PRS-650 Charging issue - battery down to zero

[Shopaholic]

Originally Posted by Bvelleko

For that 13 hours my computer wasn't turned off or went to sleep. After I tested it I unplugged the USB cable and turned my computer off so that can't be the problem.

Most computers automatically go into sleep mode or screen saver or standby/idle time automatically unless you disable it. Any of those will cause the Sony reader to drain the battery and not charge it. The computer knows there's been no mouse movement and will go into idle time mode. And sometimes with a OS update it reverts those settings too. You have to check to make sure sleep mode is off.

If you have an AC charger you're best to use that and thus elminate the battery drain issue.

[Asawi]

I have very little success charging any of my readers through my laptop. I haven't bothered doing any research, checking setting or anything, but even if my computer actually have been "active" charging has been bad. I find using an adapter so much more convenient anyway. Not all USB power adapters work well though, but I have sorted out which ones to use, but they aren't brand names or anything, so I can't give any specific recommendations.

[carpetmojo]

If it doesn't hold, sling it back at your retailer. They'll have to check if the battery's OK or not, and replace device or battery if so. If they say it's not battery, the unit's duff, and ask for replacement.

At least you'd know....

[GraceKrispy]

That happened to me once- the unexpected battery drain. I think I had inadvertently had something resting on the screen and it flipped pages until it lapsed into oblivion. Knock on wood, hasn't happened since. 'Twould be nice if we could disable to touch screen sometimes... it's awfully sensitive when I don't want it to be (and not as sensitive as I'd like at times).

I got my 650 last November and never had a battery problem until a few weeks ago - it seems to lose charge really quickly now. The way I use and charge the reader has not changed since I got it - I rarely switch it off completely, so it's always left in sleep mode until it switches itself off. When the battery indicator has one or two bars left, I plug it into my laptop's USB port and charge it for a few hours (until it says on the display that it is fully charged). I use and charge my 505 the same way; I've had that for about 20 months and its battery seems fine.

I do have the same Blackberry charger mentioned in this thread. I only know basics about batteries and I don't want to damage my reader, so is it really safe to use the charger? The specs say the battery voltage is 3.7 V DC 940 mA, whereas the Blackberry charger supplies 5V DC 700mA.

Thank you.

[elcreative]

Originally Posted by savethebutterfly

I got my 650 last November and never had a battery problem until a few weeks ago - it seems to lose charge really quickly now. The way I use and charge the reader has not changed since I got it - I rarely switch it off completely, so it's always left in sleep mode until it switches itself off. When the battery indicator has one or two bars left, I plug it into my laptop's USB port and charge it for a few hours (until it says on the display that it is fully charged). I use and charge my 505 the same way; I've had that for about 20 months and its battery seems fine.

I do have the same Blackberry charger mentioned in this thread. I only know basics about batteries and I don't want to damage my reader, so is it really safe to use the charger? The specs say the battery voltage is 3.7 V DC 940 mA, whereas the Blackberry charger supplies 5V DC 700mA.

Thank you.

Battery spec is irrelevant... the x50s are designed to charge through their micro-USB socket... all USB = 5V... adjustment to exact battery needs done by internal circuitry... blackberry charger should be fine... my Galaxy II S works fine as do several generic USB chargers...

[Bvelleko]

Originally Posted by Shopaholic

Most computers automatically go into sleep mode or screen saver or standby/idle time automatically unless you disable it. Any of those will cause the Sony reader to drain the battery and not charge it. The computer knows there's been no mouse movement and will go into idle time mode. And sometimes with a OS update it reverts those settings too. You have to check to make sure sleep mode is off.

If you have an AC charger you're best to use that and thus elminate the battery drain issue.

Nope, my computer never turns to sleep or off. I'm completely sure about that because I disable it about 5 minutes after installation.

So there's still the problem that it didn't charge properly on an USB port, and still I will check if it fails again

[carpetmojo]

This problem/topic seems to keep cropping up, and I don't quite understand, to be honest.
I findd my battery performance is fine, I follow accepted best practice, and use a wall charger if it does get to one bar.When I connect to PC to d/load or search for possible d/loads, it gets a small boost, and really I have no problems - but since I've been following the routine, the battery holds a charge longer.

If you have doubts about the battery in your device, go back to the shop, and tell them the situation, and that it dopesn't perform as claimed.
In UK, it's the Sale of Goods Act, and your contract is with the seller - not the manufacturer - and they are responsible for sorting it out.
Is US consumer law any different ?
I always thought Nader had sorted it out !

I can't believe the terms of sale/warranty etc,, are too different - or can anyone put me right ?

I am a great one for slinging stuff back if it doesn't do what I bought a thing for - it's my right.

