AC Adapters

What is the effect of using a 90 Watt charger for a computer recommending (or coming with) a 65 Watt Charger?

My computer is a Gateway notebook 4525GZ series. It originally came with a 65 Watt charger. I ordered a new gateway charger from a 3rd party and they sent me a 90 Watt charger instead of the 65 Watt charger I ordered.

 

So long as you ensure that the voltages are the same for both adapters, you will be fine. Here is how I generally explain why: volts are "pushed" from the power source to the appliance, while amperes are drawn by the appliance from the power adapter. So an adapter can have a higher amperage rating without any adverse effect, since they aren't going to be drawn by the device, but if it has a higher voltage it may damage the device. If either is lower, it might not have sufficient power.

If you just skipped to the end of that paragraph, check the voltages on the adapters so that they are exactly the same, and if they are, you can use them normally.

Greg

 

Ok, so here is my situation:

My computer ac adapter for my Gateway 4525GZ laptop was not working.
I ordered a brand new 65 Watt GATEWAY A/C adapter from
a website that was designated as compatible with my laptop.
I received a charger in the mail. While it did not look exactly like
my old one, I figured it was simply different packaging. There was
nothing in the package indicating that the product I sent was anything
other than the product I ordered. I plugged it into my computer, it
fit perfectly fine and it worked. After about a week of using it, I
noticed that when my computer had finished charging, if the adapter
sat in the port it would stick a little when I tried to pull it out.
Then, after about a week and 1/2 my computer seemed to have trouble
receiving a charge. Eventually, it would not charge at all. I took
my computer to best buy and they told me that the prong on the inside
of the port had been pulled away from the motherboard. I thought it
was strange that after receiving a new charger in the mail, my
computer would suddenly break. I inspected the charger VERY CLOSELY
and realized that the charger was a 90 Watt charger and not the 65
Watt charger I had ordered. (yes, both are 19 Volts - the 90 Watt is 4.74 amps and the 65 Watt 3.42) Also, I notice that the inside of a/c
adapter (the part that fits over the prong inside the computer's
charge port) had melted slightly. The people at best buy told me that
my computer was designed to receive a charge from a 65 Watt charger
and that using a 90 watt charger could cause my computer to run hotter
than normal and that it is possible that the computer got hot enough
to melt the inside of the adapter so that when it cooled it stuck to
the prong so that each time I unplugged it, it pulled the prong a
little until it pulled it loose from the motherboard.

Now, I called the website and spoke with the owner. He
claims that I was sent the 90 watt charger b/c the 65 watt charger I
ordered was not in stock, but that the charger I was sent was merely
an upgrade and completely compatible with my computer. His website does not list a 90 Watt charger as recommended for my computer model, nor does any other website. I told him that based on the information I received from best buy, I did not what he was telling me was true. He told me to call the manufacturer - GATEWAY - and ask. I have and they confirmed my thoughts, but never sent the email confirmation I requested. Now, every email i have sent is being responded to by someone who isn't even comprehending my questions!!!!

MY QUESTIONS ARE AS FOLLOWS:
1. Are there any 90 Watt GATEWAY chargers that are compatible with a
Gateway notebook model 4525GZ? If so, what is the model number of the
charger(s). If there are not any GATEWAY 90 Watt chargers that are
compatible with a 4525GZ, then please provide a list of all GATEWAY
CHARGERS that are compatible with GATEWAY NOTEBOOK MODEL 4525GZ.

Please note that question #1 can also be phrased as follows: Is the
Gateway 4525GZ notebook only compatible with 65 Watt chargers or are
they compatible with 90 Watt or 120 Watt chargers as well?

2. Is what they told me at best buy possible? In other words, is it
possible that using a 90 Watt GATEWAY charger on a GATEWAY 4525GZ
notebook could cause it to run hotter than usual? If it is possible
that it can cause it to run hotter than usual, is it possible that it
could get hot enough to slightly melt the inside of the charger? clearly, if the answer is yes, then it is possible that once melted plastic cools to metal, it can stick!

thanks for your help (and I got what you were saying about volts going in and amperes coming out), but am wondering about the "running hotter" issue!!!

 

Susan,

You may use the 90W and up if the plug, voltage are same. A device that consumes 65W does not go on a feeding frenzy if attached to say a 150W adapter. This seems to be a popular misconception.

My Dell came with a 90 Watt adapter. Due to gaming, I bought the Dell 150Watt adapter. This is a fairly popular upgrade for high powered laptops.

So, the 90 Watt adapter at proper voltage, polarity and plug style will work SAFELY. And in most cases run cooler because they do not work as hard to provide the required 65 Watts.

"After about a week of using it, I
noticed that when my computer had finished charging, if the adapter
sat in the port it would stick a little when I tried to pull it out.
Then, after about a week and 1/2 my computer seemed to have trouble
receiving a charge. Eventually, it would not charge at all. I took
my computer to best buy and they told me that the prong on the inside
of the port had been pulled away from the motherboard."

This appears to be a faulty plug on your adapter or motherboard. The plug on your mail order adapter may have been mis-manufactured or had very poor contact causing your burn out. In this case a 65W to 150W adapter will cause severe damage due to heating.

This is most unfortunate as no one will want to accept blame..

 

While its not the answer I wanted to hear.... Thank you!!!!