Until recently, most notebooks were equipped with high-performance power supplies. These power supplies typically provided 60-100W at around 20V. Due to their large size and weight, the term power brick was coined for them.
Overview
On the output side, power bricks commonly use barrel connectors with a shielding outside ground connection and a central pin for the positive voltage.
Today, these barrel connectors have largely been replaced with USB-C connectors. USB-C enables notebooks to be charged with any universal USB power supply that can provide 20V and the necessary current. Modern power supplies, like the USB-C-type, have also significantly reduced in size, showcasing the rapid advances in switching power supply technology and a dramatic increase in efficiency.
Old notebook power supplies from well-known brands are highly valuable. They are made from durable, high-quality materials (such as good transformers and safe electronics). So, when it’s time to part ways with your old notebook, make sure you keep the power supply. You can easily repurpose it for many applications, adjust plugs, change its output voltage, and create powerful USB-C chargers or chargers for other battery types. Due to their relatively high DC voltage and current capabilities, they also make excellent power supplies for basic lab bench power supplies.
Reusing Power Bricks
There are many ways to repurpose and refurbish old laptop power bricks. Here are some ideas:
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Lab Bench Power Supply: Connect a power brick to a Buck-Boost Lab Bench Power Supply, such as the XY-SK120X or similar models. These ready-to-use modules can convert the input voltage to either a lower or higher voltage, covering a wide range of voltages typically needed in a lab. The XY-SK120X can handle up to 120W or 6A and pairs perfectly with most notebook power supplies.
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Battery Charger: Turn the power brick into a universal battery charger, such as for LiFePO₄ batteries. You can add a specific charger board, or even better, use another XY-SK120X (or similar) module. These advanced power supplies are fully programmable, allowing you to set critical battery parameters like cut-off voltage, charging current, end-of-charge current, and more. Since these modules support up to 10 different profiles, you can create tailored charging profiles for various battery chemistries. You can even add custom profiles for slower charging (to preserve battery health when you’re not in a rush) or charge batteries only to a specific percentage, ideal for long-term storage.
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Universal USB Charger: Affordable breakout boards are available that can convert a wide range of input voltages into up to 65W of USB output. These breakout boards support most modern quick-charge and power-delivery protocols. This makes it possible to convert a power supply for an old notebook with a barrel jack into a modern USB-C power supply for your newest notebooks. However, most modern laptops require USB-C to deliver 20V at 65W, and typical breakout boards only feature buck converter functionality, meaning they cannot increase the input voltage. Therefore, unless your old power brick outputs more than 20.5V, simpler breakout boards won’t be able to turn it into a USB charger that supports 20V.
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(content created Jan 16, 2025)