Paperwhite battery drains in a day

kitkat2712 · 05-25-2017, 03:03 AM

Hi all,

New here.

I have a Paperwhite 2 (wifi + 3G - SN B0D5) that I've now had and loved for a few years. Recently, I found that the battery goes from full to 0 in less than a day. Charged overnight, it's gone to empty by bedtime without having read a single page.

I've already forced a restart (although it basically does that when the battery goes to empty), I've done a factory reset and I've even installed a new battery. That battery was installed yesterday, charged and the kindle showed empty this morning.

I have read that battery drain might be cause by some indexing error, however, that should have been taken care of with the factory reset, which pretty much wiped everything (no non-cloud books, only needed to re-download, nbd).

I am usually connected to the home wifi and have always been and have had weeks of power before recently.

Short of trying another new battery and buying a new device, I'm hoping for other ideas. Is there an error log that can be assessed? I've connected the device to my linux mint computer but can't find any log files (I also have a Windows 10 machine if there is software for that.)

Thanks, Kat

JSWolf · 05-25-2017, 05:02 AM

It sounds like you need a new battery.

kitkat2712 · 05-25-2017, 05:22 AM

I already exchanged the battery, no real improvement.

Any other ideas?

knc1 · 05-25-2017, 08:29 AM

Wrong forum, the technical people hang out in the Kindle Developer's Forum.

Have you checked the simple things?
Keep it in airplane mode after you charge the battery, see if that makes a difference?
Noticed what firmware version the device is now running vs what it was running before?

Yes, there are log files. Try the dev. forum where such things are known and discussed.

badgoodDeb · 05-26-2017, 01:52 PM

Are there any files stuck indexing?

HarryT · 05-27-2017, 06:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by badgoodDeb

Are there any files stuck indexing?

Yes, this is by far the most common cause of a high battery drain.

To check, go to the home screen and type in a search string of random characters (so you don't get any genuine matches). If the "Text in Books" result tab is enabled, select it, and see if it says something like "XXX items not yet indexed". If it does say that, tap on that line and it'll show you what the items are that aren't indexed.

The best way to avoid this is to add books in small numbers (eg 20 or so at a time) and wait for each batch to finish indexing before adding the next batch. Indexing goes much faster when the Kindle is connected to a wall charger.

kitkat2712 · 05-28-2017, 03:56 PM

Sorry for only checking in back now. I had turned on email notifications for this thread but these went to my junk folder...

I had already looked for indexing error. Nothing was stuck there, after the factory reset, I only had loaded a handful of books that I have queued for later reading but not my back library. Flight mode helped a little but not a lot, battery would do to low still fairly quickly.

I've ended up pulling the logs through ;dm and what was suspicious was the very high number of network entries. When the new battery took forever to load, the kindle had become pretty warm on the back. However, after disassembling it again, I found that didn't come from the battery but the 3G module, which apparently had been running amok behind the wifi connection. After removing that module, the new battery is running fine. A replacement 3G module is already en route.

Considering how flight mode increased battery life but not massively, I have a feeling that both battery and 3G module were faulty.

If this should go to the developers forum, maybe a mod can move this thread?

knc1 · 05-28-2017, 04:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kitkat2712

- - - - -
Considering how flight mode increased battery life but not massively, I have a feeling that both battery and 3G module were faulty.

If this should go to the developers forum, maybe a mod can move this thread?

A double failure is very uncommon, but they can happen.

But you don't have to presume a double failure here.

Just blame the 3G module for the "early" failure of the first battery.
(True, you still would have to replace both, but not require that the battery fail of its own accord.)

Keep in mind, even when operating normally, the 3G module pulls about 4x the battery's rating when it transmits.

Translation: Amazon includes the smallest storage capacity battery that can withstand the peak current surge demand of the 3G module.
I posted a lot of details on this subject right after I first joined here (5 years ago).
Those posts can still be accessed if anyone is curious (MR uses accessible archives).

05-25-2017, 03:03 AM	#1
kitkat2712 Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2017 Device: Kindle Paperwhite 3G version	Paperwhite battery drains in a day Hi all, New here. I have a Paperwhite 2 (wifi + 3G - SN B0D5) that I've now had and loved for a few years. Recently, I found that the battery goes from full to 0 in less than a day. Charged overnight, it's gone to empty by bedtime without having read a single page. I've already forced a restart (although it basically does that when the battery goes to empty), I've done a factory reset and I've even installed a new battery. That battery was installed yesterday, charged and the kindle showed empty this morning. I have read that battery drain might be cause by some indexing error, however, that should have been taken care of with the factory reset, which pretty much wiped everything (no non-cloud books, only needed to re-download, nbd). I am usually connected to the home wifi and have always been and have had weeks of power before recently. Short of trying another new battery and buying a new device, I'm hoping for other ideas. Is there an error log that can be assessed? I've connected the device to my linux mint computer but can't find any log files (I also have a Windows 10 machine if there is software for that.) Thanks, Kat

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05-25-2017, 05:02 AM	#2
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 78,892 Karma: 143095300 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	It sounds like you need a new battery.

05-25-2017, 05:22 AM	#3
kitkat2712 Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2017 Device: Kindle Paperwhite 3G version	I already exchanged the battery, no real improvement. Any other ideas?

05-25-2017, 08:29 AM	#4
knc1 Going Viral Posts: 17,212 Karma: 18210809 Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Central Texas Device: No K1, PW2, KV, KOA	Wrong forum, the technical people hang out in the Kindle Developer's Forum. Have you checked the simple things? Keep it in airplane mode after you charge the battery, see if that makes a difference? Noticed what firmware version the device is now running vs what it was running before? Yes, there are log files. Try the dev. forum where such things are known and discussed.

05-26-2017, 01:52 PM	#5
badgoodDeb Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,535 Karma: 64201357 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Harrisburg outskirts Device: Palms, K1-4s, iPads, iPhones, KV, KO1	Are there any files stuck indexing?

05-28-2017, 03:56 PM	#7
kitkat2712 Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2017 Device: Kindle Paperwhite 3G version	Sorry for only checking in back now. I had turned on email notifications for this thread but these went to my junk folder... I had already looked for indexing error. Nothing was stuck there, after the factory reset, I only had loaded a handful of books that I have queued for later reading but not my back library. Flight mode helped a little but not a lot, battery would do to low still fairly quickly. I've ended up pulling the logs through ;dm and what was suspicious was the very high number of network entries. When the new battery took forever to load, the kindle had become pretty warm on the back. However, after disassembling it again, I found that didn't come from the battery but the 3G module, which apparently had been running amok behind the wifi connection. After removing that module, the new battery is running fine. A replacement 3G module is already en route. Considering how flight mode increased battery life but not massively, I have a feeling that both battery and 3G module were faulty. If this should go to the developers forum, maybe a mod can move this thread?

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