Why isnt my laptop charger working?

Your charger is bad, you should replace it

Laptops are ubiquitous, and cell phones even more so, but the vast majority of their owners know virtually nothing about how to properly care for the one element that makes these devices portable: their batteries. The peculiar characteristics of the lithium ion battery, as well as its expense, demand a little more care and attention than the common alkaline AA or 9 volt. Identification All laptops use lithium ion batteries, a battery design that generates electricity through the movement of lithium ions between the cathode and anode. Lithium ion batteries are rechargeable and offer one of the best power-to-weight ratios of any existing battery design. Function Most batteries of this design use graphite as the anode. The cathode is typically made from either lithium cobalt oxide, lithium iron phosphate or lithium manganese oxide. The choice of cathode is usually based on the balance between voltage, capacity and charge deterioration. Safety is also an issue, as some mishandled lithium ion battery designs have been known to explode. Electrical current is generated by the migration of the lithium ion from the anode to the cathode, and the reverse when it is being recharged. The electrolyte, or medium between the anode and cathode, is usually a solid lithium salt plus an organic solvent. Considerations One of the problems with a lithium ion battery is that, unlike other battery designs, it is prone to shelf decay whether it is used or not. While the design is rechargeable, from the time of manufacture a lithium ion battery gradually loses its capacity. The amount of charge it can hold steadily shrinks. If kept fully charged and at room temperature, a lithium ion battery will lose 1/4 of its capacity every year. Warning Another problem with lithium ion batteries is that keeping a high charge level will quicken the decay of the battery's capacity. Whenever you have your laptop hooked up to a power outlet recharging after it has already been recharged, you are essentially destroying the battery. Prevention/Solution There are two solid tips to follow with laptop batteries. First, try to avoid paying for an off-the-shelf battery. You have no idea how long it has been there, and therefore could be paying full price for a battery that has already lost a substantial portion of its capacity. Instead, buy directly from a manufacturer or wholesaler, a simple task in the age of Internet retail. Second, never leave your laptop plugged into the wall for no good purpose. It is, of course, a necessary convenience to recharge a laptop (or cell phone) battery overnight, but there is no need to leave it charging when it is already at full or nearly full charge during the day. If you are working and have your laptop hooked to a power outlet, either unplug the laptop or remove the battery.

Few things are as frustrating in life as having your laptop battery die when you're out and about. One of these things is the discovery that your battery no longer charges when connected to the AC adapter. The reason behind this could be attributed to a number of different causes, each necessitating a specific solution. To determine where the problem lies, try a few troubleshooting steps to narrow down the actual culprit. Give It Time It sounds like an obvious suggestion, but try giving the battery some time to charge. Sometimes it may not seem like much is happening when you plug your AC adapter in, but it can take time to charge a battery with low power. Give it at least two hours to charge and then check the status. If there is no change in the power indicator, you know you have a charging problem. Check the AC Adapter Check to make sure the adapter is plugged securely into the wall outlet, connected firmly to the adapter box and to the back of your laptop. Most AC adapters have a little light in them -- on that rectangular box in the middle of the cord -- that lights up when it's getting electricity. If that light isn't on, try a different outlet. Check your fuse or circuit breaker box and plug a different device into that outlet to make sure there is power to it. If it still does not light up, your adapter could need replacing. Also check the adapter box for signs of warmth, as it will generate heat when it's plugged in. No heat means no power. Remove the Battery Sometimes it's as simple as a misseated battery. Remove the battery entirely and clean out any dust, lint or hair that may be clogging the connectors and preventing a proper connection. Reseat the battery securely and make sure the little locking pins that hold your battery in place are securely fastened and there is no movement. Check the Software Through routine installing and uninstalling of various updates and other programs, it's possible that your operating system's power-management software has become corrupted. Corrupted power-management software can prevent the proper operation of your battery, including charging. Try finding the proper device drivers under your system's device manager tool and uninstalling, then reinstalling them. Alternately, uninstalling the drivers and then performing a "hardware scan" may identify the battery and install the proper drivers for it, correcting the charging issue. Replace the Battery If other troubleshooting methods do not repair the problem, you could simply have a faulty or dead battery. Contact your laptop's manufacturer for a replacement, or research third-party batteries, which are usually cheaper and work just as well. Until you find a replacement, use the laptop with the AC adapter. Seek a Technician's Help If all else fails and you simply cannot find the problem, a trip to a laptop repair technician is in order. There may be a faulty connection or malfunctioning part inside the computer that is preventing the battery from charging, which is hardly a do-it-yourself fix-it job. If your laptop is still under warranty, this may be covered and would require contacting your laptop manufacturer for additional information.

Laptops are ubiquitous, and cell phones even more so, but the vast majority of their owners know virtually nothing about how to properly care for the one element that makes these devices portable: their batteries. The peculiar characteristics of the lithium ion battery, as well as its expense, demand a little more care and attention than the common alkaline AA or 9 volt. Identification All laptops use lithium ion batteries, a battery design that generates electricity through the movement of lithium ions between the cathode and anode. Lithium ion batteries are rechargeable and offer one of the best power-to-weight ratios of any existing battery design. Function Most batteries of this design use graphite as the anode. The cathode is typically made from either lithium cobalt oxide, lithium iron phosphate or lithium manganese oxide. The choice of cathode is usually based on the balance between voltage, capacity and charge deterioration. Safety is also an issue, as some mishandled lithium ion battery designs have been known to explode. Electrical current is generated by the migration of the lithium ion from the anode to the cathode, and the reverse when it is being recharged. The electrolyte, or medium between the anode and cathode, is usually a solid lithium salt plus an organic solvent. Considerations One of the problems with a lithium ion battery is that, unlike other battery designs, it is prone to shelf decay whether it is used or not. While the design is rechargeable, from the time of manufacture a lithium ion battery gradually loses its capacity. The amount of charge it can hold steadily shrinks. If kept fully charged and at room temperature, a lithium ion battery will lose 1/4 of its capacity every year. Warning Another problem with lithium ion batteries is that keeping a high charge level will quicken the decay of the battery's capacity. Whenever you have your laptop hooked up to a power outlet recharging after it has already been recharged, you are essentially destroying the battery. Prevention/Solution There are two solid tips to follow with laptop batteries. First, try to avoid paying for an off-the-shelf battery. You have no idea how long it has been there, and therefore could be paying full price for a battery that has already lost a substantial portion of its capacity. Instead, buy directly from a manufacturer or wholesaler, a simple task in the age of Internet retail. Second, never leave your laptop plugged into the wall for no good purpose. It is, of course, a necessary convenience to recharge a laptop (or cell phone) battery overnight, but there is no need to leave it charging when it is already at full or nearly full charge during the day. If you are working and have your laptop hooked to a power outlet, either unplug the laptop or remove the battery.

Faulty electronic devices often fail soon after they are first used. I would take the charger back to where you purchased it and ask for a replacement.