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My Dell Inspiron 15R 5521 charger was stolen from my University desk.

I have an old (about 4-5 years old) HP charger of my previous HP laptop.

The Dell laptop on the bottom says: 19.5V and 3.34A / 4.62A.

The HP charger says on Output: 18.5V and 3.5A, 65W.

The plug fits fine. After I plugged it in, the laptop works fine, but the battery is not charging. On the battery icon (bottom right) it currently says "Plugged in, not charging".

I have talked with Dell and they said it might pose a risk to the motherboard and that I should buy an original adapter from them.

Can I use it temporarily or is it risky? Any help?

Thanks!!

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  • Verify the output voltage amperage is high enough and within specifications for the Dell. Based on the listed specifications the Dell requires higher amerage then the HP charger supports.
    – Ramhound
    Mar 5, 2014 at 18:43
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    There could also be a verification circuit in place. Dell hardware typically includes a piece that checks to see if the attached charger is a Dell charger, and if not, will not allow the charger to charge the battery.
    – Kruug
    Mar 5, 2014 at 18:48
  • Hello Rahmound and thanks for the reply. On the back of the Dell laptop it writes "3.34A / 4.62A". The HP charger says "3.5A".
    – C.V.
    Mar 5, 2014 at 19:06
  • Kruug, what you said about Dell is true, they have confirmed that over the phone as well.
    – C.V.
    Mar 5, 2014 at 19:06

1 Answer 1

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The voltage is less which is okay but the amperage is more which is not good for the Dell and yes it could damage your laptop. I would stop using the HP charger.

You can find used Dell chargers on ebay for less than $20.00. I recently purchased one for $15.00 with free shipping. Be sure to look for one with the same specs as your Dell Laptop as Dell has made many different charger configurations over the years.

Good Day!

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  • No, using an adapter that has a greater current capacity will not harm the device using it. Using an adapter with a higher or lower voltage will probably harm the device. These are not constant current devices, rather constant voltage and the boilerplate amperage ratings are maximum capacity.
    – kronenpj
    Jul 15, 2016 at 12:30

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