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[Q] Plug Adapter For Charger

First things first just got my transformer and it is awesome! However the little charger thing is rubbish the plug that connects to it didn't seem to want to connect so after applying more force I managed to sort of wedge it on. However it is quite loose and any movement stops it charging! Are you supposed to push some sort of tab to attach the plug or does everybody else have this problem? Its a UK plug BTW

I'd guess youre not pushing hard enough!
If you fingers arent going white and they dont hurt afterwards, you need to push harder.
When fully connected the flat bottom of the UK plug overlaps the bottom of the adapter by less than the thickness of a fingernail.

Apparently it's very difficult to connect the two pieces. Many people have said that they thought their charger would break with the amount of force needed. Maybe try pushing harder? I can't help you any more than that I'm afraid as I don't have my TF yet.

*Daedalus said:
Apparently it's very difficult to connect the two pieces. Many people have said that they thought their charger would break with the amount of force needed. Maybe try pushing harder? I can't help you any more than that I'm afraid as I don't have my TF yet.
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Click to collapse
Once they are connected - Try taking them apart again, Impossible!

Gave it a good shove and broke that little plastic thing that sticks out off :-S nothing abit of duck tape didn't fix though. Still seems a shame the build quality of the tablet and especially the keyboard is very high then they give us a crap charger and tiny wire. Also one charger for both the tablet and keyboard!

I had this issue and it ended up bending the little plastic bit which I used a knife to push it back to shape and then managed to clip it in. This makes me think it wasn't perfectly lined up in the first place so guess you have to have it perfect otherwise you will end up breaking that little plastic bit off.

pastey said:
Once they are connected - Try taking them apart again, Impossible!
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Click to collapse
whoa you're right D: I just tried.

My charger was already connected to the plug. It almost seems like one piece. Do the US unit have one piece charger?
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk

jerrykur said:
My charger was already connected to the plug. It almost seems like one piece. Do the US unit have one piece charger?
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
US chargers do not come in one piece...i know, cause i lost mine...:-T...waiting for asus or a 3rd party to start selling some adapters to charge...borrowing a friends charger in the meantime since he got a transformer too...

skchan2 said:
US chargers do not come in one piece...i know, cause i lost mine...:-T...waiting for asus or a 3rd party to start selling some adapters to charge...borrowing a friends charger in the meantime since he got a transformer too...
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Click to collapse
following a tip from another user i went to best buy and purchased a dynex dx-ua which comes with many different tips one being a usb tip. It works perfect for the transformer and the cord is really long. I finally have my new transformer charging since the plug that came with it did not work at all. the dynex dx-ua is 29.99 at bestbuy try it out if you need a charger.

nkognegr0 said:
following a tip from another user i went to best buy and purchased a dynex dx-ua which comes with many different tips one being a usb tip. It works perfect for the transformer and the cord is really long. I finally have my new transformer charging since the plug that came with it did not work at all. the dynex dx-ua is 29.99 at bestbuy try it out if you need a charger.
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Click to collapse
Does this unit have a 15 volt setting to match the original charger?

The easiest and safest way is probably alligning it and oush it in on a flat surface. That's what I did and it went in without a sweat. These kind of chargers are quiet common now so manufactures only have one charger for the whole-world making it easier to produce and all they have to do is give you different sockets for different regions.
Sent from my Transformer TF101

jerrykur said:
Does this unit have a 15 volt setting to match the original charger?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
it has switches that go from 3.3 to 11 volts but its charging my transformer fine.

the dynex charges at 11 volts / 1.5 amps. its a much better idea then using the crap charger that is supplied. here is a pic of my melted charger.

My Charger melted

wtf...
tablet wasnt charging. The charger was plugged into the outlet with the usb cable connected.
i noticed my tablet was dead and when i go to charge it, i feel the cable is hot..
then notice rubber/plastic casing that covers the pin connection, is melted.
(the part with ASUS name)
not sure where to see the model number. i just smelled it and its not good... fawk

I wonder if they got the same company as apple to make the proprietry cables lmao
But seriously thats not cool send the pics to asus they will probably send you a new one and a cover or something to keep you happy
Sent from my tf101 using xda premium 1.59Ghz

Why is the wires exposed? Modified connector?

34Ford said:
Why is the wires exposed? Modified connector?
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Click to collapse
Look at the insulation around the wire it is also burnt not modified
Sent from my tf101 using xda premium 1.59Ghz

wow , mine become very hot too , i always disconnect the wall charger because of this

Contact ASUS, send them pics. Do Not send them the unit yet. If they don't replace it immediately, send it to UL Labs.

