Battery help

Tazzers · 06-29-2010, 10:45 PM

I am having serious issues with the battery life of my PRS600.

Let me tell you what I have done so far.

1) I have checked that the media player is not running.

2) I run the battery to completely empty and then beyond. I have run it until there are no bars left on the battery meter and then charged it for four hours.

3) I have completely emptied the battery until not only does it have no bars left on the battery meter but it is warning me that the battery life is low and then it says enough is enough I will not allow you to read anymore until you charge me up (I paraphrase).

4) Then I charge it up for four hours.

5) I usually use the buttons to page-turn, I rarely use the stylus or even the touch screen.

It doesn't seem to matter what I do, I am told that I should get 7000 page turns and I simply cannot. I can't get anywhere near it. In fact I would say I am lucky to get a thousand.

I am convinced that I have bought a reader with a dud battery. I have read that when it is displaying a page it does not draw power but is it possible that instead of switching the reader to standby mode I should be switching it off completely when I am not using it?

What else can I do?

Cheers.

flyash · 06-29-2010, 11:13 PM

No, allowing the reader to go into standby mode is fine.

You can try replacing the battery, it's easy to get to in the device. And I imagine you can find a replacement battery if you look around.

http://aldus2006.typepad.fr/files/prs600.pdf

Tazzers · 06-29-2010, 11:17 PM

Thanks for the reply flyash. Does it sound to you like a duff battery then?

flyash · 06-29-2010, 11:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tazzers

Thanks for the reply flyash. Does it sound to you like a duff battery then?

I never thought about battery life in terms of page turns, but it sounds like you are convinced that the device does not run as long on a full charge as it should. If you are correct about that, I would make a bad battery the first suspect.

Also, I think repeated full discharges are bad for the battery, so depending on how you used the device, you may have reduced the charge capacity of the battery.

DoctorOhh · 06-29-2010, 11:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tazzers

Thanks for the reply flyash. Does it sound to you like a duff battery then?

You say you charge it for 4 hours, how do you do this?

MSJim · 06-29-2010, 11:48 PM

Tazzers,

A lot of people have reported odd charging problems, that could be related to misconceptions about the true state of charge. The battery charge indicator is not very reliable. You're clearly fully discharging the battery, but you may not be getting a full charge.

You say you charge for four hours, but do you monitor the charge light - next to the power button. It should be red while charging and go out when the charge is complete.

You don't say how you're charging the reader. Are you using the USB cable, or a wall charger.

USB charging is slower and not as reliable than wall charging, and four hours may not be enough.

Tazzers · 06-30-2010, 12:48 AM

Thanks all. I am using the USB cable in conjunction with my computer. I check the charging light as I go.

I distrust wall chargers as I once blew the charging circuits of an LG mobile phone using what was advertised as a wall charger for that very model so I really don't want to use a wall charger unless I know for certain I have the right type.

Only once have I completely drained the battery and I have to say that it lasts a while before it gives up completely but definitely not 7000 page turns and you keep getting the battery low message when you switch it on.

One other note. I tried charging it for 6 hours plugged into the computer. If anything, the battery discharged even quicker.

I do have one other problem, not battery related. Sony recently released a software upgrade and so I installed it. Only now, when I plug the USB cable in, the software no longer activates automatically as it did before. The battery will charge but I cannot use the software. The device is detected because the autorun boxes show up on the screen but the reader library software no longer runs.

The strange thing is that the warning symbol shows on the reader telling me not to disconnect the device. It leaves me with no choice but to switch the computer off before disconnecting but even then, the warning symbol remains as long as the cable is plugged in. I have tried reinstalling the software only to be told to shut the software down before re-installing, suggesting that the software is in fact running but when I fire up the device manager on my computer there is no sign that it is running at all.

Very strange.

Mike_73 · 06-30-2010, 01:26 AM

I assume you didn't install any hacks on your unit!?

If you have the clock hack, then depending on the clock's setting, the battery can drain faster if the clock is set to refresh the display on every change of the minutes.

DoctorOhh · 06-30-2010, 01:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tazzers

Only once have I completely drained the battery and I have to say that it lasts a while before it gives up completely but definitely not 7000 page turns and you keep getting the battery low message when you switch it on.

There is no need to wait until the battery is drained. I routinely charge it when it hits 2 bars. Lithium batteries don't have the battery memory problem other rechargeable batteries have.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tazzers

One other note. I tried charging it for 6 hours plugged into the computer. If anything, the battery discharged even quicker.

If your computer goes into sleep mode while you're charging the reader there is a good chance you'll drain your battery. You can't overcharge the reader, the red light will go off when it thinks it is fully charged.

The red light will also go off when you eject it from the computer and may go off when your computer goes to sleep. When the red light goes off under these circumstances it does not mean your reader is fully charged. If you leave it connected after you have ejected it or after your computer goes to sleep it will not charge and may in fact drain the battery.

I don't use Sony's reader software, except to purchase books, so I can't shed any light on those other questions.

Tazzers · 06-30-2010, 02:19 AM

Again thanks for the input everybody. Mike. As far as I know I have no hacks installed.

