A1-810 Boxed USB Cable

clm138

Is there something unique about the USB cable that ships with the A1-810 tablet?  I have tried other cords for charging when I could not find the original - and they just did not work as good for charging as the original, sometimes with wacky results.  For instance 1) charging speed is much faster with the boxed cable 2) some non Acer supplied cables took over 36 hours to achieve a full charge 3) some non Acer supplied cables would charge to about 80% at a very slow rate and then bounce back to 0% and start over.  

 

I am wondering if a ferrite core cable is necessary to operate properly.  Theoretically, any USB cord should work but this isn't a perfect world.  Anyone else had this experience?  Anyone have a good source for quality USB cables that work?  

 

Thanks for your replies from "charging limbo in Canada"

billsey

Here the results of my Google, it's a bit too generic. Basically fits most computer data cables, I've found them with AWG24-28 thickness (24 is heaver guage than 28):

 

Style 2725

Multiple-conductor cable using non-integral jacket

 

Rating	60 or 80 deg C, 30 Vac, Horizontal flame.
Insulated Conductor	Labeled or complies with manufacturer's AWM Procedure.
Assembly	Two to four parallel, or two or more twisted insulated singles or groups of twisted singles twisted together or groups of twisted singles may be laid parallel to form flat or oval cable. Lay not specified. Barrier layer and/or fillers optional. Manufacturer shall maintain a complete description of each assembly. Diameter of assembly under jacket one inch maximum.
Shield	Optional.
Jacket	Extruded PVC, 9 mils minimum average thickness, 7 mils minimum thickness at any point.
Standard	Appliance Wiring Material UL 758.
Marking	General.
Use	Internal wiring of electronic equipment in Class 2 systems only.

billsey

I'm not sure which charger ships with your tablet, but many of the 'wall wart' supplies put out more juice than a USB port does. So if you are comparing charging with the supply against charging with a USB cable connected to another computer you may be looking at different faucets, not at different hoses...

clm138

Hey Billsey - thanks for your reply.  I use the charger that shipped with the A1-810 - which is 5.35 volts and 2 amps.  My question was about the USB cable only.

billsey

OK, if you are using the stock charger then I would guess the wires in the Acer cable are beefed up over a different cable. Spec calls for a maximum of 500mA on a USB port, so cables are sized to meet that current load. The Acer charger is 2A (2000mA), so four times the current. In addition the standard voltage for USB is 5VDC, the charger 5.35VDC. They may be sensing voltage to decide if they can pull the heavier draw (though I'd expect a normal cable would provide that voltage when connected to the supply). I'm guessing they have some way of measuring the impedence on the cable, and only pull the full charging draw when they see the heaftier cable. So when you plug a typical cable in it charges at 500mA instead of the full 2A.

clm138

That would certainly be one probable explanation - maybe the Acer tech could verify this?

 

Would this require a proprietary USB port I wonder?

clm138

So on the Acer supplied USB Cable we have printed the following: 

 

AWM  E318727-G  STYLE 2725  80*C  30V  VW-1  DAEC  USB SHIELDED  HIGH-SPEED USB 2.0

 

Style 2725 seems to be a unique type of cable but I don't know enough about cables to dig deeper.

 

This will be important to anyone who needs to replace their USB cable because they lost it, it was stolen, their cat chewed it or it just broke.

 

Can anyone take this further?

billsey

Here the results of my Google, it's a bit too generic. Basically fits most computer data cables, I've found them with AWG24-28 thickness (24 is heaver guage than 28):

 

Style 2725

Multiple-conductor cable using non-integral jacket

 

Rating	60 or 80 deg C, 30 Vac, Horizontal flame.
Insulated Conductor	Labeled or complies with manufacturer's AWM Procedure.
Assembly	Two to four parallel, or two or more twisted insulated singles or groups of twisted singles twisted together or groups of twisted singles may be laid parallel to form flat or oval cable. Lay not specified. Barrier layer and/or fillers optional. Manufacturer shall maintain a complete description of each assembly. Diameter of assembly under jacket one inch maximum.
Shield	Optional.
Jacket	Extruded PVC, 9 mils minimum average thickness, 7 mils minimum thickness at any point.
Standard	Appliance Wiring Material UL 758.
Marking	General.
Use	Internal wiring of electronic equipment in Class 2 systems only.