Laptop computer parts

[wagonmaster2]

I may be having problems with my a/c adaptor or the battery on my laptop as the little battery condition symbol down in the lower right hand corner shows "27% available (plugged in, not charging.)" Don't know how it can show plugged in but not charging even though the screen is nice and bright so the A/C 110V is working. Over the phone the local shop thinks it could be either the adaptor or the battery but since they don't stock batteries they can't check that part out.

Does anyone have a good connection to order parts for the laptops. I have an HP Pavillion dv6000 about 3 years old.

Wagonmaster2

[Izzyblueye]

The A/C adapter is available almost anywhere. If you have a "batteries plus shop in your area" they can check the battery. I am betting it is the battery, since I have the same problem basically. I never use the batt any way, so I have not replaced it.

[dhpcpa]

My experience with the hp model you have is that the A\C adapters quit charging. Also common on Dell machines.

I am going to assume you have Vista on your laptop. If so, click on the battery icon in the task bar, and if it is bad, the battery symbol should have a red X.

To find either a battery or adapter, I always google the part numbers and also search ebay for the best price. Will be much cheaper than buying local.

[HD4Mark]

It should work without the battery with the power supply connected. Try removing the battery and see if it will boot up using just the power supply. If it boots the power supply is doing something.

[wkdwitch]

Bought my HP pavillion battery awhile ago at: Laptop Batteries and AC Adapters - Laptop Batteries, AC Adapters, Digital Camera Batteries, PDA Batteries, GPS Batteries, Camcorder Batteries, UPS Batteries, Projector Lamps - Battery Technology Inc. - they advise use laptop with battery OUT if on electric to prolong life. Seems to help too.

[Bill Adams]

It sounds like the battery. If it were the charger the battery would not remain at 27% but would rather drop to 0 and you would be done. Batteries definitely have a life and 3 years is pretty good so I would go that route first.

[wagonmaster2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dhpcpa My experience with the hp model you have is that the A\C adapters quit charging. Also common on Dell machines. I am going to assume you have Vista on your laptop. If so, click on the battery icon in the task bar, and if it is bad, the battery symbol should have a red X. To find either a battery or adapter, I always google the part numbers and also search ebay for the best price. Will be much cheaper than buying local.

The red X was showing across the battery icon last week-end for a day or so then disappeared, had never seen that before and wondered what was happening. But the rest of the time the battery symbol just shows its only very partially charged. Everything works and looks good while plugged into the wall outlet, which is how I use it 99% of the time. Being new to the laptop game when I bought it 3 years ago I asked the clerk at Staples if its better or worse to leave the battery in and was told it didn't make any difference. Oh well, live and learn. I should know these clerks aren't paid to know lots of information about what they sell.

If I unplug from the wall, or the charging unit, then replug back the icon shows it's charging for about 5-10 seconds then stops again. Or if I remove the battery and replace it the same thing happens.

Guess I better start looking for a battery, but really don't know why I should since the only times I've used it on battery is while camping and drive into town parking outside a motel with Wifi to check e-mail 3-4 times a year.

Thanks for all the help everyone.

Wagonmaster2

[wagonmaster2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HD4Mark It should work without the battery with the power supply connected. Try removing the battery and see if it will boot up using just the power supply. If it boots the power supply is doing something.

It works fine while plugged into the wall outlet. Probably the only reason I noticed the problem last week was when I turned the computer back on from Hibernation there was a red X on the battery icon and was trying to figure out why, when I'd never seen that before. But then the next day it was gone so I just thought "more computer gremlins". It always just showed 100% charged. Since I hardly ever use it on battery guess I should have left it out all these 3 years but was afraid it would run down and I'd forget to charge it up occasionally.

Wagonmaster2

[wagonmaster2]

Gremlins -

My computer shows part of that last paragraph darker than the beginning and ending of it, does it look that way to you'all?

I can turn the computer on/off, surf the Internet RV Forums, and send e-mail but that's the extent of my computer expertise, so all this happening lately is really puzzling.

And lately all at once in the middle of typing the arrow drops down to the lower left hand corner on a box labeled "quick find", which I hadn't seen in the last 3 years. Don't know what or if some of these Windows or HP updates are screwing me up or what but something is changing that I'm not aware of. And I don't like.

Wagonmaster2

[Izzyblueye]

My HP battery was almost never used and it died in the second year. I have always used the power supply even though that limits how portable my computer can be. Since it is usually in the motor home, I have never bought a new battery for it.

[PNWGirl]

A lap top's battery needs to be worked to get the full life from it.

What I mean is that charge it to 100%, then pull the A/C and work off the battery until fully discharged (when battery is new). Do this three or four times, one after the other.

After that, at least once or twice a week, just pull out the power adapter and work off the battery until it reaches critical power and plug the A/C back in.

Doing this will extend the life of your battery. I have had mine for four years, this month, and it's working strong with very little reduction of battery power time.

Sheila

[Retired and Happy]

Yes, part of your paragraph looks darker. It looks like you may have hit the bold key then hit it again later to disengage it. I agree with your assessment of GREMLINS. Mine will occasionally skip to a different part of the text I am typing and insert stuff where it wants to.

I can't help with the battery except to say I put a new one in my Dell Latitude several months back. It charged maybe twice then hasn't worked since. It acts like it is trying to charge sometimes, but never works when I need it to. I also use mine almost 100% on AC power so it's not much of a problem most of the time. I just hate that I spent the $$$ on the battery and can't use it if I need to. I may take it to Batteries + after spring break to see what they say.

[YankeeCliper]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wagonmaster2 I may be having problems with my a/c adaptor or the battery on my laptop as the little battery condition symbol down in the lower right hand corner shows "27% available (plugged in, not charging.)" Don't know how it can show plugged in but not charging even though the screen is nice and bright so the A/C 110V is working. Over the phone the local shop thinks it could be either the adaptor or the battery but since they don't stock batteries they can't check that part out. Does anyone have a good connection to order parts for the laptops. I have an HP Pavillion dv6000 about 3 years old. Wagonmaster2

I have that same laptop !A Ser.Tech once told me to draw down the battery all the way, and then charge it fully. if not the battery gets a false memory . I been doing this since it was new and have not had any problems with battery. Good Luck !

[wagonmaster2]

Amazing, I've only had this laptop 3 years and I didn't even know I had a bold key. Is it one of the keys across the top of the keyboard above the numbers with the little symbols on them? I hit the "caps lock" key every so often but I know where that one is. They don't give you much of an instruction book with these things when they're new, guess they figure we're all smart enough by now to figure it out. Boy were they wrong in my case. Thanks for the information.

Wagonmaster2