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Can I use a charger that provides the

same voltage but a different
amperage?
Chargers and power supplies come in a wide variety of
con gurations. Choosing the right one is important. I'll look at a
few of the parameters.

// Id like to know if it is okay to use a different power charger for

mynetbook. Originally, the charger specs are 19v and 1.58A.
This charger is notavailable anymore and I can only nd a 19v and 2.15A.
Can I use this as areplacement?

Yes.

With a couple of caveats, of course.

Getting the right power supply if its not made speci cally for yourparticular model
of computer involves matching voltage, amperage, andpolarity.

And each have different constraints.

Voltage
Lets start with the simplest.

The voltage output by your charger/power supply should match as closely aspossible.
In your case, youve got that covered: you had 19 volts before andyour replacement
candidate is also 19 volts.

When replacing an external charger for a battery-based device like alaptop or

netbook, its important to get the right voltage. The device may work with voltages
that are close, but often at the cost of shortening the lifespan of the batteries being
recharged.

When replacing an external power supply, the same rule applies except thatyou may
be shortening the lifespan of the device by not getting the samevoltage.

Or you may not.

Some devices are quite tolerant of voltage variations and will work just ne. Others,
not so much.

Because theres no easy way to know which category your device falls into,its best to
simply get the right voltage from the start, if at allpossible.

Amperage
Many people are confused by amperage ratings and what they mean when itcomes to
power supplies and replacements.

One easy way to look at it is this:

Voltage is provided by (or pushed) by the power supply.

Amperage is taken by (or pulled) by the device being powered.

In other words, while the voltage is a constant and should match, theamperage is
something that varies based on the devices need. Your computerwill pull more amps
when its working hard than when its not. The voltagewill remain the same
regardless.

The amperage rating of a power supply is the maximum number of amps that itsable
to provide if needed.

Thus, as long as you replace your power supply with one that is capable ofproviding
as much or more amps than the previous supply, youll be ne.

If you replace the power supply for some reason with one that has amaximum
amperage rating that is less than the previous and less thanwhat your device actually
requires, then you may end up with a burnt out or (atleast) overheating power supply,
and the device itself may not function, ormay not do so well.

Input Voltage
So far, this article discusses the output characteristics
of power supplies andchargers.

Input voltage the power that you get from the wall
socket into which you plugthese devices gets really
interesting.

These days, for most power supplies, just about

anything works.

The output voltage of the power supply must match the device that youreconnecting to, but if you
look closely at many power supplies, youll see thattheyre rated to take anything from around 100
volts to 250 volts asinput.

That they can do that take just about any input and create a xed,stable output amazes the
electrical engineer in me.

It also means that most can work worldwide with nothing more than anadapter to account for the
physical plug differences no transformerneeded.

Check your power supplies before you travel, of course, but its very,very convenient.

Polarity
This one catches many people by surprise, especially when replacing simpleor small
power supplies with generic replacements.
Most power supplies provide DC (direct current) power via two wireslabeled positive
and negative. Polarity refers to which wire is which.

Just because the physical plug into your device matches doesnt mean thatthe positive
and negative connections are hooked up the right way. In fact,theres often no real
standard.

Particularly when it comes to popular circular power connectors, make surethat the
expectations match: if the device expects the center connector to bepositive and the
outer ring to be negative, your power supplys connectormust match. If the device
expects it the other way, the connectors must stillmatch. Theres no getting around
this.

Often, youll see some kind of indication on the power supply that willshow which
connector is negative or positive.

If youre replacing a power supply that uses a custom connector used onlyby one
manufacturer, then typically you dont have to worry. Similarly, if thedevice is powered
over a USB connector, that standardizes the connection, too.

Summary
In short, when replacing an external power supply or charger:

Make sure that the voltage matches as closely as possible.

Make sure that the new supply is rated to provide the same amperage ormore.
Make sure that the connectors match, both in physical form and inpolarity.

Read more:
Can I Use a Power Supply with a Higher Wattage Rating on my Laptop? The
voltage and polarity of the power supply must match. Amps and watts have some
exibility.
Is it safe to install a higher wattage power supply in my computer? Replacing a
power supply is reasonable common solution to some problems. Making sure you
have the right wattage power supply is important. And bigger doesnt hurt.
Couldmy power supply be causing memory errors? Computer power supplies
canfail, and not always in sudden and obvious ways. Failures can be gradual,
andcan manifest in many different ways.