HP Spectre - Windows not showing a battery but battery still powers notebook if power adapter removed

[survivalbloke]

HP Spectre X360 Convertible.
Model: 15-df1033dx
SN: 5CD94486ZJ
Prod: 7UT64UA#ABA

Windows does not show a battery installed. Is using aftermarket battery. If I disconnect the power adapter, the laptop remains powered up.

What I've tried:

• Replace battery with new aftermarket unit
• Reinstalled Windows
• Updated BIOS

Coming off the DC jack, I have charger voltage on red, but on brown(I suppose is sense wire) I have only .45V which I believe is low, is it not? Shouldn't sense voltage be a couple volts less than charger voltage?

[mon2]

Pour some IPA (alcohol) & love onto the solder connections to remove any residue between the SMD pads.

Then measure the voltage to ground of the SMBUS lines which are probably the black wire lines. Some will be ground but the others will be the SMBUS interconnect lines. If either one or both of the lines is shunted (maybe due to the SOT23 ESD devices north of this connector) then the battery will not be detected nor charged.

[survivalbloke]

Pour some IPA (alcohol) & love onto the solder connections to remove any residue between the SMD pads.

Then measure the voltage to ground of the SMBUS lines which are probably the black wire lines. Some will be ground but the others will be the SMBUS interconnect lines. If either one or both of the lines is shunted (maybe due to the SOT23 ESD devices north of this connector) then the battery will not be detected nor charged.

Thank you for such a speedy response! When you say "SMD pads" are you referring to the pads where the DC input header is soldered to the board? If that was correct, I did that, then connected the power adapter. I measured all 4 of the black lines but all were 0v. I have the battery removed. Did I execute your test incorrectly?

[mon2]

Yes on the SMD pads. Yes on the method of testing.

Try this to confirm if each black wire is common to the others. Locate the large PCB tracks on the battery connector. Believe the very last group are GROUND. Based on this assumption, disconnect the battery pack.

One meter always on the last black wire. Next meter lead on the next black wire. You should have ~0 ohms = meaning the pair are ground connections. Continue to probe each black wire. Do the top 2 black wires also show ~0 ohms? If yes, then they are not SMBUS lines. Each battery back with multiple internal cells should have a BMS module which communicates over I2C / SMBUS SCL / SDA lines.

Would you have a link to the schematics for this unit? Do not see it in my database of schematics.

[survivalbloke]

Yes on the SMD pads. Yes on the method of testing.

Try this to confirm if each black wire is common to the others. Locate the large PCB tracks on the battery connector. Believe the very last group are GROUND. Based on this assumption, disconnect the battery pack.

One meter always on the last black wire. Next meter lead on the next black wire. You should have ~0 ohms = meaning the pair are ground connections. Continue to probe each black wire. Do the top 2 black wires also show ~0 ohms? If yes, then they are not SMBUS lines. Each battery back with multiple internal cells should have a BMS module which communicates over I2C / SMBUS SCL / SDA lines.

Would you have a link to the schematics for this unit? Do not see it in my database of schematics.

Confirmed all 4 black lines are ground. I do not have a schematic. So it's a problem on the board, and not a battery issue, correct? If so, that's good enough for me to tell the customer.

[mon2]

Can you confirm the details of the battery pack(s)? Are they a true replacement for the original?

The red cluster of wires is showing 19v to ground? This sounds high and more like the raw power adapter voltage. What are the markings on the battery pack about the voltage?

This thread shows:

Solved: replacement battery HP Spectre 360 model 15-df1033dx - HP Support Community - 8400929

6-cell, 84 Wh Li-ion part # L29184-005

L29184-005

[survivalbloke]

The red wires at the DC input header read charger voltage with battery disconnected, so that is normal. That HP part number is correct, and crosses to a SU06XL battery, which is what I used. Do you think maybe this laptop is just picky and requires a genuine HP OEM battery?

[mon2]

Strange that SU06XL appears to have a different # of contacts on the battery pack. Would you still have the original battery pack? Same # of wires? Can you post a pic of the connector and the topside markings of the original battery pack?

Also the SU06XL has different color coded wiring where SMBUS interface may be onboard.

[survivalbloke]

Strange that SU06XL appears to have a different # of contacts on the battery pack. Would you still have the original battery pack? Same # of wires? Can you post a pic of the connector and the topside markings of the original battery pack?

Also the SU06XL has different color coded wiring where SMBUS interface may be onboard.

WOW - that's interesting. Actually when the laptop came in, the customer had already replaced the battery. I will ask them if they have the original battery and update you.

[mon2]

Unable to argue the # of contacts on the logic board so still a bit confused...

[survivalbloke]

mon2 Oh my. Wow. The customer had the battery connected backwards, and because I replaced it, I put it back as he had it, so the replacement battery was backwards. Holy cow. We can mark this one resolved lol. Thanks for your time! I feel so dumb to have not caught that.

[mon2]

Like happy endings - glad to have helped