[ClearBlueSkies]

Hi,

I switched on my Playbook 64GB yesterday for the first time and went through the initial setup stages eg BB ID, WiFi and pairing with my 9360 ... all OK ... then it said the battery was critically low and setup would resume once it reached 20% charge.

So today it's been charging for more than four hours (with the green light pulsing).

Yet when I switch it on it continues to say that the battery is at zero percent! Shouldn't it have moved from zero ?

Could it be a battery problem or am I being too impatient or could it be something else ?

I have tried the reset holding down the power button for 20sec, then attaching the Rapid Charger and the green light once again starts to pulse.

I have tried connecting it to my laptop which recognises the device, but then says that the setup procedure must be completed first.

Any ideas ?

[robsteve]

Use the USB charger that came with the Playbook. Once you get the PlayBook setup, get BatteryGuru to check that your battery is charging when you connect the magnetic rapid charger. The magnetic rapid charger and the charging stand can be finicky and the only sure way to tell it is charging is with BatteryGuru.

I have found my rapid chargers work best if they are attached in what seems like a backwards position, cord pointing left.

[ClearBlueSkies]

"robsteve" Thanks for your reply - are you suggesting that even with the Rapid charger attached and the green/yellow light pulsing that it might NOT be charging ?

Because when it is apparently charging and I remove the charger connection it does show an image saying reconnect the charger.

[Enyigma]

My own experience is that the quick charger does not work in a critically low (red) range but the original USB charger works fine. Mind you, I was getting no red light or yellow light pulsating when the PlayBook was off and there was no charging showing (lightning bolt in the battery symbol) if the PlayBook was running in the low state. Perhaps you can get the charging going by switching the orientation of the magnetic plug and cleaning the contacts since others have been able to get the PlayBook charging with the rapid charger even in the critically low battery state..

[ClearBlueSkies]

there was no charging showing (lightning bolt in the battery symbol) if the PlayBook was running in the low state

Enyigma ... Should I be seeing a "lightning bolt in the battery symbol" when charging is happening ? Like at the same time the green/yellow light pulses ...

OK having read some other threads it looks like I should be stack charging ... wish me luck

[ClearBlueSkies]

For Stack Charging instructions when you have a low voltage battery read the post of "F2" on the following link for great instructions :

Playbook doesn't boot

[F2]

Fiddle with the connection - make sure that the magnetic plug is well-seated. Turn it the other way (wire left or right). And, YES, sometimes, the magnetic plug will be "connected" but show what I call a False Lightning Bolt - the contacts are not making good/full contact and so no real charge is happening even with the Bolt.

[CBCListener]

I'll add to that, not that I have that much to add. It's spot-on true that with dirty contacts on the device or the charger that you can have every visual indication that you're charging and yet still not get a charge. Out of frustration I also bought Battery Guru, and it gives a positive indication that it's charging, and how much (the max I've seen a a bit short of 10 watts). You could, in the absence of Battery Guru, and if you've got enough charge to support the device being on, to fiddle with the cradle and carefully watch the battery meter for an increase...but this takes several minutes to get a reading. One tip that you may need to do is to get a pencil eraser and rub the contacts on the cradle and the PlayBook, brush away the shavings (and here it's a learned skill, since these contacts will really rip up an eraser if you press too hard...and you needn't press TOO hard) and then you should start seeing a positive move of the charge status.

[ClearBlueSkies]

Thanks for everyone's replies, very helpful

It's now up and running and I have Battery Guru loaded and running to keep tabs on things !

[F2]

Thanks for everyone's replies, very helpful

It's now up and running and I have Battery Guru loaded and running to keep tabs on things !

Good to hear and thanks for reporting back. Could you be more specific about what you changed or did that helped?

[ClearBlueSkies]

Could you be more specific about what you changed or did that helped?

I found a similar situation to mine here : Playbook not charging

The similarity being the symbol of a red battery BEGAN to get displayed after having done lots (say about 35 minutes) of one minute stack charging (as per your instructions).

After doing, say about another 15 minutes of stack charging, and seeing the red battery symbol it was time for bed lol ... so I left it plugged in and hopefully charging overnight.

Woke up to find the PB was waiting for a WiFi connection and had about an 80% battery charge