CBOA311 Chromebook Charge Indicator Light Malfunction?

I purchased a CBOA311 Chromebook at BestBuy. The charge indicator light on my old Acer Chromebook was amber when charging and blue when fully charged. The charge indicator on this new Chromebook was amber when charging, then turned white before being fully charged, and was still white when fully charged. I called Acer and the rep said that something was wrong and I could return it. I returned it and picked up the replacement the other day. Same thing happened - amber when charging, then white before fully charged, and then still white after fully charged. The Acer rep I spoke to last night said that the white light meant that the battery was being calibrated, and that I would see amber and blue on future charges. I used the Chromebook until the battery was out of juice and it powered down. When I charged it the same thing happened - the indicator was amber for awhile then white while charging, and then white when fully charged. I spoke to another rep today, and he said that regardless what the 311 User Manual says (amber when charging, blue when fully charged), that it is normal for the charge indicator light to be white.

It's ridiculous that the User Manual says one thing and the Chromebook does something else. It's also ridiculous that I have gotten three different answers from the Customer Support line. I hope someone here can provide an answer that makes sense.

Thank you!

Accepted answers

Sharanji

@Wamert

Please find the battery status indicator for this model from Acer official documentation.

Alejandro_AC

Hi @Wamert The color behavior is correct, I leave you information from the service manual:

Alejandro_AC

I can consult the service manual on an Acer private directory that allows me to take screenshots to offer assistance, but it's not for public use, sorry.
As for the options, they are power options in the BIOS:

System Sleeping States - Windows drivers | Microsoft Learn

More:

State S5 is the shutdown or off state

. A system is waking when it is in transition from the shutdown state (S5) or any sleeping state (S1-S4) to the working state (S0), and it is going to sleep when it is in transition from the working state to any sleep state or the shutdown state.

S0ix-states represent the residency in the Intel® SoC idle standby power states

. The S0ix states shut off part of the SoC when they are not in use. The S0ix states are triggered when specific conditions within the SoC have been achieved, for example: certain components are in low power states.

S3 (Suspend to Ram): The S3 sleeping state is a low wake latency sleeping state

. This state is similar to the S1 sleeping state except that the CPU and system cache context is lost (the OS is responsible for maintaining the caches and CPU context). Control starts from the processor's reset vector after the wake event.

All comments

Sharanji

@Wamert

Please find the battery status indicator for this model from Acer official documentation.

Alejandro_AC

Hi @Wamert The color behavior is correct, I leave you information from the service manual:

Wamert

Thank you both for your quick replies!

Could you please provide me with the URL for the manual where you found this info? The Set Up Guide pamphlet that came in the box with the Chromebook listed the following URL for manuals and other documents:

http://go.acer.com/?id=17883 When I went to that link there were User Manuals for 2016 and 2018. I used the 2018 Manual and that is where it stated amber and blue for the battery charge indicator colors.

Also, could you tell me what S3/S0ix, S5, and S0 mean?

Alejandro_AC

I can consult the service manual on an Acer private directory that allows me to take screenshots to offer assistance, but it's not for public use, sorry.
As for the options, they are power options in the BIOS:

System Sleeping States - Windows drivers | Microsoft Learn

More:

State S5 is the shutdown or off state

. A system is waking when it is in transition from the shutdown state (S5) or any sleeping state (S1-S4) to the working state (S0), and it is going to sleep when it is in transition from the working state to any sleep state or the shutdown state.

S0ix-states represent the residency in the Intel® SoC idle standby power states

. The S0ix states shut off part of the SoC when they are not in use. The S0ix states are triggered when specific conditions within the SoC have been achieved, for example: certain components are in low power states.

S3 (Suspend to Ram): The S3 sleeping state is a low wake latency sleeping state

. This state is similar to the S1 sleeping state except that the CPU and system cache context is lost (the OS is responsible for maintaining the caches and CPU context). Control starts from the processor's reset vector after the wake event.

Wamert

Thank you for explaining what those codes mean, and for explaining where you obtained the System Power Management table you provided earlier.

I wish Acer provided user documentation that matched the device purchased so that consumers weren't left trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together.

You and Sharanji have reduced my exasperation.

Thanks again!

Alejandro_AC

I'm glad @Sharanji and my help was helpful.
Regarding the documentation, I understand what you're saying, but they're security systems to prevent misuse by third parties. I suppose, though I'm not exactly sure, that there are official channels for Acer to provide more information about the documentation. In the case of the community, it's a good step so that, as a user to user, as in my case, I can offer you that information.

Axxo

A malfunctioning Chromebook charge indicator light can signal various issues, from a simple connection problem to a hardware or software malfunction. Troubleshooting typically involves checking the connection, performing a hard reset, and potentially inspecting the charger or charging port.
Here's a more detailed breakdown:-

Check the Connection:
Unplug and replug: Ensure the charger is securely connected to both the Chromebook and the power outlet.
Inspect the cable: Look for any damage or wear and tear on the charging cable.
Try a different outlet: If possible, test with a different power outlet to rule out a faulty outlet.
Perform a Hard Reset:
Unplug the charger: Remove the charger from the Chromebook.
Press and hold the power button: Press and hold the power button for 30 seconds to 60 seconds.
Plug the charger back in: Connect the charger and see if the indicator light turns on.
Check the Charger:
Test with another charger: If possible, try a different charger to see if the issue lies with the original charger.
Verify charger functionality: Check if the charger works with another device.
Inspect the Charging Port:
Look for damage: Inspect the charging port for any debris, dirt, or damage.
Clean the port: Gently clean the port with compressed air or a soft brush.
Other Troubleshooting Steps:
Remove USB devices: Unplug any USB devices connected to the Chromebook.
Check battery health: In settings, you can check the battery's health and the total number of charging cycles.
Update ChromeOS: Ensure your Chromebook has the latest version of ChromeOS.
Contact Google Support: If the issue persists, contact Google Support or the Chromebook manufacturer for further assistance.