Asus tech support have the tendency to not think at all and just declare your warranty voided because the outside is melted or whatever. They always claim it's a sign you tamper with it.

i9apps said:
wow , mine become very hot too , i always disconnect the wall charger because of this
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Click to collapse
i have to do so as well

With the history ASUS has with AC power adapters we all need to keep a watchful eye on our adapters. It appears they maybe under built. Meaning the components used in their construction are not big enough to handle the load.
Maybe we need to follow DEVCAKE's thread and build an AC adapter?
hshoem1
By the way my adapter died yesterday.

I've never noticed anything with my TF's charger (I just worry about the cable getting damaged at the docking connector), but now that you metion that...did notice that my Eee PC's charger always did get awefully hot at the brick :-S

So i called yesterday after i got lost in that crap website. most links would end up dead.
The rep gave me an RMA number and emailed me instructions.
I sent them an email with the pic. THanks for the suggestion. Hopefully i can get something resolved.
For now...i cant even charge the damn thing.

I know this is almost a month old since the last post, but curious to know, did they give you any push back or require the old 1 back?

Same here. My Asus charger is very very hot. I need to emphasize the very because its really very hot.

These chargers are very cheap. Running hot is a known issue and if it quits working put it in a ziplock bag and put it in the freezer for 30 minutes. Sounds stupid but it will reset the overload switch in the charger. I've done it. I also don't keep my tab on the charger all the time.
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using xda premium

Ever since I got my first asus product, (eee pc 2Gig surf) I have had charger issues. They always make them very flimsy. My transformers charger gets extremely hot as well. My grandpa owns a viewsonic gTab and the charger for that doesn't burst into flames like mine when he charges it. Thanks for the pictures, I won't leave it plugged in when its not charging anymore.
Sent from my HERO200 using XDA App

thebadfrog said:
These chargers are very cheap. Running hot is a known issue and if it quits working put it in a ziplock bag and put it in the freezer for 30 minutes. Sounds stupid but it will reset the overload switch in the charger. I've done it. I also don't keep my tab on the charger all the time.
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had to do something like this with my ASUS netbook. It had an indicator light on it that would randomly stop working because it got too hot. Had to unplug it for up to an hour to get it to work again. On that note anyone know of any third party transformer chargers that work better/less hot?

gdeeble said:
I know this is almost a month old since the last post, but curious to know, did they give you any push back or require the old 1 back?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I sent them the damages unit and they sent me a new one. Rep didn't ask any questions after I explained why I needed an RMA number

turbulent28 said:
I sent them the damages unit and they sent me a new one. Rep didn't ask any questions after I explained why I needed an RMA number
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Did you include the socket adapter (UK/usa/europe plugs)? Or just the bare adapter...
Have to send it in as well (getting it picked up tomorrow) and wondering whether or not to include the plugs/adapter.

i love how asus charges $50 for this overheqting piece of **** charger. if they are going to pull an Apple on pricing then the quality better be top notch

Mine died to (I don't really know from what but i'm guessing from overheating or some low quality issue), and I found a perfectly fine 12v output AC adaptater with USB port for 10$ in a supermarket. It's a little heavier but have a much longer cable and doesn't threaten to burn my house during the night.
But loosing the USB cable itself must be anoying.

Touchscreen issues when charging

Anyone having issues with your touch screen when you are using it while it's chArging? Just wondering if i have a faulty device or are there others with the same problem
Sent from my HTC One X using xda premium

No my device does not have this issue when charging. I think this issue has something to do with the charger.

That's a grounding problem, had it with my SGSII try a different cable.

The sensation had an issue of touchscreen problems while charging. i went through 3 phones. The cause is the same cause as the wifi errors that people are having with the HOX. Bad connection from unibody(sensation) to board.. If we added aluminum foil or solder (just like the HOX wifi issue) it would fix the problem. On the sensation the problem got really bad to where you couldnt unlock the phone with the lockring. grounding issue. I hope the HOX isnt having that same issue and you just have a bum phone or better yet a bum cord or charger. let us know if its either

yeah happened alot on my s2, was due to usb cable or something
but works fine when im charging

It was the grounding issue, does this damage the phone? I have a wall outlet with USB ports so it might emit too much power
Sent from my HTC One X using xda premium

slojko said:
It was the grounding issue, does this damage the phone? I have a wall outlet with USB ports so it might emit too much power
Sent from my HTC One X using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Every time this has happened it has been because of what the USB cable was plugged in to and not the cable itself. Try the charger it came with in a regular plug. If it doesn't work better then it is a phone problem.

