On Sun, Aug 17, 2025 at 2:10 PM Tomas Kuchta <[email protected]>
wrote:

> Dell barrel chargers have 3 pins actually: outer barrel, inner barrel and
> center pin.
>
> HP and other chargers only have outer (just simple) barrel an center pin.
>
> The third pin on dell charger is id pin. Probe to see the charger id
> protocol.
>
> -Tomas
>
>
> On Sun, Aug 17, 2025, 15:50 Michael Barnes <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > On Sun, Aug 17, 2025 at 12:32 PM Denis Heidtmann <
> > [email protected]>
> > wrote:
> >
> > > Check the polarity and current rating.
> > > -Denis
> > >
> > > On Sun, Aug 17, 2025 at 12:27 PM Michael Barnes <[email protected]
> >
> > > wrote:
> > >
> > > > Here's a confusing one. I have an HP laptop with the usual 45W 19V
> > power
> > > > supply. I'm doing some work with an associate's Dell laptop, which
> also
> > > has
> > > > the typical line lump 45W 19V supply. I figured I'd just plug my HP
> > > supply
> > > > into the Dell as the connectors are the same (generic 2.5mm barrel).
> > > When I
> > > > powered up the Dell, I get a BIOS warning screen that says
> questionable
> > > > power supply and it would not charge the battery.
> > > >
> > > > I've checked both supplies with voltmeter and oscilloscope, nothing
> is
> > > > riding on the DC, both outputs are clean and identical.
> > > >
> > > > What does Dell do that it knows it is not a Dell supply and will not
> > > charge
> > > > the battery? I've seen this with USB-C and micro-USB connectors that
> > have
> > > > ID pins incorporated, but that doesn't account for a straight 2-wire
> DC
> > > > barrel plug.
> > > >
> > > > Any one run into anything like this?
> > > >
> > > > Thanks,
> > > > Michael
> > > >
> > >
> >
> > All ratings identical, voltage, current, polarity, etc. Found another
> > laptop supply, a generic no-name, same issue. All supplies work fine with
> > my HP, all but the Dell branded supply give an error trying to power the
> > Dell and do not charge the Dell battery.
> >
> > Michael
> >
>

Well, you learn something new every day. Not that I've previously ever had
occasion to pay attention, I've never noticed a 3-pin barrel connector
before. I guess that answers the question.

Thanks,
Michael

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