1. PatrickMJS's Avatar
    I've owned my PlayBook since April 2011, and got a lot of really good use out of it. Friends and family will tell you I had it with me most of the time.

    I realized it was an "always on" device, meant to be kept charged and on, or in standby mode, no reason to power it down. What I didn't know was that the PB can be fatally damaged if it is allowed to discharge the battery completely. Here's what happened.

    After I fell asleep 2 nights ago, I was woken up in the middle of the night by the PB "low battery" sound, but being very sleepy, just rolled over and fell back to sleep. In the morning, I wasn't surprised to find the PB was dead so I plugged it in. Checked back a little later, and still nothing. I was using the supplied "charger" and each time I inserted it into the PB's usb port, the red LED light would come on for about 15 or 16 seconds, then go out. I left it plugged in for a few hours, still nothing. I left it plugged in overnight, this morning, still nothing.

    I found this informative article in the BB Knowledgebase.

    KB27705-BlackBerry PlayBook Power - Battery charge and discharge characteristics

    I decided to call the 1-800 # and after getting me to variously push the power button, do power button push & hold for 20 seconds, and to plug it into my laptop via usb (all yielded nothing), they set me up with an RMA "Return Material Authorization".

    DAMN!!!

    Grrr......

    Fortunately, I did a backup just last week and I happen to have a new PB which I bought a couple months back (to use as a gift but haven't given it away yet). So I got the new one started, am downloading my apps onto it right now, next I'll do a restore from the backup file for my old one. When my original one comes back in a week or 2, I guess it'll become my next gift.

    Have to wonder about the wisdom of designing the device so the battery has to be charged all the time. I suppose it might be best to actually power it down if you're not planning to use it for an extended period. And if I don't plan to use it before the battery dies and can't charge it, I could just put it into "airplane" mode. Also, why not have the device itself turn off and go into airplane mode when the battery gets below a certain level?
    Last edited by PatrickMJS; 08-11-12 at 08:12 PM. Reason: clarify
    08-11-12 08:10 PM
  2. sbx9900's Avatar
    mine died around 3 months ago...after the power button technique, or power cycle method to resuscitate the pb, nothing happened...i keep charging it, or at least, i kept it plugged even for days, and tried the power button and power cycle from time to time.

    About a month later, my pb came to life!!!
    08-11-12 08:23 PM
  3. PatrickMJS's Avatar
    I had read some posts on here about the PB coming back after being on the charger for a long time. I decided not to wait and just get on with the RMA process...

    I've had a lot of electronic stuff over the years and can't recall something with a battery that will not charge after being fully discharged. Especially strange for something that is just over a year old.
    08-11-12 08:28 PM
  4. Mr.Monty's Avatar
    I'm not sure why it does this when the battery depletes, hopefully that bug gets fixed. I had the same issue, and here is a solution I found works for me if you'd rather try this than send it in. Or if you decide to just send it in, that's fine too.

    This solution requires patience. plug the charger into the socket and plug the USB into the playbook, the red light stays for 8-10 secs. Remove the USb from the playbook wait for 2 sec and replug the usb back to the charger and wait till that red light comes and goes again. repeat this step atleast 20-30 times. you might be asking why? the only power that the playbook gets is when that red light is on when plugging the usb into the playbook, once that light goes the playbook is not charging.. so what you are doing here is forcing the playbook to get charged for 8 sec every time u plug it to the playbook....this way the playbook gets that power needed to boot. Once the Playbook has that power to boot. The red light stays and changes to green but this time it blinks slowly and keeps blinking. you would also see the playbook logo return.... this green light keeps blinking until there is enough charge for the playbook to stand on its own and then changes to a solid red until it gets fully charged.
    08-11-12 08:37 PM
  5. PatrickMJS's Avatar
    hey Monty, thx for chiming in. I read about the 20-30 times thing with the plug. I did a few inserts, pull and insert again but after 5 or 10 tries, it just seemed too hopeless so I gave up and called the 1-800 #.
    08-11-12 08:42 PM
  6. todbanner's Avatar
    I also had this issue where the PB completely discharged. I thought that it wasn't recharging, however when looking into it on here and calling tech support we figured out it was actually bricked.

    I followed unbricking procedure,restored the Os and everything was right with the world once more.
    08-11-12 09:01 PM
  7. PatrickMJS's Avatar
    hey Todd,

    when I called the 1-800 #, they tried the unbrick procedure on mine and it didn't work. Basically, if the PB isn't recognized by windows when plugged in via usb, the BB Desktop Software can't operate to run the os restore procedure.

    Quite the strange situation.

    One more point: I mentioned above that I had an unused PB on hand and have now re-installed all my apps and run a restore from my PB backup file. But my new PB is on .358 and when I go to the software update, it says that it already has the latest software. I wonder if they've pulled .668 due to the battery draining issues?

    http://forums.crackberry.com/blackbe...02/index5.html
    08-11-12 09:10 PM
  8. Hawnz's Avatar
    There has been a new suggestion, one even advised by RIM. Hold the power button for 40 seconds, then plug the PB into the charger. It was on the BlackBerry Tablet OS forum.

    http://forums.crackberry.com/blackbe...ry-fix-737797/
    08-11-12 11:17 PM
  9. FF22's Avatar
    This continues to reveal the problems inherent in the pb's charging system. Rim is still trying to figure out how to get the pb to charge once it plunges too low and just plugging in the charger does not work. So we have stack charging, about 5 different methods or timing, or Press/hold power button and juggle getting the power connected while holding that shallowly set button as well as leaving it along for 20 to 30 days and hope it wakes out of its coma. Ridiculous!
    bambinoitaliano likes this.
    08-12-12 12:19 AM
  10. tyshone1's Avatar
    Well, add me to the list.

