Powering up on the go - replacing adapters

By Thomas Schoerner Jan 1, 2012, 3:06 GMT

Munich - Smartphones and laptops let you be online practically anywhere these days. But, if your power adapter conks out on you, then that connectivity essentially evaporates.

That's exactly why you should consider buying a backup adapter now . and not wait until something breaks.

First, should you try to fix the adapter yourself? Josef Reitberger from the German computer magazine Chip says there is no real danger of fatal voltage, but 'nonetheless, complete amateurs shouldn't attempt repairs.'

Indeed, before causing severe and expensive damage to the device, you're almost always better off with a new charger. And the second adapter doesn't just have to be for emergencies. It can also serve as a backup charger: for the office, for example.

When you're buying an adapter for a notebook, there are a few things to which to pay attention, says Reitberger.

'The replacement adapter has to generate the same voltage as the original - for example, 5 or 12 volts - and it has to deliver at least the same current, the one that's listed in amperes and milliamperes.'

Beyond that, the plug has to fit into the notebook and should have the same polarity.

The required current is usually inscribed on the bottom of the notebook. If you opt for a adapter that doesn't provide enough energy, you'll quickly notice.

'In a case like this, if you're really taxing the laptop, you might see your battery lose its charge or even see the laptop shut down,' explains Robert Tischer of the online magazine Notebookjournal.de.

On the other hand, if the adapter is too powerful, then its performance suffers. 'A more powerful adapter with the same device will tend to use more power than a weaker adapter,' says Tischer.

Adapters that are pushed to their limit might get hot flashes. 'That usually happens when the battery is recharging and the notebook is working hard at the same time, like with games or video rendering,' explains Tischer.

The small, lightweight adapters of netbooks and the big, heavy power suppliers of mobile gaming computers are candidates for quickly growing hot. As soon as a user notices this, they need to find a way to cool it. 'You don't need a fan. It's enough to put the adapter onto a hard surface, just get it off the carpet or the couch,' says Tischer.

Before spending a lot of money on a new adapter, Tischer advises checking with friends and acquaintances to see if anyone has a used one. 'Usually, adapters from one manufacturer are compatible with one another. A power pack for an unused laptop might be compatible with a modern device whose adapter is broken.'

Matters are even clearer with contemporary smartphones, says Reitberger. 'The manufacturers build them to comply with the criteria of the EU Commission, which means standard micro-USB sockets for the adapter.'

He notes that some manufacturers are even selling phones without adapters, at least with the cheaper models. 'If you're talking about a micro USB connection, then you can use any appropriate charger,' says Rafaela Moehl of the German telecommunications portal Teltarif.de. 'But with older devices that still have a unique port, you should make sure you buy the adapter designed for that device.'

But remember, if you end up using a backup adapter, be sure that its voltage and current exactly match the original's. And don't expect good quality from cut-rate products, says Lutz Labs of German computer magazine c't: 'You're better off with an adapter from the accessories shop of the mobile phone manufacturer.' Those are often also available in energy-saving models.

Reitberger is also not overly impressed with universal adapters, which are supposed to work with a variety of notebooks thanks to a range of plugs and currency regulators.

'Universal adapters are not necessarily cheaper than the original standard adapters. They're usually bigger and harder to use, since you're still using an adapter and have to set the current output properly,' he says.