Laptop Charger Tips

Every laptop has a laptop charger to recharge the battery.isolated laptop image by Albo from Fotolia.com

Treating your laptop charger well can prolong the life of your computer and save you a ton of headaches later. If you have a laptop, you have a laptop charger. Also often called an adapter, most laptop chargers are comprised of one of two sections of cord with an adapter box somewhere in the middle, a tip that plugs into your computer and an electrical plug.

Watch Where You Store It

Leaving your adapter in a hot car or outside when it's below freezing is not a good idea. Exposure to extreme temperatures can wreak havoc with adapter performance, slowing your charging time or making your adapter useless for a short period of time. If your adapter is frequently exposed to hot or cold temperatures, the amount of power the adapter can handle could be reduced, and you could have to replace your laptop charger sooner rather than later.

A common reason for laptop charger replacement is a damaged laptop charger cord. So, be as nice to your cord as possible. Keep your cord separate from your laptop. If the weight of your laptop smashes the cord, it could cause unwanted kinks or other cord damage. When your laptop is attached to the adapter, try to keep it in one place so the cord doesn't become twisted.

There's nothing worse than having a low battery and finding out your laptop charger suddenly isn't working. Keep an extra laptop charger on hand. If you tend to travel, keep your second charger close but in a separate location from the one you usually use. If one charger comes up missing, you'll still have a backup.

If your laptop charger becomes defunct, you may be able to save yourself some money by replacing a single part instead of the whole charger. Before you press purchase on a brand, spanking new unit, check your charger cord and the cords input into your computer. Often times, a lack of charge may be caused by a bad input tip. Input tips, which plug into your computer, can be purchased and replaced separately, without having to replace the entire charger.