Acer TravelMate 8573 - "Plugged in not charging"

[MJ-meo-dmt]

Good day

As per title the Acer TravelMate 8573 gives a notification in windows saying "Plugged In, NOT charging"
Also the LED blinks (slowly) - In normal charge mode it should be lit solid *Orange*.

The things I tried.

Working from the BAD50-HR schematic.

Basics:
1. Tried new original battery. (3 cell) 10.8v
2. Tried new generic battery. (3 cell) 10.8v
3. Tried Original AC adapter.
4. Tried Generic AC adapter.

Advance:
1. Replaced Charging chip: BQ24707ARGRR-GP as per schematic. Though on the chip itself its shortened to: BQ07A
2. Replaced LODRV & HIDRV Mosfets, in the sense that they may have been misbehaving. (PU4005, PU4004)
3. Checked Inductor (PL4001) continuity is good, resistance was okay. Will get a definite check on this again because most tests was in circuit.
4. Resistor (PR4022) on B+ = 15Ohm
5. Replaced PQ3901, PQ3902, PQ3903 (AO4813-1-GP) These are on the Battery switcher circuit. See the images I attached.

6. Can't replace the MAX1773A Battery switcher because I don't have an extra one yet, they are on order 45-60 days... This is the last thing even though I don't think its it causing it...

Advance Continued:
So when you have the AC adapter connected everything works fine. In means it switches on and works normal. As soon as you plug in the battery BATA+ & B+ line goes 12.6V (roughly) then slowly drops down to 0V. Slowly in the sense of 0.5-1.5 seconds. When you disconnect the battery again, the voltage goes back up to 2.5 - 2.7V

Pins on BQ07A
ILIM - stays at 3.3V
IFAULT - 0V
LODRV - 0V without Battery / Battery connected = Brief moment 12.6V and goes down slowly
PHASE - 2.5V - 2.7V with Battery disconnected / Brief moment 12.6V and goes down slowly to 0V when Battery connected

Please let me know if more info are needed because I'm doing this from the top of my head at the moment... *Have other work to attend to*

Kind regards
MJ

[imranromi]

Re: Acer TravelMate 8573 - "Plugged in not charging"

Check all b+v maybe some component damage/short.

[piernov]

Re: Acer TravelMate 8573 - "Plugged in not charging"

Check the SMBUS lines for the battery: continuity of SMBUS lines from the battery connector to the charging chip and to the KBC. Check voltage on the battery SMBUS lines.
Check the battery detect signals BAT_A_IN# and BAT_B_IN# at the PU3901 pins.
However PU3901 could indeed be the issue.

[MJ-meo-dmt]

Re: Acer TravelMate 8573 - "Plugged in not charging"

Hi Guys

@imranromi
Thanks for the suggestion but I have gone through those and they all seem fine, infact they all have been replaced once/twice and some 3 times just for reassurance...

@piernov
Thanks for the suggestion as-well. I checked the SMBUS lines from the battery to the charging chip with my scope and they seem to be good, haven't decoded the bits but I can see the Clock and Data going active when the battery is plugged in.

PU3901 I thought the same since thats the main one handling in and out, I replaced it twice once with the exact same dual p-channel mosfet and with another dual p-channel that could handle a little more Current. But still the same.

I haven't checked the SMBUS lines from the charging chip to the KBC(EC) yet, I'll check them soon and I'll report back.

I went through the Schematic last night top to bottom and I also think maybe its either data not getting to the charging chip or some "high" level gate or controller not doing its job...

Thanks
MJ

[MJ-meo-dmt]

Re: Acer TravelMate 8573 - "Plugged in not charging"

Hi again, sorry for the delay.... After a very long time I finally received the MAX1773A (PU3901). I replaced it no change! Nothing still exactly the same, just a flashing Charging LED and plugged in, not charging. (tried all types of batteries and adapters)

Check the SMBUS lines for the battery: continuity of SMBUS lines from the battery connector to the charging chip and to the KBC. Check voltage on the battery SMBUS lines.
Check the battery detect signals BAT_A_IN# and BAT_B_IN# at the PU3901 pins.
However PU3901 could indeed be the issue.

