Battery charging question

Aprilbeginnings · 11-20-2006, 06:34 PM

I have a question about the battery and charging it. Okay well let me start here. My battery just went down 1/4 of a notch. My question is this. Are these batteries better off running them almost until dead and then charging them, or are they the kind that you can just recharge them anytime you wish. I remember a thin about memory in batteries and if you charged them before they were worn down they didn't charge as much or as good next time and it killed the life of the battery. So I was curious about what should be done with the battery in this reader if anybody knows.

NatCh · 11-20-2006, 07:04 PM

Well the "don't charge it 'till it's dead" thing primarily applies to NiCad batteries (nasty beasts, those are).

The Reader has a LiIon (Lithium-Ion) battery, and there has been some lively discussion 'round here about how to deal with them. From my impressions, the minority opinion seems to be that they should be discharged periodically. And the Majority opinion seems to be that discharging actually shortens their life, and they should be kept topped off.

If you'll run a search of the forum for "Battery Charging" you'll find several threads that have discussed it -- there are some links in them to outside 'authorites' on the subject, so you can get the straight dope on it.

diabloNL · 11-20-2006, 07:05 PM

At least first cycle until the message appears about a low battery. These types of batteries need to initialize their capacity. Normally three full cycles would be the best with this type of battery but because it's so long lasting I just went for one complete cycle.

After that you can charge it whenever you want but you should at least fully discharge it every 30 times or so to initialize/reset the battery. This will be better because otherwise the battery indicator on your reader screen can be wrong in the capacity that it's showing and can cause the reader to think the battery is low while in real it maybe hold 25% or so. Also it is better for the battery itself.

Aprilbeginnings · 11-20-2006, 07:24 PM

Thanks for the info.........found the batter discussion through your link NatCH. As far as the battery and charging, I guess I will wing it. I doubt I will run it down on vacation but I have a week still so will see. I may just bring my charging equiptment with me as well in case. Just will see how it goes.

airlik · 11-20-2006, 08:04 PM

From http://www.batteryuniversity.com/partone-12.htm

Quote:

Preparing new lithium-ion for use

Unlike nickel and lead-based batteries, a new lithium-ion pack does not need cycling through charging and discharging. Priming will make little difference because the maximum capacity of lithium-ion is available right from the beginning. Neither does a full discharge improve the capacity of a faded pack. However, a full discharge/charge will reset the digital circuit of a 'smart' battery to improve the state-of-charge estimation

And from Wikipedia, whatever weight you want to lend it:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithium...n_battery_life

I'd read that bit about never discharging them to 0%, however I would assume the devices would therefore be programmed to shut down before the battery reached a "real" 0% level. I have read in several places that if you're not using it for a while, you should keep it neither fully charged nor fully discharged.

Aprilbeginnings · 11-20-2006, 08:24 PM

[QUOTE=airlik]From http://www.batteryuniversity.com/partone-12.htm

And from Wikipedia, whatever weight you want to lend it:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithium...n_battery_life

QUOTE]

Thank you for the link.

Now when the battery in these readers go capoot, can they be replaced?

NatCh · 11-20-2006, 08:56 PM

At present, no, but I expect that around the time they start going, someone will come up with instructions to replace it, like they've done for the various models of Palms.

Aprilbeginnings · 11-21-2006, 09:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NatCh

At present, no, but I expect that around the time they start going, someone will come up with instructions to replace it, like they've done for the various models of Palms.

Well that isn't any good, what if you got a defective battery or something? You mean to tell me Sony themselves can not replace them if need be?

igorsk · 11-21-2006, 09:42 AM

Looks like they actually do sell a replacement battery. A bit expensive but still...
http://servicesales.sel.sony.com/web...rchText=PRS500

Aprilbeginnings · 11-21-2006, 10:13 AM

Yikes....... Well cheaper than replacing the whole unit I guess. Thanks for finding that and may all our batteries last forever.......

NatCh · 11-21-2006, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aprilbeginnings

Well that isn't any good, what if you got a defective battery or something? You mean to tell me Sony themselves can not replace them if need be?

Well sure Sony can replace it!

Mostly it's a matter of having a replacement battery (I'm sure that Batteries Plus will stock one by the time it matters), and being willing to open the case up and swap it out. The actual swap looks like less of a problem than opening the case ... actually buttoning the case back up is more the challenge.

Aprilbeginnings · 11-21-2006, 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NatCh

Well sure Sony can replace it!

Mostly it's a matter of having a replacement battery (I'm sure that Batteries Plus will stock one by the time it matters), and being willing to open the case up and swap it out. The actual swap looks like less of a problem than opening the case ... actually buttoning the case back up is more the challenge.

Thanks......... almost spewed my coffee when I read the *sure Sony can replace it*..... now that just hit me funny. Of course they can and probably at a price too, LMAO.

