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What can go wrong if you not use the correct charger for your laptop?.

Author:

Asen Georgiev

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Last week I finally managed to tidy up that closet at home, which is full of all sorts of old gadgets. It was no big surprise when I ended up with a whole box (quite large) full of different chargers and cables. Yes, the same as the ones you collected in that box in your home - for old smartphones, consoles, laptops, vacuum cleaners, hair clippers and what not.

How to navigate the piles of chargers

Having so many different chargers that at some point you no longer remember which appliance they are used for can be stressful. When you start sorting them, it turns out to be more or less easy to separate the ones for smartphone, tablet and laptop, for example, but then comes the hard part - which one works with which device. The easiest thing most people do in this situation is to test the chargers one by one - if the tip proves to be suitable for the device, we are already making progress.

In the best case, after establishing a similarity of the nozzle, the device will start charging and everything will be fine. Maybe not exactly in the optimal way set by the manufacturer, but, let's say in a satisfactory way. Worse scenarios are to burn the device you are trying to charge. The worst option is to burn down your house.

In the following lines you can read how to find out which of the old chargers would work best with your different devices and why this is important.


The topic in brief:

What would damage a device:
- Reverse polarity
- Charger with a higher voltage (V) than that of the device

What would damage the charger or cable:
- Reverse polarity
- Adapter with lower current (A) than the rating of the device

What would not damage the device, but it will not work properly:
- Adapter with lower current (A) than the rating of the device
- Adapter with lower voltage (V) than the rating of the device

What we need to know about voltage, current, polarity

Each AC / DC adapter is designed to receive a certain amount of AC input and convert it to a specific DC (or DC) output. In turn, each device is designed for optimal performance when receiving direct current with a certain strength. The key is to match the strength of the output current that the charger gives off and the need for input current to the device. It sounds easy, but sometimes it is challenging to establish the exact parameters of chargers and devices so that you can compare them.

The chargers are somewhat reminiscent of packaged food in the store - some manufacturers put labels detailing the contents, while others are content to tell you that there is "food to eat" in the package. The same is true for chargers - on some of them are written all the necessary parameters, and in others the information is extremely scarce.

The most important parameters to consider are the voltage and the strength of the electric current. Voltage is measured in volts (V) and electric current in amperes (A). If you have a memory of physics classes at school, you will probably think of resistance (Ω), but it is more often not indicated on the labels.

The easiest way to understand what these terms mean and what the relationship is between them is to imagine electricity as water flowing through a pipe. Now imagine that the voltage is the pressure of the water, the strength of the electric current is the strength of the current, and the resistance is the size of the pipe. Accordingly, the change in each of the three parameters will increase or decrease the power that reaches your device. And this is important because too little means that your device will not charge or function properly. And too much will generate extra heat, which can damage sensitive electronics.

Another important parameter to keep in mind is polarity. There is a positive pole (+) and a negative pole (-).

How to read charger labels

Charger manufacturers are obliged to write on the labels their basic parameters, so in most cases all the necessary information is available. First look for the value of the output current (usually labeled OUTPUT). Against it you will usually see the value of the voltage in volts (V) followed by the sign of the direct current and the electric current in amperes (A).

Once you have established the basic parameters of your charger, it's time to check the needs of the device you want to power. To do this, look for DC INPUT or INPUT only. The voltage (V) and the electric current (A) must be indicated again.

What you need to remember is that the input current and voltage of the device must match the output current and voltage of the charger. Including polarity. If the device has DC INPUT + 12V / 5.4A, you need a charger with DC OUTPUT + 12V / 5.4A. If you use a universal charger, make sure you set it up correctly.

What happens if you use the wrong adapter?

In optimal scenarios you will have matching voltage, electric current and polarity of the device and the charger, but what would happen if you accidentally or intentionally plug a charger with different parameters to your device?

In some cases, the nozzle will simply not match and you will not be able to turn it on. But in many other situations the nozzle will fit, although the basic parameters of the charger will differ from the optimal ones. Here's what might happen then:

Confused polarity

If you reverse the polarity, several things can happen. If you are lucky, nothing will happen and there will be no damage. If you remove the short stick, your device will be damaged. There is also a middle position. Some laptops and other devices have polarity reversal protection. If this is the case, you may hear cracking and smoke, but the device may still run on battery power. However, your power supply will stop working. To fix it, the burned-out protection needs to be replaced, but the good news is that the underlying hardware should be intact.