Piernov: I checked the SMBUS lines BAT_SCL/SDA from the BATA/BATB connector -> PU3901 & BQ(charger) -> EC(KBC) I checked them on the scope as well I haven't gone into detail trying to decrypt the bits but its talking so yeah for now I'll assume its fine.
EDIT: I just noticed I made a mistake in the reply above, I said PU3901 it should have been PQ3901, as at that time I didn't have the PU3901 (battery selector chip)

Any other ideas are welcome
*I have the BAD40 boardview & BAD50 schematic (the board is a BAD50-HR) they are basically the same.

Thanks

[meritosari]

Re: Acer TravelMate 8573 - "Plugged in not charging"

Have you checked PR4025 and PR4026, both of them still have good value resistance?

[MJ-meo-dmt]

Re: Acer TravelMate 8573 - "Plugged in not charging"

Hi Sorry for the delay. *busy weekend*

@meritosari: Checked them they seem fine SRP:10Ohm and SRN:7.5Ohm.
Which seems to be the typical type for those chips, even as per the schematic/datasheet

Geez this thing is killing me...

Thanks for the inputs guys... Any more things to try please drop it here. Much appreciated!

[ala_borbe]

Re: Acer TravelMate 8573 - "Plugged in not charging"

are you sure that battery is working? have you tried it in another laptop?

try to update bios, i had a lot of acer/emachine/packad bell that after bios flash battery come back to life

[MJ-meo-dmt]

Re: Acer TravelMate 8573 - "Plugged in not charging"

Okay so i figured I'll add some infos regarding the volts I get around the BQ chip.

Following the chip datasheet I'll add the details below as neatly as possible. I will ref to the same abbreviations used in the datasheet.

Using my scope which is more sensitive / in means if i use multimeter id get 19.2V instead of 20.2V on the scope so keep that in mind the scope is more sensitive.

THESE ARE ADAPTER ONLY!
1. ACN = 20.2V
2. ACP = 20.2V
3. CMPOUT = GND (40mV)
4. CMPIN = 40mV (nothing really)
5. ACOK = 48mV -55mV
6. ACDET = 2.64V
7. IOUT = Nothing
8. SDA = No data
9. SCL = 3.36V
10. ILIM = 3.36V
11. IFAULT = None
12. SRN = 2.74V
13. SRP = 2.74V
14. GND
15. LODRV = None
16. RGEN = 6V
17. BTST = 5.88V
18. HIDRV = 2.8V
19. PHASE = 2.7V
20. VCC = 20.2V

THE FOLLOWING ARE WITH BATTERY + ADAPTER
1. ACN = 20.4V
2. ACP = 20.4V
3. CMPOUT = 600mV - 780mV (Jumping)
4. CMPIN = 40mV (nothing really)
5. ACOK = 48mV -55mV Nothing Really
6. ACDET = 2.64V
7. IOUT = Nothing
8. SDA = No data
9. SCL = 3.36V
10. ILIM = 3.36V
11. IFAULT = None
12. SRN = 288mV
13. SRP = 288mV
14. GND
15. LODRV = None
16. RGEN = 6V
17. BTST = 5.92V
18. HIDRV = 280mV
19. PHASE = 288mV
20. VCC = 20.4V

Following the sheet at section 8.4.1.
The only thing i can see happening is ACOC as everything is fine for a few seconds. If battery plugged in and I insert the Adapter it "charges" for a few seconds at the expected V on BT+ and then drops down to 0V over 1-2seconds maybe less. Quick but not instant.

I noticed that IFAULT stays low even without battery. When I have the scope on it and I insert the battery while adapter already connected IFAULT goes 104-140mV briefly then drops LOW again.

No components over heat on the board, no shorts on Mosfets/caps/regulators nothing. All resistors around BQ and Battery switch seem fine. All connections seem fine. SMBUS lines seem fine. I have no idea what can be the reason for it to maybe detect ACOC or something similar

I hope the info helps.

