Laptop won't charge on 12v

[bizzard]

And your laptops power usage fluctuates constantly depending on what your doing on it. Heavy graphic downloading and burning to discs probably uses the most. Also the louder the sound volume the more power it will use.

[Starcoaster]

Ok, I may be having a breakdown in my understanding... I thought that whatever the wattage the laptop requires (as shown on the bottom, ie,3.42) the charger wattage should be higher, so 4 or 4.7W is fine?

 

 

Weakness in the boat supply is the obvious explanation to me, but in order to address this, I need to know how to single out what it is, and why it is not effective, which is what I am hoping someone can explain for me?

[LoneWolf]

Ok, I may be having a breakdown in my understanding... I thought that whatever the wattage the laptop requires (as shown on the bottom, ie,3.42) the charger wattage should be higher, so 4 or 4.7W is fine?

 

 

Weakness in the boat supply is the obvious explanation to me, but in order to address this, I need to know how to single out what it is, and why it is not effective, which is what I am hoping someone can explain for me?

 

step one: find your multimeter

[Higgs]

Ok, I may be having a breakdown in my understanding... I thought that whatever the wattage the laptop requires (as shown on the bottom, ie,3.42) the charger wattage should be higher, so 4 or 4.7W is fine?

 

 

Weakness in the boat supply is the obvious explanation to me, but in order to address this, I need to know how to single out what it is, and why it is not effective, which is what I am hoping someone can explain for me?

 

Your boat seems to be the spanner in the works. If your batteries are good, then poss: The power supply (the batteries) are too far away; or, cable is too thin to carry the demand, or both; or your have a damaged wire, dirty socket, .........

 

You have a practical friend, he should be able to help. You have a relatively short boat, so it possibly isn't power supply too far away.

 

The adaptor has been working ok in other places. Without sufficient power to drive itself it can't drive the laptop.

Edited August 30, 2013 by Higgs

[by'eck]

 

I am asking if anyone can suggest might be the cause of the problem?

 

The laptop is an Acer, but I am sure because of how it goes on 12v on other boats and on AC here that the laptop itself is not the issue.

The issue arises (when it does arise) regardless of whatever I am doing to it- actively using it, it switched on but not in use, in hibernation mode, and plugged in but turned off.

 

The socket charges other things with no problem, ie, my phone, Kindle and other stuff, so I don't think there is a wiring issue.

 

 

Am I misunderstanding what you're saying here? But I have tried it on the 12v on other boats, Aldebaran and Reginald. Also, the socket is as close to the batteries as it can get!

 

Perversely, after the problem occurring every day this week when I tried to run the lappy on 12v, I have tried it again today after starting this thread and so far it is fine and not doing it at all! Nothing has changed, been added or taken away since I last tried!

 

Are you using a cigar lighter type plug on the 12 volt charger and a matching socket on your boat? If so this may be your problem. They are not robust enough to supply much at all reliably although more by luck, many get away with using them to power low current devices. The DIN plugs and sockets are much better.

 

I say again that your symptoms point to the charger not getting enough volts. The fact that the same socket powers other lower powered devices doesn't mean it will power the hungry laptop charger, which will draw current to charge its own battery no matter what state the laptop is in. The fact that its working at the moment may mean the tenuous connection is temporarily improved - that's the nature of low voltage electrics.

 

As a temporary measure you could try cleaning the centre pin tip on the plug and matching part inside the socket with the main battery disconnected - use a flat blade screwdriver to scrape the socket contact area clean. If it fails again try holding the plug in against the spring loaded tip. If this improves matters you have the answer - fit another socket.

 

You could also try removing the laptops battery as others have suggested so the 12 volt charger runs only the laptop itself which will reduce the load through the plug/socket.

 

BTW the power consumption of your laptop will be in the order of 65 watts max. The figures you have quoted are amps!

[bizzard]

If you use a fag lighter socket and plug get a spare socket put crocodile clips on its wires and clip it onto your domestic battery lugs and plug your 12v laptop charger and laptop into iy ans see what happens. (correct polarity important!!).

[Duchess Omnium]

Hi, Starry, I have had exactly this issue, snd I can't quite work out what is going on, but I managed to fry two mini inverters - both of which were well into the recommended output range, - and one laptop power supply, while my batteries happily ran everything else and showedvlovely states of charge. Two Maplins 150 watt inverters were completely destroyed -- the fuse blew and a replacement fuse blew again immediately. Maplins said it must be defective, but in a couple of weeks the second went too, then the laptop power supply was destroyed (not cheap to replace).

 

I had to replace my laptop charger -- it took me a while to work out it had been destroyed, so do try yours again landside. Then I bought a cheaper, 75w inverter from Maplins. It didn't beep when it had low power, but it also didn't break... It just stopped working.

 

I am still monitoring this, but my current analysis is that I can't charge my computer when the fridge is running (which it does intermittently all day long, so I need to be there when the computer is plugged in). It doesn't just stop charging -- things break. If I leave it alone for more than a few minutes I am back to buying a new charger.

