Sony PRS-505 battery replacement

AlexM · 03-17-2008, 02:28 PM

I just got off the phone with Sony tech support, and was told that if the battery dies on a PRS-505, and it is out of warranty, the cost to replace it is $251.12 plus tax, shipping, etc. This appears to be a deal breaker, as the Kindle battery is user replaceable.

Has anyone come up with a way of replacing the PRS-505 battery?

Thanks in advance....Bruce

HarryT · 03-17-2008, 02:38 PM

Batteries tend to die quickly if they are faulty. In normal use, the type of Lithium Ion battery that the Sony uses should still retain perhaps 70% of its initial capacity even after 4 years. I honestly can't recall any reports of battery problems on this site that weren't covered by the warranty.

I really wouldn't worry about it.

mazzeltjes · 03-17-2008, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlexM

I just got off the phone with Sony tech support, and was told that if the battery dies on a PRS-505, and it is out of warranty, the cost to replace it is $251.12 plus tax, shipping, etc. This appears to be a deal breaker, as the Kindle battery is user replaceable.

Has anyone come up with a way of replacing the PRS-505 battery?

Thanks in advance....Bruce

Anybody got any idea
what the actual battery costs ?

pilotbob · 03-17-2008, 04:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlexM

I just got off the phone with Sony tech support, and was told that if the battery dies on a PRS-505, and it is out of warranty, the cost to replace it is $251.12 plus tax, shipping, etc. This appears to be a deal breaker, as the Kindle battery is user replaceable.

Has anyone come up with a way of replacing the PRS-505 battery?

Thanks in advance....Bruce

$250 to replace the battery? I can get a brand new reader on on Amazon for $255 today. They must be high.

I was able to get a replacement battery for my iPod for $20 or so. But, then again, iPods are ubiquitios so there is some money to be made here.

BOb

kacir · 03-17-2008, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mazzeltjes

Anybody got any idea
what the actual battery costs ?

Guessing from the pictures of PRS-500 insides the battery for 500 (and very likely 505) is just generic Lithium-ion battery used in mobile phones. I find it highly unlikely that Sony uses some special, unique, custom-built battery. They are much more likely using some generic type.
I estimate the price of such generic battery to be somewhere around $5.

When the time comes and your battery dies, you will definitely not be the first person to have to replace it. By the time YOUR battery needs replacement this forum will contain many tips, tricks, recommendations and Do-It-Yourself step-by step instructions posted by resident serious hackers.
On PRS 500 (and very likely also on PRS 505) the battery is not soldered in but connected by a small connector. So all you will need to do is to take the Reader apart using Philips scredriwer size PH0 and perhaps a knife.

But such time is very likely some 5 years away.

NatCh · 03-17-2008, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pilotbob

I was able to get a replacement battery for my iPod for $20 or so. But, then again, iPods are ubiquitios so there is some money to be made here.

More likely, they just don't want to replace the things.

That would be less annoying if there was an unidentifiable part number on the battery to make ordering a new one from somewhere else and installing it yourself an easier possibility.

igorsk · 03-17-2008, 10:02 PM

Sony Direct Accessories & Parts Center has it for $69.78.

NatCh · 03-17-2008, 10:32 PM

Well butter my backside and call me a biscuit! Well spotted, igorsk.

Let's see ... that makes ~$70 for parts, and ... ~$180 for labor on a ~15 minute job -- nice work if you can get it.

mazzeltjes · 03-18-2008, 08:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by igorsk

Sony Direct Accessories & Parts Center has it for $69.78.

that's still daylight robbery
maybe in 5 years
it'll be cheaper

HarryT · 03-18-2008, 09:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mazzeltjes

that's still daylight robbery
maybe in 5 years
it'll be cheaper

That doesn't seem desperately unreasonable to me. It's on a par with what video camera batteries cost, and a fraction of what a replacement battery for a laptop costs.

JSWolf · 03-19-2008, 03:55 AM

While searching for a battery for the 505 I did find the following...

Emergency AA Battery Extender for the Sony Reader PRS-505

badspell68 · 03-19-2008, 10:07 AM

Will the AA batt charger work on the 500?

JSWolf · 03-19-2008, 10:29 AM

Sure will. The 500 and the 505 use the same exact AC charger.

jamesdmanley · 03-19-2008, 11:04 AM

nice finds. subscribed

DrMoze · 03-19-2008, 12:19 PM

I would guess that you can find a battery having the same size or slightly smaller for much less. Then it's just a matter of removing the case from the 505 (I've done it myself) and replacing the battery.

has anyone measured the size of the 505 battery, and checked the voltage (and capacity)? I'm betting there's a cell phone battery or similar that would fit. Maybe even with higher capacity.

03-17-2008, 02:28 PM	#1
AlexM Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2008 Device: Kindle 1 (Have 2)	Sony PRS-505 battery replacement I just got off the phone with Sony tech support, and was told that if the battery dies on a PRS-505, and it is out of warranty, the cost to replace it is $251.12 plus tax, shipping, etc. This appears to be a deal breaker, as the Kindle battery is user replaceable. Has anyone come up with a way of replacing the PRS-505 battery? Thanks in advance....Bruce

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03-17-2008, 02:38 PM	#2
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Batteries tend to die quickly if they are faulty. In normal use, the type of Lithium Ion battery that the Sony uses should still retain perhaps 70% of its initial capacity even after 4 years. I honestly can't recall any reports of battery problems on this site that weren't covered by the warranty. I really wouldn't worry about it.

03-17-2008, 10:02 PM	#7
igorsk Wizard Posts: 3,442 Karma: 300001 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Belgium Device: PRS-500/505/700, Kindle, Cybook Gen3, Words Gear	Sony Direct Accessories & Parts Center has it for $69.78.

03-17-2008, 10:32 PM	#8
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	Well butter my backside and call me a biscuit! Well spotted, igorsk. Let's see ... that makes ~$70 for parts, and ... ~$180 for labor on a ~15 minute job -- nice work if you can get it.

03-19-2008, 03:55 AM	#11
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 76,370 Karma: 136466962 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	While searching for a battery for the 505 I did find the following... Emergency AA Battery Extender for the Sony Reader PRS-505

03-19-2008, 10:07 AM	#12
badspell68 Scifi is a Digital World Posts: 38 Karma: 102 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: NJ Device: PRS-505	Will the AA batt charger work on the 500?

03-19-2008, 10:29 AM	#13
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 76,370 Karma: 136466962 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	Sure will. The 500 and the 505 use the same exact AC charger.

03-19-2008, 11:04 AM	#14
jamesdmanley Groupie Posts: 156 Karma: 817 Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: houston Device: prs-500	nice finds. subscribed

03-19-2008, 12:19 PM	#15
DrMoze Booknut Posts: 858 Karma: 2852 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: West Palm Beach, Florida! Device: Sony Reader 500/505/300/350, Nook Glowlight Plus (6")	I would guess that you can find a battery having the same size or slightly smaller for much less. Then it's just a matter of removing the case from the 505 (I've done it myself) and replacing the battery. has anyone measured the size of the 505 battery, and checked the voltage (and capacity)? I'm betting there's a cell phone battery or similar that would fit. Maybe even with higher capacity.

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