What does this thing do?

Hey guys,

I'm having a terrible time trying to charge my laptop. After weeks of having the DC plug mess me around, it finally gave up and now my laptop no longer charges. At first, I was convinced it was the jack, but it turns out the jack is actually perfectly fine, albeit a little worn.

Now, I'm pretty sure it's the AC adapter, but the unit itself seems fine (green light). Anyway, to cut it short, I think the plug has given in, but what I'd like know is what exactly this bulge right before the plug does.

I have attached a picture below.

 

Hi,

That's a noise suppressor. The cable just goes through it. It should cause no problems unless the cable gets broken at one end of the other of it. If the laptop runs with the adaptor plugged in there is no problem with power. The battery could be defective. It contains a small processor chip that monitors the cells in the battery and is really the main part of the charger. I'm sure you know that the charge lite go out when the battery reaches 100% charge. If the laptop is running off the battery you probably have no problem.

Good Luck, Jim

 

Hey Jim,

Thanks for the reply. It's most certainly not the battery - It ran down normally once it stopped receiving power. The reason I ask about the noise surpressor is because I'm probably going to have to replace the entire plug. I've tested the lappy with one of those selectible power adapters, which was unfortunately 7 volts too little to power it, but it did give me a flashing power LED which indicates an insufficient power source, thereby confirming that the jack is indeed still functioning.

I could go out and buy a new adapter, but that seem unnecessary since the unit itself seems fine, just a faulty plug or a break within the noise surpressor . If I do go ahead and replace the plug, can I just cut off the surpressor? Its extremely annoying and if it serves no crucial purpose I might as well do away with it.

Thanks.

 

Hi Marcel,

I'm still a little vauge on if the laptop runs with the adaptor plugged in and battery out. Beg, borrow or steal a Voltmeter and check for voltage at the plug while flexing the cable.

Jim

 

Hey again Jim,

I apologise if I was a little vague in my postings - I was typing it on my cell which is extremely tedious at the best of times. The laptop would not receive power from the adapter, and would not run with the battery removed since there was no incoming voltage. The battery ran down, and would then not receive the power to charge.

The reason I'm using past tense here is because I have finally found the problem. Inside the adapter plug (the metal plug that plugs into the laptop) there are four pins which make connection with the pin in the middle of the power jack. These little pins were bent back and appeared to be detached from the housing. I bent these inward with a tiny screwdriver and boom, the power light came on and the battery began charging again.

What it boils down to is the plug on the AC adapter is starting to give up.I will need to replace the plug or the entire adapter eventually, but luckily the mobo , jack and battery are still working just fine.

Thanks so much for the help with identifying the noise suppressor.

To everyone else reading this post, take note, it may be the plug on your adapter, and if you're very careful, it can be repaired at home.

 

Hi Marcel,

Good for you. You got it. If you find the correct plug there should be very little trouble spliceing it on. I've done the same many times. I have a large collection of spare adaptors and can usually find a plug that works. Look out for the ones that have no little springy contacts for the center pin. They usually don't work.

More Luck, Jim