Screen broken after using kindle charger

**FrankCM** · 04-28-2012, 12:25 PM

Today I used the kindle battery charger to charge my PlayBook..I thought "the kindle charger is just a electric plug/usb converter, so it's like charging the PlayBook from the computer's USB"..well, it seems like I was wrong..now the PlayBook screen is quite broken: it's full of vertical lines..what can I do?

**edyb** · 04-28-2012, 12:30 PM

There are milliamp ratings on these things. The Kindle has a much weaker battery so it doesn't need a high-mA charger. The voltage is the same... like USB around 5V. But the device will draw more amps. What kindle do you have? The Kindle touch? keyboard? fire?

For example, I cannot charge my Playbook on an old Blackberry phone plugin charger. Even though it uses USB cable and everything hooks up, the Playbook warns me that it is not enough to charge the device.

I don't see how your Kindle charger would screw up your Kindle. If anything, it would have screwed up the Playbook. Did you plug it back into your Kindle and then notice the lines? Did you use the Playbook charger on the Kindle? Did the kindle show lines before or after? Seems a bit odd... Please give ALL details on EXACTLY what you did with what device and charger and the sequence, that may help.

**FrankCM** · 04-28-2012, 12:45 PM

Sorry, maybe I didn't explain it correctly. I simply used the kindle charger on my PlayBook..

I didn't know the differences in mA between the kindle and the PlayBook...any chances the lines will disappear?

PS: the kindle is the standard keyboard kindle.

**robsteve** · 04-28-2012, 12:52 PM

Which screen has the lines on it, the PlayBook or the Kindle?

**FrankCM** · 04-28-2012, 01:04 PM

The PlayBook (if it was the Kindle, I would post on a kindle forum

)

**BB_Bmore** · 04-28-2012, 01:08 PM

I can see how you would be confused as he said "now the Kindle screen is quite broken"

**NakedPaulToast** · 04-28-2012, 01:14 PM

Originally Posted by FrankCM

The PlayBook (if it was the Kindle, I would post on a kindle forum

)

You should probably tone down the condescending attitude, given you stated in your original post that the Kindle screen was broken.

now the kindle screen is quite broken: it's full of vertical lines..what can I do?

**FrankCM** · 04-28-2012, 01:25 PM

You're right I confused in the original post, it's the PlayBook screen which is "quite broken", sorry!

I corrected it!

**Scotter75** · 04-28-2012, 01:29 PM

Try the three button reset. Hold down the Power Button and both volume buttons at the same time for 15 seconds and then wait 1 minute then hold the power button only until the red light flashes then release it and wait for the PB to reboot which will take about 4 minutes. Hope for the best.

**glamrlama** · 04-28-2012, 01:34 PM

I had similar happen when my PB ran out of battery and then sat idle for ~6 hours. A restart and the lines dissapeared. I was using the standard charger that comes with PB.

**FrankCM** · 04-28-2012, 01:37 PM

Thanks Scotter75, I've tried but it's still the same..

It seems like it's getting better..but not so much

**jafobabe** · 04-28-2012, 02:03 PM

I use the Rapid charger with the magnetic end. Much easier and a faster charge than the USB end.

How much percentage shows on the battery icon? You might have to power off and let it sit for at least 10-20 minutes.

**FrankCM** · 04-28-2012, 02:06 PM

I had in mind to buy the faster charger..I will after that, at least I won't confuse again!

Right now the battery is around 5percent..now I try to switch the PlayBook off and I'll let you know!

Thanks for helping me guys!!

**jafobabe** · 04-28-2012, 02:07 PM

Yes, put it on the Playbook charger and leave it for 2 hours. It needs at least 20-30% to function correctly

**FrankCM** · 04-28-2012, 02:11 PM

Now I'm not at home..when I get home I'll put in on charge! Thanks again for the support!! Hope I won't need a new PlayBook!!!

**FrankCM** · 04-28-2012, 03:22 PM

The screen is almost perfect now! I tried to play the "hi-def video demo" and I didn't see the lines..I still see them very slightly when the screen is grey..but I hope it's gonna get better in some hour!

**The White Wolf** · 04-28-2012, 04:44 PM

Originally Posted by FrankCM

Today I used the kindle battery charger to charge my PlayBook..I thought "the kindle charger is just a electric plug/usb converter, so it's like charging the PlayBook from the computer's USB"..well, it seems like I was wrong..now the PlayBook screen is quite broken: it's full of vertical lines..what can I do?

Hey FrankCM. My playbook did this a few days ago using the charger the playbook came with. Someone mentioned that the where I had the charger plugged in might not have been grounded . Either way, I ended up doing a hard reset, I think power button and volume down and when it restarted , all was back to normal. Hope you get this resolved

EDIT: Saw someone else mention what I mentioned. Sorry for wasting a post

**ots1960** · 04-28-2012, 05:13 PM

One day last week I had probably the same problem with vertical multi colored lines on the screen. Usually I put mine on charge at night while it sleeps but this particular night I shut down completely and the next morning the charge light was green but when I reached for the PB the screen was full of vertical lines. Luckily when I unplugged it the lines went away and I powered it up and no problems since.

**Gooseberry Falls** · 04-28-2012, 06:05 PM

I don't let my PB battery go less than 40-50% before charging. I hear so many horror stories trying to get it charged back up from almost dead

. I read on the forum the Li ion batteries don't like to be fully discharged and the PB software is somehow dependent on the battery level. It seems you can top them off as much as you like

.

**alnamvet68** · 04-28-2012, 06:12 PM

OEM...a brilliant concept. Failure to do proper research before engaging in activities that are or were not specified by a manufacturer as safe and appropriate result in a big FAIL when it comes to the 6 P's: P rior P lanning P revents P iss P oor P erformance.

**FrankCM** · 04-29-2012, 03:47 AM

Problem solved, the screen is back normal!

I'll put labels on all my battery chargers!!

**jafobabe** · 04-29-2012, 06:18 AM

Glad to hear all is corrected now FrankCM! I too have big labels on all my charger wires and all the other cables I need for the computers and stuff.

When I first got the PB, I mistakenly tried to put the USB connection into the HDMI port! Yikes! So that is when I bought the Rapid Charger. I like the magnetic end on the Rapid charger because I don't have to look to get it in the right port.

**hootyhoo** · 04-29-2012, 06:32 AM

Originally Posted by alnamvet68

OEM...a brilliant concept. Failure to do proper research before engaging in activities that are or were not specified by a manufacturer as safe and appropriate result in a big FAIL when it comes to the 6 P's: P rior P lanning P revents P iss P oor P erformance.

Other posters have mentioned that this has also happened with the OEM charger.

**meltbox360** · 04-30-2012, 02:04 AM

Hmm well I had a problem (seemingly the only one with this problem) where my playbook would flicker and attempt to give me seizures when the back was pressed. The screen would go green and the upper right corner would have a black box appear. All sorts of weird things. Sent it in on warranty got a new one back in less than a week. If you're on warranty chances are they will replace it.

**cletis** · 04-30-2012, 07:31 AM

Originally Posted by FrankCM

I had in mind to buy the faster charger..I will after that, at least I won't confuse again!

Right now the battery is around 5percent..now I try to switch the PlayBook off and I'll let you know!

Thanks for helping me guys!!

Although it has not happened to mine personally, others have posted here that when the PB battery is low enough, it will power itself off and stop taking a charge after 2 minutes of charging. The solution is to charge it for two minutes, unplug/replug the charger, and charge for 2 minutes again, etc.

As I said, this has never happened to me, and I've had my PB down to 4% or less, but others' mileage may vary...