Which way around?

[Weatherlawyer]

I have a Dell notebook and am trying to get a multi settings charger to pow er it up.

The connections with the charger reverse to allow for different polarities but the signs on the back of the box differ. The Dell is marked with a brok en line under a continuous line while the charger is either negative on the outer setting or inner setting and I have to reverse two pins according to which I need.

If anyone knows what I am talking about, I would appreciate a good telling. Like this C- Or like this C+ With this: ____

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What I really need is a new battery. As they were originally made in 2003 I can't see how replacement batteries can be described as new. But that is w hat they are being advertklised as. How come?

[Tim Watts]

Modern Dell (as in last 3 years or so)?

You may find it won't charge off a "foreign" charger - mine (Latitude E7440) needs a genuine Dell PSU to charge - a generic merely maintains power without filling the battery.

[Andy Burns]

Model?

The horizontal lines only indicate that it's DC rather than AC, they don't say anything about polarity.

Is it one of the Dells with three connections to the 19V PSU? Rather than supplying power over the outer surface of the barrel and a centre pin, they supply power over the outer and inner surfaces of the barrel connection, with a slim data pin in the centre.

Without any connection on the data pin the laptop is likely to complain about incompatible charger and work in "limp" mode where it will run at slowest speed and may not charge the battery at all.

[Brian Gaff]

Which laptop is this? I have an old ailing one with the two pins charger, so maybe I can get the polarity from the charger via a meter and a person with sight. The later Dels seem to have the old centre hol outer sheeth chargers. Brian

[Weatherlawyer]

Dell Latitude D400

It is q 11.1V battery IIRC.

I dare say there is a reason for that but I would never find out and am not likely to buy another Dell. Ever!

[Caecilius]

Probably the same reason printers do some sort of digital masonic handshake with the ink cartridges.

[Weatherlawyer]

Dell Latitude D400

It is q 11.1V battery IIRC.

I dare say there is a reason for that but I would never find out and am not likely to buy another Dell. Ever!

I wonder who is making New batteries for old computers.

That reminds me I want to find a copy of Tiny XP. The present OS is fast so the nxt version is going to smoke.

[Andy Burns]

I had (still have somewhere?) A D800, pretty sure that took the type with the 3rd centre pin.

battery voltage and charger voltage are not the same

[Andy Burns]

About £50, which be about treble the value of such an old machine

[Weatherlawyer]

power it up.

ies but the signs on the back of the box differ. The Dell is marked with a broken line under a continuous line while the charger is either negative on the outer setting or inner setting and I have to reverse two pins accordin g to which I need.

03 I can't see how replacement batteries can be described as new. But that is what they are being advertklised as. How come?

Bloody odd that I dare say there is a financial reason and a modicum of sen se but I don't know what that last might be.