Battery life problems on brand new SJ33, PLEASE HELP!

[clie_lover33]

I've had my SJ33 for about a week now and the supposedly amazing battery life isn;t so amazing as advertised. I replaceb my SJ30 and the battery life on SJ30 was better! Even when running just datebook and other easy programs for about 2 hours a day the fully charged battery goes down to 60% by the end of the day. If I play some games or watch Kinoma or listen to mp3s I got the battery down to 40% yesterday (total of approx 3 hours of regular use) Is it normal ir is there something wrong with the battery? Also I noticed the battery counter is very erratic, it jumps from 100% to 85% (after listening to mp3 for 30 minutes) and then jumpes back to 90% after I stop playing mp3s and so on. Please help! I turned the screen brigtness to 50% and turned off beam receive.

[Jeffry]

Ok I have one question. Did you FULLY charge the handheld before your first use? This enables the handheld to calibrate its battery for maximum efficiency.

[clie_lover33]

yes, but I used it while it was charging in the cradle, is there a way to re-calibrate the battery? is that what you suggest?
btw I charge it to full every day

[PaulNB]

Originally posted by clie_lover33
yes, but I used it while it was charging in the cradle, is there a way to re-calibrate the battery? is that what you suggest?
btw I charge it to full every day

Whoa, there's your problem. Hope someone has a fix for you. I'm on my 2nd full charge & I'm up to 5 hours & it's still at 90% charge. I don't know why I'm getting such good battery life this time but even on my 1st charge I got 6 hrs with 44% charge remaining. If they don't warn you not to use it before fully charging it then they certainly should. I guess I knew as it's been something that was mentioned with 2 other rechargeable handhelds that I owned.

[Jeffry]

How do you use your SJ33 while it's charging for the first time anyways?

According to the user manual, you have to fully charge your handheld for the first time, press the reset button, and watch it turning itself ON.

I suggest you return your unit where you bought it from and say that the battery was defective. Exchange it for another one, and make sure the new unit charges to FULL before you can "play" with it. I know it's hard to wait for 4 hours...

[Radu]

Try a hard reset after your handheld is fully charged (keep it connected to the power during this), maybe that way it will recalibrate itself to the right voltage when first booted. Of course, you'll loose all data on it, but you acn restore it through a hotsync afterwards...
I remember reading it online somewhere, but I could only find these references about similar problems:
http://www.palmzone.net/m5series.htm
http://www.sfinx.demon.nl/palm/body_battery_problems.html
I hope it will work.

[clie_lover33]

Thanks for the info, I'll try it right away! I wonder if by any chance it could be a fault of the cradle. I bought the optional cradle instead of the sync/power cable and maybe there's something wrong with the cradle?
Thank you all for your help

[PaulNB]

Originally posted by clie_lover33
Thanks for the info, I'll try it right away! I wonder if by any chance it could be a fault of the cradle. I bought the optional cradle instead of the sync/power cable and maybe there's something wrong with the cradle?
Thank you all for your help

Highly doubtful, you can hook the adapter that comes with the Clie up to one of the cradles that they sell without an adapter so I'm pretty sure they're the same. It's almost definite that using it before it was fully charged is what did the damage. Mine actually took 4.5 hours to get a full charge but it's been working great, especially on my 2nd charge. (someone else mentioned it may take a couple of charges to reach it's full capacity)

[cmhskier]

I see the same problem on mine. Don't know if I turned it on before it finished charging, but I'm only getting 6+ hours total on time at half backlight.
I just tried the soft reset while plugged in with another soft reset after it finished (but still plugged in). I'll know by tonight if that worked. Otherwise I'll try the hard reset and charge. Beyond that it's a trip back to CompUSA to see if they'll exchange it or call Sony support on warranty.
If anyone has solved this, please let the resyt of us know. Thanks.

[clie_lover33]

I did hard reset yesterday and it's the same thing. The battery meter goes all over the place, jumping from 100% to 80%, then back 90%, then down to 77% and so on. I'll call Sony tomorrow and find out what's going on. If they can help I'll post it here, if they won't help, I'm just going back to Best Buy to get a new one.

