Bugger.
Looks like my old Kindle (2012?) has gone squirrely. It wont come out of sleep mode with the power button nor will the power button actually do anything else, I can get it to work if I plug the USB charge cable but that's only practical if I'm near a PC. I have pulled the battery and let it sit there for a while but that did nothing. It's probably kaput but thought I'd ask here in case anyone has had this problem and knows a fix.
Cheers
Kindle Power Button Dead
EightImmortals on 14/08/2023 - 13:17
Comments
:)
Good question, I haven't tried it anywhere else.
A portable charge brick or and USB-A power brick should bring it back to life.
I'll let you know shortly. Just waiting for the screen saver to kick in.
(Nope didn't work for some reason. When I plug it into the PC it comes up with connected in USB mode so I guess something in that process wakes the Kindle up. )
@EightImmortals: Let it recharge for a while. My 2012 would not stay on unless on USB power after being flat for a while. I let it charge for about 6 hours and it worked again. Failing that replace the battery. You mention you have pulled it already (removed it from Kindle I assume) so you know how to do that.
@blindwilly: Yeah tried that the other day, left it charge for hours until the light went green. Also only changed the battery a few months back. :)
Maybe local bookstore has a Kindle repair book?
Do you have a case cover for your kindle? My kindle comes on when I open the case cover (auto sleep/wake). Similar to this:
https://www.amazon.com.au/Tersely-Slimshell-Paperwhite-Gener…I do have a cover, not the same as the one in your link. Mine has a light at the top. Opening and closing makes no difference. I even had a go at swiping a magnet around and that did nothing either. Cheers
Power button issues on mobile devices like the Kindle do mean it is kaput. Repair shops will persuade you that it is not worth repairing and DIY fixes like using IPA do not work on switches this small.
Depends what gen it is. There should be something on the back that tells you the model number.
I fixed a couple of gen 3s (the ones with the full keyboard) by replacing the battery. They have slide mechanisms that depress little button switches. If yours is the same, I'd suggest first using a multimeter to test that the switch isn't working, and then either resolder it or put a new one in.
Keep in mind that kindles have a funny relationship with batteries. Normally if a battery is bad I'm able to power it via a power supply or another battery. But E ink devices work differently to most electronics. They draw little to no power normally, but then draw a large spike when it comes time to change the page. So the battery needs to not only be able to hold a charge, but also needs to have a low enough internal resistance that it can supply the necessary current. One could compare it to a car battery turning over an engine.
If it is the switch, it's probably easier to do what Malik Nasser (above) said though, and just get a case that uses the pogo pins to communicate.
It's a gen 4, no side buttons, only the power button at the button and the one at the front to open the menu.
Buy new one on Amazon and return this one. Don't tell them I told you this.
Why only a PC?