PRS-600 Charging issues

NickS · 06-06-2010, 05:14 PM

Got my PRS-600 last Thursday. I was using it today having charged it up on Friday for it to go from having 3 bars of battery to telling me i have none left. I put it on charge today by USB for 6 hours and when i pulled it out it told me i didn't have full battery but only three bars. Is this a battery problem or what?

UPDATE - I just plugged it in the USB to transfer something over and after I unplugged it it registered as only having one bar of battery.
Help anyone?

MSJim · 06-06-2010, 06:41 PM

As reported here many times, the USB charging feature is not the best.

First, the USB port will not charge the reader if the PC goes into sleep mode.
Does the red light on top of the reader stay on during the whole USB charging period? If it goes out, that means the unit is not charging, and if still connected to the PC will actually discharge the battery.

Second, USB ports typically only put out 5.0 volts, so it will charge slower than the Sony wall chargers which are spec'd at 5.2 volts.

I strongly recommend you get a wall charger. You don't have to spend $30 for the official Sony charger. Any PSP compatible charger will work. You can find one locally, or on line for as little as $2. I use an old Dell Axim charger which is spec'd at 5.4 volts.

The drop in indicated charge is not unexpected. The reader does use more power when reading and sorting the library after transfer activity, but it should be negligible, certainly not have been two bars. I would expect the brief charge while connected to the USB would offset the power consumed by the internal library activity.

The battery charge indicator on the PRS-600 is reported to be less than reliable and may improve through a couple of charge discharge cycles.

I hope this helps.

joseph2000 · 06-07-2010, 07:23 PM

I did have huge problems with battery in PRS-600 as well, even if I used wall charger. The beginning was similar to what you described. After a few weeks of utilizing the reader I was really frustrated with the fact that after a few hours of charging it was enough to read for a few hours only.
I started looking for some tricks: I tried reseting, running in test mode, charging via different USBs etc. and nothing helped. Once I found simple trick described on this forum: make a backup of your books located on PRS-600, shut it down then, just unscrew the tool's back case and physically disconnect the battery for 5 minutes or so. Connect the battery and screw the back case. After this fully charge the reader using wall charger.
After performing this trick I resolved all my battery problems: indicator works as expected (full charge shows 4 bars as it should) and battery works fine for 2 weeks after full charge.
So if you have the battery problems after trying other tricks, try this one. Worked for me.

NickS · 06-07-2010, 08:01 PM

Thanks for the tips Joseph. I however shan't try that. I'm just simply going to take it back to argos to be replaced on Saturday. I can still use it but it's ever so strange.
I charged it yesterday via a wall charger until the light went off and registered no difference. Put in on USB on full charge and the same results. Charged via the wall again and today when i used it went down to three bars after 5 mins of use.
How strange...

rudyt · 06-08-2010, 12:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MSJim

Second, USB ports typically only put out 5.0 volts, so it will charge slower than the Sony wall chargers which are spec'd at 5.2 volts.

I strongly recommend you get a wall charger. You don't have to spend $30 for the official Sony charger. Any PSP compatible charger will work. You can find one locally, or on line for as little as $2. I use an old Dell Axim charger which is spec'd at 5.4 volts.

Caveat: Note that most eBay PSP chargers are only 5V as well, not 5.2V. Read the fine print and/or enlarge the image and read the voltage specs.

/rudy

joseph2000 · 06-11-2010, 02:10 AM

If you can replace it then even better. With the new one try to use wall charger only and perform a few full charge-discharge cycles as suggested on this forum as well. That may help you.
I did the "disconnect battery" trick as I tried to avoid sending the device for service from Europe to US. Apart of the fact that I didn't wanted to loose the reader for a month (sending there and back) I was worried that instead original reader I will receive refurbished one. So I did that trick because I somehow decided it is the only choice I have had

Anyway I'll be interested knowing if the replaced reader will behave better. From my perspective the reader battery is the weakest point in PRS-600 as very often people report issues related to this part. But once you make it work the tool becomes perfect

Cue · 03-05-2011, 10:06 PM

I too seem to be having battery problems. The device just refuses to charge at all. Whether using a USB or wall charger the thing says low battery as soon as the charger is taken out. I noticed that on the wall charger the red light goes off then after a while turns back on. It continually does this. Any ideas?

elcreative · 03-05-2011, 10:24 PM

What is the wall charger... does it use the PSU barrel connector or is it a USB wall charger which probably won't work and usually causes the battery to discharge...

