Forma Just rebooted on its own ?? without touching it for a day

jgbout · 03-18-2021, 01:22 AM

So, had my Forma for a day.

Yesterday I charged and tested a book. Put it to sleep, left it plugged in, still sleeping no issue.

Tonight, suddenly the screen flickered, shut off or went black, had those 3 dots on the screen flashing and rebooted into sleep mode.

What's up with that ?

Is that a defect?

Thanks

jgbout · 03-18-2021, 02:04 AM

Reboot might not be the right word, as it didn't go to the kobo main menu... it flickered, went black, had the 3 dots in the middle then came back to the sleep screen of the book i was looking at yesterday.

davidfor · 03-18-2021, 02:47 AM

What did it do when you woke it? The device can wake, check for firmware and install it. On reboot, it might go to sleep straight away. On the rare time this happens to me, it in the early hours of the morning for me, so I don't ever see it. It is a new device, so it should have updated during the setup.

I have occasionally seen a display glitch were during a change of screen, it flash an older screen image before going to the correct on. And I think going into or out of sleep was the most common time this happened.

jgbout · 03-18-2021, 11:48 AM

Seems to go in and out of sleep properly when you do it.

Here's what happened:

Got it home.
Tried it. Put to sleep.
Plugged in. Charging. Stayed sleep.
Took it later in the night to show family.
Put to sleep and plugged back in. Stayed in sleep.
It stayed on the shelf like that all night and next day no problem.
Later the following night I'm watching TV and notice a flashing on the shelf, about 3 times.
I looked and the reader screen was black (no book cover in sleep).
I picked it up while still plugged in.
3 loading dots appeared on the screen for a few seconds.
Then went right back to last book cover in sleep mode.
Left it rest of night and morning.
Just checked and it comes out and goes in sleep mode fine.

???

jgbout · 03-18-2021, 12:31 PM

Kobo support reply is --- You can not leave it plugged in for more than 4 Hours or it can overload the battery and cause errors.

???? Doesn't sound right.

I kept asking if it was normal and they would not reply.
Asked me to disconnect the power and keep it disconnected.
Try turning off and on (which I knew would work)

They said it's at opimal use condition.

But is that normal I asked..... You can try a factory reset and try for a day. If "you" feel it needs, you can return it.

-----What kind of answer is that ?

4691mls · 03-18-2021, 12:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jgbout

Kobo support reply is --- You can not leave it plugged in for more than 4 Hours or it can overload the battery and cause errors.

???? Doesn't sound right.

-----What kind of answer is that ?

All of my electronics (including my Kobo Clara) occasionally get left on a charger overnight and I've never noticed a problem.

jgbout · 03-18-2021, 12:52 PM

I always keep mine plugged in, unless i plan to use for a while.
Last ereader was almost always plugged in.

I'm trying to figure out if I need to return this for an exchange at the store.

Ripplinger · 03-18-2021, 07:49 PM

My experience has been that leaving a rechargeable lithium battery constantly plugged in drastically shortens the life of the battery. I used to think that keeping the charger plugged in would mean that it would be ready with a full charge whenever I was ready to use it. Doesn't work that way.

I used to have to replace my cell phone battery every year because it wouldn't even last 1/2 day anymore (and I'm a very light phone user), my tools with batteries always ended up with 5 min of power after a few months. Since I now only charge when they need it, I no longer have those problems... my cell phone battery lasts 2-3 days, my tools can run multiple times before needing a recharge.

Fortunately, I never left my ereaders plugged in for long, simply because I use it so often. So I only charge when they get under 25% and don't leave it charging much longer than it needs to hit 100%. I still have Sony readers from 2010 with batteries that still hold a charge.

It won't hurt leaving it plugged in longer or overnight every now and then, but leaving a lithium battery plugged in whenever you're not using it will definitely shorten its life and how long it can hold a charge.

jgbout · 03-18-2021, 08:32 PM

This was just charged for the first time that night, left in and next evening it did that flashing, like it was refreshing 3 times then went black and came back on where it was before in sleep mode.

I looked and doesn't seem it had updated.
Today I even looked for updates and it updated the dictionaries, so, I don't think it was anything like that.

Kobo was very non-answer.

I don't want to keep a device that could have a developing defect, but I don't want to return something that elsewise is a great no issue device.

PeterT · 03-18-2021, 09:01 PM

What changes have you made to the device? Thus party add-ons / patches etc.

