MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - PRS-350 Dead PRS-350?

delphin · 03-13-2011, 10:44 PM

If you got a bum battery, that could explain your symptoms.

Basically what might have happened would go something like this.

When the battery reached full charge, it couldn't take it, and something internally broke down causing a cell short.

Such an internal leakage would cause the battery to rapidly self-discharge, and get good and hot, and that discharge further damaged the cell so it won't take a charge at all now.

There are companies that will sell you a replacement battery for the earlier Sony Readers, but I don't know if they stock anything for the 350 yet because the battery is supposed to last years.

If you can definitely establish that the battery went bad, you might be able to contact Sony support and get them to send you a replacement, since all parts are supposed to be warranted for a year.

Generally they want you to send the unit to a service center, but I have gotten other manufactures to make exceptions so who knows?

One thing you would have on your side, is that Lithium batteries are supposed to be SAFE and not do this kind of thing (because a catastrophic cell faiure can sometimes be so violent it causes a fire), so if this did happen, it would be in Sony's best interest to smooth this over and make you happy.

So, if I was in your situation at this point, given that you can't easily return the unit to Sony, the only other option would be to pop the back off (two tiny Phillips style screws on my 650) and pop out the small square battery pack and do a check of it with a volt meter.

The battery is a small rectangular flat unit a few centimeters by a few centimeters by about a half centimeter thick with a short output wire connected to the 350 with a tiny press on connector (be sure to note the coloring of the wires and which way they are facing so you can maintain the +/- orientation if you replace the battery later)

Best thing though would STILL be to figure out some inexpensive way to send the unit back to Sony for service under the warranty, because it could be something in the charging circuits that killed the battery. If that is the case, and you replace the battery, it might just kill the new one the same way.

03-13-2011, 10:44 PM	#9
delphin Evangelist Posts: 434 Karma: 346901 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: SONY PRS-650	If you got a bum battery, that could explain your symptoms. Basically what might have happened would go something like this. When the battery reached full charge, it couldn't take it, and something internally broke down causing a cell short. Such an internal leakage would cause the battery to rapidly self-discharge, and get good and hot, and that discharge further damaged the cell so it won't take a charge at all now. There are companies that will sell you a replacement battery for the earlier Sony Readers, but I don't know if they stock anything for the 350 yet because the battery is supposed to last years. If you can definitely establish that the battery went bad, you might be able to contact Sony support and get them to send you a replacement, since all parts are supposed to be warranted for a year. Generally they want you to send the unit to a service center, but I have gotten other manufactures to make exceptions so who knows? One thing you would have on your side, is that Lithium batteries are supposed to be SAFE and not do this kind of thing (because a catastrophic cell faiure can sometimes be so violent it causes a fire), so if this did happen, it would be in Sony's best interest to smooth this over and make you happy. So, if I was in your situation at this point, given that you can't easily return the unit to Sony, the only other option would be to pop the back off (two tiny Phillips style screws on my 650) and pop out the small square battery pack and do a check of it with a volt meter. The battery is a small rectangular flat unit a few centimeters by a few centimeters by about a half centimeter thick with a short output wire connected to the 350 with a tiny press on connector (be sure to note the coloring of the wires and which way they are facing so you can maintain the +/- orientation if you replace the battery later) Best thing though would STILL be to figure out some inexpensive way to send the unit back to Sony for service under the warranty, because it could be something in the charging circuits that killed the battery. If that is the case, and you replace the battery, it might just kill the new one the same way. Last edited by delphin; 03-14-2011 at 11:30 AM.