Spare AC adapter is 100-240V~1.8A instead of 2.0A. Is this okay?

My ASUS laptop charger is model-numbered ADP-120ZB BB. I wanted a spare power charger, so I went to ebay looking for another charger with that model number.

I found one, but I've noticed that there is one difference between the two.

For the input, the new one says 100-240V ~ 1.8A, but the old one says 100-240V ~ 2.0A.

I used the new charger. It makes a weird minor noise when it is not in use, but it seems to charge just fine. Is this minor power difference dangerous, or will it be fine?

 

What model laptop do you have? What is the voltage output rating on the two adapters?

If you drive the computer hard on both CPU, GPU and/or ODD you may run into problems.

 

Here's a 2A model:

Genuine Used AC ADAPTER POWER SUPPLY CORD ASUS/Gateway ADP-120ZB BB | eBay

or new:

Genuine 19V6.32A120W AC Adapter Asus Delta ADP-120ZB BB | eBay

 

N55SF.

I've noticed that the adapter makes a weird faint buzzing noise when it is not plugged into the computer. I think I am going to return it.

 

In general:

Using a power supply under-rated for the AMPERAGE yours requires is not a good or safe idea, but with most laptops it is possible. Many laptops - especially those with discrete graphics will operate at a much reduced electrical load when just idling at the desktop. However, don't expect it to react well at all to 100% performance loads.

Here's an example. My new N55SF has eaten TWO Targus power supplies in the past few months, PSUs which have worked flawlessly on previous ASUS, Dell and HP models for 2+ years. Why? Because as I realized.. after the fact.. the rated draw on these units is only 90 watts (roughly 4A) while the N55's native PSU has a maximum rated output of 150 watts (6.3A). So while simply browsing the web, or even playing a Blu-Ray movie was no problem as the machine was likely only drawing 60-70 watts, cranking up the GF555m video card and quad-core i7 to play even the most basic video games would draw so much power that within an hour the Targus PSU would literally cook itself to death, trying to supply enough current. I had to quickly yank the swollen and boiling-hot PSUs out of the wall hissing and spitting, as the capacitors started to cook off inside. The first time I thought was simply a bad unit. When it happened again only a few weeks later with the same model, again while playing games it suddenly occurred to me that the new laptop was a much higher-power model than previous machines that had used these power supplies, and that the laptop itself could be driving the power supplies to death, literally.

..oops.

I would hazard a guess that an entirely safe usage for such a power supply would be purely as a charger while the laptop is powered off. In charging usage, the system would certainly not be drawing current at maximum output.

I've found a few 'universal' power supplies since on Aliexpress, however even moreso than eBay one has to be very specific and very diligent when dealing direct with Chinese wholesalers. You can get products incredibly cheap but you may end up fighting days or weeks to get the proper cables or adapters afterwards if you do not explicitly state what you require, and they mess it up.

 

The output on the new one is the same 19V - 6.3A
The input is the place where the amperage is low (1.8 instead of 2). Later tonight I am going to go hunt down a a proper 2.0A one.

How is this one, it is two prong instead of three prong though
eBay - New & used electronics, cars, apparel, collectibles, sporting goods & more at low prices

 

Bumping,

is a two prong charger any less good than a three prong?

 

Hello leftisthominid-

There is no advantage with the 2 prong over the 3 prong, but it is much safer.

 

can see that remark on safety. mine a 2 prong adapter just died of a mild surge and all other equipment that uses 3 prong are intact, what shame they issued such a product