Deliberately using incorrect laptop power supply?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Lordy
  • Start date Start date
John said:
The correct power supply is rated 4.62A. If that is grossly higher
than necessary, why is it measured in tenths of an amp?
Click to expand...

Probably because that's was the rating on the one the lowest bidder offered.
 
The DC input to a laptop is simply the input to a switching power supply
within the laptop. It's not used "raw", except by the switching power
supply as it's input (and sometimes by the charging circuit for the
battery).

Switching power supplies have a very wide tolerance on their inputs.
Obviously, this is a generalization, but I'm a degreed engineer who has
worked for laptop manufacturers, and -- as a generalization -- there's
quite a bit of slack in the input voltage tolerance, and little risk of
hardware damage if you are out of the range unless you are pretty
significantly high.

[all of this applies only to laptops which have a simple 2-wire input
from their power supplies. When there is a multi-conductor connection,
part of the logic and charging circuits may be in the power adapter, and
all bets are off]
 
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