New Iconia One 10 B3-A40 -- nice but BUGGY AS HELL! USB & Charging Issues Galore...

CJT
CJT Member Posts: 2 New User
edited March 18 in 2019 Archives
I have the new B3-A40 unit, it's nice, especially for the price ($130 at BestBuy) but for the life of me I cannot get the 2nd USB port to work (the one by the camera). In fact I could not get any access to the unit until I downloaded a driver for the B3-A30 as there are no drivers for the A40 unit on Acer's site. Still the 2nd USB port is useless (cannot charge or connect a PC to it). Also the charging rate is HORRIBLE. I have tried multiple cables and other USB chargers with a charge rate of about 10% an hour if that and only when the unit is OFF. Basically ZERO charge rate if unit is on--still a slight draw down on power when plugged in and in use. There is an awesome app for Android named AccuBattery Pro that give details charge rates, times, useage, battery cycles, life etc--that cannot see the Iconia's charge controller so you can't get any details. Tried other battery apps--the same. I know this is a issue with the model B3-A40 since I thought my first unit was bad and returned it--this is my second Acer Iconia One 10 in a week. ALL THE EXACT SAME ISSUES. Also I have applied BOTH OS upgrades and under settings it reports "all software is upto date". OK, anyone else out there have the same issues? Thanks, CJT, West Palm Beach, FL. USA.

Best Answer

  • IronFly
    IronFly ACE Posts: 18,413 Trailblazer
    edited October 2017 Answer ✓
    if the 2nd USB port is the one near the microSD...it's an OTG USB port, you DON'T have to connect a PC there or you will damage your unit.
    you can use it to connect an USB flash drive or external HDD (with its power source) and transfer files without a PC.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB_On-The-Go

    about the charging rate, honeslty i never had your model but maybe you can try to charge it powered off.
    I'm not an Acer employee.

Answers

  • IronFly
    IronFly ACE Posts: 18,413 Trailblazer
    edited October 2017 Answer ✓
    if the 2nd USB port is the one near the microSD...it's an OTG USB port, you DON'T have to connect a PC there or you will damage your unit.
    you can use it to connect an USB flash drive or external HDD (with its power source) and transfer files without a PC.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB_On-The-Go

    about the charging rate, honeslty i never had your model but maybe you can try to charge it powered off.
    I'm not an Acer employee.
  • CJT
    CJT Member Posts: 2 New User
    IronFly, thank you!
  • Darryl_Gittins
    Darryl_Gittins Member Posts: 3 New User
    Any news about the charging issues? Also, can you answer if the original charger supports Quick Charging? I lost the original charger and cable. The charger is easy to replace but the cable itself is nonstandard. It is beveled to match the beveled tablet case. Where can I find a replacement? 
  • ubrain
    ubrain Member Posts: 1 New User
    I could really do with an answer to this too.
    I thought I was doing something wrong, like I'd installed a battery killing app or something.
    I too tried to install a battery/charging monitor only to find that Acer seem to have suppressed this functionality that is normally present in Android devices.
    I can't believe that, in this day and age, you have to switch a device off for it to charge! If that's the case, then in my view it is faulty and on Monday I'll be returning it as such to the shop I got it from.

