Zbook G10 charging through thunderbolt dock

[dmgrove]

I've run into a weird problem. I have a ZBook Studio G10 workstation, and I've tried multiple thunderbolt docking stations and it recognizes all the connected devices on each, but it will never charge. The two I've tried so far are both 100W powered through the thunderbolt port. I have a separate cheap 100W usb-c PD power adapter that charges it just fine, so I know the laptop will charge under 100W (even though the included power supply is 200W). I have plugged the usb-c cable (included with the PD power brick) into the thunderbolt port on the dock, and it powers the laptop but doesn't connect to devices, which makes sense but it also  verifies that the port is outputting enough power. I have also connected the thunderbolt cable (included with the dock) to the PD power brick, and it charges the laptop, so the cable is rated for enough power as well. On top of that, I have a second laptop that has thunderbolt 4, and also has a 200W power supply included with it, and everything with that laptop works perfectly in the dock, so I feel like it has to be an issue with the Zbook but I can't figure out what or why.

In summary:
Zbook plugged into dock with thunderbolt cable - devices, no power
Zbook plugged into dock with 100W rated usb-c cable - power, no devices
Zbook plugged into power brick with included thunderbolt cable - power
Other laptop plugged into dock with thunderbolt cable - devices and power

I'm hoping it's just something fundamental about thunderbolt that I'm missing. This is also a corporate laptop, so maybe there's something in an admin policy that's blocking something, but I can't imagine what they would have restricted that could cause this issue.

[banhien]

@dmgrove 

Manual

          https://kaas.hpcloud.hp.com/pdf-public/pdf_8048102_en-US-1.pdf

100W is too weak.  Manyal (page 27) says it is compatible with

• HP Thunderbolt 4 280 W cable (0.8 m [2.6 ft]) part # M88059-001
• HP G4 dock (280 W, with combination cable) part # M97106-001

Both of them are 280W docks. Also on page 27, depending on option on your machine, you can use 150W or 200W or 280W. At least 200W because it has a 200W power supply included with it,

Regards.

[dmgrove]

If no power worked under any circumstances, that would make sense, but why do other sources of 100W power charge it successfully? And why does it work for a second laptop with the same power requirement but not this one?

[banhien]

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@dmgrove wrote:

If no power worked under any circumstances, that would make sense, (a) but why do other sources of 100W power charge it successfully? (b) And why does it work for a second laptop with the same power requirement but not this one?

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@dmgrove 

(a) What is the other source ? Why you do NOT use it ?

(b) As mentioned before, the series of Zbook G10 has many different machine with many different configurations/options,

Hope this makes sense

Regards.

[dmgrove]

It's a power adapter, that plugs into an outlet, and the reason I don't use it is that I want to use a dock to charge it, that's why I bought it.

From everything I've tested, the problem follows the laptop, not the docks or the cables, and I can prove the laptop charges fine on even an 85W power adapter, so it makes no sense to me that not enough power from the dock would be the answer.

[banhien]

@dmgrove 

Well, I know USB-C charging STANDARD still have not accepted by all hardware vendors. I tested my HP docking station with 100W PD and it chargers my Dell (TB3), my HP 840 (TB3) my zBook Firelight 14 f10 (TB4). It ONLY charges my Omen (TB3) when the machine is off.

You are saying " charges fine on even an 85W power adapter". My question: during machine is OFF or WORKING ?

From my test:  it charges my HP Omen during machine is working BUT battery is going down slower rate.

Regards,

[dmgrove]

I have it plugged into an 85W usb-c power supply while running, set to high performance and actively using autocad, and it gains charge and then holds at 100% for hours at a time. Like I said, it doesn't make sense, if it simply didn't get any power from anything under 200W under any circumstances, it would make sense and I wouldn't have felt the need to post a question on here. This combination of factors is confusing to me.

[banhien]

@dmgrove 

Thanks for the info. My zBook Firefry 14 G10 only needs  65W and it actually comes with a 65 W, slim, straight, USB Type-C adapter, 1.8 m (6.0 ft) charger/AC adapter and my dock is an HP USB-C G5 dock they are perfect match.

Regards.