This happens to me too. Charging from the laptop with an eBay (chinese) cable causes the touchscreen to be unresponsive.
Here's how to test: Open the Notes and draw a few lines very fast.
Here's the results:
USB Charging
No USB Charging

Here is a video of it happening to me on my skyrocket. It was because of the charger. Try a different cable, then a different wall adapter.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x__jdlGXyjk

It is because of the charger...it's always recommended to use the charger that came with the phone eventhough they give us a tiny a$$ USB cable.
Sent from my HTC One XL using Tapatalk 2

Yes, I have an issue - when the phone gets to 90%+ while charging, the screen becomes very unresponsive. The drags don't drag - instead the touches are registered as taps.
You can get an app like MultiTouch Test - and you will see, it's very clear to see when this happens.
My first One X device did not have this issue, so it's something specific to my current unit. Doesn't bother me much, since it only happens at 90%+ charge, while plugged in...

neocryte said:
My first One X device did not have this issue, so it's something specific to my current unit. Doesn't bother me much, since it only happens at 90%+ charge, while plugged in...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To me it doesn't happen all the time, sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn't. Unplugging the cable and plugging it back in seems to temporarily fix the problem, if I leave it charging for a couple more minutes, I think the problem will come back, but again, unplugging/plugging it back, solves it temporarily. It's weird...
Oh, and all this to say that I observed this behavior while charging around 65%, not 90%. And I've only observed this while charging with AC power with the original cable and charger. The problem did not present itself (yet) while charging through USB.

Touchscreen While Charging
Nazgulled said:
To me it doesn't happen all the time, sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn't. Unplugging the cable and plugging it back in seems to temporarily fix the problem, if I leave it charging for a couple more minutes, I think the problem will come back, but again, unplugging/plugging it back, solves it temporarily. It's weird...
Oh, and all this to say that I observed this behavior while charging around 65%, not 90%. And I've only observed this while charging with AC power with the original cable and charger. The problem did not present itself (yet) while charging through USB.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just had this happen with the stock charger from my old HTC One using it on my HTC One X. Along with touchscreen problems it got VERY hot located as you are looking at the camera side it got hot on the top right side near the camera. Dunno what that could be. Both chargers are rated at the same voltage and amperage, I dont get it
jmdwyer

jmdwyer said:
I just had this happen with the stock charger from my old HTC One using it on my HTC One X. Along with touchscreen problems it got VERY hot located as you are looking at the camera side it got hot on the top right side near the camera. Dunno what that could be. Both chargers are rated at the same voltage and amperage, I dont get it
jmdwyer
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Click to collapse
It's caused by electrical noise. The voltage supplied from your mains outlet is alternating current (typically 50/60hz in frequency). a usb charger has to do two things; firstly step down the voltage (110v/230v/240v down to 5v) and secondly rectify the alternating current into direct current (positive and negative). how it does this is by using a transformer which employs an iron core surrounded by copper windings, this generates a lot of rf (radio) which travels down the cables to the device as well as broadcasting a short distance through the air, a decent charger will use shielding as well as a few other pieces of circuitry which will neutralize the rf given off. In order to rectify the voltage the charger will use a variety of diodes and capitors, in a cheap Chinese charger they will typically use as little as 2 and possibly a generic chemical capacitor (similar to a small battery) these degrade over time and can get quite hot, fat and eventually burst - when you hear about chargers exploding or setting on fire it's usually because the capitors aren't up to the job. a Chinese charger may have all the quality control and certification stamps but most of them are forged, if you buy a charger for less than $10 this is what your likely to end up with. the outputted voltage may appear 5v on a multimeter but they are a very dirty output and can spike from 3v to 7v or even more the load on the charger increases. The dirty output interferes with the mechanism used on touch screen devices which also employ a type of capacitance to register where you are pressing on the screen. A decent charger will use solid state capitors and which should last a lifetime.
if the smartphone miss behaves whilst charging 90% of the time it's because of a faulty charging device (or one employing poor components). a decent charger may cost more $20 but they are significantly safer for both you and the device.
The problem with mains sockets with built in usb usually comes down to shielding, they will either have none or be earthed (which might sound like a good idea but in practise a lot of domestic devices will create leakage to earth causing more noise - alot of studio equipment will have a separate earth). These may not be as dangerous as cheap Chinese chargers but still undesirable.
If a original or good quality charger isn't available one of the best sources for charging a phone will actually be a desktop pc with a usb3 port. The whole pc is insulated in a nice metal case and there are a plefora of high quality components to create a stable clean power supply (a cpu voltage tolerance is usually measured to 2 decimal places of a volt which is pretty good).
Ditch the rubbish cheap chargers, you honestly get what you pay for and they aren't good for the long term health of the phone. If it hums or makes a high pitch noise whilst plugged in your playing with fire - literally. they aren't bothered if your phone dies in 6 months or bursts into flames so long as they get the $5 x 100,000 people who buy them (these things literally cost pennies for them to put together, even though the case might look the business inside they are nasty and as cheap as)
Sent from my HTC One XL using Tapatalk

