How to charge a laptop without a charger

June 2023 · 8 minute read

How to charge a laptop without a charger

How to charge a laptop without a charger. While tidying up his room, he found an old laptop that he hadn’t used for years, abandoned and without any trace of its charger. So you’ve decided to breathe new life into it (perhaps using it as a “media center” to connect to your television or as a PC to exchange files over the network), but you are perfectly aware that without your precious charger, you won’t. It will be able to supply power to it so that it works (or even to charge the battery still installed in the notebook PC).

If this is exactly the situation you are in, you need not fear having to throw away the recently recovered laptop PC: in the following lines, in fact, I will show you by wire and by signal How to charge a laptop without a charger.

To be successful in this goal, it is enough to retrieve information about the power supply of the laptop PC: I can guarantee that, once this is done, it will be very easy to replace the original charger in the proper way, choosing at least two very valid solutions: a compatible charger or an external power supply source, such as a power bank, and incur extremely low expense.

I managed to cheer you up and now you can’t wait to understand how to achieve the goal you have set for yourself. You couldn’t have given me better news! Therefore, without any further hesitation, make yourself comfortable and carefully read the tips that I am going to give you during this guide: you will see, you will be able to understand how to solve your problem brilliantly in a few minutes. At this point, I have nothing left to do but wish you a good read and, why not, good luck!

How to charge a laptop without a charger. First: Identify voltage and amperage

Before discovering how to actually charge a laptop PC that is missing a charger, you should learn about voltage (the electrical voltage capable of operating the device in question) and in the amperage (the amount of current the device can handle properly) compatible with the laptop’s battery and hardware.

A mistake from this point of view can be very dangerous and cause a devastating short circuit, which could damage the PC, blow up the electrical system or, even worse, cause physical harm to those who operate the Notebook PC: therefore, be very careful Pay attention to what you will read next, and if you are not sure what to do, also ask the opinion of a more expert person.

Normally, the voltage and amperage information is clearly indicated on the original charger of the Notebook PC, however, they can also be retrieved from the label affixed to the bottom of the PC, which also contains information such as the MAC address and the serial number, or from the label of the battery connected to the device (assuming you still have it available).

Once the label is identified, check the voltage and amperage required to power the Pc / battery – Generally, on notebook PCs, the voltage can fluctuate from 15V for 24V in direct current, while the amperage can fluctuate between 3A and 5A (based on laptop power).

By the time you have to choose, as I’ll explain later in this guide, make sure that the output voltage is identical to what is indicated on the laptop PC (to avoid overload problems) and that amperage outgoing is at least the same as indicated on the laptop PC : A compatible 5A charger is also good for charging a 3A laptop PC. While you should not connect a charger with a lower amperage than that required by the laptop PC, as you risk causing serious damage, burning the power supply (which, in this case, should generate an excessive amount of current to properly power the device).

Also, you should pay close attention to the type of input voltage (or input) compatible with the charging device you are about to choose, verifying that the latter is also compatible with the electrical network in question: the reference value must be equal to 100-240V (on alternating current or AC ) and admits double electrical frequency, that is 50-60 Hz ; incoming amperage, on the other hand, is usually set to 2A. Make sure of these figures, because they may vary depending on the country you are in.

Identify the proper connector.

Now that you have the necessary information on the required voltages and amps, you need to consider one last critical detail: the power connector type compatible with your laptop PC.

Usually the dedicated power supply housing is located on one of the laptop’s side housings – FYI, not all “plugs” are the same, but each manufacturer has a different connector (with specific length and thickness) And it’s not uncommon to find different laptop power connectors from the same manufacturer.

When choosing, make sure that the charging device does not have a single connector (dedicated, for example, to a specific notebook PC model): fortunately, most compatible chargers include almost all the “plugs” available in circulation, which It can be easily installed at the end of the charging cable.

For example, regarding Apple portable PCs , the matter is slightly different: for the new MacBooks (including Air and Pro) there are three specific types of connectors available, which we illustrate below.

How to charge the notebook PC without charger

Once the theory part of this guide is done, it’s time to take action and explain yourself c How to charge a laptop without a charger : In practice, you can choose to buy a powerbank rechargeable, useful to supply power to the battery included in the portable PC or to be equipped with a compatible power supply, to be used both for recharging operations and to supply power to the PC directly from the electrical network.

External battery / powerbank

If you want to use an external battery (power bank) to charge the PC battery, you should consider purchasing a device with sufficient amperage to provide the necessary power for charging operations.

Personally, I recommend that you opt for a device that has a capacity equal to or greater than 20000 mAh, so even the largest laptop batteries can be recharged easily.

Also, pay attention to the connector park included in the sales package: you will find yourself using the power bank in question to recharge the battery of a laptop PC, therefore the mere presence of the “classic” USB cable is somewhat limiting.

Therefore, please read the characteristics of the product in question carefully and make sure that the various power connectors that will be used with the Notebook PC are present (eg. MagSafe for older Macs, the interchangeable bolts for laptops and / or «common» connectors USB type C for modern notebooks).

Personally, I don’t recommend using power bank power when you need extremely high computing power – since it’s a power source with limited capacity, in fact, it could dry out quickly and find you ‘dry’ when you least expect it. So if you intend to use the laptop for long sessions or demanding from the point of view of energy consumption, I recommend that you opt for the purchase of a compatible power supply.

If you intend to power the Notebook PC (or recharge the battery) directly from the mains, you can rely on a compatible power supply, that is to say, to a charging device that, thanks to the supplied connectors and the special customizable transformer, can adapt to the voltages / amperage required by the different types of portable PCs, and to do so in complete safety.

In any case, always pay attention to the information about the electricity requested and supplied, and when choosing, follow the advice I provided in the previous section.

Finally, before proceeding with the purchase, make sure that the power supply you are about to choose is equipped with the correct connector required by your PC (“plug”, USB Type-C or MagSafe). Here are some products you can use to replace the “standard” power supply that you sadly no longer have.

In general, using these power supplies is extremely simple: all you have to do is identify the most suitable connector for your notebook PC, connect it to the end of the power cord, and use the device exactly as you would the original. As for Apple laptops, to avoid damage and unwanted surprises during power-up, I recommend that you buy original cables and chargers directly.

Along with the Pc, did you also find an old cell phone and even in this case is the charger missing? So I really think I have what you need: look on my website for my guide on how to charge your mobile phone without a charger, in fact, I perfectly explained how to behave in case of such an eventuality.

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