PRS-300 Charging and battery life, PRS-300

lazy_hoor · 01-11-2010, 05:00 AM

Hello everyone, this is my first post!

I got the PRS 300 for Christmas and had to return it last week because it froze on the 'Opening Book' screen. It was still at full power after a week of use. I've got a replacement and I charged it through the usb overnight as I don't have a mains charger yet. I noticed that it lost two bars of power yesterday and wondered was this unusual? I thought the battery lasted around three weeks?

Also wondering is it ok to charge it before the battery runs out - I heard that with mobile phones you're not meant to charge them too much if there's power still in them and thought it might be the case with this sort of device?

HarryT · 01-11-2010, 05:08 AM

It takes a few charge/discharge cycles for the battery meter to properly calibrate itself, so it will be unreliable at first.

It's perfectly OK to "top up" the battery, but the fastest way to calibrate the battery meter is to use the Reader until you get the "Low Battery" warning, before recharging it.

lazy_hoor · 01-11-2010, 05:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

It takes a few charge/discharge cycles for the battery meter to properly calibrate itself, so it will be unreliable at first.

It's perfectly OK to "top up" the battery, but the fastest way to calibrate the battery meter is to use the Reader until you get the "Low Battery" warning, before recharging it.

That's good to know. The instruction booklet isn't exactly a mine of information!

Thank you!

spideog · 01-11-2010, 05:29 AM

Apart from when I first took it out of it's box and hadn't yet plugged it into the laptop I've yet to see mine claim anything other than full charge. Just left it plugged into the USB for a while initially to charge it, but since then it's only plugged in for a few minutes at a time and just those shorts bursts of charge seem to be keeping it fully topped up.

suecsi · 01-11-2010, 06:29 AM

When you left it plugged into USB overnight, was the pc on? Otherwise if the pc goes to sleep or is off, it will actually drain power through the USB charge rather than the other way round - unless that has been changed since the PRS505, which definitely does this.

Bremen Cole · 01-11-2010, 06:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by suecsi

When you left it plugged into USB overnight, was the pc on? Otherwise if the pc goes to sleep or is off, it will actually drain power through the USB charge rather than the other way round - unless that has been changed since the PRS505, which definitely does this.

Pay attention to this advice! I think this is one of the major problems people have with the Sony readers. It will ONLY charge on USB if and only if it is plugged into a Computer. The computer must be on and active. Otherwise as suecsi says, it will actually discharge the reader. Also, the reader can have a screen showing, but actually be off. This is something to do with the eInk technology (I'm clueless as to what) but it can fool you. In other words it can say "loading book" or whatever... but actually be drained and off. And the screen can show a full battery, but be the fake screen. Of course, during all this the perception of the user is that it is "frozen".....

I could not trust my laptop to consistently charge it, so I got the PSP charger (make sure to get the one that uses the round plug on your reader) and now have confidence in the charging.

spideog · 01-11-2010, 06:48 AM

I used to have a USB cable that split into a PSP power connector and a mini USB. I'd guess that would allow charging from a USB wall socket rather than needing a powered on USB host device, just use the PSP power connector part rather than the mini USB connector to do the charging.

Not sure where I left it now as it's been ages since I used the PSP, will have to have a bit of a dig around and see if I can find it again now.

HarryT · 01-11-2010, 07:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spideog

I used to have a USB cable that split into a PSP power connector and a mini USB. I'd guess that would allow charging from a USB wall socket rather than needing a powered on USB host device, just use the PSP power connector part rather than the mini USB connector to do the charging.

Yes, that will work fine.

Pripyat · 01-11-2010, 11:14 AM

Just a question readerz!

Since i got my prs300 i not used until i got the "low battery" warning. I got one bar on the battery meter now,so is gonna be another "step" when the battery level is completly empty and i can use the reader for a while,or im gonna get the low battery warning soon when i still got one bar on the battery meter?

Bremen Cole · 01-11-2010, 01:07 PM

It has been my experience that when you reach the last bar, you need to charge. As is often with battery meters and fuel gauges they can take forever to drop the first 1/4 then its pretty normal, but the last one goes fast.

I would just plug it in as soon as it has only one bar left.

Pripyat · 01-11-2010, 02:05 PM

Thanks for the advise,i gonna wait the low power warning,and after i put on to charge.

lazy_hoor · 01-15-2010, 03:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by suecsi

When you left it plugged into USB overnight, was the pc on? Otherwise if the pc goes to sleep or is off, it will actually drain power through the USB charge rather than the other way round - unless that has been changed since the PRS505, which definitely does this.