Very insightful. The worst part is that I have two original HTC chargers and they both emit the high pitched noise.
Sent from my Evita

timmaaa said:
Very insightful. The worst part is that I have two original HTC chargers and they both emit the high pitched noise.
Sent from my Evita
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Some of the very small chargers might whistle a little, its called coil noise and isn't as bad as capacitors about to pop. The iron core hasn't been sufficiently dampened or glued into the case so it resonates when the ac passes through it, the pitch may change depending on the voltage (whether its a 230v or 110v power supply). It isn't unsafe but HTC should be doing a better job at checking the new chargers, over time most chargers will develop coil noise as glue tends to melt or degrade.
Very insightful video, you'll never buy a cheap charger again
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wi-b9k-0KfE&feature=youtube_gdata_player
The gist being the cheap chargers could very well set on fire and the USB could go live at mains voltage with no circuit protection, death traps spring to mind. Be careful what you buy.
Sent from my K701HBC using Tapatalk

Charger squeek

My charger squeeks. When the tablet (or dock) is plugged in, and is fully charged, the charger starts squeeking. When I unplug the proprietary connector from the tablet/dock the noise stops. Whenever there is something to be charged (either dock or tablet), the squeeking stops.
So basially, the charger only squeeks when it is plugged in and not actually chaging, and does not squeek when it is plugged in and 'idling'.
Anyone else have this issue? I have a European/Dutch outlet connector btw.
Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF700T

Vo01985 said:
My charger squeeks. When the tablet (or dock) is plugged in, and is fully charged, the charger starts squeeking. When I unplug the proprietary connector from the tablet/dock the noise stops. Whenever there is something to be charged (either dock or tablet), the squeeking stops.
So basially, the charger only squeeks when it is plugged in and not actually chaging, and does not squeek when it is plugged in and 'idling'.
Anyone else have this issue? I have a European/Dutch outlet connector btw.
Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF700T
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same here, and it is normal behavior and nothing to worry about. As far as I know, it's just a higher frequency version of the well-known 50Hz 'hum' and has to do with electronics in the charger. Most transformers (i.e., power converters) have this, as even when you unplug your device, there is still induction going on in the secondary spool of the transformer, and therefore, it is still 'working', albeit with no actual, useful output.
That's also why a power converter still consumes electricity if you simply unplug a charged device and then go to school/work/whatever -- to stop it from '' bleeding', you need to unplug the charger itself from the wall socket.
Check some others you may have laying around and if you put your ear close enough, you'll hear them doing it too. Hell, even my television set does it.

Eek, Dutchies invasion!
Anyway, Yep, same here.
You guys sure it isn't a Dutch plug problem? That's three of us now..

I've noticed this on mine here in the US, but I'll try to pay more attention and see if it does it on our 60 Hz frequencies or not.
Sent from my ASUS Transformer Infinity Running Tapatalk.

johnlgalt said:
I've noticed this on mine here in the US, but I'll try to pay more attention and see if it does it on our 60 Hz frequencies or not.
Sent from my ASUS Transformer Infinity Running Tapatalk.
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Click to collapse
Itwill probably do exactly the same, although at a 20% higher frequency. EDIT: actually, that might be a good thing if you're slightly older, for I must admit the frequency of the beep is very annoying (I have pretty good hearing, and the tablet signalling it is charged from next to my bed is irritating to say the least....).
And, err... yeah, it was kinda obvious this attracted a lot of attention from the Low Countries. Luckily, I am pretty sure we all have the same kind of electricity (and applicable laws of physics).

Annoying is understating it just a tad... The noise is reminiscent of a humongous mosquito on steroids preforming a carnaval fanfare at 0200. Only this one I can not silence with a good whack from a swatter. (Bit expensive..)
Oh no! I have a very special kind of Twents electricity! The non-existent variant. Dear Essent, kindly put your football reruns on pause and get your lazy arses back to work! :silly:
Send form my HTC HD2

ShadowLea said:
Annoying is understating it just a tad... The noise is reminiscent of a humongous mosquito on steroids preforming a carnaval fanfare at 0200. Only this one I can not silence with a good whack from a swatter. (Bit expensive..)
Oh no! I have a very special kind of Twents electricity! The non-existent variant. Dear Essent, kindly put your football reruns on pause and get your lazy arses back to work! :silly:
Send form my HTC HD2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, the Dutch electricity is among the best in the world... IF you have it available. Seems we're having cutouts more often than in the past, although that might be me getting old.
When I charged the 700 overnight for the first time, my girlfriend/now wife poked me awake -- since I hold the designated household mosquito killer position -- that there was this HUGE mosquito that needed swatting. She said it sounded so humongous that she was scared that if the thing would bite, she would be sucked empty as a flat tire. :laugh: I saw nothing, obviously, only hearing a slight beep, only finding out the most probable suspect the next morning.

