Battery Problem?

gordoncanada · 02-08-2010, 05:12 PM

Hello there. This is my first posting.
I just bought a Jetbook Lite from Newegg.ca for 129.00 with free shipping. I love it, but the battery life seems very short. The reader cuts off when the battery bars are only down by one. Yesterday I read all day off and on betweeen 9 a.m. and 8 p.m., turning off the unit each time when I went away. On page 245, the unit shut off. It was only two bars down.

Last week, when it was only down by one battery bar, the unit would not stay on long enough to load a book from Calibre. I disabled auto-shutoff, but only recharging the brand new rechargeable AAA batteries fixed this.

Should I exchange the unit? Will upgrading the firmware to .15 help this?

I look forward to benefitting from you experience!

Kralik · 02-08-2010, 05:41 PM

Perhaps it has to due with the brand/quality of your rechargables? How much in mAh are they rated for?

booklover6 · 02-08-2010, 08:33 PM

What are the best batteries to use for the JBL? Do regular batteries run out too fast? Do rechargables last longer (per charge)?

gr8npwrfl · 02-08-2010, 11:07 PM

If you are going to buy rechargable batteries then by all means get the lithium Ion rechargables. They are ten times better than ni cad batteries.

The cheaper the batteries the shorter the time they will last and the fewer times you can recharge them before they have gone bad

ngrant · 02-08-2010, 11:10 PM

The JBL's battery meter is calibrated for regular alkaline batteries, so when you are using rechargeables the battery indicator is NOT accurate. It shows a high charge remaining for a long time, then goes down very suddenly to two bars or one then the device shuts off, seemingly without warning. How soon this happens will depend on many factors - e.g. the rated capacity of your rechargeables, how old they are, how many times they have been charged, and so on.

According to other reports on this forum, the early/abrupt shutting down can also cause the JBL to have problems restarting and then requires a reset or even reloading of the firmware. I had to do the reset once.

I have 5 year old Powerex rechargeables rated at 2500 mAh (yes, they DO still work!) which give me about 10 hours of reading on the JBL from a full charge; I no longer wait on the device to shut down, but replace the batteries after about 8 hours or when the indicator shows 2 bars. Or I use regular alkaine batteries (bought cheaply in bulk). Better safe than sorry, that's my philosphy. And with 2 sets of rechargeables, I always have a set fully charged and ready to go - and lots of spare alkalines too.

Since I have a lot of gadgets I always keep lots of batteries on hand, so it's not a problem for me. Just something to be aware of.

Ken Maltby · 02-09-2010, 02:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gr8npwrfl

If you are going to buy rechargable batteries then by all means get the lithium Ion rechargables. They are ten times better than ni cad batteries.

The cheaper the batteries the shorter the time they will last and the fewer times you can recharge them before they have gone bad

All the AA lithium Ion rechargables that I've encountered were 3.6 or 3.7v
cells. There are 1.5v lithium ion Primary (non-rechargable) AA cells, but I
haven't seen any rechargeable lithium ion that you could use to run a
device meant to run on normal AA alkaline cells.

Where can these be found?

Luck;
Ken

gr8npwrfl · 02-09-2010, 01:12 PM

I get them for engineering I do from an industrial supplier. I will find out where they are available retail for you

Ken Maltby · 02-09-2010, 05:28 PM

Wiz; Have you tried the NiZn 1.6v cells in the JBL? ( I'm a little too chicken to give
them a try, so far.)

Any idea whether Ectaco might be addressing the rechargable Ni-Mh discharge
curve issue?

Luck;
Ken

gr8npwrfl · 02-09-2010, 08:24 PM

I will look back at all my pictures and see but I think the JB has a voltage regulator in it so the 1.6 volt batteries should not bee any problem at all.

Will check tonight and have an answer for you later tonight

gordoncanada · 02-11-2010, 10:46 AM

Hello again, everyone. Thanks for your replies.

I sent the manufacturer a support e-mail describing the symptoms and got a quick reply advising me to load the latest firmware. After doing so the battery indicator has not moved. The problem seems to be fixed.

Take Care, gordoncanda

gr8npwrfl · 02-12-2010, 02:24 PM

You can use any batteries you want in the JB

The main units runs from 3.3 volts so everything is voltage regulated anyway. The regulator can handle up to 18 volts so you can use the 1.6 volt batteries with no problem.

I don't think they will actually give you more operating time if you read the spec's but trying is the real test.

