The perils of replacement laptop Power suplies (PSUs)

My Acer Swift power supply failed recently and I bought a "compatible" replacement on eBay. The original was 45W but this one was 65W but compatible with my exact model number - apparently. I thought the extra power would be a good thing. The plug is a rattling fit in my laptop and does not make a reliable connection, but worse, after a few days, I realised that even when it said it was charging, the battery level stayed at 46%, even if I slept or powered down my laptop. The Acer is unusual in having a pinhole battery reset on the back. As soon as I did the reset, the laptop started charging again. But I have had to do this three times this week. I can return this at no cost since it was an Amazon purchase and I have ordered a Delta PSU with the exact model number of the original.

Years ago, I bought a Chinese replacement for my system 3 HP Mini. Bizarrely, although it did charge the laptop, it caused the touchpad cursor to freeze! Presumably it was sending more AC than DC to the laptop and causing havoc with the internal buses?

So, if you ever need a replacement PSU, make sure you can return it at no cost if it does not comply 100%. It's the same with batteries. I had to replace the battery on my system 3 and it works quite well, but I often have to remove and replace it when it won't charge.

@kelper

Thanks for sharing that with us.
Quality power supplies and batteries are things I do not try to bargain for.
I strictly go for OEM, even if the cost can be outrageous at times.

Sounds like you just got stuck with a very cheap Chinese power-supply that was listed as being compatible with as many laptop models as possible so that they would sell more.

This is one thing I really like about most Dell laptops. Their mid-tier and high-end laptops mostly all use the same power connector and voltage, so they are all interchangeable. Wattage varies of course, but if you are using a power supply that doesn't supply enough power it will give you a warning upon boot. Since most of their power supplies from the last ~20 years are compatible, it's always easy and cheap to find a used one as a replacement.

I'll also say that as someone who repairs laptops often, Acer laptops are among the worse. They are the type where the entire laptop will feel like it's going to snap in half if you try to lift it up from one corner. I have several sitting in my parts bin right now that all still work fine except that the keyboards each developed issues and it wasn't economical to replace the laptop keyboard, resulting in the entire laptop having to be basically junked. I can't even remember the last time I had the keyboard fail on a Dell laptop.

If your laptop was designed to charge at 45 watts then it will always do that even if the adapter is rated at 65 watts. There is no harm in doing that.

I have a Acer Swift 3 Laptop (SF315-41G-R6MP) that I bought in 2018. The problem with the right-angle connector is I was always snagging it when I walking by. I guess I jerked it too many times because it became intermittent. It has a 65-watt power adapter. I couldn't figure which one online was compatible so I ended up buying one from Acer.

The AC adapter appears to working OK but sometime the power notification in the tray says "No battery". Even when I see that it works OK when on battery.

For laptops... OEM replacement parts, or go home.

Laptops take proprietary, to the next level. Slim PCs are like that too. ^^

I wish manufacturers would put a charging socket on the left and the right so you had a choice. The Framework laptops have four or six modules for USB ports and add-ons. Each slot can have a USB-C type and you could put one on either side and use for charging.
I agree that the right angle plug is a disaster on my Acer. I am hoping my new Delta charger will be an exact match for the original.
As far as I'm aware OEM has come to mean just compatible as in OEM car parts.

Cheap, Chinese PSUs are also prone to catching fire!

Another vote for OEM or don't bother!

As for car's there's a number of suppliers involved in OEM but load's more "Compatible with OEM", i always use main dealers for car parts or known reputable brands.

When a Notebook is truly dead I salvage the RAM, the drive if still usable and the AC adapter, have a fruit-box full of several brands in my work area. Also have a couple of universal drives with various interchangeable tips.

If the laptop is charged from a USB-C port, it is possible to use a third-party USB-C charger [good quality and correct specs, of course]. In fact, this is the point of charging via USB-C.

I think the UE (European Union], which is in the business of regulating everything, is requiring that all laptops charge from a USB-C port.

