Plugged In, Not Charging Issue

Check the BIOS setup - if the AC adapter is listed as "unknown", try another adapter.  If it too isn't sensed, given that you know there's been a spill, it's very likely the charging circuit has been damaged.  That may require a replacement power board (if the system has one) or a replacement mainboard if it does not.

Hey Einstein, the problem was in the computer.  All it took was talking to someone who spoke english.

What you are seeing is the standard 95 watt power supply that Dell ships with new machines.  It works fine but the 130 works a bit better (more expensive and you will not notice the difference in most cases)   This warning can be turned off in BIOS a quick google search will walk you through it.

  The next part is what I was just dealing with and ejn63 was of no help.   If you have just the standard new or extended warranty and Dell notes ANY "damage" they will not cover anything.  If they notice the keyboard being scratched (as in my case) they will not cover the motherboard being defective.  Unless you talk to an English speaking american you will not get help.  I had to talk to a woman in Consumer Public Relations to get assistance.   I hope this is of some help.  If you have just the standard warranty that covers hardware you better upgrade before you send it in.  

Hi there,

Firstly, I'm sorry to hear that you've had this problem with your system and please be assured that I'll give you all the relevant information you need. As far as I can see, the main problem in getting service is the fact that there has been a liquid spillage to the system which means that the system has to be classed as accidentally damaged. Unless, you have Dell's Accidental Damage Protection, the basic warranty will not cover you for any accidental damage. You mentioned that you have Knowhow insurance - this isn't a Dell insurance offering and more than likely will be an offering from the retail shop where you purchased the XPS system.

That said, it may just be a problem with the AC adapter rather than the system itself. In this instance, the steps that ejn63 are exactly what we would ask you to try (presuming you have another AC adapter). Another step to try is to connect the AC adapter to the mains only. If you see an LED on the AC adapter when it is connected to the mains, connect it to the system and check the AC adapter LED again, making a note of whether or not the LED stays on or goes off when you connect it to the system.

Also, check the AC adapter jack and the AC adapter socket for any damage. Pay special attention to the AC adapter jack. This should have a pin in the middle which should not be bent or damaged in anyway as this can cause the exact symptom you've described.

If the AC adapter has no physical signs of damage and the AC adapter is not recognised in the BIOS, I would say that in this case it may be necessary to replace internal components and due to the liquid spillage, this would not be covered under the warranty. I would advise you to read the Knowhow insurance terms and conditions to see what exactly that covers.

When it initially happened i rung up knowhow and it is covered, so that is not the problem. But I do not have a spare AC

If you don't have a spare AC adapter, it's very difficult to prove that the AC adapter itself is the cause of the problem. If you can try connecting the AC adapter to the mains only, you may prove that the AC adapter is the cause if there is no LED lit on the AC adapter when you plug it into the mains only.

If there is an LED on the AC adapter, it's likely that the cause is the motherboard itself in which case I would advise you to contact the company responsible for the Knowhow cover about raising a claim on their cover.

The 130's are not as useful as the 150's   I prefer to use PA-15 because they last longer.

If a new adapter does not fix the problem then the motherboard has to be replaced.

Genuine Dell PA-15 Family 150W Power Brick Cord AC Adapter Charger With 3 Foot (ft.) or 6 Foot (ft.) Power Cord Included, For Inspiron 5150, 5160, 9100, 9200, Precision M90, M6300, M6400, XPS Gen 2, M170, M1710, M2010, Alienware M15X Laptop/Notebook Systems, Compatible Part/Model Numbers: PA-15, D8406, 9Y819, D1078, D1404, D232H, D2746, FC892, K5294, N3834, N3838, PH298, TC887, TC912, W1828, W7758, X408G, X7329, X9366, ADP-150EB, AP11, 310-4180, 310-6580, 310-7848, 310-7849, 310-8275, 310-8537, 320-2746, 330-1829, 330-1830, PA-1131-02D, PA-1151-06D, PA-1151-06D2

I keep posting the video below because in some cases it made sense to the user and they were able to fix the problem: