Missing support for wilco-charger battery management on Sarien (Dell Latitude 5400 Chromebook)

[braveheartleo]

[x] I've read and accepted the Bug Reporting Howto

Describe the bug

There is no battery care plugin available for Sarien.

Expected behavior

Battery care management is provided by /sys/class/power_supply/wilco-charger/*. The controls are documented here.

To Reproduce

# tlp-stat -b
+++ Battery Care
Plugin: generic
Supported features: none available

+++ Battery Status: BAT0
/sys/class/power_supply/BAT0/manufacturer                   = SMP-ATL3.61
/sys/class/power_supply/BAT0/model_name                     = DELL 7VTMN8C
/sys/class/power_supply/BAT0/cycle_count                    =     14
/sys/class/power_supply/BAT0/charge_full_design             =   4500 [mAh]
/sys/class/power_supply/BAT0/charge_full                    =   4500 [mAh]
/sys/class/power_supply/BAT0/charge_now                     =   2601 [mAh]
/sys/class/power_supply/BAT0/current_now                    =      1 [mA]
/sys/class/power_supply/BAT0/status                         = Not charging

/sys/class/power_supply/BAT0/charge_control_start_threshold = (not available) 
/sys/class/power_supply/BAT0/charge_control_end_threshold   = (not available) 
/sys/class/power_supply/BAT0/charge_behaviour               = (not available)
/sys/class/power_supply/BAT0/charge_types                   = (not available)

Charge                                                      =   57.8 [%]
Capacity                                                    =  100.0 [%]

# grep . /sys/class/power_supply/wilco-charger/*
/sys/class/power_supply/wilco-charger/charge_control_end_threshold:60
/sys/class/power_supply/wilco-charger/charge_control_start_threshold:55
/sys/class/power_supply/wilco-charger/charge_type:Custom
grep: /sys/class/power_supply/wilco-charger/device: Is a directory
grep: /sys/class/power_supply/wilco-charger/extensions: Is a directory
grep: /sys/class/power_supply/wilco-charger/hwmon4: Is a directory
grep: /sys/class/power_supply/wilco-charger/power: Is a directory
grep: /sys/class/power_supply/wilco-charger/subsystem: Is a directory
/sys/class/power_supply/wilco-charger/type:Mains
/sys/class/power_supply/wilco-charger/uevent:DEVTYPE=power_supply
/sys/class/power_supply/wilco-charger/uevent:POWER_SUPPLY_NAME=wilco-charger
/sys/class/power_supply/wilco-charger/uevent:POWER_SUPPLY_TYPE=Mains
/sys/class/power_supply/wilco-charger/uevent:POWER_SUPPLY_CHARGE_TYPE=Custom
/sys/class/power_supply/wilco-charger/uevent:POWER_SUPPLY_CHARGE_CONTROL_START_THRESHOLD=55
/sys/class/power_supply/wilco-charger/uevent:POWER_SUPPLY_CHARGE_CONTROL_END_THRESHOLD=60
/sys/class/power_supply/wilco-charger/uevent:POWER_SUPPLY_TYPE=Mains
grep: /sys/class/power_supply/wilco-charger/wakeup40: Is a directory

Additional context

I saw several mention of wilco in #321 and #444 but there seemed to have been no support added for this since then.

[linrunner]

So the charge threshold attributes are on the power supply instead of the battery. Very awkward. I would say that the kernel driver should be adapted instead of circumventing this in a special plugin. With charge_type: Custom it is already very similar to what the dell_laptop driver provides: #379

Besides, the Chromebook niche is pretty small.

[braveheartleo]

I would say that the kernel driver should be adapted instead of circumventing this in a special plugin.

I too don't understand why the maintainer made it this way. There may be a reason for this that we don't know about but I can't do anything about it. I take it that this would not be getting treatment anytime soon?

Besides, the Chromebook niche is pretty small.

The hardware is a Chromebook yes, but the software running in it is Manjaro Linux. ;)

[linrunner]

In any case, only someone who has the hardware can develop the plugin. Take a look at the Dell plugin or the plugin template and decide whether you feel confident enough to do it yourself.

The hardware is a Chromebook yes, but the software running in it is Manjaro Linux. ;)

Your argument doesn't hold. This is about the expected number of users of your particular Chromebook model. A plugin creates a significant amount of development work initially and then continues to require maintenance and testing with each release.

There is already a general solution for Chromebooks, but your hardware seems to be different.

[braveheartleo]

Thanks for the hints, I'll have to take a closer look into it.

