BleepingComputer.com: Is this voltage correct?

** PLEASE REPLY ONLY IF YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT **

I have a laptop that will not power on. I first tested the charger, it is reading 19.5 Volts Perfect! When plugged in the 'Power Indicator' light on the laptop does not illuminate. I automatically figured 1 of 2 things. The DC Jack is bad or shorted, or the motherboard has issues. When I test the leads on the DC Jack I am getting ever changing readings between 2.73 to 3.03 Volts. I cannot see how it would have dropped from 19 to 3 V within the Jack itself. Also it is always changing therefore I guess it is pulling volts even though it is powered off.

Note: One more interesting thing worth mentioning is. The AC Adapter has a power light on the block. When plugged into the wall outlet it stays a perfectly illuminated. Plug the other end into the laptop and it dims and flickers. Short maybe???

that would be my guess, I have had the connector go bad, I have also seen the cables themselves go bad-all it takes is a good kink in the cable to break it. Does the laptop run fine off battery power (or did before it went dead) if so, then I would say there is probably a 90% chance the problem is either in the jack or the cable between the jack and the power supply unit.