Yes, they do seem to become increasingly more common... Probably because the companies have a hard time realizing the calendar says 2012 and not 1912 Ironically, they nearly always coincide with a football match...
That was one very expensive 10,1 inch sized mosquito! :laugh: At least it doesn't fly... (I hope not O_O)

Vo01985 said:
So basially, the charger only squeeks when it is plugged in and not actually chaging, and does not squeek when it is plugged in and 'idling'.
Anyone else have this issue? I have a European/Dutch outlet connector btw.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Another NL here, I hear it too. I usually have it charge next to my bed, as well, and the sound sometimes wakes me up. It's not uncommon though. I have a charger from a Dell laptop that has the same issue.

xcal321 said:
Another NL here, I hear it too. I usually have it charge next to my bed, as well, and the sound sometimes wakes me up. It's not uncommon though. I have a charger from a Dell laptop that has the same issue.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
the chargers use choppers . please do search on wikipedia or google about them. it is a normal behaviour . you are welcome my friends
Sent from my GT-N7000 using xda app-developers app

gbb14 said:
the chargers use choppers . please do search on wikipedia or google about them. it is a normal behaviour . you are welcome my friends
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yea we figured as much
We're just doing what us Dutchies do best: Complain to eachother about it.

MartyHulskemper said:
Itwill probably do exactly the same, although at a 20% higher frequency. EDIT: actually, that might be a good thing if you're slightly older, for I must admit the frequency of the beep is very annoying (I have pretty good hearing, and the tablet signalling it is charged from next to my bed is irritating to say the least....).
And, err... yeah, it was kinda obvious this attracted a lot of attention from the Low Countries. Luckily, I am pretty sure we all have the same kind of electricity (and applicable laws of physics).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have an unusual sensitivity to high frequency noises. However, I misstated my original post - I meant to say I have not noticed it thus far.
I am slightly older (41) but I also have tinnitus in my ears, so it's a bit strange that I am s attuned to high frequency noises at all. Maybe if I am lucky, the whine is at the same frequency as the ringing in my ears, and it is thus in phase or canceled out?

johnlgalt said:
I have an unusual sensitivity to high frequency noises. However, I misstated my original post - I meant to say I have not noticed it thus far.
I am slightly older (41) but I also have tinnitus in my ears, so it's a bit strange that I am s attuned to high frequency noises at all. Maybe if I am lucky, the whine is at the same frequency as the ringing in my ears, and it is thus in phase or canceled out?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I dunno -- I'm 33 years old and have tinnitus as well, and I am very high-frequency sensitive, as well. Might be the condition in itself, or maybe everyone has tinnitus when you'd measure but most people just do not have the hearing to pick it up <?> -- talk about bending a disadvantage to something positive, hahaha! It depends on the build and proportions of your inner ear, though, which explains why I pick it up so clearly and you seem not to. Call yourself lucky though, for I have taken to charging it during the day when I am at home and busy with the kids, or in the hospital during a shift, when I don't have that much time to play around with it anyway. I try to avoid the overnight charging at the moment; I might pick it up where I left if/when my hearing goes south and I can't make it out anymore.
EDIT: slightly (at best) off-topic, but can you hear the power converter of a cathode-ray television set when you turn it on? I can hear all kinds of electronic equipment being turned on -- with the volume down to zero, obviously, for the humorously-inclined in here.

I'm just wondering. Switching power supplies typically operate between a few hundred KHz and a couple of MHz or so. To keep the same output voltage when there is no or very little load however, they often employ a "hiccup" mode. It wakes-up at, or near ultrasonic frequencies. At 240V input, it hiccups at a lower frequency than at 120V, shifting down to the audible range. It's likely that the magnetic components employed resonate acoustically, so only certain load and input voltage range will result in an audible pitch. It may not help with the problem, but at least we could have some sort of an explanation handy?
If the squeek is too loud though, I'd be thinking to RMA it and try to get a quieter one. I can't hear mine unless I put the adapter to my ear. I wonder how common the problem is? If the vibration is too strong though, some components could eventually fail.