[braveheartleo]

Hi, I managed to use the Dell plugin and create one tailored for this particular Dell laptop that is using the Wilco EC. I don't know how to create a pull request, so I'm attaching the plugin here. I have tested it with tlp start and tlp-stat -v and both passed without error. Here is a sample output

# tlp-stat -b -v
+++ Battery Care
Plugin: wilco-ec
Supported features: charge thresholds
Driver usage:
* natacpi (wilco_charger) = active (charge thresholds)
Parameter value ranges:
* START_CHARGE_THRESH_BAT0/1:  50..95(default)
* STOP_CHARGE_THRESH_BAT0/1:   55..100(default)

+++ Battery Status: BAT0
/sys/class/power_supply/BAT0/manufacturer                   = SMP-ATL3.61
/sys/class/power_supply/BAT0/model_name                     = DELL 7VTMN8C
/sys/class/power_supply/BAT0/cycle_count                    =     14
/sys/class/power_supply/BAT0/charge_full_design             =   4500 [mAh]
/sys/class/power_supply/BAT0/charge_full                    =   4500 [mAh]
/sys/class/power_supply/BAT0/charge_now                     =   2586 [mAh]
/sys/class/power_supply/BAT0/current_now                    =      1 [mA]
/sys/class/power_supply/BAT0/status                         = Not charging

/sys/class/power_supply/BAT0/voltage_min_design             =  11400 [mV]
/sys/class/power_supply/BAT0/voltage_now                    =  11600 [mV]

/sys/class/power_supply/wilco-charger/charge_control_start_threshold =     55 [%]
/sys/class/power_supply/wilco-charger/charge_control_end_threshold =     60 [%]
/sys/class/power_supply/wilco-charger/charge_type           = Custom

Charge                                                      =   57.5 [%]
Capacity                                                    =  100.0 [%]

Let me know how else I could improve this and hopefully get this accepted into tlp. Many thanks for this advanced Linux power management tool.

66-wilco-ec.txt

[linrunner]

We need a pull request so that I can comment on your code and we can work on improvements effectively.

A PR on GitHub isn't rocket science. You need to create a personal fork in the Web UI, clone it locally, add your plugin, push it back and create the PR in the Web UI. For subsequent adjustments, a push is sufficient:
https://docs.github.com/en/pull-requests/collaborating-with-pull-requests/proposing-changes-to-your-work-with-pull-requests/creating-a-pull-request
https://git-scm.com/book/en/v2/GitHub-Contributing-to-a-Project

[linrunner]

@braveheartleo ok, merged #846 and pushed to https://github.com/linrunner/TLP/tree/bat.d/wilco-ec

Let's do some automated testing:

1. Install the tool clitest (many distributions have it in their repositories)

2. Change to the directory unit-tests and run the test (post the full output):

   sudo clitest charge-thresholds_dell
   

[braveheartleo]

2. (post the full output)

