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Thread: Laptop won't charge - any advice?

  1. #1

    Default Laptop won't charge - any advice?

    I've been through a few chargers for my Laptop (a 2015 model 17" HP Envy i7), typically due to somebody stepping on the end of the charger cable. For quite a long time I had a strange problem with the Laptop that it would only charge while switched off, once switched on even if charged the charge would dissipate - both with the replacement cable I'd bought from Amazon and my wife's original HP cable for her laptop, on the status bar if you hover over the battery icon it says "plugged in - not charging" and the charge dissipates until it powers itself off due flat battery at which point the light changes to signify its started charging again. Sent the Laptop away for repairs earlier in the year and they said there was nothing wrong with it charging - because its a bigger Laptop it needs a higher Wattage charger than a normal one. Bought a replacement 90w charger and its been working great since.

    But while I was away for my brother's wedding last weekend someone [either myself or my kids I'm guessing] has stepped on the charger and bent it. It kept charging the laptop for a while but had to fiddle with the charger to get the connection. But a few days later it stopped charging altogether. Figured that it was the charger that was broken so borrowed my wife's charger and it won't charge the laptop at all either - even when its turned off. The light to indicate charging status stays off altogether as if its just unplugged.

    So I'm worried something has damaged the charger port on the laptop itself. Does anyone know of any simple tests or fixes for what could have gone wrong short of sending it away for repairs?
    Quote Originally Posted by Ominous Gamer View Post
    ℬeing upset is understandable, but be upset at yourself for poor planning, not at the world by acting like a spoiled bitch during an interview.

  2. #2
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    Sounds more like the battery is cooked. I have that on an ASUS laptop, works fine plugged in, but doesn't last more than 2 minutes on the battery.
    Congratulations America

  3. #3
    If the battery were the problem it'd take the charge, then die as soon as you unplugged it. The port probably got damaged. No fix for that other than opening it up and going in with a soldering gun.

  4. #4
    The problem is more complicated than it first appeared. In context prior to this problem beginning my Laptop would go from completely dead to 100% battery in under an hour since I bought this high wattage charger.

    Basically when its dead and plugged in the light to say its either charging [amber] or not charging but plugged in [white] doesn't light up at all. But the battery very, very slowly charges. After a few hours I can turn on my Laptop and it will show a percentage of charge. Charging overnight may not completely charge it. Once turned on the charge dissipates until flat [Windows says its on battery mode, not plugged in] but much slower than it would if not plugged in.

    However once it is fully charged it stays fully charged forever until unplugged even in use. The charger basically works like normal. The laptop is then completely normal and usable unless or until the cord gets pulled out [which with 2 young children in the house can easily and quickly be done]. Once unplugged and its discharged a bit it then continues dissipating until its flat.

    Sometimes while slowly charging it suddenly goes back to acting normal and the charging light goes amber. It may have taken 6 hours to get 50% charged by that point, but then even if turned on it takes half an hour to get the remaining 50% done.

    Does this make any sense? Can't even find anything on Google similar to this but not sure how to type it as just a few keywords.

    PS not sure if related or not, probably not, but my HDD died a couple of days ago, a month after this began. Turned my Laptop on and it said HDD failure imminent but it had already failed. Bought an SSD [480GB for £53] and it is running like a new not 4 year old laptop, SSD makes an absolutely incredible difference. While working on replacing my HDD with the SSD I took the battery out and out of curiosity plugged once done put the cable in prior to putting the battery back in and prior to turning it back on, the light came on instantly. Plugged the battery back in [which I new to be close to fully charged] and the charging light didn't come come on for about half an hour. Since it has I've managed to avoid unplugging it so far.
    Quote Originally Posted by Ominous Gamer View Post
    ℬeing upset is understandable, but be upset at yourself for poor planning, not at the world by acting like a spoiled bitch during an interview.

  5. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by Wraith View Post
    If the battery were the problem it'd take the charge, then die as soon as you unplugged it. The port probably got damaged. No fix for that other than opening it up and going in with a soldering gun.
    Not necessarily. I've run into a few modern laptops that separate the jack from the mainboard via cable.

  6. #6
    I would say battery as well, pretty common for that type of model.

  7. #7
    Short of swapping it is there any way to test if it is the battery?

    Just came home and the extension lead had gotten unplugged and it wasn't charging. Plugged it in and again it wouldn't charge, removed the battery and it lit up fine - not sure if you're supposed to do this or not but plugged the battery in while it was plugged in and the battery started charging immediately.

    FWIW there's a green light on the charger block. While the laptop is charging correctly the green light is solid, but while its not charging the light flickers.
    Quote Originally Posted by Ominous Gamer View Post
    ℬeing upset is understandable, but be upset at yourself for poor planning, not at the world by acting like a spoiled bitch during an interview.

  8. #8
    1) Not sure about that behavior, really, I guess it could indicate some circuit fault.
    But after having been charged it goes pretty much dead once you pull the coord anyhow? like, 5 min max?
    If computer runs fine wihout battery it's probably the battery... or worst case contact/circuit.

    2) Power adapter seems a bit strange, is the flickering a function built in? all my adapters are solid and stable when on.
    Tried removing the extension?

    3) Could probably test with a voltmeter? How much time/work do you want to put into it?
    Most batteries are standard li-ion cells, you could check them individualy and replace bad cells if that is the case.
    (no idea how this battery looks like, is it a flat one? have to open up the computer?)
    Opening the battery is usually a bit tricky. Best solution would still probably be to go to (call first) a battery shop and ask them if they can test with another battery. (pretty much back at (1))

  9. #9
    I'm assuming it's an internal battery, and if so I'd still be suspicious of the power port. That type of behavior is typical of connections being damaged. Even the part where sometimes it starts working fine again - percussive maintenance can work until it breaks it worse. Your high-wattage charger is also the sort of thing that can typically cause this, as that'll heat up the metal and make it more susceptible to damage.

    If you can find a way to test the battery in other device, or the laptop with another battery, that'd confirm what it is. If you can't do the test, just back up your data and go to ebay for a fancy brand new 2016 laptop.

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by rille View Post
    1) Not sure about that behavior, really, I guess it could indicate some circuit fault.
    But after having been charged it goes pretty much dead once you pull the coord anyhow? like, 5 min max?
    If computer runs fine wihout battery it's probably the battery... or worst case contact/circuit.
    No it works for hours. Battery lasts about 3 hours until it goes flat - and if its plugged in it can last longer.
    2) Power adapter seems a bit strange, is the flickering a function built in? all my adapters are solid and stable when on.
    Tried removing the extension?
    Well yes its solid and stable when working properly. but its flickering when its not working properly. Apparently according to a few sources from Google [though not seen anything official looking] the flickering is a fault indication. Since yours isn't faulty that explains why yours is solid.
    Quote Originally Posted by Ominous Gamer View Post
    ℬeing upset is understandable, but be upset at yourself for poor planning, not at the world by acting like a spoiled bitch during an interview.

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