Used Wrong Charger on Laptop and Now Won't Start

Lrustyaxe on 14/08/2025 - 18:15
Last edited 14/08/2025 - 19:06 by 1 other user

Hi, I'm hoping there is a computer electronics expert in the OzBargain community that sees this and can give me an idea of what is wrong. I've tried determine the answer via my own research (probably stuffed the motherboard but am hoping that isn't the case!) but I'm hoping someone can provide a more definitive answer for my particular case.

I accidentally used an ebike charger to charge a laptop. It was only for a few seconds as I quickly realised my mistake but now the laptop won't start (nor does it recognise the charger is plugged in which it would have in the past).

The laptop is an Acer Nitro 16 specifically an AN16-41-R2Kl (Model no: N22Q22).

It should be charged by a 230.1W charger with an input of 100-240V 3.5A 50-60Hz and an output of DC 19.5V 11.8A but was charged with a charger (no wattage listed on charger) with an input of 100-240V 1.8A (max) 50-60Hz and an output of DC 42.0V 2.0A (which on the charger brick is then followed by a symbol of a horizontal line through a rectangle with "T3. 15A 250V" written under it but which means nothing to me). Both chargers have the same polarity (negative external, positive internal according to the diagram on them).

I'm hoping there is a fuse or some other relatively easily removable part that can be replaced to get the laptop going again.

TIA!

Rusty

Computing 16inch Acer Computer Gaming Laptop Laptop Laptop Charger

Comments

  • oscargamer on 14/08/2025 - 18:33
    +13

    I can't help sorry, but it's a definite no-no to plug in the wrong charger to a device and I suspect your laptop is toast. You can probably recover important info from the HDD/SSD.

      • theguyrules on 16/08/2025 - 11:14
        +11

        That is so very very different to what the OP has done. USB-C will negotiate voltage and current with the device. A barrel jack doesn't.

  • Jimothy Wongingtons on 14/08/2025 - 18:38
    +10

    I’m kind of surprised no smoke/burnt smell.

    • life is suffering on 14/08/2025 - 19:49
      +1

      Got sucked by the fan

      • Gdsamp on 14/08/2025 - 20:27
        +6

        Bill Clinton ahh laptop

  • plmko on 14/08/2025 - 18:41
    +3

    Open the Laptop and look. No one will know otherwise.

  • GordonD on 14/08/2025 - 18:42
    +45

    42V instead of 19.5V. That'll do it.

    The good news is that laptop, like most laptops, includes a fuse within its power circuitry to protect against overcurrents and voltage surges.

    The bad news is that it is soldered onto the motherboard and is not meant to be user-replaceable. It will require a technician to access it and replace it.

    The box with a bar through it on the charger with T3: 15A250V on it says the charger has an internal fuse in it and those numbers indicate the type (T3) and rating (15A250V). There is a possibility you've blown that too. Probably not, but best to check if the charger still works.

    • jv on 14/08/2025 - 22:35

      It will require a technician to access it and replace it.

      or a youtube video…

    • jv on 14/08/2025 - 22:35
      +11

      best to check if the charger still works.

      But not on another laptop…

  • jv on 14/08/2025 - 22:32
    +12

    I accidentally used an ebike charger to charge a laptop.

    😲

  • AustriaBargain on 15/08/2025 - 01:10
    +7

    The bike charger company probably thought no one would ever stick it in a laptop. If the plug is the same maybe they should have though.

  • bargaino on 15/08/2025 - 02:10
    +8

    Those 5.5mm DC plugs are dangerous!! I managed to plug 12V into a 5V device and release the magic smoke.
    About the only thing with a high enough voltage to kill a laptop with those plugs is an e-bike charger.
    Good luck - i hope the fuse saved the board.

  • 82norm on 15/08/2025 - 08:24
    +2

    Wonder what would happen if you stick the laptop charger into the e-bike battery🤔

    • brigman on 15/08/2025 - 23:24
      +4

      The same thing that happened when the big bad wolf huffed and puffed and tried to blow down a brick house: nothing.

      More seriously, and put in simple terms, voltage is a 'push' force, while current requirements are a kind of 'pull'. You can use any 12v DC source on any 12v DC device and even if the device draws milliamps and the power source (charger, battery, solar cell) delivers tens of amps all will be well. If the voltage is correct, the device only ever daws the current it needs.

      If the voltage is fine but the current delivery of the power source is too low then a simple device such as an incandescent light bulb will not reach peak output; that said, some power sources may be damaged. Complex devices such as laptops may appear to function normally until there is a high power demand (like maxing out the processor or GPU) at which point there will be some kind of failure; though probably of no irreversible consequence on the device — excluding the potential for data loss.