Yep the PC is on when I charge it!

Bremen Cole · 01-15-2010, 06:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lazy_hoor

Yep the PC is on when I charge it!

To be sure you understand.... the computer not only has to be ON it must not go in hibernation or sleep mode. If it goes into hibernation or sleep mode it will in fact discharge and not charge....

Battery life depends of course how much you use the reader. It would be possible to loose 2 bars in one day, but I would say highly unlikely with "normal" use.

lazy_hoor · 01-15-2010, 07:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bremen Cole

To be sure you understand.... the computer not only has to be ON it must not go in hibernation or sleep mode. If it goes into hibernation or sleep mode it will in fact discharge and not charge....

Battery life depends of course how much you use the reader. It would be possible to loose 2 bars in one day, but I would say highly unlikely with "normal" use.

Ah I see. Yeah, my computer doesn't go into sleep mode. Actually, I must double-check this!

I was off work for a couple of days due to snow (I live in Ireland and 3cm means the country grinds to a halt) so I did a lot of reading!

01-11-2010, 05:00 AM	#1
lazy_hoor Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Dublin, Ireland Device: prs-300	Charging and battery life, PRS-300 Hello everyone, this is my first post! I got the PRS 300 for Christmas and had to return it last week because it froze on the 'Opening Book' screen. It was still at full power after a week of use. I've got a replacement and I charged it through the usb overnight as I don't have a mains charger yet. I noticed that it lost two bars of power yesterday and wondered was this unusual? I thought the battery lasted around three weeks? Also wondering is it ok to charge it before the battery runs out - I heard that with mobile phones you're not meant to charge them too much if there's power still in them and thought it might be the case with this sort of device?

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01-11-2010, 05:08 AM	#2
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	It takes a few charge/discharge cycles for the battery meter to properly calibrate itself, so it will be unreliable at first. It's perfectly OK to "top up" the battery, but the fastest way to calibrate the battery meter is to use the Reader until you get the "Low Battery" warning, before recharging it.

01-11-2010, 05:29 AM	#4
spideog Connoisseur Posts: 68 Karma: 648 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: PRS-300	Apart from when I first took it out of it's box and hadn't yet plugged it into the laptop I've yet to see mine claim anything other than full charge. Just left it plugged into the USB for a while initially to charge it, but since then it's only plugged in for a few minutes at a time and just those shorts bursts of charge seem to be keeping it fully topped up.

01-11-2010, 06:29 AM	#5
suecsi Rock Chick Posts: 429 Karma: 4965 Join Date: May 2009 Location: near Heathrow Device: Kindle 2i, Kindle DX, Kindle 3G	When you left it plugged into USB overnight, was the pc on? Otherwise if the pc goes to sleep or is off, it will actually drain power through the USB charge rather than the other way round - unless that has been changed since the PRS505, which definitely does this.

01-11-2010, 06:48 AM	#7
spideog Connoisseur Posts: 68 Karma: 648 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: PRS-300	I used to have a USB cable that split into a PSP power connector and a mini USB. I'd guess that would allow charging from a USB wall socket rather than needing a powered on USB host device, just use the PSP power connector part rather than the mini USB connector to do the charging. Not sure where I left it now as it's been ages since I used the PSP, will have to have a bit of a dig around and see if I can find it again now.

01-11-2010, 11:14 AM	#9
Pripyat Beginner E-Book Reader Posts: 14 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: London Device: Sony PRS-350 Silver	Just a question readerz! Since i got my prs300 i not used until i got the "low battery" warning. I got one bar on the battery meter now,so is gonna be another "step" when the battery level is completly empty and i can use the reader for a while,or im gonna get the low battery warning soon when i still got one bar on the battery meter?

01-11-2010, 01:07 PM	#10
Bremen Cole Wizard Posts: 1,115 Karma: 2718 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Texas Device: iPad	It has been my experience that when you reach the last bar, you need to charge. As is often with battery meters and fuel gauges they can take forever to drop the first 1/4 then its pretty normal, but the last one goes fast. I would just plug it in as soon as it has only one bar left.

01-11-2010, 02:05 PM	#11
Pripyat Beginner E-Book Reader Posts: 14 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: London Device: Sony PRS-350 Silver	Thanks for the advise,i gonna wait the low power warning,and after i put on to charge.

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