Do any OEM Aspire One power cords have only 2 prongs?

I recently ordered a replacement power cord from an Amazon seller. It did not match the picture. For example, it has an unpolarized 2-prong AC cord instead of a 3-pronged cord. The description made it sound like this was actually from another Aspire One. Now, the price has gone up.

Do ANY Aspire One power plugs have only two prongs on the AC side? I'd like to know before I leave feedback.

 

Both my AAO's came with the third "prong". This is an earth. They're mainly there for safetey reasons, if anything happens to the incoming power, it's tripped to earth and throws the safety switch in the power box.

Many MANY electronics come with only the un-polarised 2 pin AC leads, as you probably know. If it was me, so long as the power brick itself stated the correct amperage and voltage, eg my D250 runs 19v @ 1.58A (v=volts, A=amps), I'd at least try the lead.

However having said the above, and from your original post, it doesn't sound like it's the right lead. And I can't say you should use it, except at your own risk.

If you feel it is the wrong lead, and are uncomfortabl with the idea of possibly damaging some expensive electronic equipment, I'd attempt to get my money back. Now having said THAT, it was your responsibility to read the item description, if you have made a mistake and ordered the wrong cable, then you are unlikely to get a refund.

 

I know that the third prong is ground and that it is for safety.

Here is the product link:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002JQ ... ss_product

I didn't mess up or read it wrong. The same Amazon seller (power_adapter_world) has many other replacement plugs *for* the AAO but this was the only one that explicitly said that it was taken from an Acer Aspire One (A110) and it even looked extremely similar in the first image (three conductor cord, no LED, L-shaped DC jack, Ferrite core, velcro cord management, etc). I didn't bother to look at the other images because the first one showed be everything I needed to know. It turns out that they have images from at least three different adapters.

The product name had the correct part number too. The DC jack in the image looked like it may have been ever-so-slightly different, but it was otherwise identical right down to the tension relief "flex" pieces at the wire ends.

What I got was a very different but smaller LG unit with an LED (the original was "Delta Electronics) and a two-prong/conductor AC cord. Yes, the specs match, but I made my purchase decision vs. the other because this one was a three-prong like the original. I was partly influenced because I believe that the shorting defect in my original ruined my battery and I wanted to change as little as possible with the new battery lest any further problem be blamed on an aftermarket plug. At least it does have the L-shaped plug and the velcro piece, unlike many of the others on Amazon, but it is NOT the same.

That said, I trust LG and I'll be keeping it, I just wanted to make sure that it wasn't pulled from a later AAO before I leave my feedbeack because that would make the original description true regardless of the differences. If all AAO notebooks came with a three-prong adapter, as we believe them to be, then the description is surely wrong and it is not "from" an AAO.

Perhaps it was mis-priced (the price more than doubled after I ordered it... from $7 to $16.95) but that's no reason to send me the cheaper one that I specifically passed up ordering in order to order this one. *Shrug* Ah well... it was only a couple dollars difference from the $6.xx adapters when factoring shipping (Amazon Prime wouldn't apply).

Thanks for your input.

 

In the US the FCC mandates 3 prong cords. Other similar agencies in other countries do too but in some countries they don't so I wouldn't be the least bit surprised to see the Corporate Mentality try to grab an extra couple of pennies profit by using 2 prong cords in countries that don't mandate a 3 prong cord

It wouldn't surprise me one bit ..... That's just the flaw in Corporate Think, Profit comes before all other factors including Safety and Common Sense

 

The FCC wouldn't have any such requirement unless it proved to reduce interferance because that is all their authority allows. Also, are you saying that it is specifically required for laptops or for all devices? Building codes inthe US require a three-pronged outlet, but there are a wealth of devices that use two-prongs, both polarized and non-polarized. The PS2, XBOX, and Wii all use 2-prong plugs (not sure about the replacement XBOX plug after the recall; the XBOX console itself uses what is known as a "floating" ground).

 

The FCC mandates that all computer power type supplies (Switch mode type) don't cause interference (by basically using the power lines as a really big antenna) and be tested for compliance. The standard way to decouple a SMPS from the AC power lines is an IEC type filter which mandates a three prong solution because the filter won't work right without a separate ground to shunt the noise off the neutral line which also goes to ground (eventually). In countries that don't have as strict of standards the first things manufacturers dump is the IEC filter and 3 prong cord. There is non-FCC compliant Chinese made stuff sold on eBay that slips in under the radar and he may have gotten one.

I doubt safety is an issue with his device but I bet it pollutes the lower RF spectrum which probably won't be a problem for him unless he listens to weak signal AM or shortwave stations. Now a couple of million of those going all at once and you'd have an interference problem which is why the FCC tries to reign it all in

 

Certainly a lot of great information here. But to get back to the topic of the OP. Both my AAO's have had 3-prong AC leads so I would suspect that yes, they are meant to have the third, ground, terminal. As previously mentioned so long as the voltage and amperage matches that of the original cord, try it at your own risk.

 

Thanks for the info, people. Now I can write a more appropriate criticism.

 

My 532h came with a two pronged adapter. Also the adapter transformer is a side mount now (one piece)

Acer just made my laptop a few weeks ago. That's how they are coming now.

 

Forgot to mentiong I'm from Australia, our regulations here are more than likely different to the rest of the world. Virtually the only computer device / accessory that I've bought that has come with a two-prong lead is an external LG USB DVD RW.

 

Despite your description, I still don't know what you mean by "side-mount." The original AAO has a DC input jack on the side. The barrel connector that inserts is supposed to be L-shaped, though many aftermarket ones are not. The DC side of the cord is permanently wired into the "brick" (small rectangle) with the transformers inside. The brick is connected to the outlet with a removable AC cord which can be three or two conductors (wires inside the cable) with the same amount of prongs and pins.

What part mounts to the side of what in a "side-mount?" The cord in the wall's AC outlet? The same cord in the power brick (that would be awkward)? The DC jack in the laptop (that always has been)?

 

I think he's talking about a 'wall wart' style instead of the brick type.

Neither has a power transformer in it, they are switch mode power supplies, a conventional transformer would make it much bigger and heavier ... About the only thing left that draws over one amp and still uses 'the big iron' are audio power amps and even a lot of them (High power Auto amps for example) are going over to switch mode regulated supplies.

Look for a UL symbol on it, if its there it's perfectly safe to use .... The AC safety ground isn't connected to the DC output ground anyway and the unit is double insulated, it's only real function (in this particular case) is to provide a path to ground for the IEC filter the cord plugs into if the filter is needed to get FCC compliance for RF interference.

No Acer computers **sold in the United States** have a 2 prong connector but that doesn't mean Acer doesn't use them for units made to ship to other countries with less strict standards for RF interference.

 

Well, my coworker's 17" Toshiba notebook has a two-prong/two-conductor AC cord into the DC adapter. It's the original adapter, purchased in the USA with FCC and UL listings, so I guess it isn't a switching PSU? Sure, it's larger, but not as large as I would expect it to be if it had a full-blown transformer inside.