      Using a power supply with a voltage that is too high, especially by more than 10%, will have every chance of inflicting damage, and the higher the voltage the quicker the undesirable result. Voltage fist feeds more current in. The result is typically excess heat somewhere undesirable and subsequent rapid burnout.

      With any luck the notebook in question has a separate DC board, but this is unusual nowadays. Best of luck.

  • dan2k on 15/08/2025 - 09:07
    +8

    You might be able to power it from a USB-C port, in case you blew some of the circuitry that the DC port goes through but were lucky enough to no effect the rest of the motherboard?

    • kyogui on 16/08/2025 - 21:02

      The laptops uses a 230W charger in general gaming laptops can't be powered by USB-C.

  • Aleigh123 on 15/08/2025 - 09:42
    +1

    I presume it was a barrel jack? In that case, you've probably at least fried some of the charging circuitry and depending on what protections whoever made the laptop put in, there may be further damage upstream.

    As others have recommended, I would also recommend salvaging the hard drive / SSD (assuming they're not soldered) and see if at least your data is recoverable. I don't expect to be able to know which components have to be replaced without a circuit diagram and/or extensive probing.

  • Aldonis on 15/08/2025 - 10:02
    +15

    time to hop on the laptop and ride it into your nearest technician

  • Caped Baldy on 15/08/2025 - 10:05
    +4

    Power source for Nvidia's next GPU

    • Malik Nasser on 15/08/2025 - 18:25
      +1

      The laptop charger is 230W, and the e-bike charger is only 84W.
      Both of them together would not be anywhere near enough for Nvidia's next high end graphics card.

  • JustinFR on 15/08/2025 - 10:31
    +26

    Where are you located? If nearby to Sydney's Northern Beaches, happy to troubleshoot the laptop for you (Ozbargain 100% labour discount applied).

    • CocaKoala on 16/08/2025 - 11:27
      +2

      ^^^ protect this man at all costs! What a legend.

    • rustyaxe on 18/08/2025 - 20:44

      Thanks for that generous offer JustinFR - unfortunately I am in Brisbane.

  • jrvb42 on 15/08/2025 - 12:00
    +8

    If you're lucky and the laptop is well designed, it might be that you've only fried the "protection" and the actual laptop is fine.
    Investigating and fixing will be expensive in Australia.
    I had a laptop that techies in Australia said would require a completely new mainboard, which basically amounted to throwing the laptop away.
    I then took that laptop with me to China, where a techie fixed it for around $30.
    That was two years ago. This comment is being typed on that very laptop. Touchwood.
    (In effect, the airfare was paid for by the laptop recovery!)

    I was lucky of course, and YMMV, but if you're travelling to SEA anytime soon, I suggest taking your laptop and investigating options there.
    At the very least, you might get the data recovered at costs way lower than we'd pay here.

  • Duckie2hh on 15/08/2025 - 14:53
    -8

    accidentally used an ebike charger to charge a laptop

    lolololololololol

    • jrvb42 on 15/08/2025 - 21:03

      Yeah, but if Galaxy Quest taught us anything, it is "Never give up. Never surrender." :)
      Couldn't hurt to get it checked out in SEA - no charge.

  • Ramrunner on 15/08/2025 - 15:40
    +3

    If only everything charged with USB-C PD this crap wouldn't happen.

    Maybe one day.

    • Poor Ass on 15/08/2025 - 22:10
      +1

      GPMI

      • Ramrunner on 18/08/2025 - 19:13

        Interesting read - thanks.

        240/480W power delivery sounds promising but to be fair I feel this is still a few years away from wide adoption. Especially if it has a licensing fee. Unless the fee is less than HDMI?

        I'm keen though for sure.

        • Poor Ass on 18/08/2025 - 22:24
          +1

          I guess they all have licencing fees

  • fredk1000 on 15/08/2025 - 23:32

    Something must of burnt. The voltage is more than double. The voltage regulators would of most like fried or some capacitors.

    • CocaKoala on 16/08/2025 - 11:25
      +4

      must of

      Must have.

      would of

      Would have.

  • vshek on 16/08/2025 - 11:25

    Either the charging sircuit has blown OR the motherboard is toasted.

    If the battery still has charge and laptop boots up on then good its just the charging circuit and there are some repaiers who can fix that.
    However if the laptop does not boot up on charged battery its likely too much damage. there are ways to recover data from hard drive.

  • try2bhelpful on 16/08/2025 - 14:03

    This is probably toast. The only way you will really know is if you get a technician to look at it; which will cost money. As others have said try to recover data on the hard drive.

    This is a warning to charge the e-bike in a separate location to charging the laptop so you don’t get them mixed up.

  • randomvis on 16/08/2025 - 17:05

    That's one way to overclock your laptop.

