Very similar laptop chargers, what does everyone think?

[Zourous]

Just got some new HP650 laptops in. I usually buy some extra chargers in for short term loans to the people who leave them at home or on another site. Looking at the chargers they are very similar to the ones we use for our Dell Inspiron 6400 \ Vostro 1000 laptops. Physically they look exactly the same and these are the

only difference in the ratings on the back of them:

 

Dell Inspiron 6400 \ Vostro 1000 Charger

Input 1.6A

Output 3.34A

 

HP 650 Charger

Input 1.7A

Output 3.33A

 

Does anyone know if this 0.1A will cause me any problems?

[Joanne]

probably not, but I personally wouldn't run the risk.

[CHR1S]

I doubt the charger can ALWAYS provide the exact voltage and amps, so I would assume the charging circuitry would have some tolerances built in.

 

Id give it a go, but thats just my reckless and wild side haha

[speckytecky]

If you leave them laying around then the Staff will almost certainly plug them in to any laptop where the connector plug fits and wonder why the laptop won't charge! I had that experience last week with two Acers. An older charger with a blue ended plug which the member of staff insisted on plugging into her newer machine that took the yellow ended plug. Amazing as both chargers were sat next to each other:o

 

On the topic of HP laptop chargers we had a couple of 625s fail to charge recently. Ended up having to replace the charging pack plus buy an adapter which they charged us £46 for as the end plug had changed on the new charger.

[witch]

Speaking as a one-time electronics tech, you should be fine.

[plexer]

Do it do it do it

 

It'll be fine.

 

Ben

[3s-gtech]

The current won't make the slightest bit of difference - current is drawn, not pushed

 

However, if the voltages are the same there shouldn't be an issue.

[Joanne]

Slightly off topic here, but has anyone noticed that if you use compatible chargers on Toshiba's that the touchpad stops working?

 

I prefer to buy the real thing every time. I know not everyone can do this, but eBay is your friend when getting genuine chargers!!

[twin--turbo]

So long as teh supply unit does not have an inteligent supply with a "Sense Pin" the you should be fine. If the charger uses the larger round style plug with a pin in the middle then the laptop will not recoginse the charger and will not charge even though it will power on.

 

Rob

[JJonas]

We swap Dell and HP chargers over all the time, never had a problem.

[laserblazer]

It's the voltage and polarity that matters. It probably isn't a good idea but we have had Toshiba laptops running off Viglen power supplies for years. The Viglen ones are probably better spec.

[tmcd35]

Personally - I'd plug it in. If you see smoke, then it was a bad idea...

[crt404]

Dell always used to be intelligent power supplies (about 2 years back - I don't know about their current ranges). They used to be able to talk to the machine in order to tell it how many watts it could supply, and that it was an official Dell charger. Thats why, when you used an underpowered Dell supply with a docking station and laptop, the laptop would display a warning message about the power supply.

[twin--turbo]

I think Inspirons use dumb chargers, Latitudes even as far back as the glory days of the D505 used inteligent chargers.

 

Rob

[LosOjos]

Just to echo others check:

- polarity: which pin is positive, which is negative - they must be the same as the original charger!

- voltage (V): too low probably won't work, too high may well fry the laptop

- amps (A): if it's too low it might not work but it can't be too high as the laptop will only draw what it needs

Edited July 10, 2013 by LosOjos

[crt404]

@Twin-Turbo - spot on - we used to use the Latitude D series'

[JackCPickup]

Done this myself quite a few times now, never had any problems.

 

Jack