W530: any replacement for its bulky and heavy power adapter?

Hi Folks,

I already have a W530 and carry it to work each day. However, its power adapter is REALLY bulky and heavy. I like my W530, but this adapter really gives me headache.

Is there any lighter Lenovo-made or 3rd-party adapter for W530?

Thanks for any input!

 

Personally, I wouldn't trust a third-party adapter for a power-hungry workstation like W520/530, but it's your call. You could probably find some on feebay, but their durability is most likely extremely questionable.

There's a reason for that brick being as bulky as it is.

Your machine, your decision...

Good luck.

 

Are you aware of any method of twist power plan to make the 90W adapter work? I found this discussion is interesting.

https://forums.lenovo.com/t5/ThinkP...ower-Adapters-90W-vs-135W-Vs-170W/td-p/841161

The last post on page 11: https://forums.lenovo.com/t5/ThinkP...pters-90W-vs-135W-Vs-170W/td-p/841161/page/11

>>You can always short the right pins inside the laptop where the DC plug connects to the motherboard.

Can any expert post an image of this how-to?

It appears on page 12 that this solution works.

Cheers.

 

I most certainly am aware. That doesn't mean that I'd recommend taking that path.

That's a dangerous piece of advice if I've ever seen one, and I'm being very kind here...

Any expert worth the title would advise you not to play with this stuff...and here's the reason, although the machine discussed here is W520:

Source: http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=48&t=119610

It does work. However, I'd deem it to be a hack and not a solution.

 

Thanks for your info and thoughts!

 

My soldering and electrical knowledge is not the best so I would not do the hack, and even if it were I wouldn't. To me the risk of something happening when I'm not home is too worrisome as my family doesn't go to my computer room so I'd hate for something to go on the fritz and endanger them.

One solution might be the 135w adapter from w510 without the notch. I do use that as my travel adapter as I'm always right next to the adapter and laptop in that case. At home I still use the original 170w in a well ventilated area. I'm got way too many computers my office, and one in every other rooms that I can't watch them all the time and always safety first as your family and house isn't worth saving a few grams on the adapter. Lenovo has sold millions of them and I'm sure they put in a lot of leeway for safety reasons.

I've hooked up a kill a watt a long time ago and even maxed out it didn't come close to 170w or even 135w and I had an extreme cpu/ k2000m/ msata ssd/2 hard drives.

 

When Notebook Check tested the W530, they measured its maximum power draw at 132 watts. Allowing for variations between individual units, it seems like a 135 watt power supply could be insufficient when using maximum power.

From my standpoint, I'd rather use the original 170 watt adapter than risk having a problem with a lower wattage adapter. The extra weight & bulk of the adapter is just a tradeoff that comes with having a powerful system.

 

I have always used the 135W with mine. It uses the 170 when docked but the 135w everywhere else.

 

djiembe and Thors.Hammer, thanks for your input. Will look into 135W solution.

Happy Holidays!

 

Could you please elaborate on "the 135w adapter from w510 without the notch"? If I buy a 135w adapter from w510, do I have to modify it first? How?

Thanks!

 

No notch on the 135w adapter so it literally is plug and play.

 

i remember reading somewhere, that if you disable nvidia optmius in BIOS, and ran on integrated only, the computer should work with 90w power adapter.