Poke 2 Color, battery life poor with USB-cable connected

[baljo]

Have a Poke 2 Color and new when I bought it that the battery life would be mediocre at best. To make it even easier to keep the device charged, I bought a magnetic USB-C cable, so I would not need to find the charging hole in the dark.
Strangely enough, when I have the plug inserted in my device, without the cable itself, the battery life goes from 100 % in the evening to approx. 80 % in the morning, this in sleep mode with no Bluetooth or Wifi on. Have been able to replicate this scenario several time. Have also rebooted the device.

Thought first that there's something wrong with the magnetic plug, but the behaviour is identical with a normal USB-C cable connected to the device, but of course not connected to any charger.
Can anyone replicate same behaviour, try e.g. connecting a normal USB-C cable for a couple of hours without charging, and compare the battery reduction with no cable connected?

[Pajamaman]

No idea. But maybe switch to power saver mode. That shuts down background apps that might be eating battery life. Also turn off google play if its on. Also eats battery.

[baljo]

Originally Posted by Pajamaman

No idea. But maybe switch to power saver mode. That shuts down background apps that might be eating battery life. Also turn off google play if its on. Also eats battery.

Thx for replying. I already have it in power save mode.
Anyhow, the issue is that the device eats up the battery quicker with a USB-C cable plugged in (cable not connected to anything else), but battery life is better (= mediocre) with no cable connected.
Can someone with a Poke 2 Color, or anyother USB-C equipped Onyx device try to replicate my issue?

[Pajamaman]

Yeah I'll try it later. That is weird.

[baljo]

Originally Posted by Pajamaman

Yeah I'll try it later. That is weird.

Thx, yeah it is indeed weird

[Pajamaman]

Tried it last night. When I closed the cover it was on 65%. When I opened it about 7 hours later it was on 62%, then promptly updated to 60%. So about 5% with a USB-C to USB-A plugged in. I'll test it without the cable tonight.

[baljo]

Originally Posted by Pajamaman

Tried it last night. When I closed the cover it was on 65%. When I opened it about 7 hours later it was on 62%, then promptly updated to 60%. So about 5% with a USB-C to USB-A plugged in. I'll test it without the cable tonight.

Interesting, and is this with a Poke Color?
And in standby-mode and not shutdown?
And the latest firmware, build 2020-12-02_10-15_3_0_b6ebff?
You mentioned about a cover, is this the magnetic cover? At least I have the one made by Onyx, was included in the package.

I tried again last night, and in 8.5 hours the battery decreased from 98% to 71%! That is, with a USB-C cable plugged in. Without a cable, the decrease has been more in line with what you are reporting.
I've tried with the two USB-C cables I own, but the behaviour is same.

Cannot understand this, just like there would be something in the device sensing that a cable is physically connected even if no electrons are moving.
I have reported to Onyx through the feedback-function but not holding my breath...

[Pajamaman]

Nova Gen 1. Nothing particularly significant here.

[ottischwenk]

Originally Posted by baljo

I tried again last night, and in 8.5 hours the battery decreased from 98% to 71%! That is, with a USB-C cable plugged in. Without a cable, the decrease has been more in line with what you are reporting.
I've tried with the two USB-C cables I own, but the behaviour is same.

I had connected a cable in Note Air (sleep mode) for days without such a discharge taking place.

[baljo]

Originally Posted by ottischwenk

I had connected a cable in Note Air (sleep mode) for days without such a discharge taking place.

Ok, perhaps only an issue with Poke 2 Color then, or with my particular unit. Last night I had no cable plugged in at all, during 8-9 hours the battery life had not decreased at all from 100 %!

Have also contacted https://ereader.store/en/ where I purchased the device, and received quickly a response from them. They have reported it to Onyx (as I myself also did) to see if it can be fixed in an upcoming update.
Onyx has also to their credit replied, but with their usual way of using lots of words and poor grammar to say that I should be in touch with the seller.

Anyhow, would be interested to hear from others with a Poke 2 Color if anyone can replicate this strange issue.

[ottischwenk]

But with my Nova 2 (Android 9) there was a similar appearance, with the cable connected a strong discharge - but I did not measure it accurately

[Galunid]

It was the same with my Nova 2 (there's even a thread about it somewhere here), magnetic plug made the battery drop by ~2%/hour

[baljo]

Originally Posted by Galunid

It was the same with my Nova 2 (there's even a thread about it somewhere here), magnetic plug made the battery drop by ~2%/hour

Aah, ok, thx! Found the post here: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...30&postcount=5
So, there's something fishy with how the USB-C OTG behaves in at least some Onyx devices.
Anyhow, got a confirmation from eReader Store in Germany (they are responsing quickly) that if I want I can send it to them for battery replacement under warranty. Am not going to do it right now, I'll wait to see if next firmware perhaps would help although I'm suspecting it might not.
If the warranty is 1 year, I still have over 9 months left, if it's 2 years (like it's supposed to be in the EU), my math skills says it's 1 year more

[baljo]

Originally Posted by ottischwenk

But with my Nova 2 (Android 9) there was a similar appearance, with the cable connected a strong discharge - but I did not measure it accurately

Ok, looks more and more to be a so called "feature" instead of a bug if we go by how manufacturers typically try to cover up mistakes they've done. My first iPhone (3Gs IIRC) started to reboot itself during calls after an iOs upgrade, but Apple never really admitted it.

[ottischwenk]

I connected cables to both Poke 2 and Poke 3:
Poke 2 lost 4% in 20 hours, Poke 3 3%