[clie_lover33]

YOU CAN TURN ON CLIE WHILE IT'S CHARGING, ENE THE FIRST TIME! I looked carefully in the manual today and there it it, it says you can normally operate it while it's charging (I do it all the time, keeping it on in the cradle, Clkie gets the power from AC adater not from battery then, and it's stil charging). In the manual it didn't say you can't turn it on while it's charging the first time. If that could really damage the battery it would be the lamest thing in the world. I simply don't buy it. What if you completely discharge the battery? Then it's the same like turning it on the first time. Lithium-ion batteries don't have memory effect so this shouldn't be a problem. Let us know how's your SJ33 doing after hard reset.

[clie_lover33]

Just realized that a good text of battery life would be to try the mp3 test. The manual claims you can continuously play mp3s with screen backlight on full for about four hours. Charge yours completely and loop the mp3 playback, come back in about 3 hours 40 minutes and see when it turns off. If it passes the test I guess the battery is OK then? I'll run the test tomorrow.

[Jeffry]

Originally posted by clie_lover33
YOU CAN TURN ON CLIE WHILE IT'S CHARGING, ENE THE FIRST TIME! I looked carefully in the manual today and there it it, it says you can normally operate it while it's charging (I do it all the time, keeping it on in the cradle, Clkie gets the power from AC adater not from battery then, and it's stil charging).

That is IF you charged your handheld numerous times before. If you are saying that you can use the handheld while its charging for the first time, then what is that little warning (with illustration) on the box for?

It states that AFTER you charge it FULLY for 4 hours, you have to RESET the handheld to turn it on.

[clie_lover33]

Maybe you are right. But they should really make it very clear in the manual. I'll call Sony tomorrow to see what they say.

[wilsonch_98]

I also think not fully charge the first time is the problem. The sales rep in sony style at sydney told my friend that he SHOULD NOT turn it on while charging the first time. They have many people returning their clie for that problem. I guess now you need to replace your clie... sorry for you

[erdgo]

Hi, i have the same problem with mine. Its also possible to change only the batery ? If so, were can i get one ?

Thanks
Ed

[clie_lover33]

Did you also turn it on when it was charging for the first time? Or did the battery proble occur later?

[clie_lover33]

Just talked to Sony tech support! Gues what? HARD RESET as I expected, but then charge it for 4 hours (even if it was charged before reset) and DONT' TURN IT ON DURING THIS CHARGING. It's OK to turn it on during next charges but not this time after hard reset. I ask him if turning it on during the first charge could have damaged battery, but hs said no, but it could have messed up the meter, not the battery. So I'll let you all know tomorrow how it's doing after hard reset and not turning it on for 4 hours! (I hope I can wait that long......)

[bordeaaj]

Once you get your charge corrected you might want to check out the $5 EnergyDimmer hack from dimmer@dseifert.com. It REALLY extends the battery time by giving you dimming options far beyond the built in dimmer. I about doubled my battery life on my Prism and I hope to get the same results on my new SJ33. Good Luck.

[PaulNB]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by cmhskier
[B]I see the same problem on mine. Don't know if I turned it on before it finished charging, but I'm only getting 6+ hours total on time at half backlight.

Just for information purposes I'm on my 2nd full charge which took 2.5 hours to complete. I'm currently at 6 hours 52 minutes with 59% power left (3.88V). I'm using a setting of 1/3 brightness & I use the memory stick frequently which affects how much total usage you get. Sony's estimate is 8.5 hours so I feel I'm getting pretty close to that. I didn't turn it on once before the 1st full charge which took me about 4.5 hours. Considering I've seen reports on 3-3.5 hours total time for the T665 I'm happy I went with a SJ33.

[Alistar]

I don't have an SJ33, I have an NX70V, and I don't think turning the unit before it was fully charged caused the problem. I had to interrupt my first charge twice once about halfway through and then again about 80% through. I had even used it during this time. It has worked fine and I am getting just as good if not better battery time than the other people who have an NX here. They are different units, but I assume the battery works the same way.

[Chanbingo]

Hi,

I've also been punished being a culprit of trying my cool SJ33 before it charges full for the FIRST time. Alas! I strongly feel that SONY didn't alarm me enough. Shame to them.

How on earth I can wait for more than 5 hours having this beauty infront of me for the first time and now I am paying the panelty.

My battery is also won't last for more than 6 hours at minimal backlight settings. Surely the initial usage while it's charging must've taken it's toll.

