PRS 505 wont fully charge

[shamunse]

Ive had my PRS 505 for about 4 years now and I love it.  I only use it when I go on holiday so it gets used 3 or 4 times a year for a week or so each time. Every time I got to use it and preload it with books for my holiday the battery is completely flat and so i have to recharge it.  Yesterday was one of those days.  It was so flat it took over 2 hours charging just for my laptop to recognise it as an ereader.  I went out for the evening so left it charging. Its now been charging for about 18 hours and still the battery meter is only showing its half charged (or half empty depending on your view on life!).

Has my reader approached the end of its life? Is it possible to replace the battery?  Either way I dont think its been very good value for money but would replace it with something newer if i really had to just because its  most convenient for holiday reading.

thanks for your help and advice

Sharon

[carpetmojo]

Well, the battery is kept in top condition by using it, so it has one problem straight away, I'm afraid !

Using it 3/4 times a year is rather under-using it, which is probably doing/has done the battery in.....

Letting it go "flat" and then recharging is not good for these batteries, they are designed to be in a charged, regularly used state all the time, for optimum performance, and it's a good idea never to fully power off completely, but keep it in sleep mode if possible !

Using the 505 regularly [ie charging it up] is the best way to do this - you can do this by simply plugging it in to your PC when reader  shows down to 1-2 bars, when you're on-line for a while.

I would not charge via the PC for lengthy periods - 1-2 hours is all I'd feel happy with.

Should the PC switch itself off or go into stand-by mode, it can actually drain the battery, very not a Good Thing.

Far better to use a wall charger that's compatible, for a good 4-5 hours, say .

It does sound like the battery is sick, frankly. It may not be economical to have a new one fitted - sometimes not much less than a new reader! - and I don't know if you can replace it yourself. If so, you could look on Batterybay.net -  I know they hold them for 300/600 & 350/650 generations, but dunno about the 505.

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