Voltage is too low (V)

If the charger voltage is lower than that of the device, but the strength of the electric current is the same, then the device may work, but far from its optimal mode. If we remember the analogy with the water flowing in a pipe, in this case we will have a very weak current, which does not supply enough water at the end of the pipe. Thus, depending on the type of device, you will achieve different results. For example, if it is a portable speaker, it will probably work, but it will not be strong enough. However, if we talk about more complex devices, some of their functionalities may remain inaccessible or even turn off if they detect a lower voltage than necessary. In general, lower voltage will not damage the device or shorten its life.

Voltage is too high (V)

If the charger has a higher voltage than that of the device, but the strength of the electric current coincides, most likely the widget will turn itself off the moment it detects too high a voltage. If this does not happen, the charger may work, but overheat, causing damage or simply shortening its life.

Higher electric current (A)

If the charger has a similar voltage as the device, but the electric current is higher, no problems should arise. For example, if you have a laptop that expects to receive 19V / 5A input current, but you use a charger with 19V / 8A, the computer will get the voltage it needs, but it will simply reach an electric current of 5A.

Lower electric current (A)

If the charger has the right voltage, but the electric current is lower, several things can happen. The device may start consuming more power. This may cause the charger to heat up or damage it. In many cases, the device will start, but the charger fails to deliver enough electrical current, which reduces the voltage (see Too Low Voltage).

For laptops that run on a charger with a lower power supply, several scenarios can occur.

- The battery is charging, but the laptop does not want to start;
- the laptop is running but the battery is not charging.
In general, if you find such a mismatch, it is best to get a new charger whose characteristics match those of the consumer.

Protections and buffers for laptop chargers and other devices

In the above lines we have described how things are in theory, taking into account the polarity, voltage and the current. However, what the general theory cannot predict is the various protections that manufacturers install in chargers and electronic devices.

Manufacturers often leave buffers when announcing the official specifications of their devices. For example, it may be written on your laptop that it runs at 8A, but in reality it only needs 5A. The same goes for chargers. Your laptop charger may be said to be running at 5A, but to deliver 8A power without any problems.

Most chargers also have built-in voltage and current switches to optimally adjust the output current or consumption depending on the specific needs. Many devices turn off automatically before being damaged if there is a mismatch.

However, it is not advisable to rely on these protections and buffers, because they are not always available, but also because, especially in more complex devices, they are left for a reason and protect them from damage.

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What can go wrong if you not use the correct charger for your laptop?.

Author:

Asen Georgiev

Steps:

0

1650

Share


Introduction.

Last week I finally managed to tidy up that closet at home, which is full of all sorts of old gadgets. It was no big surprise when I ended up with a whole box (quite large) full of different chargers and cables. Yes, the same as the ones you collected in that box in your home - for old smartphones, consoles, laptops, vacuum cleaners, hair clippers and what not.

How to navigate the piles of chargers

Having so many different chargers that at some point you no longer remember which appliance they are used for can be stressful. When you start sorting them, it turns out to be more or less easy to separate the ones for smartphone, tablet and laptop, for example, but then comes the hard part - which one works with which device. The easiest thing most people do in this situation is to test the chargers one by one - if the tip proves to be suitable for the device, we are already making progress.

In the best case, after establishing a similarity of the nozzle, the device will start charging and everything will be fine. Maybe not exactly in the optimal way set by the manufacturer, but, let's say in a satisfactory way. Worse scenarios are to burn the device you are trying to charge. The worst option is to burn down your house.

In the following lines you can read how to find out which of the old chargers would work best with your different devices and why this is important.


The topic in brief:

What would damage a device:
- Reverse polarity
- Charger with a higher voltage (V) than that of the device

What would damage the charger or cable:
- Reverse polarity
- Adapter with lower current (A) than the rating of the device

What would not damage the device, but it will not work properly:
- Adapter with lower current (A) than the rating of the device
- Adapter with lower voltage (V) than the rating of the device

What we need to know about voltage, current, polarity

Each AC / DC adapter is designed to receive a certain amount of AC input and convert it to a specific DC (or DC) output. In turn, each device is designed for optimal performance when receiving direct current with a certain strength. The key is to match the strength of the output current that the charger gives off and the need for input current to the device. It sounds easy, but sometimes it is challenging to establish the exact parameters of chargers and devices so that you can compare them.

The chargers are somewhat reminiscent of packaged food in the store - some manufacturers put labels detailing the contents, while others are content to tell you that there is "food to eat" in the package. The same is true for chargers - on some of them are written all the necessary parameters, and in others the information is extremely scarce.

The most important parameters to consider are the voltage and the strength of the electric current. Voltage is measured in volts (V) and electric current in amperes (A). If you have a memory of physics classes at school, you will probably think of resistance (Ω), but it is more often not indicated on the labels.

