The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    ac adapters??

    Discussion in 'Dell' started by faceman, Aug 28, 2007.

  1. faceman

    faceman Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    1
    Messages:
    103
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    I just got two adapters for my 1520. One says 65W-AC adapter and the other says ac/dc adapter. The ac/dc adapter is a little bigger. What is the difference?
     
    faceman, Aug 28, 2007
    #1
  2. PhoenixTheAssassin

    PhoenixTheAssassin Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    40
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    AC is Alternative Current, DC is Direct Current. AC is in your house, and DC is in your car, or ran from a battery. That is the major difference, the DC adaptor will not work in your house, it's for use in a car with DC power. The Cisco Mobile Access Routers(for installation in cop cars and etc) are all DC powered. Most car accessories will be DC powered, and if not you'll need the AC/DC converter.
     
    PhoenixTheAssassin, Aug 28, 2007
    #2
  3. faceman

    faceman Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    1
    Messages:
    103
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30

    It doesn't say just DC adapter on it. It says ac/dc adapter.
     
    faceman, Aug 28, 2007
    #3
  4. gorn

    gorn Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    14
    Messages:
    23
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    AC is what's in your house. DC is what's in your car, but more importantly it's whats in your laptop (battery). So to charge your laptop you use an AC to DC Adapter.

    Look closer at the AC/DC Adapter and it probably has the power (Watts) listed somewhere. If not check for the voltage (Volts) and the max current (Amps) (Volts * Amps = Watts).


    Perhaps the 2nd adapter is not manufactured by Dell?

    Edit: Oh if the wattages don't match that's probably fine. That's the max power, so if one is 65W and works and the other is 85W then it will work too. However if the other is less than 65W it might not work. Or it might make it charge slower. (And possibly the 85W would charge faster, but it depends)
     
    gorn, Aug 28, 2007
    #4
  5. faceman

    faceman Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    1
    Messages:
    103
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    On the smaller one under output it says 19.5v and 3.34A. The other says 19.5v and 4.62A.
     
    faceman, Aug 28, 2007
    #5
  6. tomcatTX

    tomcatTX Notebook Guru

    Reputations:
    4
    Messages:
    61
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    either will work then...same output voltage. The second one just provides more amperage.
     
    tomcatTX, Aug 28, 2007
    #6
  7. star882

    star882 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    121
    Messages:
    374
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Virtually all laptop AC adapters are digital and will also work with 170-340v DC or squarewave.
     
    star882, Aug 28, 2007
    #7
  8. frazell

    frazell Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    81
    Messages:
    895
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Also, the adaptor is AC/DC because it's main purpose is to convert AC to DC...

    Alternating Current is awesome for traveling long distances, but doesn't offer the smooth consistent currents streams that electronics need to work. As a result, anything electronic will be DC (Direct Current). So the DC is not just for your battery.

    ;)
     
    frazell, Aug 28, 2007
    #8