About Dell laptop power supplies

Thread Starter

Janis59

Joined Aug 21, 2017
1,834
So, coffee cup poured over that nice black box so that the rest is just ash cubicle. I rapidly found another similar from HP. Old what burned was 19.5V 4.3 A, the new was 19.0V 3.8A. Just excised a power cord let the jumper pass and.... no power at all.

Begun to read about - oh those God-hating manslaughters! They made a Dallas DS1501 digital identity teller to report by the third wire what is powerbox unique identity and if code not pass, then "No, sir!". Oh my.... Where is my dad`s Kalashnikoff.....
Have no idea how to avoid to not throw away the 1KEur worth computer.
Do You have any?
 

Irving

Joined Jan 30, 2016
3,843
Plenty of used Dell or Dell-compatible power bricks on eBay or Amazon for around 33euro...

Dell will sell you a real one for 60euro
 

dl324

Joined Mar 30, 2015
16,845
As I recall, Dell did something to prevent non-Dell adapters from working. I bought several replacements on eBay for my 2000 era laptop because of that. But not before buying a Dell adapter that had the correct plug, but wouldn't work (as I recall).

Laptop is still working, as is the original adapter.
1666104425445.png
 

Dodgydave

Joined Jun 22, 2012
11,284
Yes inside the Dell psu is a 3 pin chip, that sends a pulsed signal to the laptop on the centre pin, i removed it from the psu and put it inside the laptop so i can use any non-dell psus ...

This is a feature on Dell to make you buy their products..

 
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Thread Starter

Janis59

Joined Aug 21, 2017
1,834
[QUOTE="Dodgydave[/QUOTE]
Wow! I was 100% sure the central wire must be the +Vcc. And with the battery taken off it really work like normal. Outhern - nil black, inner tubular - digital blue, most inner needleshaped white plus. Shall check one more time. Thanks!
 

Thread Starter

Janis59

Joined Aug 21, 2017
1,834
[QUOTE="crutschow: ...to prevent dummies from using an adapter with an incorrect voltage [/QUOTE]
Dummies must exctinct anyway. Or catch the smartness.
 

Thread Starter

Janis59

Joined Aug 21, 2017
1,834
[QUOTE="Dodgydave : i removed it from the psu and put it inside the laptop so i can use any non-dell psu [/QUOTE]
Yepp, that is one of ideas to order that eprom (but it isnt available in very much stores) and attach it inside the middle of cable). Only am no sure the new-bought code will be supported by computer. Do the ANY code will be sufficient. But before the testing is impossible to know for sure.
 

Thread Starter

Janis59

Joined Aug 21, 2017
1,834
[QUOTE="Dodgydave:
[/QUOTE]

His Cheeneese language is indeed too high for me :) :). How they may learn to speak SO much incorrectly??

Have spent the time rather much abroad to recognize Australian English, NewZealandian English, Israelian English, Scottish and Irish English, Cambridge English and US English, but this nice guy speak is just a gem. Probably at night shall listen him one more ten times and shall accomodate.
 

panic mode

Joined Oct 10, 2011
2,715
It may also be to prevent dummies from using an adapter with an incorrect voltage, polarity, or current rating (of course that would never happen).
so true. one has to consider support cost that manufacturer encounters and potential damage from using wrong PSU or polarity.
but that is not the true reason, it is all about driving sales...

cost of a diode or mosfet to ensure power is only accepted when polarity is correct is pennies. heck, add a full bridge rectifier and electronic fuse to make it really robust and flexible. but companies would rather see you throw out the old and buy new. landfills can take another one for the team...
 

k1ng 1337

Joined Sep 11, 2020
940
so true. one has to consider support cost that manufacturer encounters and potential damage from using wrong PSU or polarity.
but that is not the true reason, it is all about driving sales...

cost of a diode or mosfet to ensure power is only accepted when polarity is correct is pennies. heck, add a full bridge rectifier and electronic fuse to make it really robust and flexible. but companies would rather see you throw out the old and buy new. landfills can take another one for the team...
Just like sealed products with different screw heads and hidden brackets. I've opened enough things to know they do it because they want to drive you crazy so you throw it in the trash. Most then drive at high speeds full of rage to the nearest store to buy the replacement at full price because they wasted 6 hours trying to fix a 2 minute problem now with a 90000% markup.:p
 

crutschow

Joined Mar 14, 2008
34,282
one has to consider support cost that manufacturer encounters and potential damage from using wrong PSU or polarity.
but that is not the true reason, it is all about driving sales...
So you think that the manufacturer goes through that complexity just to insure the customer has to buy the few power supplies that fail from them?
Sorry, I don't buy that.
 

k1ng 1337

Joined Sep 11, 2020
940
So you think that the manufacturer goes through that complexity just to insure the customer has to buy the few power supplies that fail from them?
Sorry, I don't buy that.
Technology in general? Not really. Everything else? Definitely.

