Question : Problem: Overheating battery?

Hi i have an advent 7102 laptop

the charger does not appear to be working properly, whenever i plug it in the light to signify that the charger is connected to the laptop is not on. the power supply it's self does not heat up, however the socket that the charger connects to on the laptop heats up to the point where the power connector starts melting.

does anyone know why this might be?

Answer : Problem: Overheating battery?

First, do not use an adapter that does not match the voltage of the original-->old charger = output - 19v - 3. 42A<--
this is very important as the laptop expects this voltage and the inner power system depends on it to be at this level.
You can have a higher output for the amperage as this fluctuates with the power usage on the laptop. In you case the original was 3.42A so you need 3.42A or higher to satisfy the laptops needs.
In essence make sure the adapter is 19V, the 20V one you are using may cause irreparable damage.