    I really hope there's a solution as it's a sweet wee thing in other ways but I can't be switching it off every time it needs a charge - that's just ridiculous.
  • billsey
    billsey ACE Posts: 34,234 Trailblazer
    Ubrain, the stock charger connected to the charging port will charge just fine with the tablet on. The spec calls for a 2.1A charge on that port and the charger has to support the USB fast charge spec for that to work. Charging from the wrong port or with a non fast charge supply will still charge, but really, really slowly while the tablet is on. Non fast charge devices will only give 0.5A, which is very close to the power usage... Hence the need to turn things off if you want a useful recharge time with that type of charger.
    Click on "Like" if you find my answer useful or click on "Yes" if it answers your question.
  • Se102
    Se102 Member Posts: 1 New User
    I use a quick charger from another device I have to make it faster otherwise the one that came with the device is slow.
  • MsBirchy
    MsBirchy Member Posts: 2 New User
    CJT said:
    I have the new B3-A40 unit, it's nice, especially for the price ($130 at BestBuy) but for the life of me I cannot get the 2nd USB port to work (the one by the camera). In fact I could not get any access to the unit until I downloaded a driver for the B3-A30 as there are no drivers for the A40 unit on Acer's site. Still the 2nd USB port is useless (cannot charge or connect a PC to it). Also the charging rate is HORRIBLE. I have tried multiple cables and other USB chargers with a charge rate of about 10% an hour if that and only when the unit is OFF. Basically ZERO charge rate if unit is on--still a slight draw down on power when plugged in and in use. There is an awesome app for Android named AccuBattery Pro that give details charge rates, times, useage, battery cycles, life etc--that cannot see the Iconia's charge controller so you can't get any details. Tried other battery apps--the same. I know this is a issue with the model B3-A40 since I thought my first unit was bad and returned it--this is my second Acer Iconia One 10 in a week. ALL THE EXACT SAME ISSUES. Also I have applied BOTH OS upgrades and under settings it reports "all software is upto date". OK, anyone else out there have the same issues? Thanks, CJT, West Palm Beach, FL. USA.

  • MsBirchy
    MsBirchy Member Posts: 2 New User
    I believe you had the first part of your question answered by ... ironfly? i think? sorry if i'm wrong on that! but anyhoo! yeah, about the slow charging, before I broke the charging port on my iconia one ten B3-A40, I encountered the same issue. Since I don't own a smartphone or PC, I used my tablet for everything from my work on MSWord, organising my life in Note and Calendar, to my not-so-secret-love of GAMING. And gaming drains the heck outta any battery! So here's what I did, and it worked! And still would had I not dropped the fool thing on its port side while it was charging! Yeah, don't do that... I digress... two steps, easy-peasy, faster charging while plugged in. oh! And I have had and used my tablet for a year and half and no battery issues! okay so first: If you don't have one already, get a "fast-charge" wall charger (the part you plug in the wall).  This is going to sound obvious, but if it doesn't say this on the FRONT label of the packaging it's NOT FAST CHARGE! NOW, secondly, you need a "fast charge" cable. Sounds obvious again but like I said above: but if it doesn't say this on the FRONT label of the packaging it's NOT FAST CHARGE! I believe anything that says 2.1 or above or basically the strongest one you can get that supports a micro USB cable /wall charger. I might be wrong about these numbers. If I'm way off I'll be back to edit. But basically you're looking for the strongest one for both wall and cable. That's what I did and I finally was able the charge while playing!! OMG! Okay? hope this helps! Sorry for the lengthy comment...
    Ms.Birchy
  • ANTHONYDA
    ANTHONYDA Member Posts: 1 New User
    Hi - it looks like the battery is completely dead on my friend's Iconia One 10 B3-A40.  I saw on You Tube how to change the battery but I can't figure out the exact battery model number anywhere.  It seems like there are some similar batteries.  The battery information might be on this site but I haven't found it yet.  Also I wonder if I can buy the battery here?
  • billsey
    billsey ACE Posts: 34,234 Trailblazer
    There are two battery part numbers for the B3-A40 models, but I believe they were just for flexibility when they were building them. The two batteries seem to have the same specs. The numbers starting with KT are the Acer part numbers:

    Click on "Like" if you find my answer useful or click on "Yes" if it answers your question.
  • B3TabletUser
    B3TabletUser Member Posts: 1 New User
    The battery used is PR279594N, 6000mAh, 3.7V. But: some of these have a 5-pin  connector (used in B3-A20), my B3-A40 has a 6-pin connector. I recently ordered one with a 5-pin, couldn't plug it in, had to return it. EBay has some 6-pin, used, I already HAVE a used battery!! Couldn't find any replacement.
  • billsey
    billsey ACE Posts: 34,234 Trailblazer
    Try searching on the Acer part numbers instead of the battery number that you are using. Those number often just reflect the cell ID, not the final configuration.
    Click on "Like" if you find my answer useful or click on "Yes" if it answers your question.

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