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Don't Get Rid of Your Power Cords!
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Aug 17, 2020 19:36:14   #
photoman022 Loc: Manchester CT USA
 
I use my laptop for post processing. Saturday night the battery began to deplete even though I had the computer plugged in. I changed outlets and when I plugged it in to one outlet the light on the laptop transformer began flickering on and off. When it went off I unplugged the cord and noticed the burning rubber smell and the cord was hot near the prongs. I realized I had a short circuit in my power cord.

I had an older three-prong cord to an old laptop which I had not yet thrown away. I was able to swap out the cords and my laptop work flawlessly. I processed a few photos today.

The moral of the story: Don't Get Rid of Your Old Power Cords! they can come in handy someday!

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Aug 17, 2020 19:37:09   #
Horatio
 
WHOOOOAAAAA!!! What a good lesson. Thank you.

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Aug 17, 2020 21:11:19   #
rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA
 
photoman022 wrote:
I use my laptop for post processing. Saturday night the battery began to deplete even though I had the computer plugged in. I changed outlets and when I plugged it in to one outlet the light on the laptop transformer began flickering on and off. When it went off I unplugged the cord and noticed the burning rubber smell and the cord was hot near the prongs. I realized I had a short circuit in my power cord.

I had an older three-prong cord to an old laptop which I had not yet thrown away. I was able to swap out the cords and my laptop work flawlessly. I processed a few photos today.

The moral of the story: Don't Get Rid of Your Old Power Cords! they can come in handy someday!
I use my laptop for post processing. Saturday nig... (show quote)

Right now I have more power cords than anyone could ever need - and none of them is of any use for my ‘new’ laptop, which gets its power via one of those new small USB {USC-C?} connectors.

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Aug 18, 2020 01:41:11   #
JD750 Loc: SoCal
 
rehess wrote:
Right now I have more power cords than anyone could ever need - and none of them is of any use for my ‘new’ laptop, which gets its power via one of those new small USB {USC-C?} connectors.


I resemble that remark!

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Aug 18, 2020 01:44:13   #
JD750 Loc: SoCal
 
photoman022 wrote:
I use my laptop for post processing. Saturday night the battery began to deplete even though I had the computer plugged in. I changed outlets and when I plugged it in to one outlet the light on the laptop transformer began flickering on and off. When it went off I unplugged the cord and noticed the burning rubber smell and the cord was hot near the prongs. I realized I had a short circuit in my power cord.

I had an older three-prong cord to an old laptop which I had not yet thrown away. I was able to swap out the cords and my laptop work flawlessly. I processed a few photos today.

The moral of the story: Don't Get Rid of Your Old Power Cords! they can come in handy someday!
I use my laptop for post processing. Saturday nig... (show quote)


That’s a flex point so it’s reasonable it failed there. If you didn’t have another power cord you could always cannibalize another cord that had a 3-prong plug and spice it to the computer cable. Or buy a 3-prong plug at the hardware store for 1.99 and replace the burnt one.

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Aug 18, 2020 03:48:17   #
LWW Loc: Banana Republic of America
 
I agree completely. In fact I have a drawer full of them.

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Aug 18, 2020 07:11:20   #
WJB Loc: Salisbury, MD
 
Me too!
But every once in a while I find one that works, somewhere.

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Aug 18, 2020 07:23:43   #
rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA
 
LWW wrote:
I agree completely. In fact I have a drawer full of them.

I have several boxes of them - way too much for a mere drawer.

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Aug 18, 2020 08:05:09   #
02Nomad Loc: Catonsville, MD
 
I have been told that if you use the AC to run your laptop while the battery is still in it, you will shorten the life of the battery. Don't ask me how I know this to be true!.

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Aug 18, 2020 08:20:59   #
rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA
 
02Nomad wrote:
I have been told that if you use the AC to run your laptop while the battery is still in it, you will shorten the life of the battery. Don't ask me how I know this to be true!.

In my laptop in particular, A/C current is changed into D/C by the charger. I would have to do some ‘fancy’ wiring to deliver A/C directly to it, and I am guessing that would destroy more than the battery.

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Aug 18, 2020 08:29:31   #
User ID
 
rehess wrote:
Right now I have more power cords than anyone could ever need - and none of them is of any use for my ‘new’ laptop, which gets its power via one of those new small USB {USC-C?} connectors.


The OP is referring to the AC section, which connects at the wall outlet. The 5v at the USB section is unlikely to ever produce heat.

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Aug 18, 2020 08:37:49   #
rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA
 
User ID wrote:
The OP is referring to the AC section, which connects at the wall outlet. The 5v at the USB section is unlikely to ever produce heat.

In my last two laptops, in particular, all intended A/C goes to an actual external unit, so all heat generated by A/C is external to the laptop.

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Aug 18, 2020 08:56:52   #
Bayou
 
02Nomad wrote:
I have been told that if you use the AC to run your laptop while the battery is still in it, you will shorten the life of the battery....


Not only that, but a continuously charged battery can swell in size and even explode. I've had it happen twice, once to a laptop that was being used as a desktop (never unplugged), and once to an old iPhone that was being used as a music player. In both instances the case of the device was pushed outward and deformed by the swollen battery.

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Aug 18, 2020 09:19:50   #
claytonsummers Loc: Orange County, CA
 
Hp recalled a bunch of ac power cables a year or so back.

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Aug 18, 2020 09:40:32   #
dave.speeking Loc: Brooklyn OH
 
Back in the day we called them cheater cords.
I never throw one away, unless I already have
two or three of each different configuration.

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