Sentia Power Cord VERY HOT! Is this normal?

I have a sentia 14 inch laptop about 2 yrs old no issues, VERY little use (maybe 50 hours total) so its still like new.

Today while i was using it the battery was almost dead so i plugged in while using it, about 20 mins later i was going to put things away and noticed when i unplugged it the metal end of the power cord was SUPER HOT!

It seems to be charging up the battery fine and running the laptop fine while plugged in etc but the HOT part of the end of the connecter concerned me.

Can anyone confirm for me does this connector get hot when you use the laptop and have the power cord plugged in to charge battery and run the unit? Not the brick part (thats warm but nothing alarming) but the actual metal end that plugs into the laptop, if I am charging the battery without the unit on it seems to be fine (i've checked it over and over) the metal end isn't hot, but if i use the laptop while being plugged in and let it run 10 mins or more and unplug it that metal end of the power cord that goes into the laptop is DARN HOT!

Bill

Sent them a pm will see what they say, just found it odd since mine is like new (very little use) and it charges up the unit fine when not on (its cool to touch) just if its on and charging, that power cord end gets really Hot so i didn't want to mess this laptop up if it wasn't normal.

I did pm alienware and they did a swap out via mail for me on the power cord, believe it or not I didn't even use the laptop in 2009 until TODAY after getting the new replacement cord from alienware last year!

I just rarely use this laptop, its still like day one at this point even maybe 50 hrs total use so far

BUT the heat issue is still totally there even with the new cord so i am totally bummed ;(

Bill

Almost 3am here really ticked and can't sleep, that darn cord after about 45 mins of use (while plugged in and laptop on) started to smell of burning plastic!

Pulled the cord which was super hot out, and the entire end is all deformed melted at the tip of the powercord.



Sent another PM to James from AW about it but not sure if he still even checks in on these boards these days or for that matter still works with alienware still.

I am so frustrated, stumped and bummed about this happening, my laptop has seen so little use since day one and i've ALWAYS babied it with a cooler pad and careful use never a bump or scrape much less a drop or anything, in fact mine still looks BRAND new not a single visable scratch dent mark or wear on it.

Curious too if by now Alienware or other users have figured out what is causing this issue, can't just be a problem only I experienced.

Frustrated too cuz now with this melted cord i can't even plug it in to charge up while not on (when not on the unit charged up with no heat issues) so i could use it unplugged on battery FINE yet if i plugged in and used while it was charging the power cord plug in area on cord and laptop gets SUPER HOT!

I was missing this laptop so much and haven't even had time to pull it out till today, it was like day one with it again lookin all spiffy new and such, 28 windows updates to do LOL< but beyond letting those run in the background it was great to have it out again and using it, too bad that heat issue wasn't fixed with the replacement cord they sent me, and really too bad I haven't used the machine enough during the warranty period to know enough to send it in within that first year or whatever to have them replace or fix whatever it is in there that is causing all that heat buildup.

Bill

I did google around a bit and found dc replacement jacks for the sentia 3450, wonder if it has been a big enough problem to warrant them being on ebay and such as they are?

Read other articles about dc jack heatups where motherboards were replaced but replacing the dc jack "supposedly" fixes the issue, heck I dunno but I sure would like to be able to use my laptop while being plugged in, only wish I was more of a power user and figured this all out before my warranty expired ;(

My unit has seen so little use its like day one here still, sure would be awesome of AW would help fix it since its been an issue since I got it but my problem is i only used it sparingly and didn't figure it out (was charging and using portable without cord most of the time) then by the time I did figure out HEY this thing is scorching when i use and charge it was already too late.

Is there anyway to determine total hours used on a laptop thru the OS or something?

Doubt that will help my cause probably have some 75-100 repair bill to get it fixed minimum thru one of those places i found online, altho i do solder and have put in a few mod chips back in the day on playstations and xbox, and have taken apart a few laptops in the past for hard drive repair, etc so I could probably do it just with this thing being so new still (use wise its 100% new looking) just hate to screw something up...

Just a blah day feel like someone kicked my puppy

Bill

My powerbrick gets semi warm but nothing that is scary or unable to hold in hand with any discomfort, but the tip where it plugs into the laptop that is SCORCHING HOT! I mean instant burn of skin and radiates heat thru all nearby metal connections (including back of laptop unused video input connector).

Funny thing on mine is if I charge it up with unit off all is good, if I use it without ac power all is good (laptop never gets hot in that corner) I ONLY experience the heat and burning issue when i use the ac cord WHILE the unit is on and it only gets hot right at the connection of the laptop cord into the pc (dc jack area).

As I read around the net there are many places that talk about or offer the services of dc jack repair, not sure if this would solve my problem but really bummed mine even has this problem since I RARELY use this laptop and have treated it like a baby (not a single scratch wear mark etc on it much less drop, loose connector etc).

I could see after repeated use that coming loose but its been plugged and unplugged maybe 2 dozen times total and seems solid and firm in the unit so it's gotta be a defective jack since AW sent me a replacement powercord and it still does the exact same thing (and unit won't get hot like that unless its on and cord is plugged in at same time).

Bill

Really bummed on this whole thing especially since the unit has such little use, did send pm's to 2 alienware people here but no replies so guess they aren't interested in even trying to help since I am past warranty issue and they are onto other machines these days.

The more I google the more i find sentia 3450 owners with the same issues and companies offering to fix 3450 dc jacks, wish there was a way to band together and demand a recall and get them to fix these units ;(

First and Last Alienware for me,
Bill