Sent from my Pixel 4a using Tapatalk

jgbout · 03-18-2021, 09:02 PM

Nothing.
Like I say, bought it from store, brought home, charged some, tested book, put in sleep mode and reconnected to wallcharger, still sleep, no issues.
left like that. next evening, the flashes, etc....

nothing else done
straight out of new package

Pajamaman · 03-18-2021, 09:08 PM

I think it's nothing to worry about. Use it. Test it. Read on it.

And don't leave an e-ink device plugged in all the time. It's not supposed to do that. Charge to 100% and unplug. These are not tablets. One charge can last weeks. I generally only charge once the battery is heading to 50%.

Uncle Robin · 03-18-2021, 09:38 PM

I would be interested to know why you developed the habit of leaving your ereaders plugged in overnight. Kobo's advice doesn't seem as strange to me as that practice of yours does. As others have mentioned, ereader batteries are low-drain, slow-drain, thanks to the light demands of the ereader. It does seem quite possible that leaving them plugged in overnight every night could do more harm than good.

NiMa · 03-18-2021, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Robin

I would be interested to know why you developed the habit of leaving your ereaders plugged in overnight. Kobo's advice doesn't seem as strange to me as that practice of yours does. As others have mentioned, ereader batteries are low-drain, slow-drain, thanks to the light demands of the ereader. It does seem quite possible that leaving them plugged in overnight every night could do more harm than good.

Of course. Lithium batteries, when they go near 100% charge, are charged by trickle charging; only small bits of energy are given to the battery sporadically: to keep it near 100% but to also prevent it from burning.
Trickle charging is a great thing in life; but when you use it too much, it can damage the lithium cells and thus shorten the life of the battery.

This is a good read about that.

Uncle Robin · 03-18-2021, 09:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NiMa

Of course. Lithium batteries, when they go near 100% charge, are charged by trickle charging; only small bits of energy are given to the battery sporadically: to keep it near 100% but to also prevent it from burning.
Trickle charging is a great thing in life; but when you use it too much, it can damage the lithium cells and thus shorten the life of the battery.

This is a good read about that.

I almost never charge my reader by plugging it into the wall. I connect it to Calibre via my PC so often that its charge stays at a level that works for me. What this does to its battery life, I'm not sure

03-18-2021, 01:22 AM	#1
jgbout Groupie Posts: 190 Karma: 20210 Join Date: Feb 2021 Device: none	Just rebooted on its own ?? without touching it for a day So, had my Forma for a day. Yesterday I charged and tested a book. Put it to sleep, left it plugged in, still sleeping no issue. Tonight, suddenly the screen flickered, shut off or went black, had those 3 dots on the screen flashing and rebooted into sleep mode. What's up with that ? Is that a defect? Thanks

03-18-2021, 12:31 PM	#5
jgbout Groupie Posts: 190 Karma: 20210 Join Date: Feb 2021 Device: none	Kobo support reply is --- You can not leave it plugged in for more than 4 Hours or it can overload the battery and cause errors. ???? Doesn't sound right. I kept asking if it was normal and they would not reply. Asked me to disconnect the power and keep it disconnected. Try turning off and on (which I knew would work) They said it's at opimal use condition. But is that normal I asked..... You can try a factory reset and try for a day. If "you" feel it needs, you can return it. -----What kind of answer is that ? Last edited by jgbout; 03-18-2021 at 12:38 PM.

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
I updated to v3.19, rebooted, Can't find Library	Mr.Abiff	Calibre	3	03-11-2018 11:37 PM
K3 froze, rebooted, now date messed up...	twowheels	Amazon Kindle	2	01-21-2011 03:37 PM
Help! My jetBook Lite rebooted in Russian	jpmahala	Ectaco jetBook	2	11-30-2010 08:35 AM
prs500 came, rebooted often and bricked	klikklak	Sony Reader	7	11-23-2007 09:18 AM

03-18-2021, 02:04 AM	#2
jgbout Groupie Posts: 190 Karma: 20210 Join Date: Feb 2021 Device: none	Reboot might not be the right word, as it didn't go to the kobo main menu... it flickered, went black, had the 3 dots in the middle then came back to the sleep screen of the book i was looking at yesterday.

03-18-2021, 02:47 AM	#3
davidfor Grand Sorcerer Posts: 24,905 Karma: 47303824 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Sydney, Australia Device: Kobo:Touch,Glo, AuraH2O, GloHD,AuraONE, ClaraHD, Libra H2O; tolinoepos	What did it do when you woke it? The device can wake, check for firmware and install it. On reboot, it might go to sleep straight away. On the rare time this happens to me, it in the early hours of the morning for me, so I don't ever see it. It is a new device, so it should have updated during the setup. I have occasionally seen a display glitch were during a change of screen, it flash an older screen image before going to the correct on. And I think going into or out of sleep was the most common time this happened.