    My PB battery was depleted and it gracefully shutdown the other day. After a 24hr charge, I attempted to turn it on and received the familiar red power light followed by 5 flashing amber lights. I contacted tech support and spent the next two hours trying a combination of steps to revive. But needless to say, outside of the obvious RMA, there was nothing they could do. This is my second PB (16 and 64GB) that I have had to RMA. I sent my first one (16GB) back for missing\stuck pixels and now this issue with my second one (64GB). I love my PB but I am starting to get a little frustrated.
    08-12-12 02:15 AM
  11. bbfan1040's Avatar
    Current PlayBook beta seems to have fixed recharging problems.

    I have run battery down as low as 0, and 2. Slot charger quickly recharged battery without a problem.

    Excellent detailed posts on fixing battery problems! I have used most of them in the past!
    08-12-12 03:29 AM
  12. Eli Bret's Avatar
    This continues to reveal the problems inherent in the pb's charging system. Rim is still trying to figure out how to get the pb to charge once it plunges too low and just plugging in the charger does not work. So we have stack charging, about 5 different methods or timing, or Press/hold power button and juggle getting the power connected while holding that shallowly set button as well as leaving it along for 20 to 30 days and hope it wakes out of its coma. Ridiculous!
    Totally agree.
    This is beyond ridiculous. There are to many instances of dead units due to discharged being reported on forums for this to be a minor issue. I can only assume that RIM's customer support is quiet busy since not every PlayBook owner participates in any forum to report any issue.
    RIM should introduce at least software solution in their updates to force PB shut down when the battery drops down to a certain charge level to force us to plug it in.
    FF22 likes this.
    08-12-12 08:02 AM
  13. FF22's Avatar
    Totally agree.
    This is beyond ridiculous. There are to many instances of dead units due to discharged being reported on forums for this to be a minor issue. I can only assume that RIM's customer support is quiet busy since not every PlayBook owner participates in any forum to report any issue.
    RIM should introduce at least software solution in their updates to force PB shut down when the battery drops down to a certain charge level to force us to plug it in.
    But even then, unless they can change some aspect of the OS or boot-loader (and I don't know anything about the initialization of the pb boot stuff), the damn pb should be able to be left off or even dead for an extended period and then be recharged. While it might not be an everyday occurrence, folks might want to close it down for an extended period. They should be able to turn it off and come back 3 months later and just charge it up. Now, I accept the fact that all of these batteries may have a finite life and may not take a charge it the chemistry has broken down. But this is not a chemical issue. It is the manner in which rim chose purposely or inadvertantly to control charging. They've put a lock on the charging door and the key is INSIDE and you can't get there from here.

    Unless this can be fixed by software/firmware or rim can come up with a method that is full proof rather than the remedy of the day, this is an flaw or defect that demands a real, physical fix. The question I have is when replaced by rma, are the "new" or "fixed" units actually different or will they suffer the same fate if the charge again goes to zero (or what purports to be zero)?

    Hey, CRACKBERRY, how about broaching this Battery Charging issue with Rim? Can this be fixed with an OS or is it more than that?
    Last edited by F2; 08-12-12 at 08:23 AM.
    Eli Bret likes this.
    08-12-12 08:20 AM
  14. kbz1960's Avatar
    Instead of plugging and unplugging use a power strip with a on off button. Save wear and tear on that port.
    Eli Bret likes this.
    08-12-12 08:25 AM
  15. Blkacesvf41's Avatar
    This battery issue along with the 3 minutes plus start up time, are problems that RIM should really address in an update. Defficiencies like these feed into the perception that anything BB is old news. After reading all these posts regarding the dead battery I'm paranoid about keeping up with mine.
    Last edited by Blkacesvf41; 08-12-12 at 01:03 PM.
    CNParrish likes this.
    08-12-12 11:28 AM
  16. bb624's Avatar
    Charging issue happened on 32g PB While using the wire charger several times ..which I tossed and got the charging dock. PB Failed to charge with dock a couple of times and was completely dead. Plugged in while pb was in the charger unplugged several times..finally the lighting bolt appeared and all is well....I never turn PB off just restart occasionally.
    08-12-12 12:49 PM
  17. jpash549's Avatar
    Versions of this same thread occur frequently in the PB forum. But I don't recall anyone saying what happens if you plug in a backup battery when you can't get the internal battery started. From that I am assuming that also doesn't work. Can anyone verify that and also talk about the feasibility of using an external battery to extend PB operating time between charges. Would that be any different than using a charger operating off a car battery.
    08-12-12 03:31 PM
  18. D3399273S's Avatar
    Yes Mine Too, my 64 Playbook Wont Charge now, its big icon of battery with lightning icon there, i have update the OS, still nothing, i charged over night just nothing. .
    so confused. . try the stack charging. . . wouldnt help too. . .
    08-13-12 08:27 AM
  19. FF22's Avatar
    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)
    08-13-12 09:31 AM
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