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Laptop from Europe won't charge here

15 years ago

Hi,

we have exchange student from the Czech Republic. He brought an Acer Travelmate 400 series laptop. We got a plug converter for the plug.The light on the power supply is on when plugged in but it will not charge. I looked at the laptop and the power supply to see if there is a switch to switch to 110 v. No switch on the power supply and I don't think there is one on the computer from what I can tell. Is there a setting on the laptop that needs to be changed or do we need more than a plug converter?

Thanks for any help

Katharina

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Comments (9)

zep516
15 years ago
The primary function of the power adapter is to power your device without the battery. Most adapters will charge your device's battery, however, some camera models do not allow the adapter to charge the battery. Check your user manual.

Perhaps that's the issue above. Link may help.

Here is a link that might be useful: adapter
glaserberl
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks Zep,
the adapter for the laptop says 100 to 220 volt and looks like the one in the link. No manual available. If we don't figure it out he'll have to Skype his girl friend from my computer.
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zep516
15 years ago
Good luck and let us know.
bob414
15 years ago
The adapter isn't charging the battery but if you remove the battery does the adapter power the laptop? If so he can use it with the adapter. If not I would suspect a damaged connection.
kudzu9
15 years ago
There are a couple of things that could be going on here.

First, how old is this laptop? I'm guessing it is maybe 8 years old or so and it's possible that it's not dual voltage. You should contact Acer tech support to find out whether or not it is, and to determine how to best approach this. If it's not dual voltage, then you should be able to buy a voltage converter so it can charge properly. If it's not dual voltage, I would worry about having it plugged in right now and causing damage to the computer (although the lower U.S. voltage may be less of a concern than if it were the reverse situation.)

Secondly, I believe there are at least two kinds of European plugs that both have the round pins and look almost the same, but aren't. Sometimes if you have the wrong plug end adapter, the pins might not make proper contact inside the plug end converter. (Also, is this a 2 blade plug, or a grounded, 3-blade plug?) If you are convinced that power is coming from the receptacle, and to the original transformer, then that is not the problem. In that case, there could also be a break in the cord running to the computer, or something wrong with the little plug that inserts in the computer.

Give Acer a call and then report back, please.
glaserberl
Original Author
15 years ago
I have to ask him how old it is. It is running XP, so not the newest model I'm sure. Will try plugging in in without the battery first and then calling tech support. The plug converter is the correct one. When he plugs in his camera it charges. The young man's English is limited, having a little difficulty to get information from him.
Katharina
zep516
15 years ago
Hi,

Are you sure that's a 400 series or is it a 4000 series, the data I have is on the 4000 series,

http://support.acer.com/acerpanam/notebook/0000/Acer/TravelMate4000/TravelMate4000sp2.shtml
AC Power 100-240V AC AutoSensing Adapter

More basic info here.

http://www.retrevo.com/support/Acer-4000-Laptops-manual/id/615ci055/t/2/
glaserberl
Original Author
15 years ago
Update - Went to our little mom and pop computer store. First thing they did was test if the adapter gets power. It didn't. Tested the cable without the adapter on it, nothing there either. They said it probably needs a new adapter.As we got back into the car our guest says that he might have brought the adapter that belongs to his girl friend's laptop.
Of to Best Buy and now he is a happy camper again.
Thanks for all the suggestions.
kudzu9
15 years ago
glaserberl-
Glad you solved it; thanks for reporting back. The first Skype call he has with his girlfriend may be interesting when she finds out that he's got her cable!

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