Cue · 03-06-2011, 07:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elcreative

What is the wall charger... does it use the PSU barrel connector or is it a USB wall charger which probably won't work and usually causes the battery to discharge...

Hi elcreative
affirmative, it uses the PSU barrel connector. To be more specific, it is an official PSP charger.

Mark Nord · 03-06-2011, 08:13 AM

Cue,

have you tried to do a soft-reset?
Maybe the CPU-refuse to go into power-safemode, thus draining the batterie.
A reset often cures such symptoms.
HTH
Mark

Cue · 03-06-2011, 09:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Nord

Cue,

have you tried to do a soft-reset?
Maybe the CPU-refuse to go into power-safemode, thus draining the batterie.
A reset often cures such symptoms.
HTH
Mark

Hi Mark
Thanks for the suggestion. I tried to perform a reset by unscrewing the stylus tip and pressing the small recessed reset button at the bottom. Is this what you're referring to?
I plugged it back in and I'm waiting for it to charge now. I hope this resolves the problem.

Edit: It worked!
Thanks Mark

Mark Nord · 03-11-2011, 02:30 PM

Hey, glad this solved your problem.

PS: remember to check this https://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/Sony...nd_Reset_Guide

fafaforza · 03-11-2011, 05:21 PM

I think that the reader won't charge if you don't have the Reader app up and running. At least that's my experience, leaving the reader plugged in without the app running and finding the battery at 1 bar or completely drained.

elcreative · 03-11-2011, 05:25 PM

Not true... doesn't matter, I don't even use the reader app, it has absolutely nothing to do with charging or not charging. When you left reader plugged in, did you have the computer running with sleep/hibernate options disabled?

Quote:

Originally Posted by fafaforza

I think that the reader won't charge if you don't have the Reader app up and running. At least that's my experience, leaving the reader plugged in without the app running and finding the battery at 1 bar or completely drained.

06-06-2010, 05:14 PM	#1
NickS Junior Member Posts: 8 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2010 Device: PRS-600	Charging issues Got my PRS-600 last Thursday. I was using it today having charged it up on Friday for it to go from having 3 bars of battery to telling me i have none left. I put it on charge today by USB for 6 hours and when i pulled it out it told me i didn't have full battery but only three bars. Is this a battery problem or what? UPDATE - I just plugged it in the USB to transfer something over and after I unplugged it it registered as only having one bar of battery. Help anyone? Last edited by NickS; 06-06-2010 at 05:27 PM.

03-05-2011, 10:06 PM	#7
Cue Member Posts: 12 Karma: 42 Join Date: Nov 2009 Device: PRS-600	I too seem to be having battery problems. The device just refuses to charge at all. Whether using a USB or wall charger the thing says low battery as soon as the charger is taken out. I noticed that on the wall charger the red light goes off then after a while turns back on. It continually does this. Any ideas? Last edited by Cue; 03-06-2011 at 07:48 AM.

03-11-2011, 02:30 PM	#12
Mark Nord 2B \|\| !2B Posts: 851 Karma: 194010 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Austria Device: Sony PRS505/650/T1/tolino vision 5	Hey, glad this solved your problem. PS: remember to check this https://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/Sony...nd_Reset_Guide Last edited by Mark Nord; 03-11-2011 at 02:34 PM.

