charging problem with my zip clip

[2kitties]

ok i lost the usb cable that came with the clip. i plugged it into my Motorola flipside charger and i thought it changed but it didn't, i think it only got up to 55 percent. so i bought a charger on amazon but it didn't fit. (darn mini and micro chargers) so i looked up on here what type i really need. (its a micro charger by the way) people where also saying that any micro charger will work so i bought a blackberry charger on amazon and thought it was charging. ( it went from 55 percent to 77 percent) but it took a look at it this morning it stayed at 77 percent! i am not happy. i "charged" it all night. what do i do? i can't afford another player at the moment.

thanks for helping

[CrowdAds]

[skip252]

The charge amount being inaccurate in the sandisk firmware may be just one of the things you'll have to live with. I have access to 2 of them plus the one I own and all of them behave differently.

One didn't show over 88% for months and without updating the firmware it started showing 100%. Another has never shown more than 77% even though it seems to last as long as the first one. Mine will show 100% after charging for a couple of hours. The interesting part is they all show 100% if I check the properties when they're connected in MTP on a Windows machine. That will sometimes change after a disconnect/reconnect cycle. They're all using firmware 01.01.20A.

If it bothers you I'd check the properties in Windows Explorer after it's been charging for about 3 hours. It shouldn't take longer than that for a full charge from any source that's delivering the USB standard 5 volts. Updating the firmware probably wouldn't hurt either. If it never shows a full charge checking it that way it may be defective. I'd consider an RMA.

[Mikerman]

For a charger, make sure it's 5 V. (more will blow the Clip out) and amperage at a minimum of 350 mAmp (500 mAmp is better) or above.

[JK98]

A Blackberry charger is fine. I think most of those are 700ma. The Clip Zip has a micro usb plug, while the Clip+ has a mini usb plug. There are cheap adapters to convert from one plug to the other.

[2kitties]

i found the charger that came with the player. i plugged it into the wall charger that has a usb plug and it charged the player however the charge only lasted two days. this stinks. any suggestions?

[Marvin the Martian]

Originally Posted by 2kitties

i found the charger that came with the player. i plugged it into the wall charger that has a usb plug and it charged the player however the charge only lasted two days. this stinks. any suggestions?

Recharge it.

[Tapeworm]

Originally Posted by 2kitties

i found the charger that came with the player. i plugged it into the wall charger that has a usb plug and it charged the player however the charge only lasted two days. this stinks. any suggestions?

I'd say 48 hours continuous playing is pretty good. Much better than what most people are getting, even with Rockbox.

[WalkGood]

Originally Posted by 2kitties

... however the charge only lasted two days. this stinks. any suggestions?

If I use mine a lot over a two day period, depending on how many hours I use it, it will need a recharge. I run rockbox and I estimate I get around 16 hours of use but I don't fiddle around much once its playing as that uses up battery life too. How many hours did you get while actually using it or did it just discharge on its own? BTW rockbox does give you an extra hour or two over the OF. Regardless, you should try to recalibrate the battery, you can get great tips here.

[2kitties]

well i listened to the radio for 4 hours or so and i got at least 2 hours of music. i did keep turning up and down the volume, but that shouldn't effect it that much should it? so does the player go to sleep or just turn off by its self, if you don't turn it off? i notice that the on and off botton can be touchy, maybe i hold it down to long? it turns off and then it turns back on. i wonder if that could be the problem, i didn't notice that it came back on.

[skip252]

Changing the volume turns on the screen. The screen coming on, even briefly, is the biggest battery drain. You can try reducing the brightness and length of time the screen is on but if it comes on at all you still cut into your battery life quite a bit.

[Enigmatic]

Originally Posted by 2kitties

well i listened to the radio for 4 hours or so and i got at least 2 hours of music.

Using the radio might be a heavier drain on the battery than listening to files.

i did keep turning up and down the volume, but that shouldn't effect it that much should it?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ReplayGain.

so does the player go to sleep or just turn off by its self, if you don't turn it off?

The Clip Zip’s user’s manual is your friend. http://forums.sandisk.com/t5/Sansa-C...al/td-p/242618.

[2kitties]

ok i brought the screen brightness down and i set the sleep and power saver.