Society indirectly thrives in the throw away mentalities. I'm not one for conspiracy but this has been proven many times in litigation across the board.
 

panic mode

Joined Oct 10, 2011
2,715
So you think that the manufacturer goes through that complexity just to insure the customer has to buy the few power supplies that fail from them?
Sorry, I don't buy that.
it is called planned obsolescence and it is not limited to just laptop PSU. Same goes for laptop battery and pretty much everything else including printers, phones, appliances etc. many users after seeing one message nagging about problem, incompatibility or alarm may give up on that product and just buy new one. so used machine that may still be perfect for some folks or tasks ends up in a dumpster.

most people cannot remember how many products they have gone through just in the last 10 years. some replacements are driven by vanity and fashion. some because there is no readily available repair service, some because repair services they used suck or cost too much...

i was always busy working and did not pay attention how many of our devices got discarded or replaced. several times member of the family did try repair services and so far only ONE repair was actually successful (and still costed nearly as much as new product). few times appliance tech did not succeed in troubleshooting or repairing and they still got paid for their trouble.

then i started keeping track and fixing things myself... even if something is not fixed i like to take it apart and study design and inner working. but my success rate is great. couple of laptops, one phone, range, microwave, dishwasher, wine cooler, AC, TV...

Just this week i repaired fridge (FGUN2642LF1). it served well for 11 years and looked new inside and out but wife already ordered replacement and delivery crew was on the way with the new one and to pickup the old one. Of course we kept the new one but i opted to keep and play with the old one. It costed $56 CAD for new evaporator motor and defroster thermostat and it took 2-3 hours of research and repair. Both parts arrived next day thanks to Amazon prime. Thermostat was still working but epoxy seal at the wire entrance was starting to lift indicating that moisture was getting inside and freeze/defrost cycles were forcing it apart.
 
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panic mode

Joined Oct 10, 2011
2,715
Just like sealed products with different screw heads and hidden brackets. I've opened enough things to know they do it because they want to drive you crazy so you throw it in the trash. Most then drive at high speeds full of rage to the nearest store to buy the replacement at full price because they wasted 6 hours trying to fix a 2 minute problem now with a 90000% markup.:p
exactly... i use masking tape to mark containers used to hold the screws and other small parts in order they are removed. along the way also take some pictures or even video. when putting things back, just use reverse order.
 

crutschow

Joined Mar 14, 2008
34,282
t is called planned obsolescence and it is not limited to just laptop PSU.
I agree that many devices, in general, seem to have planned obsolescence, but not a laptop power supply, in particular, which is the subject of this thread,
So how is such a supply made obsolete, which is the particular point I was making?
 

panic mode

Joined Oct 10, 2011
2,715
by making it hard to find replacement PSU, it is not just the PSU that is obsolete, it is both PSU and the laptop that get tossed. what do you do with the laptop if you cannot even power it up? and what about the $500 docking station? do you throw it out or get the same brand laptop again?
 
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k1ng 1337

Joined Sep 11, 2020
940
it is called planned obsolescence and it is not limited to just laptop PSU. Same goes for laptop battery and pretty much everything else including printers, phones, appliances etc. many users after seeing one message nagging about problem, incompatibility or alarm may give up on that product and just buy new one. so used machine that may still be perfect for some folks or tasks ends up in a dumpster.

most people cannot remember how many products they have gone through just in the last 10 years. some replacements are driven by vanity and fashion. some because there is no readily available repair service, some because repair services they used suck or cost too much...

i was always busy working and did not pay attention how many of our devices got discarded or replaced. several times member of the family did try repair services and so far only ONE repair was actually successful (and still costed nearly as much as new product). few times appliance tech did not succeed in troubleshooting or repairing and they still got paid for their trouble.

then i started keeping track and fixing things myself... even if something is not fixed i like to take it apart and study design and inner working. but my success rate is great. couple of laptops, one phone, range, microwave, dishwasher, wine cooler, AC, TV...

Just this week i repaired fridge (FGUN2642LF1). it served well for 11 years and looked new inside and out but wife already ordered replacement and delivery crew was on the way with the new one and to pickup the old one. Of course we kept the new one but i opted to keep and play with the old one. It costed $56 CAD for new evaporator motor and defroster thermostat and it took 2-3 hours of research and repair. Both parts arrived next day thanks to Amazon prime. Thermostat was still working but epoxy seal at the wire entrance was starting to lift indicating that moisture was getting inside and freeze/defrost cycles were forcing it apart.
People including myself also develop a Stockholm syndrome mentality where we resolve the big companies can't be that bad and end up defending them. Instead of boycotting these companies, in slides another that offers a solution at a reduced price. This is effectively racketeering among an industry where the consumer is locked out unless they have extensive knowledge on the subject. I would think electronics would be especially prone to this kind of fraud.

The reality is none of us here are involved in the director meetings etc. where the real corporate money making decisions are made and where only they know what's really going on. Without the corporate facts, I can reason "they" stand to gain massive profits at the ignorance and incapability of action of the consumer because they have all the legal elements at their disposal when we as the consumer do not.

This goes back to my previous comment that is only because of costly court cases these things ever come to light. Much easier to look the other way.
 

panic mode

Joined Oct 10, 2011
2,715
cost and convenience are big factors. if one can afford something it is tempting to just get the replacement... it is quicker, easier and it has that new product smell. and we keep dumping more and more while cheering green ideas.
 
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