Super Slow Recharging

[dmelendez34]

The past 2 weeks I have noticed my VTab takes over 12 hours to recharge fully. I first noticed something funny while using it and having it plugged in for charging. The recharge lightning bolt does not stay on anymore if I am using it and charging it.

I used to take only 6-8 hours to charge fully. I also have noticed it charges faster if it is on standby instead of turned off completely, but that was also true before the Honeycomb update.

Anyone have any suggestions/solutions? BTW, I tried charging my VTAB using the Vizio charger, A universal adapter with a USB port, and using my netbook USB port. I have 2 micro USB cables but I have not tried both.

 

[HilltopStudios]

Handheld use of the VTAB while charging is not a good idea. The USB connector is the weakest link of this tablet and has been the subject of quite a few older posts. Some say a right angle USB plug will keep it from wiggling.

 

[J515OP]

You definitely want to make sure the charge source has enough amps. If you are using the Vizio cable but plugging it into a .5amp usb slot it will charge slowly. If you are using the stock cable and charger then you will have the quickest time possible though I don't know how long that actually is.

 

[Martel]

Mine, plugged into the wall, not computer, charges way faster now than it did before the update. I tend to not use the computer for charging anything, as it takes longer, and has always seemed to generate more heat <on any device> so I use wall chargers, and always <when I can> use the ones that come with the device. Means I have alot of chargers, but they work

 

[jhig1961]

Strange thing since I saw this thread I've been watching mine I usually charge at night in stand by, and when I get up the green light is on indicating it is charged. When unit is turned on there are only 4 bars when I power down and restart all bars show with 96% charged. Just an observation.

 

[mjduff]

Anyone have good source for an extra charger and a 90 degree cable.

 

[rcalegre_17]

The past 2 weeks I have noticed my VTab takes over 12 hours to recharge fully. I first noticed something funny while using it and having it plugged in for charging. The recharge lightning bolt does not stay on anymore if I am using it and charging it.

I used to take only 6-8 hours to charge fully. I also have noticed it charges faster if it is on standby instead of turned off completely, but that was also true before the Honeycomb update.

Anyone have any suggestions/solutions? BTW, I tried charging my VTAB using the Vizio charger, A universal adapter with a USB port, and using my netbook USB port. I have 2 micro USB cables but I have not tried both.

I seldomly used my VTAB continuously and therefore couldn't be able to know how long really would my battery last if it is being used continuously. Until these past few days when my son is using it to play plants vs zombies, I've noticed that the battery last only up to 3 hours which is quite short and not being expected. Before my son used it, I see to it that it is fully charged, wifi is off, gps off, bluetooth off, all other running applications that are not necessary were turned-off as well but still getting only 3 or at the most 3.5 hours of continuous playing and usage until the battery drains.

I confirmed that when you charged your VTAB, it will turned on by itself automatically (after which in standby state) in which case may be I'm not really getting a full charged battery after getting the green light. This was usually my case of charging so after charging it overnight it would already be completed and fully charged. Please note that I always used the standard vizio charger and cable which were included in the box and charging it via the wall AC outlet. I don't do charging via USB.

So what I did was before I went to sleep, I charged my unit and turned it off and let it charged overnight. Apparently when I woke up after 6.5 hours of sleep, the unit is still charging to my dismay. I've turned on the unit to see how much charging did it take and it was only at the 62% mark. I've turned off the unit again and let it charge as of this writing. Here are my questions:

1) Do most of you charge your unit in an "on" / standby state?
2) Do you really get a full charge when you are charging your unit in an "on" / standy state? If yes, how long does your battery last of continuous usage - like playing games or surfing the internet, watching movies? Does the charging stops completely when you get a green light (unit is still on / standby state)?
3) If you are charging your unit in an "off" state, how long does it take to have a full charge (green light)? Or can you really achieve full charge (green light) when the unit is off while charging it?
4) Is it a better option to charge your unit in an "off" state rather than in an "on" / standby state? Because the design made by Vizio was that when you charge it (from a completely battery drained or unit turned off state) it would turned on by itself which may be we let it be as that? Or is it some sort of protecting and prolonging the battery life when you charged it in an "on" / standby state as the unit does it?

