Can you use a 29w or 30w Apple charger on a non apple computer?

[TorontoSS]

Hello - my charger for my work laptop, a Lenovo Miix 720, seemed to have melted in an extension socket. So I won't be using it. I have a 30W MacBook Air charger and a 29W charger for my phone/iPad. Can I use any of these in place to charge the work computer? the work computer used a 45w charger earlier. they're all usb C compatible ones.

Thanks!

 

[MacUser2525]

It would depend on the power draw from the wall outlet to the charger. If the apple will handle the higher drawing current that gets converted to the 45w your other machine required then it should work. Some how I doubt it will, it will most likely be limited to providing the rated power it has now for the Apple devices.

Edit: If the Lenovo will charge on 30w of input it could be done taking the corresponding extra time to get to a full charge. I am thinking it is not likely though. When I have had to use other chargers on a PC it is always, you need a higher wattage one needed to charge the lower rated machine.

 

[Red Menace]

You could probably get by with shutting it down and just charging the battery, although it would be slower, but I doubt there would be enough to both charge and run the machine.

 

[Ruggy]

All you really need to worry about is if the output voltage of the Mac charger is the same as the output voltage of the Lenovo charger.
It will be written on them both. Sometimes, it'll have a range of voltages so it'll say something like 5v/3A , 9v/3A, 20v/3.25A
As long as you can provide the output in the correct voltage range, it'll be ok because they both have the USB-C connector so you don't have to worry about polarity.
So assuming it's in range, then if it's a lower wattage, it'll just take longer to charge.
But note: you really need to have a think about why it fried in the socket. Was the wire damaged? Was there some sort of bad contact? Don't let these things go and if it's carbonised then the carbon will conduct electricity and make it unsafe.

 

[TorontoSS]

But note: you really need to have a think about why it fried in the socket. Was the wire damaged? Was there some sort of bad contact? Don't let these things go and if it's carbonised then the carbon will conduct electricity and make it unsafe.

You’re totally right about this. I have a theory. I think it’s because I am using an Anker adaptor/port replicator to hook up to a monitor. That in itself is fine but i think it required more power than just the laptop. i had a 45w charger, and if not enough power was coming out, then it the maximum power may have been drawn from the charger. Another theory is that the extension plug i used wasn’t good. Do any of these make sense?

Hopefully will be sorted with new wire and plug!

 

[TorontoSS]

It would depend on the power draw from the wall outlet to the charger. If the apple will handle the higher drawing current that gets converted to the 45w your other machine required then it should work. Some how I doubt it will, it will most likely be limited to providing the rated power it has now for the Apple devices.

Edit: If the Lenovo will charge on 30w of input it could be done taking the corresponding extra time to get to a full charge. I am thinking it is not likely though. When I have had to use other chargers on a PC it is always, you need a higher wattage one needed to charge the lower rated machine.

Weirdly, last night neither worked. Today however, the 29w charger works. I bought a 60w nekteck from amazon. that should make it less finicky. the 30w one didn't work and when plugged with an anker adapter for the monitor the screen flickered a lot.

You could probably get by with shutting it down and just charging the battery, although it would be slower, but I doubt there would be enough to both charge and run the machine.

Actually it didn't charge even when shut down! I think the solution is a higher wattage charger. thanks a lot!

 

[HDFan]

There were a lot of articles some years ago about the dangers of using inexpensive chargers. Be sure to purchase a good quality one.

 

[TorontoSS]

There were a lot of articles some years ago about the dangers of using inexpensive chargers. Be sure to purchase a good quality one.

You're totally right. I checked it was USB-IF certified. I actually would have preferred to buy an apple one but this is not for an apple computer and i was unsure it would work. Nekteck apparently is one of the better ones (who knew).