# clitest charge-thresholds_dell 
#1	# +++ Dell laptops +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
#2	#
#3	# --- tlp start
#4	sudo tlp start -- ${xinc} START_CHARGE_THRESH_BAT0= STOP_CHARGE_THRESH_BAT0= START_CHARGE_THRESH_BAT1= STOP_CHARGE_THRESH_BAT1= 2>&1 | sed -r "s/(TLP started).*/\1/"
#5	sudo tlp start -- ${xinc} START_CHARGE_THRESH_BAT0="60" STOP_CHARGE_THRESH_BAT0="100" START_CHARGE_THRESH_BAT1= STOP_CHARGE_THRESH_BAT1= 2>&1 | sed -r "s/(TLP started).*/\1/"
#6	sudo tlp start -- ${xinc} X_THRESH_SIMULATE_LOCKEDBIOS=1 START_CHARGE_THRESH_BAT0="60" STOP_CHARGE_THRESH_BAT0="100" START_CHARGE_THRESH_BAT1= STOP_CHARGE_THRESH_BAT1= 2>&1 | sed -r "s/(TLP started).*/\1/"
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[FAILED #6, line 16] sudo tlp start -- ${xinc} X_THRESH_SIMULATE_LOCKEDBIOS=1 START_CHARGE_THRESH_BAT0="60" STOP_CHARGE_THRESH_BAT0="100" START_CHARGE_THRESH_BAT1= STOP_CHARGE_THRESH_BAT1= 2>&1 | sed -r "s/(TLP started).*/\1/"
@@ -1,3 +1 @@
-Error: failed to set 'Custom' charge type for battery BAT0. Battery skipped.
-Remove the BIOS Admin password to allow the thresholds to be set.
 TLP started
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#7	sudo tlp start -- ${xinc} START_CHARGE_THRESH_BAT0="100" STOP_CHARGE_THRESH_BAT0="100" START_CHARGE_THRESH_BAT1= STOP_CHARGE_THRESH_BAT1= 2>&1 | sed -r "s/(TLP started).*/\1/"
#8	sudo tlp start -- ${xinc} START_CHARGE_THRESH_BAT0="50" STOP_CHARGE_THRESH_BAT0="0" START_CHARGE_THRESH_BAT1= STOP_CHARGE_THRESH_BAT1= 2>&1 | sed -r "s/(TLP started).*/\1/"
#9	sudo tlp start -- ${xinc} START_CHARGE_THRESH_BAT0="50" STOP_CHARGE_THRESH_BAT0="101" START_CHARGE_THRESH_BAT1= STOP_CHARGE_THRESH_BAT1= 2>&1 | sed -r "s/(TLP started).*/\1/"
#10	sudo tlp start -- ${xinc} START_CHARGE_THRESH_BAT0="90" STOP_CHARGE_THRESH_BAT0="91" START_CHARGE_THRESH_BAT1= STOP_CHARGE_THRESH_BAT1= 2>&1 | sed -r "s/(TLP started).*/\1/"
#11	sudo tlp start -- ${xinc} START_CHARGE_THRESH_BAT0="90" STOP_CHARGE_THRESH_BAT0="95" START_CHARGE_THRESH_BAT1= STOP_CHARGE_THRESH_BAT1= 2>&1 | sed -r "s/(TLP started).*/\1/"
#12	[ -n "${xinc}" ] && [ -n "$VWRITE_SLEEP" ] && sleep "$VWRITE_SLEEP" # workaround: mitigate void writes (in simulation)
#13	sudo tlp start -- ${xinc} START_CHARGE_THRESH_BAT0="DEF" STOP_CHARGE_THRESH_BAT0="DEF" START_CHARGE_THRESH_BAT1= STOP_CHARGE_THRESH_BAT1= 2>&1 | sed -r "s/(TLP started).*/\1/"
#14	sudo tlp start -- ${xinc} NATACPI_ENABLE=0 START_CHARGE_THRESH_BAT0="DEF" STOP_CHARGE_THRESH_BAT0="DEF" 2>&1 | sed -r "s/(TLP started).*/\1/"
#15	#
#16	# --- tlp setcharge w/o arguments
#17	[ -n "${xinc}" ] && [ -n "$VWRITE_SLEEP" ] && sleep "$VWRITE_SLEEP" # workaround: mitigate void writes (in simulation)
#18	sudo tlp setcharge -- ${xinc} START_CHARGE_THRESH_BAT0="60" STOP_CHARGE_THRESH_BAT0="100" X_SOC_CHECK=0
#19	sudo tlp setcharge -- ${xinc} X_THRESH_SIMULATE_LOCKEDBIOS=1 START_CHARGE_THRESH_BAT0="60" STOP_CHARGE_THRESH_BAT0="100" X_SOC_CHECK=0
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[FAILED #19, line 46] sudo tlp setcharge -- ${xinc} X_THRESH_SIMULATE_LOCKEDBIOS=1 START_CHARGE_THRESH_BAT0="60" STOP_CHARGE_THRESH_BAT0="100" X_SOC_CHECK=0
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 Setting temporary charge thresholds for battery BAT0:
-Error: failed to set 'Custom' charge type for battery BAT0. Aborted.
-Remove the BIOS Admin password to allow the thresholds to be set.
+  start =  60 (no change)
+  stop  = 100 (no change)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#20	sudo tlp setcharge -- ${xinc} START_CHARGE_THRESH_BAT0="100" STOP_CHARGE_THRESH_BAT0="100"
#21	sudo tlp setcharge -- ${xinc} START_CHARGE_THRESH_BAT0="50" STOP_CHARGE_THRESH_BAT0="0"
#22	sudo tlp setcharge -- ${xinc} START_CHARGE_THRESH_BAT0="50" STOP_CHARGE_THRESH_BAT0="101"
#23	sudo tlp setcharge -- ${xinc} START_CHARGE_THRESH_BAT0="90" STOP_CHARGE_THRESH_BAT0="91"
#24	sudo tlp setcharge -- ${xinc} START_CHARGE_THRESH_BAT0="90" STOP_CHARGE_THRESH_BAT0="95"
#25	sudo tlp setcharge -- ${xinc} START_CHARGE_THRESH_BAT0="90" STOP_CHARGE_THRESH_BAT0="95"
#26	sudo tlp setcharge -- ${xinc} START_CHARGE_THRESH_BAT0="DEF" STOP_CHARGE_THRESH_BAT0="DEF"
#27	sudo tlp setcharge -- ${xinc} NATACPI_ENABLE=0 START_CHARGE_THRESH_BAT0="DEF" STOP_CHARGE_THRESH_BAT0="DEF"
#28	#
#29	# --- tlp setcharge w/ arguments
#30	sudo tlp setcharge 60 100 -- ${xinc} X_SOC_CHECK=0
#31	sudo tlp setcharge 61 99 -- ${xinc} X_THRESH_SIMULATE_WRITEERR=1 X_SOC_CHECK=0
#32	sudo tlp setcharge 100 100 -- ${xinc}
#33	sudo tlp setcharge 50 0 -- ${xinc}
#34	sudo tlp setcharge 50 101 -- ${xinc}
#35	sudo tlp setcharge XYZZY 0 -- ${xinc}
#36	sudo tlp setcharge 50 XYZZY -- ${xinc}
#37	sudo tlp setcharge 90 91 -- ${xinc}
#38	[ -n "${xinc}" ] && [ -n "$VWRITE_SLEEP" ] && sleep "$VWRITE_SLEEP" # workaround: mitigate void writes (in simulation)
#39	sudo tlp setcharge 90 95 -- ${xinc}
#40	sudo tlp setcharge 90 95 -- ${xinc} X_THRESH_SIMULATE_READERR="1"
#41	[ -n "${xinc}" ] && [ -n "$VWRITE_SLEEP" ] && sleep "$VWRITE_SLEEP" # workaround: mitigate void writes (in simulation)
#42	sudo tlp setcharge 90 95 -- ${xinc} X_THRESH_SIMULATE_START="60" X_THRESH_SIMULATE_STOP="100"
#43	sudo tlp setcharge 90 95 -- ${xinc}
#44	sudo tlp setcharge DEF DEF -- ${xinc}
#45	sudo tlp setcharge BAT2 -- ${xinc}
#46	sudo tlp setcharge 0 3 BAT2 -- ${xinc}
#47	sudo tlp setcharge XYZZY ABCDE BAT2 -- ${xinc}
#48	#
#49	# --- tlp-stat
#50	sudo tlp-stat -b -- ${xinc} | grep -E 'BAT0/charge_(control|behaviour)'
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[FAILED #50, line 123] sudo tlp-stat -b -- ${xinc} | grep -E 'BAT0/charge_(control|behaviour)'
@@ -1,2 +0,0 @@
-/sys/class/power_supply/BAT0/charge_control_start_threshold =     95 [%]
-/sys/class/power_supply/BAT0/charge_control_end_threshold   =    100 [%]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#51	sudo tlp-stat -b -- ${xinc} X_THRESH_SIMULATE_READERR=1 | grep -E 'BAT0/charge_(control|behaviour)'
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[FAILED #51, line 126] sudo tlp-stat -b -- ${xinc} X_THRESH_SIMULATE_READERR=1 | grep -E 'BAT0/charge_(control|behaviour)'
@@ -1,2 +0,0 @@
-/sys/class/power_supply/BAT0/charge_control_start_threshold = (not available) [%]
-/sys/class/power_supply/BAT0/charge_control_end_threshold   = (not available) [%]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#52	#
#53	# --- Reset test machine to configured thresholds
#54	sudo tlp setcharge BAT0 - ${xinc} > /dev/null 2>&1
#55	#

