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July 21st, 2018 16:00

The AC power adapter wattage and type cannot be determined

Hello – I could use some help, and know there have been similar posts.  I have a Dell Inspiron 15-7569 and have really liked it.  I have not had it that long, but long enough the warranty expired. 

Issue:

  • Getting this message when booting up “Alert! The AC power adapter wattage and type cannot be determined. The battery may not charge. The system will adjust the performance to match the power available.”  It will then say ‘plugged in not recording’ if you look at the charging icon in the bottom right.
  • It was intermittent it seemed for a while, once in a while it would work (and still does on rare occasion) but we get this basically every time now, and so the laptop adjust the performance so using it becomes very slow.
  • I researched significantly online and see others have dealt with similar issues.

Based on what I found I have:

  1. Updated the System BIOS
  2. Used the diagnostic tools, and it confirmed the battery is good
  3. The adapter seems in good shape and fine (and has the green light indicator)
  4. Disconnected the internal battery to fully reset – when I did that I visually checked the adapter plug and it all seemed okay

I’m really open to suggestions!  Thanks.

July 28th, 2019 21:00

Here's the FIRST THING to do before spending any more time or money:  just blow into the hole where the power jack goes. And wipe off the jack that goes into it.  

Apparently a little dust or something got in there.  I'd spent hours reading and trying to fix this issue, and this simple suggestion I found in another thread on this board is what worked. Battery is charging fine now.

10 Elder

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24.2K Posts

July 21st, 2018 17:00

First thing to try is a new OEM Dell adapter.  If that is recognized, you're set.

If not, next thing is to replace the DC jack in the system.

One of those will likely solve the problem.  It the adapter is still not recognized, though - it's the charge circuit that's bad and the mainoboard will need replacement.

(edited)

Community Manager

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2.4K Posts

November 8th, 2022 04:00

Here are a few quick steps that you can try to resolve the ac adapter issue

Try each step and check if the ac adapter issue is resolved. If the issue is not resolved, proceed to the next step.

  1. If you are currently using a 3rd party AC adapter, It is strongly recommended that you use a Dell AC Adapter.
  2. Verify that there is no damage to the ac adapter, cables, or the power (DC) port on the laptop. Learn how to identify ac adapter damage on Dell laptops.
  3. Connect the ac adapter to another wall outlet (bypass any surge protectors or power strips).
  4. Always use the ac adapter that was shipped with the laptop. Dell does not recommend using incompatible or third-party ac adapters with Dell laptops.
  5. Ensure that the LED on the ac adapter is turned on. The LED indicator may be located either on the ac adapter brick or the adapter (DC) plug.
  6. If the LED is off, disconnect the ac adapter from the wall outlet, and reseat the power cord on the ac adapter and try again.
  7. If all fails, try using a new/spare Dell Ac Adapter, If that works, Get the AC Adapter replaced else motherboard/DC Pin might be at fault and need replacement.
  8. If the Ac adapter/Motherboard/DC-in port is faulty and your system is in warranty, Please use the "Get Help Now" option at the bottom right to start a LIVE chat session.

Note 1: If the laptop supports a USB-C ac adapter, ensure that the USB-C ac adapter is connected to the correct USB-C port on the laptop that supports charging. See the user manual of the Dell laptop to identify which USB-C port supports charging.

Note 2: Normal wear and tear is not covered under the warranty of the Dell product. Dell does not recommend using incompatible or third-party ac adapters with Dell laptops.

BIOS Update:

  1. Go to Dell.com/support/driversdownload and install the latest BIOS for your Dell computer. Learn about Dell BIOS updates.

Preboot Diagnostic test:
Run the Preboot diagnostic test on the laptop.

Helpful Video:

If the issue persists, please click Get Help now icon on the below right to chat with a LIVE agent to get instant support. Please ensure to keep your system service tag handy for a speedy support. 
Note: Systems that are out of warranty, The technician diagnoses the fault and provide a quote if requested.

 

(edited)

isGoodTroubleshootingisProTip

10 Elder

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24.2K Posts

July 22nd, 2018 10:00

Most computer repair shops should have a Dell adapter you can try, so that part can at least be done without making a purchase.

 

2 Posts

July 22nd, 2018 10:00

Thanks for the response.  I'm going with the adapter replacement as the inexpensive first step, then guess I will move on to the DC jack and really hope one of the two work so I'm just not throwing money away.  Thanks again.

July 22nd, 2018 15:00

use tweezers to slightly bend the center pins on the charging jack back together. it has to make good contact with the center pin on of the charger to communicate the specs of the charger.

1 Message

December 8th, 2018 20:00

Thank you!  I used the tweezers and my 7577 is now charging the battery.  

4 Operator

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9.4K Posts

July 29th, 2019 08:00

Hi Richardlll,

Thanks for posting that you were able to resolve this issue.  If you still need assistance, please feel free to reach out again. 

 

 

 

4 Operator

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6.2K Posts

August 15th, 2019 18:00

Welcome to the Dell Community  @Inept Computer Guy 

Quote: "And giving that there is no bent pin, no obstructions in either the male or female power connections, what can be the problem?"

Quote: "Other than a faulty battery of course."

A bad AC adapter.

The center pin wire running from the jack to the AC adapter has been disconnected???

A bad DC plug on the laptop.

The contacts in the DC plug could have separated and are not making contact???

The center pin is used to communicate with the system.

One of its functions is to supply the information of the AC adapters type and wattage.

It is not the function of the battery to inform the system of that information.

Best regards,

U2

 

 

August 15th, 2019 18:00

If the deleting/removing the compliant device and the ac adapter in the device manager doesn't work.  And giving that there is no bent pin, no obstructions in either the male or female power connections, what can be the problem?  Other than a faulty battery of course.

Pls Advise, 

d

 

2 Posts

August 31st, 2019 10:00

Hi  - just wanted to contribute to this thread. I had the same symptoms after my laptop fell down the back of the sofa. Tried different charger, no change. I looked into the charging port on the laptop (using iPhone magnifier!) and saw a pin seemed separate from the rest. I used a wooden bbq skewer to gently move it back to the centre and - it worked. Laptop back to normal. Hope this helps someone! 

October 11th, 2019 09:00

Thank you.  That worked for me and saved me a whole lot of time.

November 21st, 2019 09:00

What should it look like? I tried looking up a schematic or diagram of the pin, but could not find any. It would really help if I could see what a good one looks like.

11 Posts

January 14th, 2020 18:00

Try this. Believe it or not, it could simply be that your Dell Quickset Application may be the incorrect version for your laptop. As a first test, simply disable Quickset in Startup (in Task Manager), and "End" Quickset - in Processes (also in Task Manager),  and see if that corrects the problem. If it does, you can simply leave Quickset disabled, but if you want to have Quickset active on your laptop, then you have to download and install the correct version for your laptop. Use the "Repair" option of the correct version. Please note there are umpteen versions of Quickset, so make certain that you install the correct one. Look for Dell Quickset Application - Driver details.

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