Battery Problem discharge for no reason

[arthurfitz]

Hi All,

Really need some help here as Sony tech support are totally unsupportive on my issue. I purchased a new Vaio (3rd Sony Laptop) model VGN-SZ71VN with windows Vista Business. All the latest updates have being installed. However recently (last 4 weeks) my battery is discharging in a matter of days when turned off completely. For instance last friday I had a fully charged battery 100%. I turned off the laptop in the normal way and tonight I powered up the laptop on battery power to discover 2% battery remaining needless to say the computer shut down.

Sony's answer is for me to remove my battery from the laptop everytime I shut it down (daft me thinks). Anyway has anyone else experienced this problem?

Thanks
Arthur

[Blencogo]

Hi Arthur and welcome to Club Vaio.

I suppose there are three possible causes: -

1. The battery is defective if it discharges over a five day period.
2. The Vaio is defective as it continues to draw current even when shut down.
3. You have a program (something like like tvtv) which is turning your Vaio on in an attempt to update itself or download its Electronic Program Guide.

Check for cause 3 first. Silly question but you are sure the Vaio is actually shut down and not in Hibernate or Sleep mode?

If it is cause 1, then it will discharge when removed from the Vaio. Is this the case? If so Sony should replace the battery.

If it is not cause 1 then it must be cause 2 and Sony need to investigate. Did you get a case number when you spoke to them?

We can all accept that a very small current may be used when the Vaio is shut down but certainly not enough the drain the battery in 5 days. Is your Vaio warm to the touch anywhere after being closed down for a period? It may be that something is not being turned off. Just try touching the Webcam, Hard Disc or other parts of the body to check for warmth. A discharge of this order must cause some heat to be produced.

Check these things and come back to me - if necessary, I will escalate your case to Sony Support management.

[arthurfitz]

Thank you so much for the fast response I really appreciate it and the advise.

In reply to your post I will answer each question (item)

1. Tonight after fully charging the batter I'm going to remove the battery completely from the laptop and see what happens. Yes I am shutting the laptop down completely and its not in rest mode or hibernation or sleep mode.

2. Won't really know about this until item 1 is fully checked.

3. Don't use the laptop for TV and have no software installed in this regard at all, so not updating any programmes.

Itotally accept that the battery will slightly discharge while stil connected to the laptop even when shutdown but as you said after a few days a near total discharge is not right. After shutting down the PC I will check for warm spots after a few hours and again revert. I didn't keep the case number I will check my account and revert to you with my test results in a few days.

Once again thank you for your quick response.
Arthur

[arthurfitz]

OK,

Here is the latest on the battery problem I started with. After my last post I removed the battery completely from the laptop. Right now I'm posting this on battery power and I started with 93% power on stamina use after reconnecting the battery. Therefore there doesn't seem to be a problem with the battery when its removed from the laptop completely. However that's not a pratical solution.

My next step is to run the battery down this evening recharge it fully then shut down the laptop. On Friday I will restart the computer just on battery power having left it shutdown for 3 whole days and the battery remaining attached to the laptop.

Will updae next Friday 13th June
Arthur

[Mr.C]

I'd be very interested in finding out the results of your tests as a friend of mine is having similar issues with her new VGN-CR31Z. I'll ask her to run similar tests and see how she gets on - I'll report back when I hear more.

Just FYI, her battery is a VGP-BPS9 whereas our S71's (I got one too ) use BPS10 - kinda rules out the thought of a dodgy battery batch right?

[arthurfitz]

Hello Mr. C,

I'll keep this updated and let you know. Tomorrow night I will turn on the laptop with only battery power after 3 days and see what the battery is like. As you are aware from my previous post having unpluged the battery from the laptop itself there is no problem with that situation. However what's the point in having a laptop if you have to keep the battery unplugged from it and carry it seperately from your computer. I have a feeling that the laptop is somehow draining the battery way to fast when it is shutdown. It shouldn't do this. Anyway lets wait and see.

[sunking101]

I've had this problem with two VAIOs but never with any other brand. It seems something is shorting on the motherboard to put a drain on the batteries. I had one do it out of the box and SONY said it was 'normal behaviour' (yet clearly not) and my new VAIO suddenly started doing it after 6 weeks - far beyond the period where the shop I bought it from would do an exchange. So it seems I'm stuck with the SONY replair centre and as they said the last one was 'normal behaviour' I don't expect much luck (at all).

[arthurfitz]

This is getting very interesting indeed. It would seem that there may be a problem with some Vaio models. The answer I got from Sony support was totally unacceptable. I was told that this is within their limits (that's it). I didn't get any help as to try and eliminate what may or may not be the source of the problem (except from the forum) and I am trying out these results and posting here.

I paid close to € 4,000 for the model I purchased in February and I am not one bit happy about this battery fault and to be told by Sony that the battery drain from 100% to 2% in 5 days was acceptable and within limits is total crap. Then I'm asked have I turned the laptop off correctly. I'm not 3 years of age I think I know how to power off a laptop correctly at this stage in my life having used computers for over 20 years.

[arthurfitz]

OK Friday evening 18:40hrs just powered on the laptop (VGN - SZ71VN) after 3 days totally powered off but with the battery attached to the laptop this time and after booting up the battery remaining percentage on Stamia power is 65%. So in 3 days the battery has been discharged by 35%. This in my opinion is very poor. Next experiment is to run down the battery until fully discharged and then recharge to 100%. At 100% I will shut down the system and leave the battery attached. I will come back and reboot the laptop on 20th June a full 7 days. Lets see what the result will be then.

What do you guys think. Do you think 35% battery discharge is acceptable after 3 days with the system fully shut down. Would you be happy to have to disconnect your battery everytime you shutdown your laptop?

[sunking101]

Do you power up and power down on the mains? If not then the booting process will be depleting the battery by approx 5% each time. To measure your battery drain correctly you should charge the battery to 100% and then switch the laptop off whilst still connected to the mains. Then boot-up also connected to the mains. As soon as your desktop comes up, click on the battery icon and take your reading. My Toshiba laptop would lose around 10% max if not touched for 3 days....and it has an old battery. I would expect a newer battery to hold near to a full charge for longer. My VAIO however loses up to 50% over 3 days and it just should not!