Acer swift 3 SF314-511 charging only when in off/hybernate state

Matiseli · July 2023

Hello,
Acer swift 3 SF314-511, windows 11.
Yesterday I turned on my laptop for the third time that day (woke from hibernation) and suddenly it wouldn't charge, although the adapter was plugged in. I tried
1. Playing with the adapter in all possible ways, i.e. plugging it into another socket, pushing the connector into the ntb at different speeds, twisting the cable in different ways, disconnecting the "main cable leading from the transformer to the socket" and plugging it in again... The result at most is that charging worked for a second, in 2% of cases it even worked all the time... but it seems random to me when it works
2. BIOS update (unnecessary, I have the latest)
3. Windows Update (also unnecessary - I have the latest), all my drivers are latest, downloaded from acer site /windows update
4. Battery reset (push the pin into the reset hole for 30 seconds)
5. The so-called hard reset of the laptop - i.e. holding down the power button for 30 seconds; I sometimes combined that with point 4
6. uninstall the battery drivers
7. Avast virus test
In my opinion, it might help to combine points 4 5 6 in a different way... I know that it is enough to do something small like having an adapter plugged into the laptop at a certain moment and the result is already different than if it was not plugged in at that moment..

On the side of the notebook there is a battery indicator and a power indicator. When the adapter is not connected, then:
- battery indicator does not light up
- power indicator lights up blue
when i connect the adapter:
- battery ind. flashes orange
- power ind. flashes blue
I wonder if something happened to the adapter; after all, I left the laptop in the garden in this heat, i.e. in the sun.
Some ideas?
Thank you

Puraw · July 2023

Acer swift 3 SF314-511 charging only when in off/hybernate state

Matiseli

Jul 22, 2023

Hello,
Acer swift 3 SF314-511, windows 11.
Yesterday I turned on my laptop for the third time that day (woke from hibernation) and suddenly it wouldn't charge, although the adapter was plugged in. I tried
1. Playing with the adapter in all possible ways, i.e. plugging it into another socket, pushing the connector into the ntb at different speeds, twisting the cable in different ways, disconnecting the "main cable leading from the transformer to the socket" and plugging it in again... The result at most is that charging worked for a second, in 2% of cases it even worked all the time... but it seems random to me when it works
2. BIOS update (unnecessary, I have the latest)
3. Windows Update (also unnecessary - I have the latest), all my drivers are latest, downloaded from acer site /windows update
4. Battery reset (push the pin into the reset hole for 30 seconds)
5. The so-called hard reset of the laptop - i.e. holding down the power button for 30 seconds; I sometimes combined that with point 4
6. uninstall the battery drivers
7. Avast virus test
In my opinion, it might help to combine points 4 5 6 in a different way... I know that it is enough to do something small like having an adapter plugged into the laptop at a certain moment and the result is already different than if it was not plugged in at that moment..
On the side of the notebook there is a battery indicator and a power indicator. When the adapter is not connected, then:
- battery indicator does not light up
- power indicator lights up blue
when i connect the adapter:
- battery ind. flashes orange
- power ind. flashes blue
I wonder if something happened to the adapter; after all, I left the laptop in the garden in this heat, i.e. in the sun.
Some ideas?
Thank you

Get a large USB charger (60-90 watt) to charge the battery via the USB C port that has PD.

billsey · July 2023

A flashing indicator is a sign there is a problem with the battery, but most often that problem can be 'fixed' by a full reset. The batteries have a small amount of smarts on them to track condition, and it can get corrupted. You have done portions of a reset, but possibly not the whole thing. Shut the laptop off and disconnect everything, including the charger. Use a SIM tool or a bent paperclip to press and hold the reset for 15 seconds. Release the reset and wait for 15 minutes or so, then plug only the power back in. Wait for the battery indication to show blue, then turn it on and see if the issue is fixed. If the indicators still flash after the 15 minute wait then a reset likely isn't going to help and a battery replacement is in the cards. If it goes to a full charge and doesn't start flashing again then you are likely good to go.

Puraw · July 2023

Acer swift 3 SF314-511 charging only when in off/hybernate state

Matiseli

Jul 22, 2023

Hello,
Acer swift 3 SF314-511, windows 11.
Yesterday I turned on my laptop for the third time that day (woke from hibernation) and suddenly it wouldn't charge, although the adapter was plugged in. I tried
1. Playing with the adapter in all possible ways, i.e. plugging it into another socket, pushing the connector into the ntb at different speeds, twisting the cable in different ways, disconnecting the "main cable leading from the transformer to the socket" and plugging it in again... The result at most is that charging worked for a second, in 2% of cases it even worked all the time... but it seems random to me when it works
2. BIOS update (unnecessary, I have the latest)
3. Windows Update (also unnecessary - I have the latest), all my drivers are latest, downloaded from acer site /windows update
4. Battery reset (push the pin into the reset hole for 30 seconds)
5. The so-called hard reset of the laptop - i.e. holding down the power button for 30 seconds; I sometimes combined that with point 4
6. uninstall the battery drivers
7. Avast virus test
In my opinion, it might help to combine points 4 5 6 in a different way... I know that it is enough to do something small like having an adapter plugged into the laptop at a certain moment and the result is already different than if it was not plugged in at that moment..
On the side of the notebook there is a battery indicator and a power indicator. When the adapter is not connected, then:
- battery indicator does not light up
- power indicator lights up blue
when i connect the adapter:
- battery ind. flashes orange
- power ind. flashes blue
I wonder if something happened to the adapter; after all, I left the laptop in the garden in this heat, i.e. in the sun.
Some ideas?
Thank you

Get a large USB charger (60-90 watt) to charge the battery via the USB C port that has PD.

Matiseli · July 2023

Puraw

Jul 22, 2023

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/688672/acer-swift-3-sf314-511-charging-only-when-in-off-hybernate-state
Get a large USB charger (60-90 watt) to charge the battery via the USB C port that has PD.

Believe or not, laptop is able to charge with USB-C no problem. So… problem is faulty charger(?)

Puraw · July 2023

I don't have a barrel plug adapter, just a USB charger and find charging far more convenient that way, much smaller device and no more DC port/plug issues. Yes, I would say your adapter or plug/DC port has issues, not software/firmware related.

billsey · July 2023

But a faulty charger doesn't present with a flashing status LED…

Matiseli · July 2023

billsey

Jul 23, 2023

But a faulty charger doesn't present with a flashing status LED…

Hm.. weird... Anyway, I send charger and maybe even laptop to repair center... Because it seems i cant do anything about it

Matiseli · July 2023

billsey

Jul 23, 2023

But a faulty charger doesn't present with a flashing status LED…

Interestingly, it looks like USB C can't charge the laptop. The USB C charger is warm (though less warm than when I charge my mobile with it), but the laptop discharges - even when I have low brightness and do simple activities there (= low CPU, GPU, SSD, network etc activity). The discharge rate is the same (or maybe a little slower) as if the laptop was not charging at all. I'm even wondering what if the laptop is rejecting power from that charger? I tried another charger - more powerful, supporting Phone Fast Charging - and it's almost cold and the laptop still drains.

billsey · July 2023

Any phone style USB-C chargers will be too small to successfully charge the laptop. They almost always only provide 5V at 2A (10W) or 3A (15W) and the charger you need is much more powerful than that. Here's the spec on your USB-C/TBT port: