supply cord break from being tugged on. I cut it apart and resoldered the connections. I have the repaired wire taped to the body of the unit in an an “S” configuration so there it isn’t stressed at the connection. And I bought a new one as a backup. I’m going to use the old one until it can’t be fixed. Basically I learned the hard way to be nicer to the power supply and connections. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2016, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huh-strange-has-anyone-ever-had-a-laptop-power-supply-konk-out/754036/8 "2016-05-06T02:25:07Z")
My son and I both have Toshiba laptops, and have both had to replace power cords at least once. Beware of buying replacement cords on eBay - some are too short, or don’t hold together well. ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2016, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huh-strange-has-anyone-ever-had-a-laptop-power-supply-konk-out/754036/9 "2016-05-06T02:42:25Z")
Well, I thank you guys for the replies–that’s even more interesting! Most of my travel has had the cords coiled up in a bag, and still so on the desktop. I wonder if it isn’t the port then. . . Now I just gotta find a place in Santa Fe that might fix it. Or at least analyze it. Of course, I _could_ start diagnosing things with my multimeter. I am an Engineer for Crissakes’. But this does get me started. Tripler More to follow. . . ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2016, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huh-strange-has-anyone-ever-had-a-laptop-power-supply-konk-out/754036/10 "2016-05-06T02:49:30Z")
> [@Tripler](#): > > Most of my travel has had the cords coiled up in a bag, and still so on the desktop. \*\* I meant to say, the cords were also still relatively coiled when the laptop was set up on a hotel room’s desk. ---
**Author:** ![Cleophus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e57/32.png) [@Cleophus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cleophus)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2016, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huh-strange-has-anyone-ever-had-a-laptop-power-supply-konk-out/754036/11 "2016-05-06T03:42:26Z")
> [@Tripler](#): > > Funny you mention that. I just got back today from a road trip to Texas. I wonder if that had anything to do with it. > > They’re $20 to replace on Amazon, but anyone else have this? > > Tripler > No moving parts. Weeeeird. Note that a $20 adapter from Amazon _will_ be crap, and any purporting to be “OEM” or made to look like the original adapter _will_ be counterfeits. Most of the cheap adapters I’ve bought have failed. A generic adapter for a Thinkpad R610 ran very hot under normal use, indicating it was run at its limits and eventually failed. Another made to look like a Dell adapter (but with no Dell logo embossed, just the outer circle, and obvious misspellings on the label) failed in a couple of months of irregular usage. A third for a Vaio P series becomes flaky at unpredictable times (with a rapidly flashing power LED as one symptom) and has to be unplugged and replugged before it works properly. The Vaio replacement is very convincing, except for the somehow unavoidable misspellings. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2016, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huh-strange-has-anyone-ever-had-a-laptop-power-supply-konk-out/754036/12 "2016-05-06T04:23:43Z")
Notebook power supplies die like flies due either wire breakage or component heat death from being in that little hermetically sealed enclosure. I have gotten just as good life out of the cheap 15 Chinese PS's as the 80 OEMs and I’m halfway convinced they come off the same assembly lines. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2016, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huh-strange-has-anyone-ever-had-a-laptop-power-supply-konk-out/754036/13 "2016-05-06T05:26:10Z")
My old Vista laptop died, and I think the power supply was the culprit, but it was ancient and I could pull the few files I hadn’t moved to my new machine off the disk. But the battery was stuck at 88% and it only stayed alive for ten minutes or so after charging all night. Not worth diagnosing further. My wife’s old desktop power supply blew up on her. That was fun. No flames, but _boom_. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2016, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huh-strange-has-anyone-ever-had-a-laptop-power-supply-konk-out/754036/14 "2016-05-06T10:59:25Z")
Toshiba here, too. Known for sudden death. It just died. I got a universal replacement not from Toshiba. Aftermarket parts are supposed to be better. My stock unit lasted two years. ---
**Author:** ![Me\_Billy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e480ec/32.png) [@Me\_Billy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Me_Billy)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2016, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huh-strange-has-anyone-ever-had-a-laptop-power-supply-konk-out/754036/15 "2016-05-06T14:21:16Z")
I’ve repaired electronics for many many years. And the most common problem with gizmos ,which stop working, is the power supply fails. Note the electricity coming from a wall outlet can be quite harsh. There will be all sorts of spikes, voltage surges, and sometimes the power may be 60% of the voltage (power) it should be - called a “brownout” - you may see the lights dim when this happens. Anyway these things are very hard on power supplies. I have a “Whole House Surge Protector” and surge protectors at every outlet where something electronic is plugged in. Not have anything zapped in 15 years. Note the whole house surge protector also protects 240 volt devices like range, water heater, clothes dryer, furnace, etc. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2016, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huh-strange-has-anyone-ever-had-a-laptop-power-supply-konk-out/754036/16 "2016-05-06T20:14:09Z")
The biggest cause of power supply failures is wrapping the cords too tight. ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2016, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huh-strange-has-anyone-ever-had-a-laptop-power-supply-konk-out/754036/17 "2016-05-06T23:54:33Z")
Interesting to note that they “just die.” I’ve always structured my rucksack to keep 'em loose, and with all my cords, I tape them within a four inch radius. I’ve never heard of a unit with no moving parts to fail! I doubt it’s the in-chassis power connection though–this laptop’s been overseas several times in a cushioned pad. A little trip to Texas shouldn’t jostle it too much Anyway, I ordered a new power supply. . . more to follow! Tripler I took your advice and ordered it straight from HP. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2016, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huh-strange-has-anyone-ever-had-a-laptop-power-supply-konk-out/754036/18 "2016-05-07T00:49:39Z")
Yup on iPad. ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2016, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huh-strange-has-anyone-ever-had-a-laptop-power-supply-konk-out/754036/19 "2016-05-12T11:55:43Z")
I got my new, replacement power supply yesterday in the mail. I plugged it in and immediately began to charge. Yup, that was the problem–thanks guys! Tripler Camping happy, now. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2016, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huh-strange-has-anyone-ever-had-a-laptop-power-supply-konk-out/754036/20 "2016-05-12T22:48:03Z")
Any power supply has capacitors, and they have a limited lifespan, which is made shorter with no ventelation. You can go pretty far as an electronic tech just learning how to recognize and replace bad caps. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huh-strange-has-anyone-ever-had-a-laptop-power-supply-konk-out/754036.md?page=2)