If I can dig it up again, I'll hang the TF700 onto the USB wall charger thingy I have -- I can transplant the cable, so that shouldn't be a problem. What could be a problem, however, is its charging capacity -- I can see how the Tf700 outruns its supply, at least when it's trying the charge it while the 700 is running... (Kinda like trying to charge your car battery with rechargeable AA batteries. )

MartyHulskemper said:
If I can dig it up again, I'll hang the TF700 onto the USB wall charger thingy I have -- I can transplant the cable, so that shouldn't be a problem. What could be a problem, how ever, is its charging capacity -- I can see how the Tf700 outruns its supply, at least when it's trying the charge it while the 700 is running... (Kinda like trying to charge your car battery with rechargeable AA batteries. )
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're right. I think if you are using any USB charger to charge TF700, you might get disappointed. It'll be the same as charging it via any USB port, verrryy slowly... The thing is, TF700 internal charging circuit must be limiting the power it draws to less than 2.5W, since USB 2 standard limits consumption to 0.5A. The Asus tablet charger's label indicates that it can put out 2A at 5V or 1.2A at 15V. On the other hand, the tablet's cable uses a special USB plug that has a fifth pin deep in the middle. So, don't use any USB extension cables to charge when you're in a hurry. When the tablet's USB cable is plugged in, the Asus wall charger detects this 5th pin then steps up its output to 15V. Now the TF700 can draw as much as 18W to charge its battery and to power the tablet simultaneously. Sorry, I'm getting off topic here.

[Q] dock not charging: tf700t with tf201 dock

Hi all,
I've searched the forums thoroughly and I couldn't find the solution.
I have a brand new transformer tf700 and keyboard dock tf201. They were purchased in the USA and brought over to me in Hanoi, Vietnam.
The charger will charge the tablet, but not the dock.
When the charger is plugged into the dock, there is no light. Also nothing happens when connecting the tablet and dock. No light on either, and the tablet does not enter a docked mode. So it seems like the battery on the dock is completely drained or the dock is simply faulty.
I've tried leaving it overnight for the initial charge (first thing I did), as well as different outlets and charging by USB.
Since the charger works on the tablet it seems obvious that the problem is with the dock, but is there any further troubleshooting I can do to confirm this 100%? Since I'm in Vietnam, sending the dock back for warranty etc.. is going to be very problematic and in fact its illegal for used electronic items to be shipped back into Vietnam. So I really want to know 100% for sure what the issue is. Vietnam is 220V / 50HZ and it seems the charger is rated for that.
I'm open to more advanced options such as using a multimeter.
Thanks.

bump

It could be that the charger was meant for a newer version of the dock. Your using a TF700T charger with a TF201T dock.
It could just be a compatibility issue. If so just buy a TF700T dock or buy a TF201T charger. I hope this helps.

ostar2 said:
It could be that the charger was meant for a newer version of the dock. Your using a TF700T charger with a TF201T dock.
It could just be a compatibility issue. If so just buy a TF700T dock or buy a TF201T charger. I hope this helps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Very unlikely. I regularly charge my TF700 with the TF101 charger, and I am almost sure the TF201 uses the same charger.

_that said:
Very unlikely. I regularly charge my TF700 with the TF101 charger, and I am almost sure the TF201 uses the same charger.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Perhaps, the docks power supply died. Which would mean either buy a new dock or send it in for warranty.

ostar2 said:
Perhaps, the docks power supply died. Which would mean either buy a new dock or send it in for warranty.
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Well I need to test this 100% for certain, because I can't send it in for warranty due to Vietnam's import laws, and the dock is not available for sale here at the moment. So neither of those options are viable
Like I said it has never worked but so far the only advice I have gotten essentially is "plug it in" as well as check the charger. The charger works fine with the tablet so I'm pretty sure that its not that, however I am curious about the mechanism by which it jumps from 5v to 15v and how it may behave in houses with or without voltage stabilizers.
Unless I've overlooked a very simple step I'm really wanting to move forward into a more technical analysis (ie: checking voltages / opening the dock).

Further info: the shop tested the dock before sending it (it was open but unused) and it worked fine.
So this strengthens the case for a charger/voltage/amperage related issue. Of course it could have been damaged in transit but it was DHL priority and appropriately marked so not too likely

maliusmaximus said:
Further info: the shop tested the dock before sending it (it was open but unused) and it worked fine.
So this strengthens the case for a charger/voltage/amperage related issue. Of course it could have been damaged in transit but it was DHL priority and appropriately marked so not too likely
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It could just be you need a universal plugin to convert the amperage.

ostar2 said:
It could just be you need a universal plugin to convert the amperage.
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Well a universal plug as I know it is just an adapter. It doesn't have any step-up/step-down capabilities.
But if you mean a universal power converter then possibly, although usually they just provide 12v, not 15.
The supplied adapter should be fine though, because its rated at 110-240V (Vietnam is 220V) and 50/60Hz (Vietnam is 50Hz).
My only thought with the adapter was whether it was having problems stepping up to 15v as it charges the tablet at 5v just fine.
Question: Does trickle feeding the tf201 on USB work? Also does the light turn on for a trickle feed?

bump

does this do anything.....
fully charge the tablet on its own, connect it to the dock, connect the charger (plugged in), restart the unit?