As for the software I have resigned myself to having to figure out how to use other party software such as Calibre but I don't know how to create collections with it. I'm sure I'll figure that bit out though. My main concern is the apparent battery life.

AprilHare · 06-30-2010, 02:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tazzers

Again thanks for the input everybody. Mike. As far as I know I have no hacks installed.

As for the software I have resigned myself to having to figure out how to use other party software such as Calibre but I don't know how to create collections with it. I'm sure I'll figure that bit out though. My main concern is the apparent battery life.

We're not done

The apparent battery life can be brought into line with reality in one way I have used successfully in the past: you can open the unit, disconnect the battery, then reconnect. It helps 'reset' the circuit so that it can make a better assessment of how recharged it is.
I may need a new battery though (Sony should have replaced it before sending me my reconditioned unit..)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tazzers

Thanks all. I am using the USB cable in conjunction with my computer. I check the charging light as I go.

I distrust wall chargers as I once blew the charging circuits of an LG mobile phone using what was advertised as a wall charger for that very model so I really don't want to use a wall charger unless I know for certain I have the right type.

Only once have I completely drained the battery and I have to say that it lasts a while before it gives up completely but definitely not 7000 page turns and you keep getting the battery low message when you switch it on.

One other note. I tried charging it for 6 hours plugged into the computer. If anything, the battery discharged even quicker.

I do have one other problem, not battery related. Sony recently released a software upgrade and so I installed it. Only now, when I plug the USB cable in, the software no longer activates automatically as it did before. The battery will charge but I cannot use the software. The device is detected because the autorun boxes show up on the screen but the reader library software no longer runs.

The strange thing is that the warning symbol shows on the reader telling me not to disconnect the device. It leaves me with no choice but to switch the computer off before disconnecting but even then, the warning symbol remains as long as the cable is plugged in. I have tried reinstalling the software only to be told to shut the software down before re-installing, suggesting that the software is in fact running but when I fire up the device manager on my computer there is no sign that it is running at all.

Very strange.

The wall charger is very reliable. I am using one that came with my defunct PRS-500, however a PSP recharger will do. It's not some dicky mobile phone recharger!

Quote:

Originally Posted by MSJim

Tazzers,

A lot of people have reported odd charging problems, that could be related to misconceptions about the true state of charge. The battery charge indicator is not very reliable. You're clearly fully discharging the battery, but you may not be getting a full charge.

You say you charge for four hours, but do you monitor the charge light - next to the power button. It should be red while charging and go out when the charge is complete.

You don't say how you're charging the reader. Are you using the USB cable, or a wall charger.

USB charging is slower and not as reliable than wall charging, and four hours may not be enough.

I semi-monitor mine as I recharge at home overnight. I daresay I'm not getting a full 4 hours (it's more like 2).
I personally recommend never recharging via USB, I wish I could disable USB recharging altogether; it's unreliable and appears to make matters worse, especially the small 'charges' it gets when uploading books.

AprilHare · 06-30-2010, 02:31 AM

I should have addressed your Sony software issue.
To remove your device, you need to eject the device. This is done by clicking the little eject button next to the Sony Reader icon. Then you physically remove.

Lilly · 06-30-2010, 02:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AprilHare

I should have addressed your Sony software issue.
To remove your device, you need to eject the device. This is done by clicking the little eject button next to the Sony Reader icon. Then you physically remove.

This is a great advice. Make sure you are properly ejecting the device all the time. A Sony PSP charger will not harm your unit (Sony brand or generic). In fact I think before you try to change the battery, a wall charger might solve your problem.

Tazzers · 06-30-2010, 03:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AprilHare

I should have addressed your Sony software issue.
To remove your device, you need to eject the device. This is done by clicking the little eject button next to the Sony Reader icon. Then you physically remove.

Thanks AH, will look into the charging advice.

You may have misunderstood my question about disconnecting. I understand that you need to click the disconnect button as I was always able to do this prior to the recent software upgrade. Unfortunately the new software GUI does not load and therefore I cannot interface with the device.

Concerning the wall charger. Can I buy any PSP wall charger and use it straight out of the box?

church mouse · 06-30-2010, 03:52 AM

Tazzers -

I'm not a 600 user, but used a 505 for nearly 2 years and now a 300 - both are supposed to have 6000-7000 page turn life for the battery. However, my understanding is that this is based upon the scenario of non-stop continuous page turning, which never happens in real life.

When the unit is in sleep mode (rather than shutdown) the unit is still taking an amount of power from the battery.

My experience has been that with my level of reading - a couple of hours every day - I expect the battery to go down to one bar by about the end of week 3 after fully charging. Frequent returns to the main menu and navigating about impacts upon battery life as well.

The above has held true for both units I have owned.

Oh, and as others have recommended already, charge via the mains if you can.