    • Poor Ass on 18/08/2025 - 22:25

      Or supercharged

  • p1 ama on 16/08/2025 - 18:18
    +1

    It should be charged by a 230.1W charger with an input of 100-240V 3.5A 50-60Hz and an output of DC 19.5V 11.8A but was charged with a charger (no wattage listed on charger) with an input of 100-240V 1.8A (max) 50-60Hz and an output of DC 42.0V 2.0A (which on the charger brick is then followed by a symbol of a horizontal line through a rectangle with "T3. 15A 250V" written under it but which means nothing to me). Both chargers have the same polarity (negative external, positive internal according to the diagram on them).

    The wattage doesn't matter, the laptop will pull as much as it needs.

    So basically, the laptop accepts 19.5V, and you plugged in a 42.0V charger.

    Yeah, it's toast. You might be lucky and have just blown a voltage regulator IC, a MOSFET or something similar as opposed to the entire motherboard. Open it up, look for the power delivery components near where the barrel jack is, and use a multimeter to test for continuity. You might even find some of the SMDs burnt out.

    It's definitely salvagable if you know how to do component level repair and have a hot air station, otherwise, some electronics repair shops might be able to help you out. Worst case, you'll just replace your entire motherboard.

  • Guerilla89 on 16/08/2025 - 20:08
    +1

    I'd say there's a 25-50% chance your laptop motherboard isn't toast.
    1. Open the backplate
    2. Disconnect the battery
    3. Hold down the power button for 30 seconds with the battery disconnected (this is to fully drain)
    4. Reconnect the battery
    5. Attempt to power on the laptop
    6. If it doesn't power back on with just the battery, try powering it on with your charger as well
    7. If that doesn't work leave the battery and power plugged in and hold down the power button for 60 seconds (this can reset some internal stuff on some models)
    7. If none of that works, you might be able to take out your storage drive and get your data off it. If the motherboard is toast, there's a 50/50 your storage drive is toast as well.

    Also each time you are trying to turn on the device, give it 2 mins to attempt to turn on. Sometimes devices have to do memory training when they are turning on for the first time and it can take a while.

  • drfuzzy on 16/08/2025 - 21:52

    You've probably blown a diode on the motherboard.

    Is it worth fixing in Australia? Maybe not worth the labour cost.

    If you were in China there are experts who'd likely do it more cost effectively.

  • drfuzzy on 16/08/2025 - 21:55
    +2

    Reminds me of my days working in a computer shop where a man with poor English brings in his desktop PC for diagnosis.

    The boss couldn't understand him, but he seemed to be telling us to wait for something.

    Being impatient the boss plugged his desktop in the AC power while he was gone and blew up the power supply immediatley.

    The customer returned holding a power converter and wondering where the smoke was coming from.

  • Carussell on 16/08/2025 - 22:30
    -3

    Is it under warranty?
    If so lodge a claim, just state it stopped working..ohh wait, you have publically advertised your stuff up :-(

  • Wayne7497 on 17/08/2025 - 01:00
    +1

    Its a common fault on Acer notebooks (normally caused by faulty power supply) i fix regularly, youve blown a mosfet on power delivery side, an easy fix for an experienced technician but not a diy repair

    • rustyaxe on 18/08/2025 - 20:44

      Thanks Wayne7497. How confident are you that it should just be the mosfet blown? If I call up or email a technician and explain what happened (including the volts and amps details) should I find another technician if they say the issue is something else/can't tell me what the issue would be?

      • Wayne7497 on 18/08/2025 - 23:04

        100% , basically remove and replace faulty mosfet and possibly a 0 ohm resistor (fuse)

        • rustyaxe on 19/08/2025 - 22:18

          Thanks so much for confirming Wayne!

  • rustyaxe on 18/08/2025 - 20:37

    Thanks to all those who have commented on my dilemma. Special thanks to JustinFR for offering to troubleshoot it for me - unfortunately I'm in Brisbane.

    It seems like the general consensus (other than me being a complete doofus) is that I've fried something inside but we're not sure what. I'm going to consider opening it up and taking a peek as some have suggested and can hopefully take the HD out and back it up. The battery had fully discharged prior to me charging it with the wrong charger, so I haven't been able to check if it is ok running on just battery power or not.

    Sounds like it's highly likely I will still need to take it to a technician so if you can recommend a good technician in Brissy please let me know.

    Btw I didn't realise I had to subscribe to my own post to get notifications of comments so until now I had been assuming I hadn't got any. I should have known the OzB community was better than that!

    Peace and love to you all. Long live OzBargain!!!

  • Gros21 on 21/08/2025 - 09:03

    Fuse is unlike to help as its a overcurrent protection device. High voltages you likely cooked something else, Unless its a high end lapop its like parts laptop.

    Paying $100hr adds up first for almost certainly will be circuit board level repairs

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