Well at 7500 page turns per battery charge and the battery should take 100's of charges, probably will outlast me and my reading..... well maybe, ha ha

Aprilbeginnings · 11-21-2006, 06:08 PM

I know somewhere around here I had mentioned that my batter showed 1/4 gone..... well this afternoon after adding another book to it my battery power is back to full. Weird

NatCh · 11-21-2006, 06:10 PM

Heh, it charges through the USB cable -- adding another book probalby bumped it enough to get it back to 4 blocks.

Also, the blocks will jump 'back' up after the Reader rests a while, it thinks it has more juice. Nothing to worry about -- it wobbles around the transition points from one block to the next.

11-20-2006, 06:34 PM	#1
Aprilbeginnings Guru Posts: 632 Karma: 404 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Southern CA Device: Sony PRS-500 /prs 650 soon	Battery charging question I have a question about the battery and charging it. Okay well let me start here. My battery just went down 1/4 of a notch. My question is this. Are these batteries better off running them almost until dead and then charging them, or are they the kind that you can just recharge them anytime you wish. I remember a thin about memory in batteries and if you charged them before they were worn down they didn't charge as much or as good next time and it killed the life of the battery. So I was curious about what should be done with the battery in this reader if anybody knows.

11-20-2006, 07:05 PM	#3
diabloNL Gadget Force® Posts: 705 Karma: 2733 Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: The Netherlands Device: Sony PRS-300 + Cybook with funny screen :P	At least first cycle until the message appears about a low battery. These types of batteries need to initialize their capacity. Normally three full cycles would be the best with this type of battery but because it's so long lasting I just went for one complete cycle. After that you can charge it whenever you want but you should at least fully discharge it every 30 times or so to initialize/reset the battery. This will be better because otherwise the battery indicator on your reader screen can be wrong in the capacity that it's showing and can cause the reader to think the battery is low while in real it maybe hold 25% or so. Also it is better for the battery itself. Last edited by diabloNL; 11-20-2006 at 07:07 PM.

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11-20-2006, 07:04 PM	#2
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	Well the "don't charge it 'till it's dead" thing primarily applies to NiCad batteries (nasty beasts, those are). The Reader has a LiIon (Lithium-Ion) battery, and there has been some lively discussion 'round here about how to deal with them. From my impressions, the minority opinion seems to be that they should be discharged periodically. And the Majority opinion seems to be that discharging actually shortens their life, and they should be kept topped off. If you'll run a search of the forum for "Battery Charging" you'll find several threads that have discussed it -- there are some links in them to outside 'authorites' on the subject, so you can get the straight dope on it.

11-20-2006, 07:24 PM	#4
Aprilbeginnings Guru Posts: 632 Karma: 404 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Southern CA Device: Sony PRS-500 /prs 650 soon	Thanks for the info.........found the batter discussion through your link NatCH. As far as the battery and charging, I guess I will wing it. I doubt I will run it down on vacation but I have a week still so will see. I may just bring my charging equiptment with me as well in case. Just will see how it goes.

11-20-2006, 08:24 PM	#6
Aprilbeginnings Guru Posts: 632 Karma: 404 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Southern CA Device: Sony PRS-500 /prs 650 soon	[QUOTE=airlik]From http://www.batteryuniversity.com/partone-12.htm And from Wikipedia, whatever weight you want to lend it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithium...n_battery_life QUOTE] Thank you for the link. Now when the battery in these readers go capoot, can they be replaced?

11-20-2006, 08:56 PM	#7
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	At present, no, but I expect that around the time they start going, someone will come up with instructions to replace it, like they've done for the various models of Palms.

11-21-2006, 09:42 AM	#9
igorsk Wizard Posts: 3,442 Karma: 300001 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Belgium Device: PRS-500/505/700, Kindle, Cybook Gen3, Words Gear	Looks like they actually do sell a replacement battery. A bit expensive but still... http://servicesales.sel.sony.com/web...rchText=PRS500

11-21-2006, 10:13 AM	#10
Aprilbeginnings Guru Posts: 632 Karma: 404 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Southern CA Device: Sony PRS-500 /prs 650 soon	Yikes....... Well cheaper than replacing the whole unit I guess. Thanks for finding that and may all our batteries last forever.......

11-21-2006, 06:08 PM	#13
Aprilbeginnings Guru Posts: 632 Karma: 404 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Southern CA Device: Sony PRS-500 /prs 650 soon	I know somewhere around here I had mentioned that my batter showed 1/4 gone..... well this afternoon after adding another book to it my battery power is back to full. Weird

11-21-2006, 06:10 PM	#14
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	Heh, it charges through the USB cable -- adding another book probalby bumped it enough to get it back to 4 blocks. Also, the blocks will jump 'back' up after the Reader rests a while, it thinks it has more juice. Nothing to worry about -- it wobbles around the transition points from one block to the next.

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