I have used this method in a Lenovo ThinkPad without any problem. I can charge it using an Amazon Basics USB-C 65W charger. This is more convenient when traveling that the Lenovo charger, which is bigger and has two long cables.

Anibor_11 said:

I have used this method in a Lenovo ThinkPad without any problem. I can charge it using an Amazon Basics USB-C 65W charger. This is more convenient when traveling that the Lenovo charger, which is bigger and has two long cables.

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I have a Lenovo Ideapad 320-15IAP that has only the plug-in module and single cable to the Notebook, much nicer than what I had with an older Thinkpad I was given for parts but rehabbed then gave away.

That's why I avoid absolutely cheap and unknown Chinese laptop power adapters. I too buy compatible (non genuine), but from a reputable brand I can easily find in my area and return if faulty. In Greece we have PowerOn, Powertech, Lamtech, Akyga and Element brands among others. Frequently the universal adapters with many tips have similar prices to a single model ones, so I prefer the former to be usable in many laptops, not only one brand.

The one I returned matched all my requirements and would have been fine, but the tip that goes into the charging port was a rattling fit and often disconnected when I was using the laptop or even overnight when it was charging. I couldn't tell if it was the OD or the ID that was slightly wrong.

Looseness in the power port on a Notebook can happen when the plug gets bumped and tends to move the contacts in the socket around or can loosen the soldering to the motherboard printed circuits.

Berton said:

Looseness in the power port on a Notebook can happen when the plug gets bumped and tends to move the contacts in the socket around or can loosen the soldering to the motherboard printed circuits.

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Yes, but in my case a genuine PSU solved it, so there was nothing wrong with the charging port on the laptop.

Anibor_11 said:

If the laptop is charged from a USB-C port, it is possible to use a third-party USB-C charger [good quality and correct specs, of course]. In fact, this is the point of charging via USB-C.

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You can also use a USB-C charger with a machine that cannot be charged via USB-C. Here is how:

Check Amazon or elsewhere for a "PD Trigger" cable matching the voltage used by your computer.

As an example, I have an HP Spectre that is on the older side. It uses a standard barrel connector and the HP adapter is 19V. I purchased a USB Trigger cable that has USB-C on one side and a barrel jack that fits my laptop on the other end. The USB Trigger talks to the USB-C charger and causes it to output 19V suitable for my laptop.

One important detail: Both the PD trigger cable and the USB-C charger must be rated to support at least the amount of power that the laptop needs. For example, the laptop mentioned above requires 45W of power. Both my USB-C charger and cable are capable of 100W maximum, so it easily exceeds the requirement of my laptop.

I actually power all my old laptops this way.

kelper said:

My Acer Swift power supply failed recently and I bought a "compatible" replacement on eBay.

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My Acer Aspire's power supply failed a few years back. As you are UK-based you could do the same as I did, I got a universal charger from Currys, their Logik own-brand product. This is the 3rd Logik power supply I've bought, they are all in daily use, and all have proved completely reliable. My oldest dates back to 2011.

kelper said:

The one I returned matched all my requirements and would have been fine, but the tip that goes into the charging port was a rattling fit and often disconnected when I was using the laptop or even overnight when it was charging. I couldn't tell if it was the OD or the ID that was slightly wrong.

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I have seen that before. Many models of Universal adapters sold here in Greece have two almost identical tips. One is labeled M5 or similar and the other is labeled M7 They deliver the same power and their difference is that the central pin is a little thicker in M5. You can use M5 on a laptop that would normally take M7 but it will be a little loose and could disconnect or cause short-circuit and damage the laptop! Be very careful! Your previous adaptor that was loose could just be the wrong tip. M5 tip is universal suiting most unknown brands of laptop with 19V 4.74A output (for a 90W model). But some other laptops would better take M7 that fits exactly to avoid damage. Really cheap universal adapters with only a few tips usually don't include M7 since (in theory) it can be replaced by M5.