And I have no means of returning the device since I got it from US while I was on my vacation and now I am here in Sri Lanka. No way of going back. Poor me!

So I will try these reset and charge thing and let you know if it really works. I guess my battery is already perished anyway.

Goodluck new SJ33 users.

Charge it full for the FIRST time without even ever touching it!

Rgds,
Chan
(Sri Lanka)

[gummycat]

What program are you guys using to track your "run-time"?

I also seem to be having this problem. My first charge was for approximately 5 hours - but I can not remember if I did a reset before turning it on for the first time.

I am currently trying what others mentioned here... Hard Reset, and re-charge. Then I will reset again and re-synch to get my stuff back on.

[eltizur1]

The tension here is unbearable.. would any of you PLEASE tell us what happened AFTER the hard reset etc?

[Chanbingo]

Well, Yesterday I've done a clean overnight charge with two resets.

It's too sonn to tell.

Busy with office stuff. Didn't even get the chance to switch it on...

I will post here if anything improves on battery performance.

Have to wait..

Rgds,
Chan

[PaulNB]

Originally posted by eltizur1
The tension here is unbearable.. would any of you PLEASE tell us what happened AFTER the hard reset etc?

I can't comment on that but I can tell you that I've done 3 charges since I got my SJ33. My first 2 charges were about 7hrs usage with 45-50% power left. I charge at that point as the meter doesn't seem to operate evenly & I don't want to risk running out of power. Just thought I'd mention it as a guideline for how much usage you can get. I hope you can resolve your problems but if not hopefully you can exchange the unit & start fresh.

[PaulNB]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by gummycat
[B]What program are you guys using to track your "run-time"?

I use the BatteryLog hack. It seems to be accurate as I timed a session by stopwatch & it matched the usage that BatteryLog was reporting.

[Berto2112]

Hmmm.....I don't remember if I used my SJ-30 before I fully charged it the first time. I probably did because I'm an idiot... I'll have to time my battery usage and see what I'm getting, but I play with ScummVM all the time at full brightness, so I guess I can't expect extraordinary battery life. If anyone has results of doing a hard-reset and full charge, please post so we can know if there's a fix to our stupidity. Thanks.

Berto

[Unregistered]

I own an SJ33 and here's my observations:

1. There is no danger of using the device before it's fully charge the first time. However, the battery meter (software) cannot correctly register the full charge and therefore it can't tell you how much charge left. So leave it untouch for the first charge. Or charge overnight, then do a hard reset to reactivate the battery meter.

2. When high drain activities (MP3, video, game) are active, the battery meter calculates the rate of drain and compares this rate with charge left in the battery and give us an estimate, ASSUMING that we continue with the high drain activity until the charge completely runs out. That's why the reading is low. Once we stop the high drain activity, the meter recalculates it's project and reports a higher charge left, as most of us reported. And we should not blame the battery meter for false reading.

In short, if you use MP3 or video or game frequently, make sure the devise is fully charged and try charging the device as often as you can or using the device while it's plugged in. Hope this helps.

Jack

[madmaxmedia]

I really, really don't think not charging properly the first time will actually DAMAGE your battery. At worst, the meter will be off, and you will need to do the hard rest, charge overnight thing.

On the first page, someone also mentioned this:

"It states that AFTER you charge it FULLY for 4 hours, you have to RESET the handheld to turn it on."

I'll have to read my manual ;), but just wanted to bring this up again. Perhaps the best way to do this is-

1. Hard reset
2. Charge overnight (or at least 4 hours) without turning unit on
3. Reset to power up (hard or soft?)

Is that basically it?

[rprice54]

It may not physically damage the battery, but on all kinds of Li-ion batteries I've always read/heard: charge it fully before you do anything with it. My laptop, my cellphone, PDA's, etc.

I didn't believe it either when I got the Li-ion batt for my handera. Let it charge for an hour, but then I needed to use it so I unplugged it. I could watch the battery meeter count down. And I never got the battery life out of it that I heard others getting. Maybe I should have tried the hard reset deal.

