Laptop power supplies dying

Forums › Laptops and mobile computers › Laptop power supplies dying

PhilANZ

356 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 3

#228693 17-Jan-2018 17:55

My old laptop is used as a backup when my live one is out of action - plus being W7 it still runs Civ IV (still haven't found Civ IV as nice). Recently the power supply was flaky. Figuring it could be dying after 5 years or so, I got a new one for $20.After a short time it too became flaky. Both are now, in the words of John Cleese, deceased - they are no more ...

The obvious conclusion (to me) is the laptop is doing something detrimental. I'm certainly not planning on using another power supply to try it. But before I discard it totally, I thought I'd ask here if there is anything that might be worth trying.

Given that his machine has clearly passed it's prime - it's not a big deal. But it's nice to have.

I doubt it makes any difference - but it's an ASUS X53S.

Thanks

CYaBro

4708 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1182

ID Verified

Trusted

#1941644 17-Jan-2018 18:31

A brand new power supply for $20??!!

For a genuine Asus one you'd be looking around $100 at least.

Opinions are my own and not the views of my employer.

lNomNoml

1841 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 521

ID Verified

#1941645 17-Jan-2018 18:42

Return the second power supply you got, it most likely failed.

Also possible the second one you got is not the correct one.

I would recommend getting a half decent universal one, more useful for the long run.

PhilANZ

356 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 3

#1941648 17-Jan-2018 18:50

I was surprised - wouldn't have bothered at $100. But that price (might have been $25 or so plus freight - can't remember the exact price) was good. I had the problem before it. After an initial good spell, it became temperamental - swapping back to the old one worked for a while - kept swapping until finally neither shows any life.

It's not an ASUS - but these days the "made in China" thing doesn't have the stigma it used to. And the seller has a good rating on TradeMe. If I've got to accept it's gone, it's a mild annoyance.

PhilANZ

356 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 3

#1941649 17-Jan-2018 18:54

hadn't thought of a universal one - we have another old cone with no power supply so that could be good. but I'm still worried my machine might be 'eating' the power supply. A universal one wojuld just be a more expensive waste if it died.

I've never heard of it happening - but know nothing about power. Could a laptop be damaging power supplies?

scuwp

3927 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 2510

#1941654 17-Jan-2018 19:19

More like you purchased a dud power supply. Get a decent universal one or the OEM from a reputable seller.

Lazy is such an ugly word, I prefer to call it selective participation

1101

3141 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1143

#1943593 19-Jan-2018 15:25

CYaBro:

A brand new power supply for $20??!!

You can bet it only cost $5 to make then.

Some years back one importer used to sell cheap PSU's knowing they had a 33% fail rate. Yep 1 in 3 would fail.
He didnt care as his markup was so good.

A local PC assembler we used to buy from had 100% fail rate on his PSU's .
Rather than move to something better he kept using those unreliable PSU's . He's now out of business.

Cheap & nasty is cheap & nasty.

Lenovo

Shop now for Lenovo laptops and other devices (affiliate link).

1101

3141 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1143

#1943594 19-Jan-2018 15:26

Try here maybee

http://www.laptopbattery.co.nz/Laptop-Adapters/category-1530.htm

PhilANZ

356 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 3

#1943612 19-Jan-2018 15:54

Thanks for the link.

I wasn't expecting much - and yesterday I visited my supplier, ironically with another power supply problem. Their replacement didn't work even though a meter showed it did. I've had a few problems with my HP ProBook so will probably return to ASUS next time - I only got the HP to replace a Lenovo Thinkpad I'd found faulty, bought in a bout of nostalgia (my first laptop was a ThinkPad). We've used ASUS for a long while,and the only problem was with our only Windows 8 machine (fortunately my wife's turn that time) thanks to a MS change. So that wasn't hardware related. Might not always be the flashest - but reliability is my top concern (with price also up there).

While I was there I asked about the laptop with two dead power supplies. They said if two have died they wouldn't expect a third to last long. I've added this to my collection of laptops deceased / no longer / shuffled off this mortal coil and all those other terms Monty Python did so well.