Two laptops got shorted motherboard from same outlet

[Dari]

My neighbor just told me that her 1 year old laptop died the other day. She said when she took it to the computer shop they said the motherboard had been shorted. Ironically, the same thing happened to the laptop before the new one (she did not bother fixing it). We both think it's the outlet but I don't understand how an outlet can do this to a laptop or any device that has a battery sitting between the motherboard and plug/outlet. She has now taken both laptops the computer shop. They want to charge her $230 to replace or fix the newer laptop. She is also having someone from maintenance coming to check out the electrical outlet.

Is there a cheaper way to fix her laptops? According to her, neither one showed any irregularity before they died.

 

[paul878]

What do they mean by shorted?
Did she use the same AC Adapter on both laptop?

 

[Dari]

What do they mean by shorted?
Did she use the same AC Adapter on both laptop?

No. Completely different laptops. Different AC adapters. The technician said the motherboards were short-circuited.

 

[paul878]

No. Completely different laptops. Different AC adapters. The technician said the motherboards were short-circuited.

If you have a volt meter measure the dc output of the AC adapters.
I can't see how a faulty wall socket would kill the laptops.

 

[ch33zw1z]

Any brown outs, black outs, or power surges in the building?

 

[Dari]

If you have a volt meter measure the dc output of the AC adapters.
I can't see how a faulty wall socket would kill the laptops.

I don't have a volt meter. Yeah, I don't see how that could happen either. I really want to get her computers back and have a look.

Any brown outs, black outs, or power surges in the building?

No.

 

[Dari]

Any other opinion on this?

 

[ch33zw1z]

yes,

1. the battery "sitting" between the outlet and the laptop doesn't mean anything.
2. power problems are often not straight forward
3. local computer shops may or may not be diagnosing correctly
4. the average user wouldn't know a brown out or a power surge occurred unless they were directly effected, and probably not then either.
5. seriously, batteries don't mean shit!

I've had a couple power surges at my house that went through a 1000W UPS with voltage regulation, shock me, and blow up a few low cost items, lock up my pc's, and shock me at the same time because I had a laptop sitting on my lap. Power is a real bitch.

 

[corkyg]

A laptop's A/C adapter is in effect, a transformer - produces a DC out put from a wide range of voltages. IOW, it works in Europe on 220 as well as in USA on 110.

If there were any line surge or other outlet problem, the A/C adapter would be the victim, not the laptop mobo. It is akin to a small UPS. Since different laptops used different A/C adapters, but connected to the same A/C outlet, the diagnoses that the mobos are "shorted" is suspect. I would seek a different repair shop.

 

[Puppies04]

We both think it's the outlet but I don't understand how an outlet can do this to a laptop or any device that has a battery sitting between the motherboard and plug/outlet.

Have you ever taken the battery out of a laptop and turned it on while it is plugged into the wall? You have a pretty decent chance to have your mind blown!

 

[Puppies04]

Or in pictures....

I guess the motherboard doesn't have a battery between it and the wall after all heh . So I see no reason why a faulty outlet couldn't bork 2 mobos (I understand what corkyg is saying above but I wouldn't want to rely on the AC adapter not passing on a higher current especially if it was a cheap model). On a side note if a laptop is able to run without its battery installed it is a lot better to use it like this while it is stationary. You will find the battery still has 99% of its life left after 3 years instead of being a 20 minute UPS.

 

[pete1229]

What is the make and model of the two failed laptops?

 

[Austin8868]

I wouldn't use that outlet again

 

[lakedude]

Yeah a laptop will run without a battery but if a laptop is plugged in you can unplug it and it will keep running on the battery. The laptop must sense the current and automatically switch.

I've not seen power be the cause of many main board failures. If it takes anything out it is normally the power supply. I'm not saying it couldn't happen but my money would be on static or something else other than a bad outlet. All the outlet can to is connect or not connect. All the other outlets will have the same power available. If the connection is intermittent the battery should help smooth out the bumps.

Also people that don't know beans about electric call "opens" "shorts" because they don't know the difference. It is just as likely that the MB or power cord has an OPEN.

 

[ch33zw1z]

Yeah a laptop will run without a battery but if a laptop is plugged in you can unplug it and it will keep running on the battery. The laptop must sense the current and automatically switch.

I've not seen power be the cause of many main board failures. If it takes anything out it is normally the power supply. I'm not saying it couldn't happen but my money would be on static or something else other than a bad outlet. All the outlet can to is connect or not connect. All the other outlets will have the same power available. If the connection is intermittent the battery should help smooth out the bumps.

Also people that don't know beans about electric call "opens" "shorts" because they don't know the difference. It is just as likely that the MB or power cord has an OPEN.

Laptop batteries do not "smooth out the bumps". That's not their design or their intention.

Power outlets can have problems too.

ESD is a good point as well, this will really fuck some shit up. Not usually in a *poof* it's done kinda way, but a behind the scenes way that weakens components and causes either intermittent issues or hard to explain hardware failures.

 

[lakedude]

Laptop batteries do not "smooth out the bumps". That's not their design or their intention.

Yes they do not function as a surge suppressor but if you unplug your laptop it will continue to run (try it).

Power outlets can have problems too.

Yes they can connect to the power source or not or be intermittent. The point was that if a surge is happening it isn't just going to be one outlet that has a surge. All the outlets are hooked up to the same place so changing outlets is not going to protect from a surge.

 

[ch33zw1z]

Yes they do not function as a surge suppressor but if you unplug your laptop it will continue to run (try it).

Laptop batteries are NOT surge suppressors...laptop AC/DC power inverters are not surge suppressors either...

Yes they can connect to the power source or not or be intermittent. The point was that if a surge is happening it isn't just going to be one outlet that has a surge. All the outlets are hooked up to the same place so changing outlets is not going to protect from a surge.

More than likely, a power surge to the panel will result in every outlet outputting extra power, but it's not 100% inevitable.

 

[paul878]

Typical Laptop AC adapter have an input voltage of 100 - 240vac and they have fuse and filters build in.

I highly doubt that the Outlet is to blame given that the AC adapters were not damaged.

 

[lakedude]

Laptop batteries are NOT surge suppressors.

I know. If that is what you think said you misunderstood me. I said if the power drops out the battery will pick it up.

I'm trying to point out that the "outlet" is most likely not the problem and switching to another outlet that is connected to the same source of power is very unlikely to solve whatever the issue is.

 

[nature1ders]

I bet the tech shorted both out just to mess with you

 

[Dari]

Well, I've been busy and she has decided to let the tech store replace one of the motherboards. We'll see what happens next.