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06-06-2010, 06:41 PM	#2
MSJim Bookworm Posts: 104 Karma: 26 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Central Georgia, USA Device: PRS-600, Nook STR	As reported here many times, the USB charging feature is not the best. First, the USB port will not charge the reader if the PC goes into sleep mode. Does the red light on top of the reader stay on during the whole USB charging period? If it goes out, that means the unit is not charging, and if still connected to the PC will actually discharge the battery. Second, USB ports typically only put out 5.0 volts, so it will charge slower than the Sony wall chargers which are spec'd at 5.2 volts. I strongly recommend you get a wall charger. You don't have to spend $30 for the official Sony charger. Any PSP compatible charger will work. You can find one locally, or on line for as little as $2. I use an old Dell Axim charger which is spec'd at 5.4 volts. The drop in indicated charge is not unexpected. The reader does use more power when reading and sorting the library after transfer activity, but it should be negligible, certainly not have been two bars. I would expect the brief charge while connected to the USB would offset the power consumed by the internal library activity. The battery charge indicator on the PRS-600 is reported to be less than reliable and may improve through a couple of charge discharge cycles. I hope this helps.

06-07-2010, 07:23 PM	#3
joseph2000 Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2010 Device: Sony PRS-600	I did have huge problems with battery in PRS-600 as well, even if I used wall charger. The beginning was similar to what you described. After a few weeks of utilizing the reader I was really frustrated with the fact that after a few hours of charging it was enough to read for a few hours only. I started looking for some tricks: I tried reseting, running in test mode, charging via different USBs etc. and nothing helped. Once I found simple trick described on this forum: make a backup of your books located on PRS-600, shut it down then, just unscrew the tool's back case and physically disconnect the battery for 5 minutes or so. Connect the battery and screw the back case. After this fully charge the reader using wall charger. After performing this trick I resolved all my battery problems: indicator works as expected (full charge shows 4 bars as it should) and battery works fine for 2 weeks after full charge. So if you have the battery problems after trying other tricks, try this one. Worked for me.

06-07-2010, 08:01 PM	#4
NickS Junior Member Posts: 8 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2010 Device: PRS-600	Thanks for the tips Joseph. I however shan't try that. I'm just simply going to take it back to argos to be replaced on Saturday. I can still use it but it's ever so strange. I charged it yesterday via a wall charger until the light went off and registered no difference. Put in on USB on full charge and the same results. Charged via the wall again and today when i used it went down to three bars after 5 mins of use. How strange...

06-11-2010, 02:10 AM	#6
joseph2000 Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2010 Device: Sony PRS-600	If you can replace it then even better. With the new one try to use wall charger only and perform a few full charge-discharge cycles as suggested on this forum as well. That may help you. I did the "disconnect battery" trick as I tried to avoid sending the device for service from Europe to US. Apart of the fact that I didn't wanted to loose the reader for a month (sending there and back) I was worried that instead original reader I will receive refurbished one. So I did that trick because I somehow decided it is the only choice I have had Anyway I'll be interested knowing if the replaced reader will behave better. From my perspective the reader battery is the weakest point in PRS-600 as very often people report issues related to this part. But once you make it work the tool becomes perfect

03-05-2011, 10:24 PM	#8
elcreative Wizard Posts: 2,888 Karma: 5875940 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: PRS505, 600, 350, 650, Nexus 7, Note III, iPad 4 etc	What is the wall charger... does it use the PSU barrel connector or is it a USB wall charger which probably won't work and usually causes the battery to discharge...

03-06-2011, 08:13 AM	#10
Mark Nord 2B \|\| !2B Posts: 851 Karma: 194010 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Austria Device: Sony PRS505/650/T1/tolino vision 5	Cue, have you tried to do a soft-reset? Maybe the CPU-refuse to go into power-safemode, thus draining the batterie. A reset often cures such symptoms. HTH Mark

03-11-2011, 05:21 PM	#13
fafaforza Zealot Posts: 140 Karma: 26780 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Brooklyn, NY Device: Aura ONE	I think that the reader won't charge if you don't have the Reader app up and running. At least that's my experience, leaving the reader plugged in without the app running and finding the battery at 1 bar or completely drained.

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