[clie_lover33]

After 2 hard resets and a lot of full charges I used the Battery Log and Palm Bench programs to time the battery. The Palm Bench times the battery by keeping the unit on until it turns off, equal to light datebook type usage. Guess how much time I got? 4 hours 31 minutes! That sucks! I'm going to Best Buy tomorrow to replace it. BTW for people interested in battery tracking programs here are the names and links: Battery Log avaliable at Palm gear and http://palmbytes.tripod.com, a great benchmarking program (not just battery) is a German Palm Bench
www.ive-software.com, the last one is Battery TIME 1.66

[clie_lover33]

One more time here are the websites (I put a coma after them and the urls got messed up, this should work)

http://palmbytes.tripod.com

http://www.ive-software.com

Or just search Palmgear

[Jana_B]

Just got back from Best Buy with a replacement SJ33. After reading of your problem, I realized I had the same problem, and called Sony (GREAT 24-hour tech support!).

Sony tech support told me that the instructions posted before about the hard reset were right EXCEPT he said that before doing the hard reset and recharge it was necessary to FIRST completely DRAIN the battery until it registered 10% or less; then once drained, do a hard reset (with it plugged in since there wouldn't be power to reset without AC), then charge for four hours, then do soft reset.

I did this, getting it down to about 5% by running the audio player continuously with the screen lit (tap on battery icon and it tells the percent remaining). Then I did the hard reset, charged it all night, and the next morning did the soft reset and hotsynch.

Unfortunately, by mid-day, after less than 15 minutes total use it had dropped to about 65% and by the end of the day after a total of maximum 20 minutes use it was down to 50%.

I called Sony again and they told me to return it to the store and replace it with a new one. I did. BUT THIS TIME I'M NOT GOING TO TURN IT ON until it's charged four hours!!!!

PS - This is a fabulous PDA. The difference between this and my Handspring Visor (that died just before my 3 year warranty ran out--miracle!) is like the difference between drinking wet mud and champagne!

[clie_lover33]

TO ALL SJ33 USERS: Could you please put here your battery life for our comparison? You can do it over night when you are sleeping, you don't have to give up your Clie for a day....

Can you try this:

1. Install the Palm Bench software on your Clie:
2. Make sure it's fully charged.
3. Set the screen to max brightness.
3. BACK UP YOUR STUFF! 9just in case, either Hot Sync or MS
4. Run the battery test on Palm Bench.
5. Tell us your results!!!!!

THANKS TO ALL OF YOU!

[madmaxmedia]

That's a great idea, I think you should start a new thread for people to post their times.

By using Palm Bench hopefully we can avoid differences in usage, and get some objective numbers. Then anyone who is wondering about their battery can do the same test and compare.

[PaulNB]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by clie_lover33
[B]TO ALL SJ33 USERS: Could you please put here your battery life for our comparison?

7 hours, 50% charge remaining (BatteryLog) using the backlight at 1/4 power which is comfortable for me. I occassionally(1-2 times) will use it for 20-30 minutes at full brightness during that time period. That's all the info I can give as I prefer not to run mine down totally but it gives you an idea at least.

[Chanbingo]

Well I have done the reset charge thing and obviously there
seem to be an improvement on battery performance.

It's hard to tell how much since I did not run a benchmark.

But it is nowhere near what SONY claims...

Can anybody (You clie_lover33) tell me where to find a Palm benchmarking software so that I can run the test.

Still hate myself for not charging the battery for the first time.

Chan

[clie_lover33]

Originally posted by Chanbingo

Can anybody (You clie_lover33) tell me where to find a Palm benchmarking software so that I can run the test.

Chan

Here is the exact address from Palmgear

http://www.palmgear.com/software/showsoftware.cfm?sid=8C62F0B7-78F8-462F-88CE81205203EE64&prodID=47839

if it doesn;t work just search for Palm Bench on Palmgear.com

[Jana_B]

On the advice of Sony tech support I returned the one I'd inadvertently screwed up by messing with it during it's first charge and got a new one. Much better!!!!!!

I've been using it regularly for over a week and the battery usage seems to be about as advertised. I think with ordinary usage including using the audio player I shouldn't have to recharge but once a week.

I bought a cradle for my office so it does get to charge while it synchs but I'm quite pleased with the battery usage now. It was terrible before.

I may do the battery usage tester as requested, but not this week.
Jana

[skyduck]

i got my sj33 just for a week.
and this morning when i turned on my clie,
the battery meter shows a 71% charge
but i have it charged full overnite last nite!!

however, the % charge did gradually increased back to 100% within about 2 minutes.

is this an indication of mal-functioning of the battery meter?

thx.