Stops Charging When Using GPU, Must Unplug Charger PH317-55

I recently purchased the last Predator Helios 300 (running Windows 10) from my local MicroCenter -- I managed to get the last one. When I am using Blender 3.1.0, the Cycles renderer and switch to the discrete Nvidia GPU, my charger stops charging the battery and the blue battery light turns off completely (goes black).

If I then close Blender ***The Charger DOES NOT return to charging. The blue battery light stays OFF.***

This also happens if I run a GPU Benchmark (GFXBench 5.0.5).

ANY moderate/intensive use of the GPU stops the charger from charging the battery. I am unable to use Predator sense to change the Mode because once the charger stops while using the GPU, the Mode is reset to Default (as it is supposed to when on battery power). To get the charger working again I must close the GPU intensive program/benchmark and unplug the charger from the wall outlet and then plug it back in.

I've searched these forums and read about this problem with other Acer Predator and Nitro models. This is a new computer, with almost no software installed and with not many changes. This problem makes using the GPU useless. What good is a gaming laptop if you can't use the GPU or change the settings to Extreme or Turbo?

Is there a fix for this problem? Is the only solution to get a new replacement charger from Acer warranty?

Has anyone solved this problem?

I appreciate any help you might lend -- I am very disappointed.

~ Atreides

Specs:

Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-55-71YX

Purchased: 9/3/22

Windows 10 (21H2) 19044.2130

Intel® Core™ i7-11800H processor Octa-core 2.40 GHz

NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 3060 with 6 GB dedicated memory

17.3" Full HD (1920 x 1080) 16:9 144 Hz

32 GB, DDR4 SDRAM (upgraded 2 x 16 GB DD4)

8 TB HDD (upgraded 2 x 2 TB SSD, 1 x 4 TB SSD)

Accepted answers

Commodore_1995#

This is because the Delta ADP-120RH adapter has 6.32 amps, 19v voltage and 120w power. This power adapter will not provide the proper power, current and voltage for your computer and it appears that this adapter is used by asus. I advise buying the correct 230w power adapter.

All comments

William_mk2

@Atreides

I am really sorry for the inconvenience.. Let us do the basic steps first..

Doing the power drain and bios defaults will really help. Kindly follow the steps given below:

Turn off the laptop. Disconnect or unplug the charger cable, devices or any other cables connected to your laptop. Close your laptop. Turn it upside down. On the bottom of the laptop, you can find a pin hole. It is a tiny hole. You can a find a battery symbol indicator next to the hole. It is like a + and – sign symbol as though somebody is trying to shift the battery out. Insert the pin on to the hole for 30 seconds. Remove the pin. Flip the laptop. Connect the charger cable, turn on the computer. Only on laptops where the battery is inbuilt you can find the battery reset hole on the back of laptop.

If you don’t find a pin hole on the back of laptop then you might be using removable battery. There is no need to unscrew anything to remove the battery. Turn off the laptop. Disconnect or unplug the charger cable, devices and any other cables connected to your laptop. Close your laptop. Turn it upside down. On the bottom of the laptop, please look at the top or bottom depending on the way you look at it. You can find a long door. It is a battery removable door. Just below that you can find a latch. If you move the latch you can remove the battery door. Once the battery is removed, flip the laptop. Open the top cover, press and hold the power button for 1 minute. Connect the battery back on the back of computer. Connect the charger cable back and then turn on the computer.

If you don’t see a reset pin hole on the back of laptop or if you are not able to remove the battery (if it is inbuilt) then please unplug all the cables and devices out of laptop. Hold the power button for 1 minute. After releasing the button you should wait a while before plugging in power. Just because the button has been pressed doesn’t bleed off all the residual electricity on the motherboard. Wait 15-30 minutes before plugging in power. Then once power is connected wait for a full battery indication before turning the system on. That allows the battery to fully reset it’s internal statistics.

Connect all the cables back and restart the computer.

While turning on the computer, tap f2. It will go to bios. Press f9 once. It will show load bios defaults with a yes or no popup. Press enter. Popup screen will disappear. Press f10 once. It will show save changes popup with yes or no. Press enter. Computer will restart and it will load into windows.

It might also be the issue with battery, charger or power outlet. Try to use the charger in a different room on a different power outlet. Try to bypass the surge protector and connect it directly to power outlet. Try to use an alternative charger if possible. Try to turn on the computer without the charger and check it ( as long as the battery is not drained out )

Try windows x

go to device manager

expand Battery

right click on all the items below battery – uninstall

Restart the computer

It should work fine..

William_mk2

@Atreides

If it is still not working kindly follow the steps given below

If it is a software issue try the following the steps..

