[adadadad]

Ok folks! Even before signing up on crackberry, i used to visit this forum regularly. Ever since then, i've been through a number of posts, where users have battery related issues. Today, i've run into somewhat similar problem. Today my playbook battery dropped down to 0% and the device turned itself off. Now, it is plugged into the socket for hours but battery reading doesn't move off 0%. I'm using the same charger provided in the box. Battery Guru shows
1) battery health at 87%
2)battery voltage at 3.6v
and playbook is 9 months old running 2.1 latest build. I've sideloaded a few android apps (just mentioned, Don't think that matters). Is there a way out of this problem? Can't afford to lose playbook. Thanks

[adadadad]

Hello..., awaiting help...

[anon(2325196)]

this happened to my friends PlayBook after it had been left sitting for a long period of time, unused.

what i did to fix it was: i used a rapid charger AND the standard charger and left the tablet plugged in for a full day / night

came back to life and has been living ever since

[anon(2325196)]

if you do not have access to a rapid charger, seriously leave the playbook plugged into you regular charger for a long period of time, this may also bring it back

the reason i used both chargers to restore my friends playbook was because i already tried to plug the playbook into a USB port on my PC to force an "update" when the PC errors out the connection because of limited power. when the PC errors out the connection to BDM, you're presented with an "update" button - which wipes and resotores your playbook - so be careful using this method if you have irreplaceable data.

[adadadad]

if you do not have access to a rapid charger, seriously leave the playbook plugged into you regular charger for a long period of time, this may also bring it back

the reason i used both chargers to restore my friends playbook was because i already tried to plug the playbook into a USB port on my PC to force an "update" when the PC errors out the connection because of limited power. when the PC errors out the connection to BDM, you're presented with an "update" button - which wipes and resotores your playbook - so be careful using this method if you have irreplaceable data.

No, i don't have the rapid charger. I'm afraid. I had already left playbook plugged in for hours and won't take it out of the socket as per your advice. Is there anything else i need to do?

[adadadad]

if you do not have access to a rapid charger, seriously leave the playbook plugged into you regular charger for a long period of time, this may also bring it back

the reason i used both chargers to restore my friends playbook was because i already tried to plug the playbook into a USB port on my PC to force an "update" when the PC errors out the connection because of limited power. when the PC errors out the connection to BDM, you're presented with an "update" button - which wipes and resotores your playbook - so be careful using this method if you have irreplaceable data.

For now, i don't want to do a WIPE. I don't have a full back up of my data and don't want to lose a few documents and files.

[tjodalv]

I also support the rapid charger/failing that leave the regular charger plugged in for a long time answer. Seemed to work for me.

[adadadad]

Battery is still at 0% after being plugged in for around 3 hrs. Is there something abnormal? Is it safe to leave it plugged in? I'm at a loss what to do.

[Willardv]

Do a search for "stack charge" and follow those steps.

How can you tell the battery is at 0%?

[adadadad]

Do a search for "stack charge" and follow those steps.

How can you tell the battery is at 0%?

Well, i can turn on the playbook. It shows a red battery at 0%. And from what i understand, it is accurate and genuine reading. The playbook turns itself off after a minute. It must be genuine reading.

[FF22]

If it is showing a Battery Icon, it should not need stack charging.

Are you sure that the usb plug is inserted in the correct direction? Are you sure that electrical socket is powered on? Do you have any other micro-usb phones or other and use the charger in them and see if they charge?

[adadadad]

If it is showing a Battery Icon, it should not need stack charging.

Are you sure that the usb plug is inserted in the correct direction? Are you sure that electrical socket is powered on? Do you have any other micro-usb phones or other and use the charger in them and see if they charge?

Yeah, the plug is inserted correctly with blackberry logo facing up. I can see the 'lightening bolt' across the battery. Indeed, the socket is powered on. And i can charge my old samsung phone using the same charger (i just checked it). Now, i've plugged the playbook back into the socket. Is it safe to leave it that way?

[FF22]

It should be safe plugged in.

Is the back of the pb getting warmer (meaning the batteries might be getting a charge)? Do you have access to a store that sells the Rapid Charger?

Look into the usb port on the pb. The connector should be near the bottom and level. It should not be bent or slanted either upwards or downward. If bent, GENTLY using plastic or wood (non conducting) try making it level but NOT TOO MUCH force.

Does it actually turn on or only the Red Battery icon shows?

Press and HOLD the Power On button for 20 or so seconds. Might cause a reboot/restart.

I guess it could be hardware.

The PB has a one year warranty to the original purchaser. It also has 90 free Tech support. I do not know how Rim deals with "quasi-tech support v. warranty"

Rim Support
Tel:
Canada Toll Free: 1-877-644-8405
United States Toll Free: 1-877-644-8410
Puerto Rico Toll Free: 1-855-651-4936
Email: [email protected] (this route generally does not work and a call is necessary)

(UK Support) 0800 096 2805

Playbook French Support
http://fr.blackberry.com/playbook-ta...ok-support.jsp
Phone : 0800 914 533 (within 90 days from activation)

[Chaddface]

Since you quoted Battery Guru readings I assume the PlayBook is on but just at 0%. What does the app say in the top right? Charge or power? What is the reading there?