FAIL: 4 of 55 tests failed

From the last two errors above I could tell it might be that the unit-test is checking for the path BAT0/charge_control|behavior instead of wilco-charger/charge_type.

But for the first two errors, I don't know what could be the issue. From the terminal I can echo Custom >/sys/class/power_supply/wilco-charger/charge_type and that switches the charging behavior. Maybe it's the same situation as I observed from above?

[linrunner]

Looks quite promising so far. I'll take a closer look at that and provide a charge-thresholds_wilco. May take a while, stay tuned.

[braveheartleo]

I was thinking, maybe the locked BIOS test for this Dell laptop should be skipped, at least for a Dell laptop that is using Wilco EC? This is not using a Dell BIOS, but a Google coreboot BIOS variant, and there is no BIOS setup to lock it.

[linrunner]

@braveheartleo This brings me to a more fundamental question: how did “Custom” come into charge_type? It was already visible in your initial post. Is it set that way from the start, perhaps by the BIOS? The "normal" Dell laptops have several options and “Custom” has to be set before using arbitrary thresholds:

/sys/class/power_supply/BAT0/charge_types = Trickle Fast Standard Adaptive [Custom] [%]

Maybe we don't need to set it to “Custom” on the Chromebook at all?

For later documentation of the supported hardware, I would like to know how the Chromebook was modded to run a regular Linux distro — was something like the chrultrabook/coreboot custom UEFI firmware used?

Which Linux distribution are you running (just show tlp-stat -s)?