[Ashjuk]

Originally Posted by carpetmojo

This problem/topic seems to keep cropping up, and I don't quite understand, to be honest.
I findd my battery performance is fine, I follow accepted best practice, and use a wall charger if it does get to one bar.When I connect to PC to d/load or search for possible d/loads, it gets a small boost, and really I have no problems - but since I've been following the routine, the battery holds a charge longer.

If you have doubts about the battery in your device, go back to the shop, and tell them the situation, and that it dopesn't perform as claimed.
In UK, it's the Sale of Goods Act, and your contract is with the seller - not the manufacturer - and they are responsible for sorting it out.
Is US consumer law any different ?
I always thought Nader had sorted it out !

I can't believe the terms of sale/warranty etc,, are too different - or can anyone put me right ?

I am a great one for slinging stuff back if it doesn't do what I bought a thing for - it's my right.

Like you I do not seem to have a problem with the battery holding charge. I also use a wall charger, but I recharge my 650 when it is showing two bars. I know I have only had my 650 for a few weeks but the 600 I bought over a year ago also never had a problem holding its charge either.

It seems to me that if you are suffering from this rapid discharge problem then there must be some kind of fault with the device.

Originally Posted by elcreative

Battery spec is irrelevant... the x50s are designed to charge through their micro-USB socket... all USB = 5V... adjustment to exact battery needs done by internal circuitry... blackberry charger should be fine... my Galaxy II S works fine as do several generic USB chargers...

Thank you, I will give it a go tomorrow.

[Pinecone]

Battery is a lithium polymer cell. Nominally 3.7 volts, maximum full charged voltage is 4.2 volts.

Charging circuitry reduces the voltage inside the device to charge the battery.

Lipos charge on a CC-CV curve. They start at a Constant Current mode, the current is adjusted by reducing the voltage. Once the cell gets to 4.2 volts input, the charger switches to Constant Voltage, holding the 4.2 volts as the charge current reduces. But some devices reduce the maximum voltage (also reducing the amount of charge) to increase the life of the battery.

[Bvelleko]

Originally Posted by carpetmojo

This problem/topic seems to keep cropping up, and I don't quite understand, to be honest.
I findd my battery performance is fine, I follow accepted best practice, and use a wall charger if it does get to one bar.When I connect to PC to d/load or search for possible d/loads, it gets a small boost, and really I have no problems - but since I've been following the routine, the battery holds a charge longer.

If you have doubts about the battery in your device, go back to the shop, and tell them the situation, and that it dopesn't perform as claimed.
In UK, it's the Sale of Goods Act, and your contract is with the seller - not the manufacturer - and they are responsible for sorting it out.
Is US consumer law any different ?
I always thought Nader had sorted it out !

I can't believe the terms of sale/warranty etc,, are too different - or can anyone put me right ?

I am a great one for slinging stuff back if it doesn't do what I bought a thing for - it's my right.

Just discovered that the problem isn't my reader or it's battery but the OS installed on it.

When I charge it trough AC there's no problem but when I charge it with my or an other computer the battery drains dead in about 10 minutes. When I reset my reader by the switch after a full charge on USB it keeps working.

So I guess the OS crashes somehow after I unplug it. My computer runs Windows 7 with the Sony software installed, the other computer uses Windows XP without any software.

Tomorrow I'll start testing different scenes to figure out what the exact problem is.

The reason I'm doing all this is because I don't use AC-adapters at all, not for my phone, music player, camera or anything else. I don't want any cables or stuff lying around. I've got one USB cable and that should do it!

[elcreative]

Wise move, using the computer as primary method of charging... most stable and reliable - not... I use one USB charger with one USB cable for all micro and mini USB devices because the charger is designed to do one thing - charge and doesn't choose to go to sleep or have inadequate current or depend on how many other ports are in use... and I fail to see the difference between having a charger plus cable and a computer plus cable for lying around and it's one less thing cluttering up the computer...

[Bvelleko]

Originally Posted by elcreative

Wise move, using the computer as primary method of charging... most stable and reliable - not... I use one USB charger with one USB cable for all micro and mini USB devices because the charger is designed to do one thing - charge and doesn't choose to go to sleep or have inadequate current or depend on how many other ports are in use... and I fail to see the difference between having a charger plus cable and a computer plus cable for lying around and it's one less thing cluttering up the computer...

Yeah, because every computer is not able to give a little power to USB devices and surely not stable enough to keep that up.

Come on man, what the hell are you talking about?!

If every device is able to charge from USB without problems my reader shouldn't be any problem either. Simply because it's made for it! Besides, with the same cable I upload files to my MP3 player, get photo's from my camera and hey, they charge too!

Now it's time to start solving the problem instead of working around of it!

[elcreative]

But how or why should I start solving the problem... I don't have one and you've dismissed everyone's suggestions as irrelevant so you start solving it... but it ain't the Reader OS for sure...