Laptop switching between AC and DC power

[Randux]

Yesterday my laptop started randomly switching between DC and AC power when charging. When I take the battery out and plug the charger it works no problem, it doesn't switch off or anything. When I attach the battery pack but disconnect the charger it also works no issues. But the problem starts when I tried to charge it. Every few minutes charging stops then resumes like on and off. I don't know what to do anymore cause this is a fairly new laptop bought over a year ago. Help guys.

 

[envo]

What % charge? The newer laptops will run down the batter to about 80 or 90% before charging again. So it does switch between charging and using the battery. This makes the battery last longer in cases where it is normally plugged in most of the time when you work.

 

[Randux]

What % charge? The newer laptops will run down the batter to about 80 or 90% before charging again. So it does switch between charging and using the battery. This makes the battery last longer in cases where it is normally plugged in most of the time when you work.

It was at 60%. What worried me was how it behaved. The charger would be disconnected (screen brightness dims to 50% meaning the battery is supplying power) a minute later the charger reconnects (screen brightness is at max level 100% meaning AC power has taken over) that to me is not healthy for my laptop.

Today it's behaving differently. It's charging but stops charging at 96%. No more random disconnects the screen is at max 100% brightness meaning AC is feeding the laptop while the battery rests at 96% charge. That behaviour I can live with and is healthy.

 

[T-Man]

Can it be that your cable is busy failing/breaking?
It often breaks close to the charger where it always get folded, or at the laptop connector.

 

[sajunky]

Cable can be a problem, also overloading condition by a laptop, but I think charger is starting packing up and is not able to serve two jobs simultaneously: charging a battery and giving a power to the laptop. At around 30%-80% a battery is charged with a maximum current, that means a peak stress for a charger, so most likely problem with charger will show up during this time.

If cable is a problem, then moving cable around would power off laptop without a battery.

If charging stops at 96% it may indicate a faulty battery. Perhaps your laptop manufacturers have such utility to read a voltage on individual cells or at least to a give proper generic diagnose.

 

[Randux]

Tried another charger from similar HP laptop yesterday the issue was still there. Connected my charger to the similar HP laptop, it charged no problem. So that ruled out the charger.

 

[Randux]

Cable can be a problem, also overloading condition by a laptop, but I think charger is starting packing up and is not able to serve two jobs simultaneously: charging a battery and giving a power to the laptop. At around 30%-80% a battery is charged with a maximum current, that means a peak stress for a charger, so most likely problem with charger will show up during this time.

If cable is a problem, then moving cable around would power off laptop without a battery.

If charging stops at 96% it may indicate a faulty battery. Perhaps your laptop manufacturers have such utility to read a voltage on individual cells or at least to a give proper generic diagnose.

HP's battery utility says the battery status is OK. There's also this "charge cycle:296/300" any idea what this means?

 

[ponder]

HP's battery utility says the battery status is OK. There's also this "charge cycle:296/300" any idea what this means?

Battery is rated for a life of 300 charge/discharge cycles, you're on 296.

 

[Randux]

Battery is rated for a life of 300 charge/discharge cycles, you're on 296.

Meaning once I hit 300 the battery won't hold a charge like it used to?

 

[ponder]

Meaning once I hit 300 the battery won't hold a charge like it used to?

It's not really a good indication of what to expect, I would say it's more important how far a battery drained before being recharged.

 

[sajunky]

Tried another charger from similar HP laptop yesterday the issue was still there. Connected my charger to the similar HP laptop, it charged no problem. So that ruled out the charger.

Not neccessarily. Charger may be overloaded on your laptop. By example typical 5 years old laptop with integrated graphics require a charger rated 65W. If your laptop has discrete graphics card, it will require 90W charger or even bigger one. Check specs of your laptop.

HP's battery utility says the battery status is OK. There's also this "charge cycle:296/300" any idea what this means?

HP battery utility says couple other things, they are far more important than number of cycles (as you heard from poder). One is an estimated current battery capacity. The other is a voltage on individual cells. It should be different no more than 10mV. I suggest to check this one when battery is empty (@20%), during charging and when fully charged.