USB-C charging

[fpex73]

I just got my pine book pro, and I tried to connect it to a power bank (one that works with things like iPad and alike).\The pine book was saying charing but actually the battery was discharging.
I am now trying to charge with the provided supplier, but I wonder if the PBP is compatible to powerbanks at all no or there is an issue and I need to open my PBP to check out things.
Thanks.

[Luke]

I just got my pine book pro, and I tried to connect it to a power bank (one that works with things like iPad and alike).\The pine book was saying charing but actually the battery was discharging.
I am now trying to charge with the provided supplier, but I wonder if the PBP is compatible to powerbanks at all no or there is an issue and I need to open my PBP to check out things.
Thanks.

It can charge from a powerbank capable of delivering at least 2A 5V. But at 10W it will charge very slowly. Also, which OS are you using? did you update it? etc.,

If you're planning to open your PBP - make sure to read the wiki section on opening and closing it.

[danielt]

I just got my pine book pro, and I tried to connect it to a power bank (one that works with things like iPad and alike).\The pine book was saying charing but actually the battery was discharging.
I am now trying to charge with the provided supplier, but I wonder if the PBP is compatible to powerbanks at all no or there is an issue and I need to open my PBP to check out things.
Thanks.

AFAIK the charging indicator as soon as there is some external power pack that is delivering power. It does not indicate whether or not the power pack is delivering more power than the PBP is currently consuming.

In other words if the PBP has only managed to negotiate a slow charging modes such as 2.5W (500mA  @ 5V) with the power pack then whilst the power pack *is* increasing the length of time until the battery is exhausted, there is not enough power going in to actually replenish the battery.

I found gadgets to measure current can be useful to figure out what is going on. For AC adapters I measure using an AC meter, for power pack I use something like this. My own experiments weren't exhaustive but did indicate the cable length/quality can impact the charging rate adopted by the PBP. Put another way I bought a nice long cable to use when travelling in order to keep me juiced up in meetings... but it doesn't charge as fast as a short cable .

[fpex73]

Thanks
I see. I do not want even think what will happen if I install the NVMe adapter then.
I will give up the power bank idea or I need to get one for laptop with a compatible adapter.

BTW I am using the standard OS after script update (so far all works fine, assuming it charges with the charger).

[ElektromAn]

Hi,

can you please give me some information about your power bank.
Including (maybe) some (good) pictures of the PCB.
I need to know if there which/any IC is out there to control USB-C PD and/or USB-2 charge mode

Note these are different modes and need different type of hardware.
Currently PBP will *only* support USB-C PD in online and/or standby mode.
... and no USB-2 charger mode, due missing hardware.

Also there is (slight) error I must investigate
@danielt
Please note:
If you want to buy any USB-C power meters, there are two versions out there.
Buy the bidirectional ones

[fpex73]

(typing from thr PBP now)

I was using a Xtorm 20k connected to the USB-C (18W) and the laptop reported charging but actually it was not.
The laptop is ok, charged perfectly with the USB-C charger of my ipad and I am considering getting a Xtorm with a 45W PD USB-C port tu support the NVMe drive.

Hope this helps.

[ElektromAn]

I was using a Xtorm 20k connected to the USB-C (18W) and the laptop reported charging but actually it was not.
The laptop is ok, charged perfectly with the USB-C charger of my ipad and I am considering getting a Xtorm with a 45W PD USB-C port tu support the NVMe drive.

Hope this helps.

Thanks
Currently there are some issues with USB-C and/or power plug reporting the *right*
values.
On Manjaro some xfce4-plugins reporting wrong values, including wrong voltage from power plug.
I know this from my PBP, when I disconnect the power plug.

The whole USB-C PD and/or USB-2 charge mode as I said if difficult.
USB-C PD support up to 5A/20V -> 100W
But on the PBP is USB-C PD 5V supported (unless I check the schematic again)
so this makes 25W max.

[fpex73]

25w ought to be enough to charge it, anyhow 18w was not enough while in use. I do know that a friend is using a xiaomi battery pack with the pbp without issues. I will check it next week.

[zaius]

But on the PBP is USB-C PD 5V supported (unless I check the schematic again)
so this makes 25W max.

I posted this in another thread. Just because it can supply 5A does not mean the PBP can draw 5A.

[fpex73]

I can confirm that with a 45 or 60W USB-C, charging seems to happen ... even if when I remove the connection I still see the charring symbol (even after restart).
Is there a capacitor that discarges very slowly somewhere along the USC-c charging line?