XPS 18 1810 charging problem

Question

Hi all,

I have to work on (fix) an XPS 18. It's about ten years old now so waaaay out of warranty. From one day to another it stopped to boot up. When on the charger (side socket) the charger lights up, but nothing else. When on the cradle, then the credle lights up and still nothing else.

I read through forums, and found that these series had this kind of problem, and when they were new and under warranty, the charging port, the charger, the cradle, even the touch screen were changed, and then the motherboard itself.

Now, what I tried:

- I measured the charger's voltage. It gives the right amount, stable voltage.

- Bought a new battery. I thought its 10 years life cycle ended. As the new one was pre-charged, the machine booted up without any problem. 38% BUT system showed that "charger plugged in, not charging"...

- I deleted the driver from device manager AND when rebooted the machine it seemed to start charging (the battery icon in lower right corner showed it) THEN it simply stopped about when the system (Windows 10) reinstalled the driver.

- Unplugged the battery and CMOS battery too. Beeps, enter BIOS, save settings - no luck.

- Tried to press and keep pressed the power button for more than 30 sec. Nothing. (the power button itself works but doesn't "clicks")

Unfortunately this machine doesn't work only on mains without battery.

When I took off the back panel and tried to "sniff" around for burning smell or something I heard a very slight ticking sound from around the charging socket...

Now, the problem is: on one hand, I saw the machine working with pre-charged battery. On the other, the charge disappears somewhere in about 10cm.

Any idea and opinion is much appreciated.

Thanks!

DELL-Jesse L · Answer

Ohara77,

To receive assistance from Dell chat support, they need to verify the warranty status and ownership. Then you must troubleshoot with them. Click the "Get help now" icon on the right to start a live chat session.

ejn63 · Answer

The question: does the system sense the AC adapter, or does it show "unknown"? F2 at power up to check.

If the adapter shows unknown, either

1. The DC plug is damaged,

2. The DC jack is damaged,

or

3. The charge circuit on the mainboard is faulty.

Try a new OEM adapter first. If it's recognized, problem solved.

If not, the DC jack on this system is not replaceable without soldering. Since boards for this system are inexpensive, if repair is your plan:

http://www.ascendtech.us/dell-xps-18-1810-motherboard-yn9w0_i_mbdellyn9w0impc.aspx?agent=froogle

ejn63 · Answer

There's no way to check a system that doesn't start up at all, and it's not at all clear what "So I measured the charger: got fully what I had to." means.

If the system doesn't correctly identify the charger, even if the charger is putting out the required voltage, the battery will not charge. And if the system won't power up even without the battery installed, the issue is almost certainly a faulty system board.

If the battery arrived charged and did power the system but won't now charge, the adapter could still be at fault. If the system won't power up in the absence of a battery (on the adapter only), you have a bad mainboard.

It's unlikely repairable short of replacing the system board.

Ohara77 · Answer

Hi,

Thanks for your reply.

The system doesn't start at all, the charger doesn't charge the battery.

First I got a new battery (in this case the system booted up, as the new battery was pre-charged) and windows showed 'charger plugged in, not charging'. Everything I did as written above.

So I measured the charger: got fully what I had to. As the system recognised the charger, I think it is not the jack.

I think it's the charge circuit.

Do you think it is repairable (as it is/was a known issue)?

Thanks

Ohara77 · Answer

Okay, so I used a multimeter to measure the charger, and got the required voltage.

I tried a universal charger, same result.

The system doesn't power up without the battery. I went through many forums and it seems normal.

(for me it's a bit strange, as a normal laptop powers up without battery, using only the charger. But it's not a laptop, so I accepted what I read).

I thought the problem was somewhere between the jack and the battery within like 6-7cm. Tried to find any schematic for the mainboard to follow the power circuit, but couldn't. I was thinking about like a burnt fuse or something.

War0034 · Answer

I have the same problem now on 2 mainboards that work fine other than not charging a new battery I think it's time to bypass the dell oem charge circuit and make one myself since dell doesn't want to help anyone.

Ohara77 · Answer

Did you find any schematic for the motherboard? How do you plan to bypass the circuit?

AdrianG001 · Answer

If you are experiencing charging problems with your XPS 18 1810, there could be several possible reasons for this issue. Here are some troubleshooting steps to help you identify and resolve the problem:

Check the Power Adapter and Charging Cable: Ensure that the power adapter and charging cable are functioning correctly. Check for any physical damage, loose connections, or frayed cables. Try using a different charger and cable to see if the issue persists.
Power Source and Outlet: Verify that the power source you are using is working correctly. Try charging the laptop from a different power outlet or location to rule out issues with the power source.
Battery Issues: If the laptop's battery is old or damaged, it may not hold a charge properly. Check the battery health through the system settings or use Dell's diagnostic tools to see if there are any battery-related issues.
Reset Power Management: Reset the power management settings on your laptop. You can do this by unplugging the charger, turning off the laptop, removing the battery (if removable), and then holding the power button for about 15-20 seconds. Afterward, reinsert the battery (if applicable), plug in the charger, and try charging the laptop again.
Update BIOS and Drivers: Make sure your laptop's BIOS and drivers are up to date. Sometimes, firmware updates can resolve charging-related issues.
Check for Software Conflicts: Certain software or applications can interfere with the charging process. Try booting the laptop into Safe Mode and see if it charges properly. If it does, then some installed software might be causing the problem.
Hardware Issues: If none of the above steps resolve the charging problem, there might be a hardware issue with the laptop's charging port, power circuitry, or battery. In such cases, it's best to contact Dell support or take the laptop to a certified technician for further inspection and repair.
Dell Diagnostics: Dell laptops often come with built-in diagnostic tools that can help identify hardware issues. You can access these tools during the boot-up process by pressing a specific key combination (often F12) and selecting the diagnostics option.

Before attempting any hardware-related solutions, ensure your important data is backed up in case of any potential data loss during troubleshooting or repairs.

If your laptop is still under warranty, you can reach out to Dell's customer support for assistance and potential repairs. They can guide you through the troubleshooting process and provide solutions for the charging problem.

Ohara77 · Answer

Hi AdrianG001,

Thanks for the ideas.

1. Done

2. Done. Even tried in different house in different part of town.

3. Different battery tried. Others can't be done, as battery not charges up.

4. Done. Nothing happened.

5. Can't be done.

6. Can't be done.

7. Charging port works as OS sees charger plugged in (but not charging)(checked with a pre-charged replacement battery). Replacement battery was brand new.

8. Can't be done.

At this moment I could kill for the schematic of the motherboard. Think of it as a challenge.

XPS

XPS 18 1810 charging problem

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