Try windows x

go to device manager

expand display adapter

right click on display driver - uninstall

Restart the computer

It should work fine..

If it is still not working

Uninstall the display adapter from device manager

Don’t restart the computer.

Go to support.acer.com

chose your country

type snid or chose your model

go to drivers

Install the display driver

It should work fine..

If it is still not working..

If your laptop is in warranty you can contact the warranty dept. Go to the website support.acer.com - chose your country. On the new page - scroll down - click on "contact support". Scroll down. You can find the phone no to contact the warranty dept.

Atreides

@ William_mk2

Thanks for you fast reply. There is no reset pinhole on the PH317-55 models, but I will disconnect the battery anyway. I have opened the chassis many times as well as disconnected the battery several times when installing an additional M.2 drive, SSD drive and upgraded DDR4 memory. It's very easy to do. Then I will reset the BIOS as you suggested. I will report back when I have completed these steps.

~ Atreides

Specs:

Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-55-71YX

Purchased: 9/3/22

Windows 10 (21H2) 19044.2130

Intel® Core™ i7-11800H processor Octa-core 2.40 GHz

NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 3060 with 6 GB dedicated memory

17.3" Full HD (1920 x 1080) 16:9 144 Hz

32 GB, DDR4 SDRAM (upgraded 2 x 16 GB DD4)

8 TB HDD (upgraded 2 x 2 TB SSD, 1 x 4 TB SSD)

William_mk2

@Atreides

There is no need to remove the battery. Kindly follow the steps given below

If you don’t see a reset pin hole on the back of laptop or if you are not able to remove the battery (if it is inbuilt) then please unplug all the cables and devices out of laptop. Hold the power button for 1 minute. After releasing the button you should wait a while before plugging in power. Just because the button has been pressed doesn’t bleed off all the residual electricity on the motherboard. Wait 15-30 minutes before plugging in power. Then once power is connected wait for a full battery indication before turning the system on. That allows the battery to fully reset it’s internal statistics.

Atreides

@William_mk2

Okay I reset the battery as you said by holding powering off. I shut it down, unplugged all cables and then held down the power button for 1 minute. Then I left the computer unplugged for an hour. I then booted into BIOS and reset it to the defaults (F9). After a reboot, I then tested again:

Started Blender and the charger disconnects, stops charging and never turns back on.

Started GFXBench and the charger disconnects, stops charging and never turns back on.

I also bypassed the surge protector and powered the charger directly from a different wall outlet on the other side of the room. No change.

I will next uninstall 'Microsoft AC Adapter' and 'Microsoft ACPI-Compliant Control Method Battery' in Device Manager under Battery, reboot, then will test and will report back. Thanks.

~ Atreides

Specs:

Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-55-71YX

Purchased: 9/3/22

Windows 10 (21H2) 19044.2130

Intel® Core™ i7-11800H processor Octa-core 2.40 GHz

NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 3060 with 6 GB dedicated memory

17.3" Full HD (1920 x 1080) 16:9 144 Hz

32 GB, DDR4 SDRAM (upgraded 2 x 16 GB DD4)

8 TB HDD (upgraded 2 x 2 TB SSD, 1 x 4 TB SSD)

Atreides

@William_mk2

In Device Manager under Battery I uninstalled 'Microsoft AC Adapter' and 'Microsoft ACPI-Compliant Control Method Battery', then rebooted and tested again:

Started Blender and the charger disconnects, stops charging and never turns back on.

Started GFXBench and the charger disconnects, stops charging and never turns back on.

Next I will uninstall the Display adapter, then reboot, and if that doesn't work I will then uninstall it again but then reinstall it from the Predator Helios 300 PH317-55-71YX support page. This driver package for this model is: VGA_NVIDIA_27.21.14.6179_W10x64_(RTX 3060).

I will report back after. Thanks.

~ Atreides

Specs:

Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-55-71YX

Purchased: 9/3/22

Windows 10 (21H2) 19044.2130

Intel® Core™ i7-11800H processor Octa-core 2.40 GHz

NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 3060 with 6 GB dedicated memory

17.3" Full HD (1920 x 1080) 16:9 144 Hz

32 GB, DDR4 SDRAM (upgraded 2 x 16 GB DD4)

8 TB HDD (upgraded 2 x 2 TB SSD, 1 x 4 TB SSD)

Commodore_1995#

This is because the Delta ADP-120RH adapter has 6.32 amps, 19v voltage and 120w power. This power adapter will not provide the proper power, current and voltage for your computer and it appears that this adapter is used by asus. I advise buying the correct 230w power adapter.