My AC adapter is making a little noise..

Question

My AC adapter is making a quirky noise that anyone can hardly.. My friends say that it is okay but i am deeply concerned about this..

Let me throw you some details..

1.It does not produce the sound always..

2.Specifically no sound when laptop ain't plugged in..

I cant seem to find the patter why the sound is made or during which process this is made..

Please give some food for my knowledge... Help me about this ..

My laptop model is Inspiron 1564 and adapter model is EA90PE1-00

MicroTest · Accepted Answer

To be completely sure what the cause of the problem is one would have to open it.Unfortunately Dell's AC adapter are completely sealed.

1.

The AC adapter (actually almost all modern power supplies) are so called "switching regulators". They use a high frequency signal (usually 20-100khz ) to convert voltages.The frequency is usually not audible (humans can hear sounds up to 16khz) but in some cases electronic parts that have to deal with such high frequency signals (capacitors,inductors) start vibrating - thus creating noise.Often critical parts are fixed to the board by using hot glue to avoid such kind of problems-in some cases it's forgotten or not properly done

If the powersupply is noisy again - I would give it a slap and see if the noise stops.

2.

Capacitors in old powersupplies or powersupplies that are in constant use are losing capacity(by drying up over time)

Faulty capacitors give the electronic a hard time and can also lead to excessive high pitched noise especially under heavy load......I would not recommend using a powersupply with such a symptom.

speedstep · Answer

You did not say what model. If the noiSe bothers you turn up the radio.

arundeller · Answer

Thanks buddy i always do that.. i find the noise only at nights when everyone else is fast asleep..

speedstep · Answer

Audio artifacts come thru the Adapter when its not getting a true sign wave AC input. I've seen this when I use an inverter with the AC adapter in my car.

AmyZack · Answer

i have a one month old 14r SE. and the adaptor is making some noise too. do i get to have a replacement as it may cause some damage to my unit? if so, how do i make one?

Thurashen · Answer

Hey guys.

Depending on the quality of components used in the AC adapters construction, there might be some slight buzzing sounds coming from the ac adapter.

These sounds are normal as long as they are not very loud. If you can only hear it when you hold you're ear directly up against the ac adapter when it is plugged in, that is completely normal.

This noise is generated by the electricity passing through the ac adapter, vibrating it's components. Once again, it is not abnormal to hear a slight buzzing sound from your ac adapter.

If your AC adapter becomes VERY HOT or VERY LOUD, then that indicates a problem.

But if you really feel uncomfortable about it and are still under warranty, contact Dell and ask for a replacement.

Best regards,

Thurashen (Matt)

aobm · Answer

I just want to know if this problem can affect the components of the laptop(hardware components)

does this irregularities w/ the electronic components of the charger affect t the voltage or not?
Thank You :)

asdfzxh · Answer

fulx

Locked Topics – Laptops General

My AC adapter is making a little noise..

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