Inspiron N5110 "Plugged in, not charging"

     Hi PunkinTaco,

     Why anyone from Dell would tell you to flash the BIOS without a fully functioning power supply feature set is beyond me. That's considered a cardinal "No-No." It should be Plugged in Battery attached and Fully charged. Yikes indeed.

     I'm confused about your post  I think. What I read here is that you dismantled the laptop and replaced the AC/DC I/O board before replacing the charger? Dell as a matter of course makes it difficult for aftermarket chargers to communicate with your battery and/or PC. The result, You get power and no charge. The microelectronics in the charger "talk" to the microelectronics on the battery and the regulator circuit on the AC/DC I/O board. 

     For your 15R (N5110) you will need a 90w PA-23 Family or PA-12 Family charger.

     Before you do that follow these steps in order with your Dell brand charger as a method to rule out the charger.

-With the battery installed and with the laptop on, plug the 90w adapter into the wall and then into the computer.

-With charge tip still plugged in, unplug charger from wall and make sure the light goes out all the way

-Unplug charge tip from computer.

-Shutdown computer

-Remove battery

-Press and hold power button down for at least 30 seconds.

-Plug charger into wall then into Laptop

-Restart machine

-Insert battery

-You may need to Restart one more time you'll know to try that if it still says not charging.

-If, after these steps are completed and you've restarted and still don't have charging, Time for new charger. 

     If this response was helpful please remember to hit the YES button and if you need further assistance don't hesitate to contact

Also, will not boot up with the "aftermarket" 90watt charger I purchased.  However, it will boot up with a 100 watt charger that has a multi amp function.  So frustrating.

Very few third party adapters will charge the battery - they don't have the logic circuit necessary to complete the charging circuit.

Try a new Dell adapter first - if that doesn't solve the problem, replace the DC jack:

http://www.parts-people.com/index.php?action=item&id=9754

And if that doesn't do it, the mainboard needs to be replaced.

Thanks!  I'll try that and let you know.  I did order the i/o board on Ebay and it was listed as the same part number but I did not visually verify the part number before installation.  And I double checked my Dell adapter.  It is the 65 watt and not the 90 watt I previously mentioned (I have the core i3).

     The N5110 comes in a variety of configurations with 2 different power requirements. The 65w supports a core i3 and integrated graphics while the 90w supports the core i5 with both dedicated or integrated graphics. Where did you purchase the I/O AC/DC board and is it the IDENTICAL part number as the original. The power requirement of 90w with a 65W AC/DC I/O board board will normally produce a system performance warning at boot (which you can set to not show in BIOS...enter bios and enable Charger Behavior Warning) 

     In nearly all cases the laptop will startup with only the charger (in fact that is part of several diagnostic procedures) If you can't boot with just the charger you should open the machine back up, compare PART NUMBERS of those I/O boards to verify they are identical, and if they ARE the same, re-install the one you replaced and perform the procedure I outlined above with that AC/DC board in place. It might seem unlikely, but depending on where that IO board was purchased (particularly if it was labeled "used-tested") from ebay, then we have to consider the replacement part faulty moving ahead. Give that a go and post back with the results.

Forgot to mention that the i/o board was listed as new.

     Hey ...since you mentioned it was listed new. and isn't performing correctly...by chance did you happen to pick that board up on eBay from a seller called "Screenaid." I had a similar incident with that seller...none of the Dell stuff they sell is actually new and it's only a matter of time before eBay catches up with them. I opened a claim for a malfunctioning part TWICE from them. Some days you eat the bear, other days the bear eats you! Your very best bet is to order it from Dell if it's still available but that can get expensive quickly especially if your machine is out of warranty.  My public email is listed in profile if you need more info regarding that part.

Okay.  I've tried the steps you have suggested here (i.e. compare part numbers, re-install the old i/o board, etc.).  Unfortunately I have the same results.  My Dell charger is still not recognized.  Can still use my 100 watt adapter to boot up and use the laptop.  Laptop shows "plugged in, not charging" still.

Any additional advice?

Hi Punkintaco.

     Sorry I've been really busy the last couple days. Unfortunately you've done everything I've done in the past with same model. The only difference being those steps worked. Remind me again....Have you replaced the charger? If it's a new charger and you're getting same results I'm at odds on this one. Some folks would go so far as to update or revert the BIOS...that's a pretty delicate and invasive procedure and typically not worth the risk if the symptoms didn't coincide with a Flash. One of the other Rockstars usually advises the mainboard hardware is malfunctioning after all those steps have been exhausted. Since it's not a serviceable part it means replacing the mainboard. I'm sure you can find a used one for between 50-75 dollars (you already know where to start that hunt). I wish I had better news.

I tried a new aftermarket charger.  My next step, I think, would be to try an OEM Dell Charger designed for my computer.  If that doesn't work I think I will just invest in a new laptop :emotion-1:

Hi Punkintaco!

     Sometimes we can find humor in the strangest places! I'm laughing with not at! It's worth mentioning that I've had Dell laptops exclusively since about 07 and have never had good luck with aftermarket or generic or so-called universal adapters with Dell's machines. I'm glad you're up and running and thanks for the "sticktoitiveness" to come back and share your success. This is what the Dell Community Forum is all about. Would you be kind enough to hit there Yes button so the verified answer will be available for other people that find this thread. I think it's particularly important here your experience highlights the fact that all chargers are not created equal. Thanks again

Took me a while to get back here and post an update.  Hard to believe but I apparently had THREE inoperative/ineffective a/c adapters!  My original factory omc (gone bad), an aftermarket adapter purchased on EBay and a "loaner" from my computer geek friend.  Took my laptop to Staples and asked them to simply plug in with an A/C adapter that they knew worked on the Dell laptop and voila!  "Plugged in, charging".  Sometimes I have been known to make things more difficult than they need to be :emotion-43:.  Thanks for all the help!

Hi, I am Peter. I have a Dell Inspiron N5110. Since it was working fine but, suddenly yesterday when I plugged in the charger  to charge up the battery, it says Plugged In, Not Charging on the battery icon.

After restarting the laptop a <ADMIN NOTE: Substitute character removed as per TOU> is coming up on startup is "The AC adapter wattage and type cannot be determined. ... Please connect a Dell 90W AC adapter or greater for the best system "... And from then the performance of the laptop has decreased like anything. I usually use my laptop to edit videos but the laptop cannot run the software for the low performance.. please help.