Vortex IV (Clevo P150SM) not running on battery power (and battery not charging)

[Looner]

I bought the laptop from PCS in 2013 and have generally had no issues (HDDs failed twice but PCS were really helpful).

Over the past year (I've been lazy in sorting this out), my laptop has become a desktop (actually worse). If I unplug the laptop, it immediately shuts down and loses power. It does not start unless the power supply is plugged back in and it does not appear to be running on battery power at all.

I seem to have also dislocated the charging jack somehow (never dropped the laptop on it or anything), so sometimes just moving it leads to a loss of power and since the battery does not work, a full laptop shut-down, which is awful if I'm in the middle of doing something important.

Windows 10 itself is not flagging any battery issues and showing the battery at 63% but it is not charging at all (apart from the first 10 seconds after a restart which does nothing...). The battery light is constantly on yellow (not flashing), apart from the time when there's no power going to the laptop.

I've tried all the standard stuff like switch off and take the battery out but that did nothing. I brought the laptop specifically to a laptop maintenance place to see if it was a battery issue or a motherboard issue after reading up online and was told it was the battery. I bought a brand new one off Amazon but it's the same all over (rubbish service from the laptop repair shop as well...).

Has someone had the same issues and are you aware of how I go about determining exactly what's wrong with the machine?

 

[ubuysa]

First thing I'd do is run a battery report, this link will show you how and tell you how to read the report.

Since you've replaced the battery and you know the charger works it does rather sound like either the flaky socket you mention or the battery charging circuits ion the motherboard.

The socket may be repairable at a decent repair shop but if t's the charging circuits on the motherboard there is little you can do I'm afraid.

 

[Looner]

Thank you for the response.

I think the issue is the latter because my battery is now flashing green from time to time (shows up charged at 100%) and it seems to be charged, just not being used to power the motherboard.

I am not sure I'll actually bother with the repair because if the issue is what I think it is, it sounds like a waste money. Although I'm still holding out hope for the circuits not to be broken but just displaced somehow which means some adjustment fixes it. Is that even a possibility or am I making things up?

 

[ubuysa]

Thank you for the response.

I think the issue is the latter because my battery is now flashing green from time to time (shows up charged at 100%) and it seems to be charged, just not being used to power the motherboard.

I am not sure I'll actually bother with the repair because if the issue is what I think it is, it sounds like a waste money. Although I'm still holding out hope for the circuits not to be broken but just displaced somehow which means some adjustment fixes it. Is that even a possibility or am I making things up?

I know it's an expense after what you've tried so far but from what you're saying here I think it's terminal. Sorry.

 

[Looner]

Yeah, it's a pain but I can return the battery, so that might be OK. Do you generally expect these things to die off after 6 years or am I just unlucky?

I was also looking at new PCS laptops. Are the new charging ports the same as the old ones? I was hoping they might be magnetic instead.

 

[Looner]

I know this thread is kind of old but I thought I'd report back.

I bought a new charger and now at least the laptop is reliably working on mains power. Still the battery is not working but this guy seems to be offering repairs.

I was also wondering if PCS can repair the motherboard for a price or if there's an idea how much it would all cost.

 

[SpyderTracks]

I know this thread is kind of old but I thought I'd report back.

I bought a new charger and now at least the laptop is reliably working on mains power. Still the battery is not working but this guy seems to be offering repairs.

I was also wondering if PCS can repair the motherboard for a price or if there's an idea how much it would all cost.

Give PCS a call or email and they can at least offer a quote.

I wouldn't advise dodgy repair guys, never a good idea.