02-08-2010, 05:12 PM	#1
gordoncanada Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2010 Device: Jetbook Lite	Battery Problem? Hello there. This is my first posting. I just bought a Jetbook Lite from Newegg.ca for 129.00 with free shipping. I love it, but the battery life seems very short. The reader cuts off when the battery bars are only down by one. Yesterday I read all day off and on betweeen 9 a.m. and 8 p.m., turning off the unit each time when I went away. On page 245, the unit shut off. It was only two bars down. Last week, when it was only down by one battery bar, the unit would not stay on long enough to load a book from Calibre. I disabled auto-shutoff, but only recharging the brand new rechargeable AAA batteries fixed this. Should I exchange the unit? Will upgrading the firmware to .15 help this? I look forward to benefitting from you experience!

02-08-2010, 11:07 PM	#4
gr8npwrfl The Wizard of OZ Posts: 143 Karma: 434 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Southern California Device: Jetbook Ipod Touch Wind Netbook	Batteries If you are going to buy rechargable batteries then by all means get the lithium Ion rechargables. They are ten times better than ni cad batteries. The cheaper the batteries the shorter the time they will last and the fewer times you can recharge them before they have gone bad

02-08-2010, 11:10 PM	#5
ngrant Gadget Lover Posts: 420 Karma: 4501290 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: MS, USA Device: Oasis 2, Mobiscribe Origin, Fire HD tablets	Rechargeables vs Alkaline batteries The JBL's battery meter is calibrated for regular alkaline batteries, so when you are using rechargeables the battery indicator is NOT accurate. It shows a high charge remaining for a long time, then goes down very suddenly to two bars or one then the device shuts off, seemingly without warning. How soon this happens will depend on many factors - e.g. the rated capacity of your rechargeables, how old they are, how many times they have been charged, and so on. According to other reports on this forum, the early/abrupt shutting down can also cause the JBL to have problems restarting and then requires a reset or even reloading of the firmware. I had to do the reset once. I have 5 year old Powerex rechargeables rated at 2500 mAh (yes, they DO still work!) which give me about 10 hours of reading on the JBL from a full charge; I no longer wait on the device to shut down, but replace the batteries after about 8 hours or when the indicator shows 2 bars. Or I use regular alkaine batteries (bought cheaply in bulk). Better safe than sorry, that's my philosphy. And with 2 sets of rechargeables, I always have a set fully charged and ready to go - and lots of spare alkalines too. Since I have a lot of gadgets I always keep lots of batteries on hand, so it's not a problem for me. Just something to be aware of.

02-09-2010, 01:12 PM	#7
gr8npwrfl The Wizard of OZ Posts: 143 Karma: 434 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Southern California Device: Jetbook Ipod Touch Wind Netbook	WSill contact my supplier I get them for engineering I do from an industrial supplier. I will find out where they are available retail for you

02-09-2010, 08:24 PM	#9
gr8npwrfl The Wizard of OZ Posts: 143 Karma: 434 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Southern California Device: Jetbook Ipod Touch Wind Netbook	1.6 volt batteries I will look back at all my pictures and see but I think the JB has a voltage regulator in it so the 1.6 volt batteries should not bee any problem at all. Will check tonight and have an answer for you later tonight

02-08-2010, 05:41 PM	#2
Kralik Guru Posts: 609 Karma: 1013897 Join Date: Jul 2009 Device: Rooted NST	Perhaps it has to due with the brand/quality of your rechargables? How much in mAh are they rated for?

02-08-2010, 08:33 PM	#3
booklover6 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 6,533 Karma: 14008730 Join Date: May 2008 Location: PA (USA) Device: Kobo Clara, 2E, Libre, PW4, PW5, 2022 Kindle	What are the best batteries to use for the JBL? Do regular batteries run out too fast? Do rechargables last longer (per charge)?

02-09-2010, 05:28 PM	#8
Ken Maltby Wizard Posts: 4,465 Karma: 6900052 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: The Heart of Texas Device: Boox Note2, AuraHD, PDA,	Wiz; Have you tried the NiZn 1.6v cells in the JBL? ( I'm a little too chicken to give them a try, so far.) Any idea whether Ectaco might be addressing the rechargable Ni-Mh discharge curve issue? Luck; Ken

02-11-2010, 10:46 AM	#10
gordoncanada Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2010 Device: Jetbook Lite	Thanks Hello again, everyone. Thanks for your replies. I sent the manufacturer a support e-mail describing the symptoms and got a quick reply advising me to load the latest firmware. After doing so the battery indicator has not moved. The problem seems to be fixed. Take Care, gordoncanda

02-12-2010, 02:24 PM	#11
gr8npwrfl The Wizard of OZ Posts: 143 Karma: 434 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Southern California Device: Jetbook Ipod Touch Wind Netbook	Voltage Regulator You can use any batteries you want in the JB The main units runs from 3.3 volts so everything is voltage regulated anyway. The regulator can handle up to 18 volts so you can use the 1.6 volt batteries with no problem. I don't think they will actually give you more operating time if you read the spec's but trying is the real test.

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