plarosa

Has anyone noticed the following when charging via cradle USB cable and the PPC is switched on - the orange charging led does NOT flash. However, if you switch off the PPC, then the charging light starts flashing.

Also, the battery meter hardly moves when USB charging and PPC is switched on. When switched off though, it charges quickly.

kfridge

nope, the orange light flashes away when i plug into the cradle to charge or to charge via a USB cable - even when the iPAQ is on...

Once charging is finished the flashing stops.

The reason for the slow charge when using a USB cable is that the USB port cannot provide enough power to both charge and power the unit at the same time, this is why the charging speeds up when you turn the unit off - all the USB power is used to charge the unit.

hope this helps.

__________________
“Make it idiot proof and someone will make a better idiot…”

imported_airhead

On the power screen (accessed by tapping the battery icon on the today screen, don't mean to teach you to suck eggs if you already know how to get to it, so apologies beforehand), under USB charging, have you selected slow or fast charge?
Bill..............;-)

plarosa

I selected fast charge

imported_airhead

Just tried both on mine and the lite does the same as yours, flashing when off, and off when the PDA is on!!! Never actually used the USB charging before till now, so you are not alone. Damn you, something else to worry about now!!! LOL
Bill..................;-)

plarosa

Sorry about that... I don't normally USB charge either, just happened to notice this when checking things... must be an undocumented feature!

ngc1976

Originally Posted by plarosa

Sorry about that... I don't normally USB charge either, just happened to notice this when checking things... must be an undocumented feature!

Not quite. I also face the similar situation after I upgraded the ROM. Before upgrade, I can charge the iPAQ just by docking the unit to my USB cradle and the yellow led is blinking even when the unit is turn on and stay lid after reaching 100%. But now, only way I can charge the unit when turn on is to power the cradle with external adapter. I think the ROM upgrade has done something to the code in the smart battery. Can't really confirm that until I got another freash battery to try.

plarosa

Thanks for your reply, my unit came with the ROM upgrade installed, so I don't know how the previous ROM behaved with USB charging.

After contacting HP about this, this was their unhelpful response:

"Peter, this is to inform you that charging the battery of the iPAQ via USB port of the PC is a slow process. When charging the iPAQ via USB and keeping the iPAQ powered on, the battery of the iPAQ also discharges at the same rate. Hence the battery meter does not increase. Alternatively, when you keep the iPAQ powered off, the battery usage minimizes and the charge level increases, which in turn increases the battery meter.

I suggest you to charge the battery of the iPAQ on AC power, rather than through USB. This will charge the battery much faster."

plarosa

ngc1976, please let me know if replacing the battery has made any difference. Thanks.

imported_airhead

I still have the 1.0 ROM, keeping clear of the infamous 1.10, so we can't blame this issue on it. Maybe the lite won't flash till the battery is already at 100% when on the USB charge state!!
Bill...............;-)

plarosa

This is the latest response from HP on this matter:

".... when the battery of the iPAQ is connected to the USB port of the Computer and it is in powered on state, the charging light should not flash. iPAQ will charge through the USB port only when it is in power off state."

Possum Roadkil

I think the reason it behaves this way is because it could be misleading if it flashed and there wasn't enough power to actually charge while the device is on. It's enough to keep the PPC from draining while in the cradle, or at least draining as fast, but if you also had wi-fi turned on, then you'd be definitely losing power, although not as quickly as if it were not plugged in.

MarkAR

Well guys I must have a faulty unit as mine is connected at the moment by a proporta usb cable, is switched on and the chargibg light is flashing!!!!

I down graded from rom 1/1 to 1.0 before installing my neodigits 5700mA battery, which has been running normal usage for the last three days with no charging and was down to 87%.

If anyone has any tests they want me to run (apart from upgrading again) re this let me know.

Regs

MarkAR

Possum Roadkil

Originally Posted by MarkAR

Well guys I must have a faulty unit as mine is connected at the moment by a proporta usb cable, is switched on and the chargibg light is flashing!!!! I down graded from rom 1/1 to 1.0 before installing my neodigits 5700mA battery, which has been running normal usage for the last three days with no charging and was down to 87%. If anyone has any tests they want me to run (apart from upgrading again) re this let me know. Regs MarkAR

Not all the USB charge cables are the same. I think some may have some electronics buried in the connectors to boost voltage so that they do charge from a USB port. I remember having a brief discussion with someone from Boxwave indicating that the cable for the T5 had something to make it actually charge in a decent ammount of time.

Farmer Brown

I haven't been able to find any firm documentation re: USB charging anywhere.

Are there any issues regarding battery life when using USB slow / fast charging rather than the AC adapter?

How about when using extended batteries? Will USB charging suffice, but just take longer?