Thanks
MJ

[MJ-meo-dmt]

Re: Acer TravelMate 8573 - "Plugged in not charging"

@ala_borbe: Battery and adapter works fine in other laptops. (multiple tests)
I'll try a bios update. Its just weird that it would charge for a bit and then stop... It doesn't sound like something "low level" software would do... But who knows... Thanks for the suggestion.

[mcplslg123]

Re: Acer TravelMate 8573 - "Plugged in not charging"

SDA should be 3.3v. Check Sio

[makskr]

Re: Acer TravelMate 8573 - "Plugged in not charging"

@ala_borbe: Battery and adapter works fine in other laptops. (multiple tests)
I'll try a bios update. Its just weird that it would charge for a bit and then stop... It doesn't sound like something "low level" software would do... But who knows... Thanks for the suggestion.

Hi.
Did you resolve the issue?
Im trying to fix the same motherboard with exact the same problem.
Thank you.

[Diksan67]

Re: Acer TravelMate 8573 - "Plugged in not charging"

Acer TravelMate 8573 uses battery white list.
Only use:
AS10D3E
AS10D5E
AS10G3E
AS11C3G

[hu0]

Re: Acer TravelMate 8573 - "Plugged in not charging"

Acer TravelMate 8573 uses battery white list.
Only use:
AS10D3E
AS10D5E
AS10G3E
AS11C3G

Hey Diksan67,
is this really true? How do you know?

I also have a TravelMate 8573TG, and I'm trying to buy a new battery, because the capacity of my original battery is under 1 hour.
My original battery is AS10D5E.
So I bought a replacement battery AS10D5E on ebay:
Unfortunately, it is not AS10D5E.
According to the BatteryInfoView, it is AS10D31.
It is not good. Physically compatible, but my laptop doesn't charge it.
Then I bought another one:

According to the BatteryInfoView, it is AS10D51.
It is wrong again (my laptop doesn't charge it).

Then I bought used (but original) batteries:
AS10D31, AS10D51, AS10D81
None of them is getting charged in my laptop.

After so many unsuccess, I tried to rebuild my original old battery with new cells, but something went wrong in the protection board of the battery, because my laptop recognizes only 8,2V, while the voltage of the complete cellpack is 12.4V.

So at this moment, I have 6Pcs of bad battery.

Can you help me, where can I buy the exact type, what you write: AS10D3E, AS10D5E, AS10G3E ?

[modtool]

Re: Acer TravelMate 8573 - "Plugged in not charging"

Hello everyone!
Please excuse me if I revive this old thread, but I'm facing the exact same issue with the same laptop Travelmate 8573T.

Original battery code is AS10D5E and has small capacity, but charges and charging led stays solid orange.
I've tried two other batteries, one new "compatible" AS10D51 (identified from AIDA as A10D41) and one original Acer AS10D31, but both gives a blinking battery led light and doesn't charge, tough if they are charged from another laptop can let the Travelmate work without other issues.
The original Acer AS10D31 battery is taken from an Acer Aspire 5250, and if I put any of the 3 batteries into that laptop, they all work good and charge without problem, its chargin led stays solid orange, and even windows 7/10 recognizes them and show correct chargin (as seen in AIDA).

Maybe @Diksan67 is right saying that this Travelmate has a whitelist of batteries inside its bios, in the end they are "business machines" and sport some security features that other Acer don't have (such as TPM, VPro and so on), but it's really frustrating that you can't change your battery to a compatible one, even an Acer original, unless it has an exact code.

I have no problem working with bios files, Hex, Decap, ME cleaning, SPI programmers and so on, so I was thinking about making a bios-mod in order to cancel that whitelist, or modify it in order to add other batteries codes, but I have read something on this forum

https://www.bios-mods.com/forum/Thre...om-Insyde-BIOS

about cancelling the wi-fi cards whitelists and it looks like complex to me, I'm not so expert into that field

Acer TravelMate 8573 uses battery white list.
Only use:
AS10D3E
AS10D5E
AS10G3E
AS11C3G

Maybe @Diksan67 can help us, or other expert in bios-modding can shed a light for me, please ?