[amjass12]

My dads PlayBook has done this over the last week (run out of battery )... Initially when turning the power on it was the red light followed by 5 yellow/white blinking lights... Dunno what to do, followed stack charging and usb recovery methods with none working... Pressing the power button no longer does the red light followed by 5 white light flashes and the charger does nothing... I'm assuming the PlayBook cannot be recovered.... Also, charging it into the usb does nothing..... Any help with this? I'm assuming as there is no red light followed by5 white flashes that the battery is literally flat out dead... Not a single electron for charge....

[adadadad]

So finally my playbook's battery has moved off 0%. (YAY!!) I had left it plugged in for close to 4 hrs with battery indicator showing 0% throughout the time. Now, it is at 30% . My patience paid off finally. Thanks everyone for all the help. Special thanks to F2. And good luck to those, who are still having problems.

[FF22]

My dads PlayBook has done this over the last week (run out of battery )... Initially when turning the power on it was the red light followed by 5 yellow/white blinking lights... Dunno what to do, followed stack charging and usb recovery methods with none working... Pressing the power button no longer does the red light followed by 5 white light flashes and the charger does nothing... I'm assuming the PlayBook cannot be recovered.... Also, charging it into the usb does nothing..... Any help with this? I'm assuming as there is no red light followed by5 white flashes that the battery is literally flat out dead... Not a single electron for charge....

Try the Stack Charging again, I'd guess. Call support after that

Mapsonburt:

The PlayBook OS currently shuts down at 3.5 volts. When the battery gets below 2.67V it won't show power lights or even try to start because there isn't enough juice to even power the processor to run the code on the BIOS. The BIOS is software hard coded on a chip within the PlayBook that tells it how to load the PlayBook OS and is coded such that it only recognizes signed PlayBook boot images (which is why it is so hard to root and that nobody has been able to get one to boot Android or WebOS. The BIOS software also contains some charging algorithms for when the OS is not running - ie device is powered off but plugged into a charging source. This code ONLY runs when the battery is above 2.67 volts because the processor can't run below that.

The root of the problem is that this design issue prevents the device from accepting any charge longer than 60 seconds when the battery is too low to run the charging algorithms on the BIOS or on the OS (one runs before the device is powered on and one runs afterwards). RIM did this because Lithium Ion batteries have a nasty habit of catching fire if not charged properly so they wanted to ensure that the processor could be in control of the charging. Makes perfect sense and they probably thought they were avoiding situations like where early Li Ion batteries on laptops were catching on fire. The problem is they were a bit too aggressive in dealing with the problem at design stage. If the battery is below 2.67Volts their protective algorithms can't run but you also can't put enough charge into the battery to charge it! Hence all the reports of people having success with stack charging.

Unfortunately there are a lot of wrong ways to do this floating around out there and getting repeated everyone someone posts a new thread on the issue. It really should be made a sticky. What is the right way?

1) ONLY use a source that provides 1.7Amps or more of charge. The original charger provides this. The rapid chargers provide a lot more. Your phone charger only provides a fraction of this. Anything less is going to take forever to charge the battery above 2.67 volts and may not have enough juice to charge the battery AT ALL once the processor starts to run above 2.67Volts or even worse once the OS starts to run above 3.5Volts. Forget about using your computer to charge it when the OS isn't running as the computer looks for the hardware to identify itself and won't put out a full charge current unless the device indicates it can accept. Once the OS is running, you'd often CAN get enough power from the USB on the computer but that is because the OS has signaled it is OK for the computer to send it. When the OS/BIOS isn't running, the PlayBook won't take much/any charge from a computer. The rapid chargers are best as they quickly charge but more importantly do not use the (too) flimsy USB port. A lot of problems are caused by this port getting wobbly over time and the device not getting a charge at all. Everyone should have a rapid charger.

2) Until you get your device WELL above the 3.5Volts that let's the PlayBook boot, do NOT try to start it. Every attempt drags the battery down some more and that attempt sucks much more charge from the battery than you can put in in those 60 seconds before the hardware shuts down the charging. How can you tell where your battery is? Well if you are getting no lights on the playbook on your first charging attempt you are below 2.67volts. If lights go on and then it doesn't start the OS it is below 3.5Volts. If it loads the OS and then dies it is just above 3.5Volts. If the device loads the OS it is somewhere below 5.0Volts. Depending upon where you start (how low the battery is) various techniques work best. They are: REAL stack charging (plug in for 60 seconds, unplug, plug in for 60 seconds, repeat until the processor starts accepting charging (the big battery symbol on the screen). Again, DO NOT try to turn the device on until then. You are just working against yourself and it will take much longer. You should get the charging symbol within 20-45 minutes of repeated REAL stack charging. Forget you ever heard of plugging in for 2 mins and then off for 2 mins and similar as those 2 mins of off time are COMPLETELY worthless. I have put a multimeter on the PlayBook in this state and it NEVER takes more than a minute of charge when under 2.67volts but will accept another minute of charge after a short (1-2 second) disconnection. Just do it right.