03-18-2021, 11:48 AM	#4
jgbout Groupie Posts: 190 Karma: 20210 Join Date: Feb 2021 Device: none	Seems to go in and out of sleep properly when you do it. Here's what happened: Got it home. Tried it. Put to sleep. Plugged in. Charging. Stayed sleep. Took it later in the night to show family. Put to sleep and plugged back in. Stayed in sleep. It stayed on the shelf like that all night and next day no problem. Later the following night I'm watching TV and notice a flashing on the shelf, about 3 times. I looked and the reader screen was black (no book cover in sleep). I picked it up while still plugged in. 3 loading dots appeared on the screen for a few seconds. Then went right back to last book cover in sleep mode. Left it rest of night and morning. Just checked and it comes out and goes in sleep mode fine. ???

03-18-2021, 12:52 PM	#7
jgbout Groupie Posts: 190 Karma: 20210 Join Date: Feb 2021 Device: none	I always keep mine plugged in, unless i plan to use for a while. Last ereader was almost always plugged in. I'm trying to figure out if I need to return this for an exchange at the store.

03-18-2021, 07:49 PM	#8
Ripplinger 350 Hoarder Posts: 3,574 Karma: 8281267 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Midwest USA Device: Sony PRS-350, Kobo Glo & Glo HD, PW2	My experience has been that leaving a rechargeable lithium battery constantly plugged in drastically shortens the life of the battery. I used to think that keeping the charger plugged in would mean that it would be ready with a full charge whenever I was ready to use it. Doesn't work that way. I used to have to replace my cell phone battery every year because it wouldn't even last 1/2 day anymore (and I'm a very light phone user), my tools with batteries always ended up with 5 min of power after a few months. Since I now only charge when they need it, I no longer have those problems... my cell phone battery lasts 2-3 days, my tools can run multiple times before needing a recharge. Fortunately, I never left my ereaders plugged in for long, simply because I use it so often. So I only charge when they get under 25% and don't leave it charging much longer than it needs to hit 100%. I still have Sony readers from 2010 with batteries that still hold a charge. It won't hurt leaving it plugged in longer or overnight every now and then, but leaving a lithium battery plugged in whenever you're not using it will definitely shorten its life and how long it can hold a charge.

03-18-2021, 08:32 PM	#9
jgbout Groupie Posts: 190 Karma: 20210 Join Date: Feb 2021 Device: none	This was just charged for the first time that night, left in and next evening it did that flashing, like it was refreshing 3 times then went black and came back on where it was before in sleep mode. I looked and doesn't seem it had updated. Today I even looked for updates and it updated the dictionaries, so, I don't think it was anything like that. Kobo was very non-answer. I don't want to keep a device that could have a developing defect, but I don't want to return something that elsewise is a great no issue device.

03-18-2021, 09:01 PM	#10
PeterT Grand Sorcerer Posts: 13,511 Karma: 78910202 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Toronto Device: Libra H2O, Libra Colour	What changes have you made to the device? Thus party add-ons / patches etc. Sent from my Pixel 4a using Tapatalk

03-18-2021, 09:02 PM	#11
jgbout Groupie Posts: 190 Karma: 20210 Join Date: Feb 2021 Device: none	Nothing. Like I say, bought it from store, brought home, charged some, tested book, put in sleep mode and reconnected to wallcharger, still sleep, no issues. left like that. next evening, the flashes, etc.... nothing else done straight out of new package

03-18-2021, 09:08 PM	#12
Pajamaman Wizard Posts: 2,861 Karma: 10700629 Join Date: May 2016 Location: Canada Device: Onyx Nova	I think it's nothing to worry about. Use it. Test it. Read on it. And don't leave an e-ink device plugged in all the time. It's not supposed to do that. Charge to 100% and unplug. These are not tablets. One charge can last weeks. I generally only charge once the battery is heading to 50%.

03-18-2021, 09:38 PM	#13
Uncle Robin Diligent dilettante Posts: 3,661 Karma: 52758936 Join Date: Sep 2019 Location: in my mind Device: Kobo Sage; Kobo Libra Colour	I would be interested to know why you developed the habit of leaving your ereaders plugged in overnight. Kobo's advice doesn't seem as strange to me as that practice of yours does. As others have mentioned, ereader batteries are low-drain, slow-drain, thanks to the light demands of the ereader. It does seem quite possible that leaving them plugged in overnight every night could do more harm than good.