DNO1978 said:
does this do anything.....
fully charge the tablet on its own, connect it to the dock, connect the charger (plugged in), restart the unit?
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No I tried that before creating the thread. Thanks anyway.

Don't know if this has been asked yet, but does the dock actually work (not just the battery)? Can you plug it into a nearby computer and access the mounted tablet? Also, there's a widget on the tablet that can show if the dock/tablet is charging or not. Also, you mentioned trying power from different outlets. Did you try outlets in a different building (like a hotel or university)? I've seen from visiting Brazil that "standardized electricity" doesn't mean that everyone has adopted it.
From what you've mentioned, you really have 3 viable options of failure: Dock battery is bad, dock is completely bad, or incorrect power. If its the battery, then you get to decide if you want to rip it apart or not. If its completely bad, then you would probably need to send it back. Finally, if it just doesn't work where you are, it could be that the building isn't up to standards or even that there might be electrical issues in the building your at.
_that said:
I regularly charge my TF700 with the TF101 charger, and I am almost sure the TF201 uses the same charger.
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I use a TF700 charger for charging my TF201. I agree that there's probably little difference in the charger.
maliusmaximus said:
Does trickle feeding the tf201 on USB work? Also does the light turn on for a trickle feed?
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It seems like there is a trickle and the light does not turn on. I only tried it for about a minute but the tablet did show that charging was happening. Maybe later I'll try a longer test.
Let us know if you've discovered or decided anything new.

alienedd said:
Don't know if this has been asked yet, but does the dock actually work (not just the battery)?
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Thanks but I tried that already before posting. Plugging the tablet into the dock does nothing, and plugging the dock into USB at the same time has no result.
alienedd said:
Did you try outlets in a different building (like a hotel or university)? I've seen from visiting Brazil that "standardized electricity" doesn't mean that everyone has adopted it.
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Not yet, but I will try that soon. I have a working voltage stabilizer in my house, as well as about 8 computers and 5 tvs etc.. Everything works very well and when I fixed some people's hardware recently it worked in my house but not theirs (due to my power supply being good) so I'm pretty sure that's not the issue. I will take it somewhere else though just to rule that option out.
alienedd said:
From what you've mentioned, you really have 3 viable options of failure: Dock battery is bad, dock is completely bad, or incorrect power. If its the battery, then you get to decide if you want to rip it apart or not. If its completely bad, then you would probably need to send it back. Finally, if it just doesn't work where you are, it could be that the building isn't up to standards or even that there might be electrical issues in the building your at.
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Right, that's the conclusion I came to as well before posting. So I really wanted to know if I had overlooked something simple (doesn't seem as though I have) or begin more advanced diagnostics such as using a multimeter or hear some stories from someone who has taken their dock apart before I tear in.
Thanks again!

Well, I believe that the tablet should find the dock even if the dock has no battery power. The battery of the dock is merely a backup battery for the tablet and not used by the dock itself for functionality. For this reason, I think you got just a bad dock. If you want to try to replace the battery (since you are closer to China and Japan), you are looking for a C21-TF201D battery. You will need a small torx screwdriver (like a T-3 or T2 - my smallest is a T-4 which is just barely too big) to remove the screws in the back and a Phillips 0 to remove the screws under the pads. Top piece can then be lifted gently and there are 2 ribbons underneath to fully detach the keyboard. From there you should have just a few more things to do to get to the battery. There's a teardown video here but the speech is almost inaudible and the music is distracting.
What I was thinking is that the dock was tested before shipment then it arrived nonfunctional. It leads me to believe that something was damaged during transport (derrr, yeah I know that's obvious just bare with me). If that something damaged was the battery, then there could be some leakage that has led to possibly corrosive damage to other electronics in the device. And that wouldn't be fun to try to fix on your own. If you want to continue trying to troubleshoot it, you might want to do it without attaching the dock to the tablet until you find out what is wrong because you don't want to possibly fry your tablet connector due to the dock acting unreliably.
You should probably start talking with your shipping carrier about the fact that the device was damaged and that you should be reimbursed somehow. This might allow you to get a new one through them or sufficient money for a replacement.