3) Once you see that charging screen leave it plugged in to the charger (stop stack charging) for at least an hour before you try to start the PlayBook. If you don't you may end up in a situation where the attempt to start drags that battery back down below 2.67V and you have start stack charging again. Be patient, you are almost there!

4) Fully charge your Playbook after this to ensure your PlayBook gets back to 100%.

Unfortunately, there isn't a lot RIM can do about this now. It's a hardware design issue. I'd be interested in knowing if the fixed it with the 4G versions. I don't think I've ever seen that complaint with one of those but I've "fixed" both of mine a few times (the kids keep trying to power them on after letting them shut down on low battery despite me saying time RUN not walk and put it on a rapid charger when ever it hits the flashing red battery signal (9%). I've also helped many friends and people on the web and NOBODY who has followed the instructions has failed to get their PlayBook to charge.

I'm convinced this fault is the reason so many PlayBooks are returned to the stores and through RMA. RIM has been very good about this but it should never have happened. Happy Charging!


----------

The PB has a one year warranty to the original purchaser. It also has 90 free Tech support. I do not know how Rim deals with "quasi-tech support v. warranty"

Rim Support
Tel:
Canada Toll Free: 1-877-644-8405
United States Toll Free: 1-877-644-8410
Puerto Rico Toll Free: 1-855-651-4936
Email: [email protected] (this route generally does not work and a call is necessary)

(UK Support) 0800 096 2805

Playbook French Support
http://fr.blackberry.com/playbook-ta...ok-support.jsp
Phone : 0800 914 533 (within 90 days from activation)

[FF22]

So finally my playbook's battery has moved off 0%. (YAY!!) I had left it plugged in for close to 4 hrs with battery indicator showing 0% throughout the time. Now, it is at 30% . My patience paid off finally. Thanks everyone for all the help. Special thanks to F2. And good luck to those, who are still having problems.

You are welcome and glad to hear that it budged off ZERO. Not sure why but since it is a relatively large battery, it might take some initial input to get it to even register (kind of like the stack charging issue). I know that I've run my bb phone down fully. Plugging it in to the ac adapter shows NO sign of life for almost half an hour. Then some signs of life (either the led or a small red battery on the screen?????)

[adadadad]

You are welcome and glad to hear that it budged off ZERO. Not sure why but since it is a relatively large battery, it might take some initial input to get it to even register (kind of like the stack charging issue). I know that I've run my bb phone down fully. Plugging it in to the ac adapter shows NO sign of life for almost half an hour. Then some signs of life (either the led or a small red battery on the screen?????)

Oh Sorry...! Spoke too soon. Now, playbook seems to have stuck at 30% for quite some time (about 25 minutes)... What's up with it? I can't understand.

[FF22]

Bad connection to the pb? Power adapter cord is possibly broken and makes intermittent contact?

Are you using it during this time? Email or other stuff still running? As asked above, you have Battery Guru? If so, jiggle the plug and watch the info Battery Guru shows. I know it does not always show instant change but give it a minute. Jiggle some more, both at the pb end and along the usb charger wire.

If it seems amiss, you can contact support and see if they have ideas.

[djenkins6]

Lots of talk on here about stack charging, when I had problems last month and rma'd my Playbook, support said they no longer recommend stack charging due to the fact it can cause more damage to the battery. So I'd say we should only tell people to try this if they are out of warranty and have nothing to lose, if they are in warranty best try charging for 24 hours and if that doesn't work to call and get that support they are entitled to.

[djenkins6]

If it's up and running use file transfer to get your important files off the playbook, you can use wifi connection to do this, there was already a thread today on how to do this.

[adadadad]

Now, it seems to be up and running. Battary reading has moved past 30%. I hope it stays that way. So far, playbook has worked so perfectly, that these glitches seems annoying.

[adadadad]

Bad connection to the pb? Power adapter cord is possibly broken and makes intermittent contact?

Are you using it during this time? Email or other stuff still running? As asked above, you have Battery Guru? If so, jiggle the plug and watch the info Battery Guru shows. I know it does not always show instant change but give it a minute. Jiggle some more, both at the pb end and along the usb charger wire.

If it seems amiss, you can contact support and see if they have ideas.

Now a wierd thing. I unplugged the PB with battery at 48 %. I used it for an hour and brought it down to 34%. Kept using it for another 15 minutes, now when i checked battery status, it was at 37%. That's bizzare, isn't it? Battery % going up despite using the playbook. I've already mentioned that i had unplugged it. Kept using it. Battery came down to 27%. Continued to use. After about 5 minutes, i checked it again. It was at 29%. I can't believe what i see. What may be the issue? This is getting me worried.

[Chaddface]

Battery Guru shows my percentage went up at some point last night. It happens sometimes. I would charge it to 100% before using it.