 

Oddly, I can run the water pump, watch the tele, and carry on all manner of other much more power intensive nefarious activities when the fridge is on. But not charge the computer. Possibly a pure sine inverter would fix this. But the money is too much. I prefer to listen for the fridge turning on, watch for the red lights on the inverter, and switch it off...

[Starcoaster]

I don't even have an inverter... this is all running directly from the 12v power.

At the times when I am trying to power the laptop literally all that is running on the 12v is just the laptop, or the laptop and one LED light, or the laptop and a phone charger.

[BEngo]

It isn't the lappy, it isn't the power brick, so it must be the boat. You want to find the voltage at the boat power supply socket with a decent load on it. You will need: a spare plug to fit the power point. Some sort of decent load- a spot/tunnel light would be OK. A chocolate block cable connector for two cables. A multimeter which reads up to about 15-20 Volts.

 

Connect the spare plug to the chocolate block (two wires) and the chocolate block to the tunnel light (two more wires).

 

Measure the voltage at the domestic battery terminals

 

Plug the spare plug etc into the socket- check the tunnel light comes on

 

Measure the voltage at the chocolate block by putting the multimeter pins onto the screws in the chocolate block with one pin on each wire.

 

Unplug.

 

Tell us what the voltage readings are.

 

N

[blodger]

I would fit another 12v charging socket and if that works OK also replace the first. It's a good idea to have some redundancy.

 

I think the socket/wiring/contacts are the problem;

Edited August 31, 2013 by blodger

[black sheep]

Try it with your engine running Star at fast tick over to boost the voltage.

A word of warning - I had a similar problem of my laptop not charging using the 12v cig lighter socket so tried it with the engine running. Result - a burnt out motherboard and a new laptop. I had recently had a new alternator fitted and apparently it was producing voltage spikes which the laptop couldn't cope with. I won't be buying a 12v charger for the new laptop.

[Starcoaster]

Argh bloody hell,do not want! Shouldn't the adapter on the laptop charger prevent that? I know you're told to not have the laptop plugged in when you start the engine of a car due to the power surge, so I assume this is the same for the boat, ie, plug it in once the engine is running?

[OldGoldy]

A word of warning - I had a similar problem of my laptop not charging using the 12v cig lighter socket so tried it with the engine running. Result - a burnt out motherboard and a new laptop. I had recently had a new alternator fitted and apparently it was producing voltage spikes which the laptop couldn't cope with. I won't be buying a 12v charger for the new laptop.

 

Some laptops are prone to destruction of the motherboard due to the DC input socket centre pin not being securely soldered to the motherboard. The solder cracks, the input then starts sparking and burns the motherboard. I know this 'cos I have a Pink Medion to repair on which this has happened. It's not going to be an easy repair as the printed board has three, yes three layers of copper print.

 

This can happen anytime, no matter how the 15 or 19volts are sourced and there have been similar power problems with many domestic electronics items for years. (I used to fix tellys!)

 

No matter what brand you have, never stress the DC lead/socket - this is what can result. That said, a Toshiba I bought recently for myself has the DC socket connected by wires, not directly mounted on the printed circuit, so that problem should not arise.

 

I, too, think your 12V socket/plug arrangemnt is inadequate - by'eck has the answer #'30 above, and your options are in posts 8, 12, 29, 31, 35.

Edited August 31, 2013 by OldGoldy

[by'eck]

Argh bloody hell,do not want! Shouldn't the adapter on the laptop charger prevent that? I know you're told to not have the laptop plugged in when you start the engine of a car due to the power surge, so I assume this is the same for the boat, ie, plug it in once the engine is running?

 

Not the same on a boat because the 12 volt power source would normally be from the domestic battery bank and not the starter battery. I often leave mine plugged in 24/7 whilst cruising.

 

You are right in that the 12 volt adapter should comfortably be able to cope with batteries being charged with engine alternator though.

 

Have you tried any of the many suggestions yet?

[Starcoaster]

Not yet, other than "jiggle the wires."

Cheers.

[sharpness]

I had this problem last week with my Toshiba. I was sat on a stool with the lappy on a soft armchair. The soft armchair was blocking the cooling fans and the fans were working overtime to try to keep it cool, not enough output from the charger & the charge light kept flashing. Moved the lappy onto a hard surface & it worked a treat.

Any good?, worth a try?

 

Steve

[Starcoaster]

Thanks for that, I can see the logic there! But the lappy is always on a table and I can feel the air coming out of the cooling vent.

[ditchcrawler]

Thanks for that, I can see the logic there! But the lappy is always on a table and I can feel the air coming out of the cooling vent.

Bet its your wall socket.

[Starcoaster]

Its looking that way, though I have yet to try out the suggestions. This being the problem is preferable to it being an issue with the entire 12v provision!