Using the old power supply for a new laptop - is that possible?
You may be able to use an old laptop power supply for your new laptop. You may have to re-solder the barrel connector for this. We explain how to do it.
Solder the old power supply for a new laptop
If your old and your new laptop have the same output voltage, amperage and polarity and the plugs fit, you can also use the old power supply for the new notebook. If the plug does not fit, you can re-solder it. Basically, this is done in the following steps, which are described in detail in the following picture gallery and with photos.
- First you need a suitable connector. Hollow plugs and hollow plug sets are available for a few euros at Amazon.
- Unplug your power cord.
- Snap off the old barrel connector as close as possible to the connector.
- Expose the veins a few millimeters.
- Solder them to the pins of the new barrel connector.
- Strip the wires well so as not to create a short circuit.
- Be sure to measure whether the old power supply unit you soldered and the new power supply unit supply identical voltages. A reverse polarity connector can severely damage your laptop.
Note:
With the instructions, you should be able to re-solder your old power supply. Nevertheless, it can happen that your power supply breaks. Therefore, work carefully and carefully. We accept no liability for damage.
Warning: Many modern laptops have smart power supplies. These also work with other power supplies, but warn of risks and possibly shortened battery life. You can find out how to reset a power supply here. You can get tips on buying laptop batteries in this CHIP online practical tip.
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Make sure that your old power supply has the same output values as the new power supply. Voltage in volts (V) and current in amperes (A) and polarity (+ and -) are important. If these are identical and the barrel connector fits, you can safely use the old power plug. If the polarity deviates, you can simply swap it around when soldering.
If the old barrel connector does not fit, you can replace it in just a few steps. For this you need a side cutter, a knife and a soldering iron. Also have a suitable replacement barrel connector, solder and shrink tubing ready.
Make sure that the voltage and polarity of the new and old power supply are identical before and after the conversion. However, remove the power supplies from the power supply during the entire conversion!
You can find the matching barrel connector or extensive sets of wooden connectors for a few euros or less at [[//www.amazon.de/s?tag=chiponline|Amazon]]. You can find out which barrel connector size you need, for example, from [[//www.ebay.de/gds/Groesse-von-Netzteil-Stecker-Hohlstecker-ermitteln-/10000000012004617/g.html|this]] Ebay guide. If you cannot see which barrel connector pin leads to which connector lead, connect the two pins to the power supply via crocodile clips and measure the voltage again.
Unclip the barrel connector from the old power supply. Be sure to cut the cable behind the thick cylinder at the end of the cable. It is a sheathed wave filter, which removes any residual AC voltage from the DC voltage generated by the power supply and suppresses stray fields. These can affect the image and can be very harmful to devices.
Release the two wires from the cable sheath and strip a few millimeters. Make a little tin solder on the tips of the wires and the new connector. Slide heat shrink tubing over the wires and over the entire cable and then solder the wires to the pins in the barrel connector.
After soldering, slide the heat shrink tubing over the soldered joints as far as possible. The veins must of course not touch. One or two shrink sleeves around the entire cable provide support.
Here the first heat shrink tubing is pulled together over the entire cable. The second is large enough to fit over the barrel connector and further stabilize the whole thing.
