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I bought a new second hand computer with probably the wrong adapter. It's a 30 euro laptop with Windows Vista on it. The girl who sold it to me told me you have to wiggle the plug a little and then it charges. It does. But I have an old adapter from my old crashed laptop which plug fits perfectly into the slot. Also if I look at the back side of the laptop, the current there is exactly the current on my old charger. So I am 99% I can try that old charger on that newly bought second hand laptop without the risk of blowing things up, right?

To rephrase the devices are:

  • Newly bought second-hand laptop: 19V 3.42A
  • The non-fitting adapter I got with it:23V 2.50 A
  • My old adapter I still got from another laptop: 19V 3.42 A

Question 1: Should I try to use my old adapter rather then the non-fitting thing I got with it?

Question 2: How come the non-fitting adapter does charge that?

techraf
  • 4,952
Marc W
  • 3

3 Answers3

2

Yes, you should try your old adapter, it sounds like it is more correct than the one supplied with the laptop. Verify the polarity is correct first though, if that is incorrect it could damage things.

As far as why does it charge, it makes electrical connection and supplies enough voltage and current within tolerance to charge the battery, dies mean it's optimal.

I doubt the PS supplied with with laptop is correct for it, my guess is someone misplaced the original or it failed and they happened to find something that worked to get by. It's more common than you would think.

acejavelin
  • 6,618
1

Do not use an adapter that exceeds the rated voltage in your laptop. And also check the polarity of the adapter and compare it against the data on your laptop. (Optional) It's best to buy an adapter with higher current rating than you laptop to prevent overloading and so as your laptop can have enough current in case you're doing a hard gaming. The laptop will just pull the current it needs.

ilovemath
  • 31
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As long as the adapter fits the socket, has the same amperage, the same voltage, and polarity, it should work. Do not use the 23V adapter, it's going to irreparably damage the laptop.

Greevar
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