Laptop stops charging after a few seconds

I recently had a fan problem with my Acer Aspire 5551G. I called an IT guy and he said to blow air into the side vent to dislodge any dust that might be causing the fan to stay on (very loudly) all the time. I did what he told me to do and the next day the fan went back to normal (silent) but the day after that I started having problems with charging...I don't know if they're related or not?

I plug the power cord into the side of the laptop and the blue light comes on the power button to say that it's charging but within a few seconds, the blue light flashes to show that it's no longer charging but it detects that the cord is plugged in. I have to unplug and replug it constantly and I can't freely move the laptop because any movement will cause it to do this also. Sometimes if I stay very very still, it will stay charging until I move but sometimes I can stay completely still and it still stops charging after a little while.

I have NO idea what has caused this or what part of the computer I am looking at for repair. Any insight would be much appreciated. TIA

 

I am by no means an expert and don't know how old your laptop is but I had a similar problem with a Dell laptop I inherited. The charger wouldn't charge the battery but it would power the laptop on AC power as long as it was plugged in.
Bought an aftermarket cheapie charger and that worked for charging the battery so in my case the original charger was starting to go.

villasbill

 

My guess: bulging Chinese capacitor in the charger. (Fuhjyyu, I'm talking about you!)

 

Woops forgot to mention how old. I have only had it for 1 year so PERSONALLY I don't think anything should be going wrong with it yet as I've treated it like a princesss seeing as It's still going to take me another year to pay off!!

What exactly does bulging chinese capacitor mean? Is the charger screwed? It charges fine (when completely still) and the battery lasts well just like it was new but it gets very very annoying having to sit like a statue and also very annoying how everytime I close it and put it down, it goes into hibernation because the charger stops charging!

I was assuming it was something to do with the connection between power cord and laptop but what confuses me is that the laptop still knows that the power cord is plugged in so why isn't is receiving power from it???

I also don't know whether it would be a problem with the cord or the laptop.

I would understand if it just stopped charging altogether but this is just confusing (and frustrating)

 

If physical movment affects this then it's almost certainly a problem with either the power socket itself, or the lead/plug intermitent or perhaps damaged or cracked print aoround the power socket due to mechanical stress and the connection is intermitent.

Easiest if you can try another adapter to prove...

Bulging chinese capacitors... will be refering to the fact that 95% of SMPS (switch mode power supply) failures are caused by poor quality electroylitic capacitors that are not up to the job... and I don't think for a minute that is the problem here.

 

^ This. Either the power adapter itself or the lead/plug intermitent.

 

Thanks for that, Mooly.
Everything looks normal when I look at it, guess I'll have to get it seen to by a professional

*and tunay

 

Before paying a professional try buying an aftermarket charger for 10 or 15 bucks.

villasbill

 

I dont ever recommend my customers aftermarket charger that cause around $10-15 . They can really (you know) your devices. But by no mean, just do it if you think it worths the risk. I would buy a more well known and reliable brand of universal charger such as Kingston.

 

This. Buy a reliable and known brand.

 

I'll see what I can find. I've never seen a universal laptop charger here and if I have to get it shipped from another country then it's probably just cheaper to get someone to look at it.