Bose S1 Pro battery draining issue - Page 5

Captain Jim · #61 07-17-2020, 08:06 AM

Bose replaced my S1 a couple years ago when the battery draining issue was first discussed. This second one did pretty much the same thing. It hasn't been an issue for me - I plug it in the night before using it, and it runs just fine on the battery. The most I've run on battery was 4 hours and it held up fine.

I don't ever have a "surprise" need for the S1 if it has been sitting for a while, so this doesn't affect my use.

Great sound out of this small amp/PA. That's why I bought it.

sam.spoons · #62 07-17-2020, 08:40 AM

That is why I believe the issue is much more widespread than Bose are prepared to admit. 90% of users are never going to discover they have the battery drain issue 'cos, like you, they routinely charge their S1s before each gig, even those of us who do need the S1 to survive 'off grid' for week or two before a gig probably only do so a couple of times a year, and in most cases will be well past the 28 day return period when they do find themselves let down (I was lucky in that my dealer immediately offered a replacement).

What is the issue now is that Bose seem to be trying to wriggle out of their responsibilities.

Captain Jim · #63 07-17-2020, 03:40 PM

I'm not sure what those "responsibilities" might be? I don't recall Bose promising me that the battery would stay charged indefinitely if not plugged in. A decade or so ago, I had an Ion amp with a lead acid battery, and I used it the same way: plug it in before I'd need it. Within a year, that battery crapped out.

When I store my motorhome, I use a battery disconnect... because battery draw down will happen with that $100,000+ unit. Same with every car/motorcycle/boat I've owned: if it isn't going to be used for a while, I either disconnect or remove the battery.

My MacBook Pro is the same: if I leave it shut down, but not turned off, the next morning the battery is down to some degree. It's life. Stuff happens. I learn how to best use my stuff and don't get worked up about it. The Bose works exactly the way I want. I had no idea of this "battery drain issue" until some folks made it a thing... but it isn't an issue for me. Like everything with a battery, I make sure it is charged up before I use it. I have had impromptu guitar gatherings pop up, but never out in the woods, away from civilization... never, not once in the 5+ decades I've been playing has an impromptu gig come up that I had to grab my equipment and run.

I get it: this is a hot button thing for you. Not so much for others. Why, back in my day, I remember amps that didn't run on batteries.

I was playing in a rock horn band back in the early 70s - we had a gig at a tri-county fair. Good money. We were told there should be a big crowd. We got there mid-afternoon and... not kidding... the fair board contact person said, "You need electricity??" They had someone from the power company come out and run several outlets for us off a power pole...

"You plug in first."

"I'm not plugging in - you plug in!"

In the grand scheme of things, my Bose S1 does all I expect from a small amp/PA. If you are able to post regularly on the AGF, you must have some means of keeping your computer/tablet/phone charged... use that to plug in your S1.

DavidE · #64 07-17-2020, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Captain Jim

I'm not sure what those "responsibilities" might be? I don't recall Bose promising me that the battery would stay charged indefinitely if not plugged in. A decade or so ago, I had an Ion amp with a lead acid battery, and I used it the same way: plug it in before I'd need it. Within a year, that battery crapped out.

When I store my motorhome, I use a battery disconnect... because battery draw down will happen with that $100,000+ unit. Same with every car/motorcycle/boat I've owned: if it isn't going to be used for a while, I either disconnect or remove the battery.

My MacBook Pro is the same: if I leave it shut down, but not turned off, the next morning the battery is down to some degree. It's life. Stuff happens. I learn how to best use my stuff and don't get worked up about it. The Bose works exactly the way I want. I had no idea of this "battery drain issue" until some folks made it a thing... but it isn't an issue for me. Like everything with a battery, I make sure it is charged up before I use it. I have had impromptu guitar gatherings pop up, but never out in the woods, away from civilization... never, not once in the 5+ decades I've been playing has an impromptu gig come up that I had to grab my equipment and run.

I get it: this is a hot button thing for you. Not so much for others. Why, back in my day, I remember amps that didn't run on batteries.

I was playing in a rock horn band back in the early 70s - we had a gig at a tri-county fair. Good money. We were told there should be a big crowd. We got there mid-afternoon and... not kidding... the fair board contact person said, "You need electricity??" They had someone from the power company come out and run several outlets for us off a power pole...

"You plug in first."

"I'm not plugging in - you plug in!"

In the grand scheme of things, my Bose S1 does all I expect from a small amp/PA. If you are able to post regularly on the AGF, you must have some means of keeping your computer/tablet/phone charged... use that to plug in your S1.

There was an actual design flaw or defective part that was replaced for free by Bose. It didn’t work in all and they replaced some units.

They recognize that there was a defect.

The defect is supposedly not present in my brand new replacements. I do think the issue is related to my new batteries and I will address that in a separate post. Ultimately, what I would like is to see the same battery drain results that others have had after the fix and after the firmware updates. I may be seeing that with a new set of batteries I borrowed. So far I’m at 14 days showing 100% and that’s good enough for me.

