Thread: What causes this?

Phil,

Go into control panel -> Power Settings and find the box that pust the icon on the task bar. This will tell you whether the laptop is running from mains power or battery.

It maybe that there is a bad contact where the power cord plugs into the transformer. the icon will let you know if it has switched from mains to battery. Usually battery mode runs slower (increasing run on battery).

Hope this helps as I have about 4 HP laptops and a similar thing happens on one of them but it is the plug that goes into the back of the laptop. Give it a bump and it goes to battery power. Wiggle it around and it's back on mains.

Originally Posted by The Bleeder

Phil,

Go into control panel -> Power Settings and find the box that pust the icon on the task bar. This will tell you whether the laptop is running from mains power or battery.

It maybe that there is a bad contact where the power cord plugs into the transformer. the icon will let you know if it has switched from mains to battery. Usually battery mode runs slower (increasing run on battery).

Hope this helps as I have about 4 HP laptops and a similar thing happens on one of them but it is the plug that goes into the back of the laptop. Give it a bump and it goes to battery power. Wiggle it around and it's back on mains.

Tried that and the panel said it was running 100% on mains yet it was running slow, the guy at the laptop shop could not explain it either

Even though the lead is testing okay and you have tested and explored all other avenues and the only thing that corrects the problem is by replacing the lead, then I would say without doubt, there is a problem with the lead that isn't showing up in the test. Maybe the lead is breaking down under load, whatever the reason, I would just accept that the lead has a problem and thankfully can be resolved by replacing it with a new one. Good luck with it.

Originally Posted by munruben

Even though the lead is testing okay and you have tested and explored all other avenues and the only thing that corrects the problem is by replacing the lead, then I would say without doubt, there is a problem with the lead that isn't showing up in the test. Maybe the lead is breaking down under load, whatever the reason, I would just accept that the lead has a problem and thankfully can be resolved by replacing it with a new one. Good luck with it.

Did that

I'd guess the the sockets on the end of the power lead where it goes into the adapter may be a bit sloppy, that would cause a bad/intermittent contact & the laptop may be busy with the very quick on again/ off again charge.

Usually if that is the case, you can here a bit of crackle from the connector.

Originally Posted by Cliff Rogers

I'd guess the the sockets on the end of the power lead where it goes into the adapter may be a bit sloppy, that would cause a bad/intermittent contact & the laptop may be busy with the very quick on again/ off again charge.

Usually if that is the case, you can here a bit of crackle from the connector.

Think you are right Cliff, the pins on the transformer end (socket also) look OK may be a but sloppy the three pin plug has some marks that look like arcing when I use to plug in the the lead into the transformer inder power it crackled a bit, a new lead seems to have solved the problem.