iPad Pro 12.9 Charging Weirdness

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Level 1

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iPad Pro 12.9 Charging Weirdness

Hi,

3 days ago I noticed that when I plugged a cable into my 4th gen iPad Pro, it didn't beep and that the absence of the lightning bolt icon suggested it wasn't charging. I tried using various different cables and chargers - I knew these worked because they would successfully charge my Macbook Pro.

In the end, I contacted Apple who suggested the issue might be a faulty charging port, the cost to replace the unit was about £700.

Rather than spend the money on fixing the device, I bought a brand new iPad 12.9 5th generation which arrived yesterday. I set it up, charged it...and this morning I've plugged in the charging cable (the brand new one that came with it) and...the same thing has happened. It's not charging. I've tried different cables and chargers (which work with the Macbook) and still...no charge.

This is beyond weird...anybody have any ideas what's going on here?

Both models are running iPados 15.7. Nobody else seems to be reporting charging issues after the update.

Thanks in advance!

iPad Pro 12.9-inch Wi-Fi

Posted on Sep 17, 2022 12:40 AM

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Answer 1

LotusPilot

Level 10

301,946 points

Sep 17, 2022 3:44 AM in response to The_Bluegnu

Perhaps consider that USB-C Power Adapters support USB PD (Power Delivery). As such, the power output is not fixed - but instead the source and load actively negotiate a power profile.

In practice, for your iPad charging at its maximum supported rate (18W), this active protocol exchange will result in selection of 9V @2A, 12V @1.5A. If the USB PD handshake fails, the Power Adapter should fall-back to standard USB 5V (limited to 12W, 5V @2.4A). It is technically possible that a fault load (i.e., your iPad) can cause damage to the connected Power Adapter.

As such, consider that connecting “new” Power Adapter to an already “wounded” iPad might cause damage to the Power Adapter. Certified USB-C cables also incorporate a electronic control chip within the USB-C connector - and this can also be damaged by connected devices.

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Answer 2

LotusPilot

Level 10

301,946 points

Sep 17, 2022 2:23 AM in response to The_Bluegnu

This is indeed strange. As a regular contributor within the Apple Support Community, I see reports of charging issues, but yours does appear to be unique in its nature.

Speaking personally I have on my desk two 2021 (fifth generation) iPad Pro 12.9” - one set-up from new just two days ago. Both have been updated to iPadOS 15.7 - and both charge entirely as expected with Apple 20W and 30W Power Adapters.

Perhaps a long shot, but have you tried using a different AC Power Outlet?

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Answer 3

The_Bluegnu Author

Level 1

4 points

Sep 17, 2022 2:39 AM in response to LotusPilot

Thanks for the reply...

Yup, tried charging from a variety of different outlets without success. However, I can add an update to the situation: I reset the new (5th gen) iPad Pro to factory settings and now it's charging (fingers crossed). The 4th gen still is not charging, and I've rolled back to 15.6.1 just to see whether this was a firmware problem. It appears it's not.

As weird as it sounds, it's almost as if the 'old' iPad 'infects' the charging cable/charger when it's plugged in. A few times I've taken the cable directly from the iPad 4th gen and put it into the Macbook Pro and it hasn't beeped/indicated charging. If I remove that cable and use a different one, it's fine. I know that's crazy, but it feels as though that is what is happening.

One other possibility is that the 4-way power extension that both the 4th Gen and 5th Gen were using when I charged them overnight has created a surge that has impacted the charging port or logic board, but this wouldn't explain why the new iPad is now charging after a factory reset.

I've encountered a huge variety of tech problems over the years, but this one has me absolutely baffled!

Thanks again for your input ...

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Answer 4

LotusPilot

Level 10

301,946 points

Sep 17, 2022 4:32 AM in response to The_Bluegnu

The are USB Power Analysers that can be purchased - potentially useful in determining and diagnosing actual power transfer. These are not overly expensive, but those designed for USB-C/PD applications are obviously more complex and more expensive

To my knowledge, there are no available “iPad” diagnostic tools. Apple technicians may have access to additional diagnostic capability, but information as to the tools that are available within Apple-circles are not published.

My own recommendation would be to consider anything connected to your initially “wounded” iPad to now be potentially damaged. If you obtain a new Power Adapter, on the basis of your experience to date, perhaps do not connect new hardware to the suspect iPad.

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Answer 5

The_Bluegnu Author

Level 1

4 points

Sep 17, 2022 7:52 AM in response to LotusPilot

Thanks, it's good advice - I'll 'quarantine' all chargers affected and book an appointment with Apple to see if they can figure out what's wrong with the 'wounded' iPad. It's just over 2 years old and very well looked after. The charging port should be robust; it's not unreasonable to expect it should withstand a daily charge.

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Answer 6

The_Bluegnu Author

Level 1

4 points

Sep 17, 2022 3:54 AM in response to LotusPilot

Thanks - that's most illuminating and something I hadn't considered. Are you aware of any method to run 'diagnostics' on a charger to assess whether it is actually damaged?

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iPad Pro 12.9 Charging Weirdness

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