Funny thing is, Bose has battery drain issues on my Bose Soundport Free and Bose 700 headphones as well. My JBL Eon One Compact battery doesn’t seem to drain at all when the JBL is off.

sam.spoons · #65 07-17-2020, 03:59 PM

The Bose S1 is sold as a battery powered speaker, if it can't retain it's charge when switched off, for at least a couple of weeks, then it is not fit for purpose. If I turn my phone/MBP/DSLR or WHY 'off' it's battery lasts several months. If I turn my S1 Pro 'off' it's battery should also last several months but, until the 7.0.5/7 firmware update of my new/repaired S1 it simply did not.

My two S1's now do work as they should but it is disgraceful that Bose should treat paying customers in the way they appear to be treating DavidE at present. His S1's are faulty, no excuses, they should be replaced and replaced again until he has ones that work as they should.

Sorry Captain Jim, I hate to disagree with you but in this case I feel I must.

DavidE · #66 07-17-2020, 05:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sam.spoons

The Bose S1 is sold as a battery powered speaker, if it can't retain it's charge when switched off, for at least a couple of weeks, then it is not fit for purpose. If I turn my phone/MBP/DSLR or WHY 'off' it's battery lasts several months. If I turn my S1 Pro 'off' it's battery should also last several months but, until the 7.0.5/7 firmware update of my new/repaired S1 it simply did not.

My two S1's now do work as they should but it is disgraceful that Bose should treat paying customers in the way they appear to be treating DavidE at present. His S1's are faulty, no excuses, they should be replaced and replaced again until he has ones that work as they should.

Sorry Captain Jim, I hate to disagree with you but in this case I feel I must.

I think it’s the batteries, not the S1 now. We’ll see.

Captain Jim · #67 07-17-2020, 09:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sam.spoons

...

Sorry Captain Jim, I hate to disagree with you but in this case I feel I must.

Hey, don't sweat it. I'm a married guy - I get disagreed with all the time. We can disagree without being disagreeable. I use my S1 different from you. It doesn't make me right and you wrong or vice versa. I plug in before I need to use it on the battery. I do the same with my e-bike. Airpods. Spire Studio. Probably why it is a non-issue for me.

sam.spoons · #68 07-18-2020, 03:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Captain Jim

We can disagree without being disagreeable.

Yes definitely.

Quote:

I use my S1 different from you. It doesn't make me right and you wrong or vice versa. I plug in before I need to use it on the battery. I do the same with my e-bike. Airpods. Spire Studio. Probably why it is a non-issue for me.

I mostly use my tech in a similar fashion but, WRT my S1s, sometimes charging immediately before the session is not convenient. What really concerns me is the way Bose are starting to almost deny there is a problem.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidE

So far I’m at 14 days showing 100% and that’s good enough for me.

14 days retaining >90% is workable. What worries me is that Bose don't seem to know what is wrong.

Goat Mick · #69 07-23-2020, 06:55 AM

Got my S1 Pro yesterday, did the software update and gave it a full charge. I do have one question, where are you guys seeing the exact amount of battery charge the unit is holding? I can do the "push the bluetooth button and count the blinking lights" procedure but I can't find anywhere on the app that gives me the exact charge. It will show the partial circle around the battery on the app but that's it.

sam.spoons · #70 07-23-2020, 09:03 AM

The charge #% shows in the circle in the app. 100%, 90%, etc. The charge indication shows 100% until it falls to <90%. The blue LED is less accurate as it shows 4 flashes until the charge drops below 75%.

Goat Mick · #71 07-23-2020, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sam.spoons

The charge #% shows in the circle in the app. 100%, 90%, etc. The charge indication shows 100% until it falls to <90%. The blue LED is less accurate as it shows 4 flashes until the charge drops below 75%.

Awesome. Thank you very much.

sam.spoons · #72 07-23-2020, 10:34 AM

You're welcome, bear in mind that if your's is in good fettle it may not drop below 90% in 30 days or longer. Unless you can leave it unused for a couple of weeks at least any test is not particularly useful, well, if it loses 10%+ in a few days you know you have a problem but to be sure it's a guddun I'd want it displaying 100% (i.e. >90% charge remaining) after 30 days. TBF mine now do but I'm not sure how DavidE is getting along.

RockerDuck · #73 07-23-2020, 10:46 AM

As long as it lasts a gig, I'm happy. I haven't had a reason to leave it unplugged after a gig ever. I have 2 S1 pros, both holds its charge over 2 weeks, but I'll charge it before a gig regardless.

sam.spoons · #74 07-23-2020, 11:06 AM

This aspect has been discussed at length both here and on the Bose forum. A minority of S1 users do need to be able to rely on their S1 holding it's charge between charging it and using it. It's there up-thread if you want to know the detail.

DavidE · #75 07-26-2020, 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sam.spoons

You're welcome, bear in mind that if your's is in good fettle it may not drop below 90% in 30 days or longer. Unless you can leave it unused for a couple of weeks at least any test is not particularly useful, well, if it loses 10%+ in a few days you know you have a problem but to be sure it's a guddun I'd want it displaying 100% (i.e. >90% charge remaining) after 30 days. TBF mine now do but I'm not sure how DavidE is getting along.

I'm not getting 30 days with any batteries. But it's long enough with some borrowed batteries, but not with the batteries that came with my replacements. Only 8 days. They've ghosted me so I'm not getting any support on the new (December 2019) batteries that came with the new (May? 2020) S1s. I'm pissed.