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I have a laptop and my adapter/charger could not be used anymore as the cable was cut.
So I bought a new adapter but it was slightly different than the original. My original had (Toshiba's original): 

Input: 100-240V ~ 1.5A  50-60Hz  
Output: 19V=====4.74A

While the new one (no-name brand) has: 

Input: 100-240V ~ ,2A  , 50-60Hz  
Output: 19V=====6.32A

The problem is that although the laptop stays on, the battery does not get charged.I mean in order to use my laptop I have to have it always plugged-in.
I strongly believe that there is no problem with the battery since before the old adapter broke (cable cut-off) the battery was charging fine.

Could this be an issue in some difference between the adapters?

user76678
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  • Serverfault is for professional systems administrations. A question about a laptop adapter does not fit that description. – Jenny D Mar 29 '13 at 09:19
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    @JennyD, Actually I disagree, the FAQ states `Server Fault is for Information Technology Professionals needing expert answers related to managing computer systems in a professional capacity`, which is wider ranging than `professional systems administrators`. I don't see anything wrong with this question being asked here. That said, it's bordering on being too localised. – Bryan Mar 29 '13 at 09:48
  • @user76678 As long as the charger outputs the same voltage and is capable of supplying at least the same amount of current as the original one, technically, it should be fine, that said many laptops can detect characteristics of power supplies, and the laptop you have is probably 'playing it safe', although it shouldn't have to in this case. – Bryan Mar 29 '13 at 09:54
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    @Bryan While this (in general) may be topical for ServerFault, it seems pretty clear to me that our intrepid OP isn't looking to replace the adapter on a laptop in a professional capacity, and is asking about a personal machine... which limits the usefulness of the answer to a big degree, because it's not ~"help me understand how this works," it's ~"help me find a replacement part." – HopelessN00b Mar 29 '13 at 19:03
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    @HopelessN00b, you're probably correct (I'm pretty certain you are in fact), but to be fair the OP doesn't give enough info to decide one way or the other. I usually give the benefit of the doubt in these cases rather than make an assumption. – Bryan Mar 30 '13 at 08:56

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Yes, that's probably the issue.

The new adapter is providing power outside of the safe operating limits of the battery (+25% Amperage and +25% voltage), so to protect itself from damage, the battery is not accepting the charge from the adapter. Next time you buy an adapter for a piece of electronics, make sure it's compatible with what you're buying it for.

HopelessN00b
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  • I see.The guy in the store insisted that there should not be a problem. So the new adapter should be exactly the same? – user76678 Mar 28 '13 at 20:46
  • @user76678 Ideally, it should be one of the adapters listed as compatible for your laptop model by the manufacturer. Failing that, one with the exact same plug and exact same Input/Output voltage and amperage should suffice. – HopelessN00b Mar 28 '13 at 21:04
  • Really?There is such a list?I did not know that – user76678 Mar 28 '13 at 21:14
  • @user76678 well, seeing as this is a consumer laptop, not an enterprise one, the list might be limited to the one adapter they sell online at a 500% markup, but yeah, there's always at least that. – HopelessN00b Mar 28 '13 at 21:23
  • So I should try to find a Toshiba charger? – user76678 Mar 28 '13 at 21:26
  • @HopelessN00b, correct, one point to note is that it is the battery that demands the current, not the charger that pushes current, so it is safe to use this charger in normal circumstances. The current rating is the maximum it can safely provide, not the current that will be delivered. Using this charger will not use any more current than the original charger. Having said that, if the battery develops a fault and there is no fuse between the PSU and battery (which I'd be amazed at), it has the potential to be dangerous. – Bryan Mar 29 '13 at 09:57
  • @HopelessN00b:I found online one that has: `Input:100-240V~2.0A` and `Output:19V=====4.74A`. Is this the same? The output is but the input says: `2.0A` and the original says:`1.5A` – user76678 Mar 29 '13 at 18:30
  • @user76678 Probably. The higher input amperage simply means it will draw more amps from whatever you plug it into. – HopelessN00b Mar 29 '13 at 18:58
  • @HopelessN00b:So the more amps for input are not dangerous right? – user76678 Mar 29 '13 at 19:24
  • @user76678 Right. – HopelessN00b Mar 29 '13 at 19:31
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    @user76678 no, that's incorrect. The increased input rating means it is designed to draw that amount of current. It doesn't mean it *will*. It will only draw the amount of power it requires to charge the laptop, which won't be any different from your old charger. It's much like having a car that is 'rated' for 150mph, it doesn't mean it will go that fast, it will only go as fast as you push it, up to the maximum 'rated' speed. – Bryan Mar 30 '13 at 09:04