TF101G: Charger cable broke -- need urgent alternative

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Hello all,

I have the following problem: The USB connector side of the standard charger cable for my TF101G is damaged beyond repair. The wall wart is fine.

In my naivity I bought the standard USB adapter (namely this: http://www.amazon.com/Transformer-TF...6838294&sr=8-6 ) believing that a "standard" USB Type A male -- male cable to connect the adapter to the wall wart will do the trick.

After finding it doesn't I browsed (quickly...) this thread http://forum.xda-developers.com/show....php?t=1087321 . It seems that the adapter is using some different wiring...

I tried this with both USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 (male - male) cable between the wall wart and the USB adapter to no avail.

Question is simple: Can I use the adapter I bought -- via some easy modding of the USB cables if needed -- to charge the tablet (and keyboard) ? Or I simply need to buy another charger ?

Thanks,

Florian

No, the pins used for charging is not in use on the adapter.

You can quite easily fix your cable though, if the 40-pin connector is still intact. Its just 4 (ok, 5 actually) wires.
If its only part of the cable thats broken, you can just cut the cable and then cut a USB3 cable and solder them together. red to red, black to black, white to white etc... the 2nd red wire is supposed to be attached to pin7 of the usb3 cable. I dont know the color of that though.

The wall wart outputs 15 VDC @ 1.2 Amps when the TF is detected. If not, it will output the standard USB 5 VDC @ 2.0 Amps. Any voltage less than 11 VDC will not show the tablet charging.

A USB port (5 VDC @ 0.5 Amps) will charge with the screen off at a rate of 3% per hour.
An iPad charger (5 VDC @ 2.0 Amps) will charge with the screen off at a rate of 10% per hour.

If you are looking for a charger, it will have to output between 12 and 16 VDC across pin 1 and 4 of a USB connector.

You can make your own, or try to find one. Dynex makes one, or you can check some stores. ASUS sells them online, as do some other vendors. Depending on where you are located some users may be able to help you find one.

There is plenty of info on the forum on DIY chargers and such. Here is one thread:

So you can only trickle charge without ASUS charger?

or you can just build your own pc usb charger (see link in my sig)

Thats my charger just went tits up aswell. 3 days of gtee left! Tried freezer but no joy. Looks like its outputing something by the indicator on the tf itself but % still drops, dock indicator light doesnt come on.

Cables ok as pc installed drivers etc when connected.

Originally Posted by scottyf79

Thats my charger just went tits up aswell. 3 days of gtee left! Tried freezer but no joy. Looks like its outputing something by the indicator on the tf itself but % still drops, dock indicator light doesnt come on.

Cables ok as pc installed drivers etc when connected.

Sounds like mine... it refuses to send 15v anymore, it only sends 5v.
Im going to rip mine apart, when I get some free time, and see if bridging the connections will help kick it into 15v mode again.

Originally Posted by Goatshocker

No, the pins used for charging is not in use on the adapter.

You can quite easily fix your cable though, if the 40-pin connector is still intact. Its just 4 (ok, 5 actually) wires.
If its only part of the cable thats broken, you can just cut the cable and then cut a USB3 cable and solder them together. red to red, black to black, white to white etc... the 2nd red wire is supposed to be attached to pin7 of the usb3 cable. I dont know the color of that though.

Welll...Tbh I'm not so sure I want to take the knife to an USB 3.0 cable....

If you look at the attached pics of the (damaged) connector you'll see the Red & Orange cable (still) soldered to Pin 1, the Shielding was (seemingly) connected to Pin 4, while on the other side (the "top" of the connector -- see 2nd pic) i have the Yellow Wire... well, not sure where ...Shielding ? Also, unclear where this yellow wire goes..

Anyway. My "problem" is that

1) Bought the USB adapter in vein (stupid, $45 mistake). Anyway, lesson learned.

2) I still isn't clear to me on what wire has to go where on the USB 3.0 side and I don't really want to take risks in frying any part (the tablet or the wall wart...)

Thanks anyway. Still looking for alternatives / safe way to reconnect this...

Florian

Originally Posted by scottyf79

Thats my charger just went tits up aswell. 3 days of gtee left! Tried freezer but no joy. Looks like its outputing something by the indicator on the tf itself but % still drops, dock indicator light doesnt come on.

Cables ok as pc installed drivers etc when connected.

Not to throw a wrench in the works here, but I have a cable that installs drivers and functions just fine when connected to computer, but will not charge from either of the two wall adapters I own. Another cable I have will work with both adapters.

TF101 Megatron 1.0.4 Guevor test 17c

I bought one of these 2m cables from ebay and they work fine, you may find cheaper but this one does work and its longer that the original which is a bonus.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ws/eBayISA...E:L:eek:C:GB:3160

Edit :- I also have a 3m USB3 cable which I can use as an extention to the existing cable (or the 2m one above) so I can sit quite a way from the plug socket without a problem.

Spot of luck.....Asus tf came in to my store to get sent back for repair. So my tf is now happily getting a charge from the borrowed adaptor until ups pick it up

My charger was picked up yesterday and is currently tracked to Germany. Just as a tip for anyone - rma your tf yourself! Don't take it to the retailer to do it......Asus are hopeless with the retailers and seem to think its OK just to string it along knowing the retailer will take the flack.