06-29-2010, 10:45 PM	#1
Tazzers Member Posts: 16 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: Sony PRS600	Battery help I am having serious issues with the battery life of my PRS600. Let me tell you what I have done so far. 1) I have checked that the media player is not running. 2) I run the battery to completely empty and then beyond. I have run it until there are no bars left on the battery meter and then charged it for four hours. 3) I have completely emptied the battery until not only does it have no bars left on the battery meter but it is warning me that the battery life is low and then it says enough is enough I will not allow you to read anymore until you charge me up (I paraphrase). 4) Then I charge it up for four hours. 5) I usually use the buttons to page-turn, I rarely use the stylus or even the touch screen. It doesn't seem to matter what I do, I am told that I should get 7000 page turns and I simply cannot. I can't get anywhere near it. In fact I would say I am lucky to get a thousand. I am convinced that I have bought a reader with a dud battery. I have read that when it is displaying a page it does not draw power but is it possible that instead of switching the reader to standby mode I should be switching it off completely when I am not using it? What else can I do? Cheers.

06-30-2010, 12:48 AM	#7
Tazzers Member Posts: 16 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: Sony PRS600	Thanks all. I am using the USB cable in conjunction with my computer. I check the charging light as I go. I distrust wall chargers as I once blew the charging circuits of an LG mobile phone using what was advertised as a wall charger for that very model so I really don't want to use a wall charger unless I know for certain I have the right type. Only once have I completely drained the battery and I have to say that it lasts a while before it gives up completely but definitely not 7000 page turns and you keep getting the battery low message when you switch it on. One other note. I tried charging it for 6 hours plugged into the computer. If anything, the battery discharged even quicker. I do have one other problem, not battery related. Sony recently released a software upgrade and so I installed it. Only now, when I plug the USB cable in, the software no longer activates automatically as it did before. The battery will charge but I cannot use the software. The device is detected because the autorun boxes show up on the screen but the reader library software no longer runs. The strange thing is that the warning symbol shows on the reader telling me not to disconnect the device. It leaves me with no choice but to switch the computer off before disconnecting but even then, the warning symbol remains as long as the cable is plugged in. I have tried reinstalling the software only to be told to shut the software down before re-installing, suggesting that the software is in fact running but when I fire up the device manager on my computer there is no sign that it is running at all. Very strange. Last edited by Tazzers; 06-30-2010 at 12:52 AM.

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06-29-2010, 11:13 PM	#2
flyash Groupie Posts: 196 Karma: 1003498 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: none	No, allowing the reader to go into standby mode is fine. You can try replacing the battery, it's easy to get to in the device. And I imagine you can find a replacement battery if you look around. http://aldus2006.typepad.fr/files/prs600.pdf

06-29-2010, 11:17 PM	#3
Tazzers Member Posts: 16 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: Sony PRS600	Thanks for the reply flyash. Does it sound to you like a duff battery then?

06-29-2010, 11:48 PM	#6
MSJim Bookworm Posts: 104 Karma: 26 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Central Georgia, USA Device: PRS-600, Nook STR	Tazzers, A lot of people have reported odd charging problems, that could be related to misconceptions about the true state of charge. The battery charge indicator is not very reliable. You're clearly fully discharging the battery, but you may not be getting a full charge. You say you charge for four hours, but do you monitor the charge light - next to the power button. It should be red while charging and go out when the charge is complete. You don't say how you're charging the reader. Are you using the USB cable, or a wall charger. USB charging is slower and not as reliable than wall charging, and four hours may not be enough.

06-30-2010, 01:26 AM	#8
Mike_73 Guru Posts: 750 Karma: 1323 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: PRS-505, PRS-600, iPad 16GB Wifi, Kindle Voyage, Nexus 6, Razr HD	I assume you didn't install any hacks on your unit!? If you have the clock hack, then depending on the clock's setting, the battery can drain faster if the clock is set to refresh the display on every change of the minutes.

06-30-2010, 02:19 AM	#10
Tazzers Member Posts: 16 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: Sony PRS600	Again thanks for the input everybody. Mike. As far as I know I have no hacks installed. As for the software I have resigned myself to having to figure out how to use other party software such as Calibre but I don't know how to create collections with it. I'm sure I'll figure that bit out though. My main concern is the apparent battery life.

06-30-2010, 02:31 AM	#12
AprilHare Wizard Posts: 2,981 Karma: 11862367 Join Date: Apr 2008 Device: Sony Reader PRS-T2	I should have addressed your Sony software issue. To remove your device, you need to eject the device. This is done by clicking the little eject button next to the Sony Reader icon. Then you physically remove.

06-30-2010, 03:52 AM	#15
church mouse Evangelist Posts: 482 Karma: 5277078 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: UK Device: Kindle Voyage, Kobo Clara HD, Kobo H2O, Boox Poke 2	Tazzers - I'm not a 600 user, but used a 505 for nearly 2 years and now a 300 - both are supposed to have 6000-7000 page turn life for the battery. However, my understanding is that this is based upon the scenario of non-stop continuous page turning, which never happens in real life. When the unit is in sleep mode (rather than shutdown) the unit is still taking an amount of power from the battery. My experience has been that with my level of reading - a couple of hours every day - I expect the battery to go down to one bar by about the end of week 3 after fully charging. Frequent returns to the main menu and navigating about impacts upon battery life as well. The above has held true for both units I have owned. Oh, and as others have recommended already, charge via the mains if you can.

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