 

[HilltopStudios]

I have found mine charges faster while in sleep mode. I used to turn it off during charging but it would often take over 8 hours to get the green light. In sleep mode I can now get a green light in about 4 hours or less. How long the battery lasts depends on how hard you push the processor. If I just play static games like Sudoku and Crosswords or read PDFs and books I can get close to 8 hours on a charge (this is with Wi-Fi and GPS turned off and with brightness at 5% or below). If playing processor hungry games like Angry Birds or Wind-Up Knight I only get around 3-3½ hours before the 20% level charging nag comes on. If you search the forum I think you'll find others who had charging problems after ignoring the 20% nag and running the battery down to practically nothing.

 

[rcalegre_17]

Ok, thanks for this observation. I thought that my battery is not performing well for processor hungry games. Anyway, what puzzles me is that why is it that it takes a shorter amount of time to charge the battery in full on standby/sleep mode rather than when it is turned off? Shouldn't be the other way around? Likewise, on you last statement, do you mean that I should already charge my VTAB when the battery is already down at 20%? I always charge my unit when the battery is already drained. Is this bad for the battery?

 

[HilltopStudios]

do you mean that I should already charge my VTAB when the battery is already down at 20%? I always charge my unit when the battery is already drained. Is this bad for the battery?

From everything I have read it is not good to regularly exhaust a LIon battery (they do not have the memory effect of the older NiMhs). LIons are generally rated at 300-500 charge cycles or 5 years - whichever comes first. One charge cycle can equal a 100-0% or 4 100-75% power drains so topping them off regularly does not shorten life. Regular deep discharges are said to stress the battery and may even lead to premature battery failure. Some on this forum have experienced problems getting the battery to charge again after draining it to zero, symptom is plugging it in and the charge light flashes from red to green.

As for a faster charge while in sleep mode I'm assuming this allows a charging program to run in the background to get better efficiency.

 

[J515OP]

I am surprised to hear it charges faster in standby than completely off. As far as extending battery life, Hilltop as it right. The biggest drain is the screen so turn down the brightness as low as you can stand for max battery life. It sounds like you were already doing the best thing for the other big drains which would be turning off all the radios not in use wifi, GPS and bluetooth. The last things would be to set the screen time out very short so it sleeps quickly when not in use and to set the apps that sync to do it infrequently or manually (email, app updates, calendar, etc.).

I haven't ever really pushed my Vizio but I am again surprised to hear only 3-3.5 hours of heavy use. My guess would have been 5-7 hours.

 

[Martel]

From everything I have read it is not good to regularly exhaust a LIon battery (they do not have the memory effect of the older NiMhs). LIons are generally rated at 300-500 charge cycles or 5 years - whichever comes first. One charge cycle can equal a 100-0% or 4 100-75% power drains so topping them off regularly does not shorten life. Regular deep discharges are said to stress the battery and may even lead to premature battery failure. Some on this forum have experienced problems getting the battery to charge again after draining it to zero, symptom is plugging it in and the charge light flashes from red to green.

As for a faster charge while in sleep mode I'm assuming this allows a charging program to run in the background to get better efficiency.

I read on one the battery saver apps <Dr Battery Saver, or some such> that you should charge the battery when it gets below 20%, but not let it discharge fully. I usually recharge mine when it gets below 15%. Sometimes I don't turn it on before it goes below 10%, but I never let it go all the way down

 

[rcalegre_17]

I am surprised to hear it charges faster in standby than completely off. As far as extending battery life, Hilltop as it right. The biggest drain is the screen so turn down the brightness as low as you can stand for max battery life. It sounds like you were already doing the best thing for the other big drains which would be turning off all the radios not in use wifi, GPS and bluetooth. The last things would be to set the screen time out very short so it sleeps quickly when not in use and to set the apps that sync to do it infrequently or manually (email, app updates, calendar, etc.).

I haven't ever really pushed my Vizio but I am again surprised to hear only 3-3.5 hours of heavy use. My guess would have been 5-7 hours.

Do you always charge your unit in an off state and how long does it take for it to have full charge? Because based on our experience it really takes a shorter time to charge it in standby (around 5 to 6 hours) rather in off state (12 hours or more).

On the screen brightness and battery, I'm now taking your suggestion and lowered the screen brightness and hopefully this would increase the battery usage time of my unit to an acceptable one. Hope you could also do the same endurance test by playing processor hungry games and clocked your battery.

As for the battery charging, I will not anymore go down to 20% and will recharge it to prolong my battery life.

Thanks for all your inputs and suggestion.