Laptop adaptor charging sporadically

[Puck]

So I keep my laptop plugged in usually when I'm online...but the past few days, I've noticed that the charge icon won't show up and recognize that the laptop is plugged in.

This goes away if I fiddle with the brick and move that around, but it has to be in a very specific place it seems anymore. I checked the cord to see if the wires were fraying, also checking the AC jack on the laptop itself to see if the prongs were bent....everything looks perfect.

I'm not sure why now all of a sudden my laptop only charges if the cord/brick is in a very specific place and the slightest movement of the cord and brick will cancel that out...but I'm quite confused....any help or advice would be appreciated mile:

[Watermark]

Sounds like plug from laptops end has damaged little resulting to contact failure in most positions. Happened to my old ipod. Music would only hear from both headphones if cord is in a very specific place.

[pellaz]

mac or windows?

the wiring is shorting out. try to determine if its on the AC power side or the low voltage side.

the connector on the portable may be bad, look for lint possibly accumilated inside the portable's connector. Same thing with the brick

[Puck]

See that's what I feared as well.

But I just tried plugging in to another outlet outside of my bedroom...and it works perfectly.

Seems like a problem with my wall outlet rather than the laptop itself now....wonderful

Thank you for your help though, it is appreciated mile:

EDIT: Seems the problem is still there, just not as severe in the other room.

Again, thank you guys for the help...Pellax I'm running Windows Vista

[pellaz]

look at your power connector, if the two prongs are comprised of two strips try to fit something between these to make the prong wider, re try the same receptical. If a single strip SOL.

[Puck]

I just gave it a completely thorough once-over again and noticed a tiny fray near the base of where the cord connects to the brick.

Seems it became slightly frayed due to excessive movement and rubbing against the brick I believe that's what is causing the problem.

Thinking about mending it with electrical tape as a short-term fix...any way I can do a better job of fixing the fray? (Too poor to afford a new charging adapter at the moment)

Thanks again mile:

[Rainbowmum]

Sounds like a wire is loose in the Brick.
Or it could be a bent pin in your adapter.

[Ken051]

You can pick up a universal one for about 40$ at best buy that is probably your best bet.

[dfiant]

Solder does become less stable in time and the simple process of pushing the socket into the plug can loosen solder and end up with a 'Dry Joint' where the solder and the contact don't have clean contact with the circuit board until it is fiddle with, and the slightest movement can move that dry joint and cause the curcuit to break.