The easiest way to understand what these terms mean and what the relationship is between them is to imagine electricity as water flowing through a pipe. Now imagine that the voltage is the pressure of the water, the strength of the electric current is the strength of the current, and the resistance is the size of the pipe. Accordingly, the change in each of the three parameters will increase or decrease the power that reaches your device. And this is important because too little means that your device will not charge or function properly. And too much will generate extra heat, which can damage sensitive electronics.

Another important parameter to keep in mind is polarity. There is a positive pole (+) and a negative pole (-).

How to read charger labels

Charger manufacturers are obliged to write on the labels their basic parameters, so in most cases all the necessary information is available. First look for the value of the output current (usually labeled OUTPUT). Against it you will usually see the value of the voltage in volts (V) followed by the sign of the direct current and the electric current in amperes (A).

Once you have established the basic parameters of your charger, it's time to check the needs of the device you want to power. To do this, look for DC INPUT or INPUT only. The voltage (V) and the electric current (A) must be indicated again.

What you need to remember is that the input current and voltage of the device must match the output current and voltage of the charger. Including polarity. If the device has DC INPUT + 12V / 5.4A, you need a charger with DC OUTPUT + 12V / 5.4A. If you use a universal charger, make sure you set it up correctly.

What happens if you use the wrong adapter?

In optimal scenarios you will have matching voltage, electric current and polarity of the device and the charger, but what would happen if you accidentally or intentionally plug a charger with different parameters to your device?

In some cases, the nozzle will simply not match and you will not be able to turn it on. But in many other situations the nozzle will fit, although the basic parameters of the charger will differ from the optimal ones. Here's what might happen then:

Confused polarity

If you reverse the polarity, several things can happen. If you are lucky, nothing will happen and there will be no damage. If you remove the short stick, your device will be damaged. There is also a middle position. Some laptops and other devices have polarity reversal protection. If this is the case, you may hear cracking and smoke, but the device may still run on battery power. However, your power supply will stop working. To fix it, the burned-out protection needs to be replaced, but the good news is that the underlying hardware should be intact.

Voltage is too low (V)

If the charger voltage is lower than that of the device, but the strength of the electric current is the same, then the device may work, but far from its optimal mode. If we remember the analogy with the water flowing in a pipe, in this case we will have a very weak current, which does not supply enough water at the end of the pipe. Thus, depending on the type of device, you will achieve different results. For example, if it is a portable speaker, it will probably work, but it will not be strong enough. However, if we talk about more complex devices, some of their functionalities may remain inaccessible or even turn off if they detect a lower voltage than necessary. In general, lower voltage will not damage the device or shorten its life.

Voltage is too high (V)

If the charger has a higher voltage than that of the device, but the strength of the electric current coincides, most likely the widget will turn itself off the moment it detects too high a voltage. If this does not happen, the charger may work, but overheat, causing damage or simply shortening its life.

Higher electric current (A)

If the charger has a similar voltage as the device, but the electric current is higher, no problems should arise. For example, if you have a laptop that expects to receive 19V / 5A input current, but you use a charger with 19V / 8A, the computer will get the voltage it needs, but it will simply reach an electric current of 5A.

Lower electric current (A)

If the charger has the right voltage, but the electric current is lower, several things can happen. The device may start consuming more power. This may cause the charger to heat up or damage it. In many cases, the device will start, but the charger fails to deliver enough electrical current, which reduces the voltage (see Too Low Voltage).

For laptops that run on a charger with a lower power supply, several scenarios can occur.

- The battery is charging, but the laptop does not want to start;
- the laptop is running but the battery is not charging.
In general, if you find such a mismatch, it is best to get a new charger whose characteristics match those of the consumer.

Protections and buffers for laptop chargers and other devices

In the above lines we have described how things are in theory, taking into account the polarity, voltage and the current. However, what the general theory cannot predict is the various protections that manufacturers install in chargers and electronic devices.

Manufacturers often leave buffers when announcing the official specifications of their devices. For example, it may be written on your laptop that it runs at 8A, but in reality it only needs 5A. The same goes for chargers. Your laptop charger may be said to be running at 5A, but to deliver 8A power without any problems.

Most chargers also have built-in voltage and current switches to optimally adjust the output current or consumption depending on the specific needs. Many devices turn off automatically before being damaged if there is a mismatch.

However, it is not advisable to rely on these protections and buffers, because they are not always available, but also because, especially in more complex devices, they are left for a reason and protect them from damage.

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