alienedd said:
Well, I believe that the tablet should find the dock even if the dock has no battery power. The battery of the dock is merely a backup battery for the tablet and not used by the dock itself for functionality. For this reason, I think you got just a bad dock. If you want to try to replace the battery (since you are closer to China and Japan), you are looking for a C21-TF201D battery. You will need a small torx screwdriver (like a T-3 or T2 - my smallest is a T-4 which is just barely too big) to remove the screws in the back and a Phillips 0 to remove the screws under the pads. Top piece can then be lifted gently and there are 2 ribbons underneath to fully detach the keyboard. From there you should have just a few more things to do to get to the battery. There's a teardown video here but the speech is almost inaudible and the music is distracting.
What I was thinking is that the dock was tested before shipment then it arrived nonfunctional. It leads me to believe that something was damaged during transport (derrr, yeah I know that's obvious just bare with me). If that something damaged was the battery, then there could be some leakage that has led to possibly corrosive damage to other electronics in the device. And that wouldn't be fun to try to fix on your own. If you want to continue trying to troubleshoot it, you might want to do it without attaching the dock to the tablet until you find out what is wrong because you don't want to possibly fry your tablet connector due to the dock acting unreliably.
You should probably start talking with your shipping carrier about the fact that the device was damaged and that you should be reimbursed somehow. This might allow you to get a new one through them or sufficient money for a replacement.
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What can I say, you're a legend. That's just the kind of info I was looking for. I'll get stuck into it soon and let you know how it goes.
I also wondered about whether the tablet should connect to the PC via the dock but my thinking is that you may need a minimum charge to get through the extra circuity in the dock (all dem capacimataters and circamatronics). But yeah I see your point.
About the dock working before they sent it, I'd take that with a grain of salt.
Full disclosure: When the company sent the package, they forgot to include the dock altogether and my friend left America the next day. When I was talking to (screaming at) them, they said they were totally out of stock except for one which was opened but unused. They agreed to courier it (DHL express international... ouch) over to Vietnam (as it had most of its packaging so could be treated as new. ). Why that dock was already opened in their shop I wonder. Methinks it was probably already broken and they are trying to cut their losses (they already had to cover international shipping and 100% import tax so they lost out big time due to forgetting to send the dock. They knew I couldn't send it back from Vn either).
Once again thanks!

I've swapped in a mainboard from another dock that had a bad battery.
Now the dock dock functions fine, and the tablet connects and can be charged through the dock.
However the battery light for the dock just stays as orange no matter how long I charge it for. And it always shows 0% battery on the dock so it seems like the battery doesn't charge at all.
What areas should I check? Also if I use a multimeter to check the battery, is there any way to tell if the battery can hold charge (and the issue is somewhere in the connectors) or if the battery cannot hold charge at all?
I tried a cold boot, no luck. Perhaps an alternative is the mainboard needs some kind of hard reset to recognize the new battery? Or of course the battery could just be bad, like the mainboard.

maliusmaximus said:
I've swapped in a mainboard from another dock that had a bad battery.
Now the dock dock functions fine, and the tablet connects and can be charged through the dock.
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That's great to hear! Now at the very least you have a functional dock.
maliusmaximus said:
However the battery light for the dock just stays as orange no matter how long I charge it for. And it always shows 0% battery on the dock so it seems like the battery doesn't charge at all.
What areas should I check? Also if I use a multimeter to check the battery, is there any way to tell if the battery can hold charge (and the issue is somewhere in the connectors) or if the battery cannot hold charge at all?
I tried a cold boot, no luck. Perhaps an alternative is the mainboard needs some kind of hard reset to recognize the new battery? Or of course the battery could just be bad, like the mainboard.
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Unfortunately, it has been years since I've used a multimeter for these situations so I wouldn't be able to help you out directly in that area. Googling for how to test batteries on other devices - like the TF101 dock or even regular batteries - could provide additional valuable information to help you in your experiments.
There's the possibility that it's merely a calibration issue where the dock has no knowledge of the battery's charge, but the fact that there's a constant 0% and the light stays orange all the time (never turning to green) then it leads me to believe it's a bad battery. Have you tried checking if the tablet continues to charge from the dock with no charger attached? If the dock charges the tablet in this fashion, then it's a battery data issue. Likewise, have you tried to use the dock without the battery, detach dock, then reinsert battery to see if that spurs the dock to reset its battery data? You might also look into an app or widget that will show you the battery output charge and all (like this). That's all I can really think of at the moment. Hopefully, from whatever tests you perform we can discover whether it's really a bad battery or something else.

Thanks for suggestions Alienedd. I ended up going back to Australia for Christmas so I quietly slipped the defective parts back in and made a warranty return.