# Tablet Battery



## Al Azar (Aug 16, 2016)

The battery in my Nexus 10 is getting weaker and weaker. I'm thinking of having it replaced. I've noticed that even if I use it plugged in, the battery drains. That suggests to me that if the battery fails, the charger does not provide enough power for it to function on the charger alone.

I checked online and batteries are now available (they weren't six months ago) - Amazon, Ebay, etc. I called a local shop and the fellow there said he'd replace it for $135 with a Samsung battery. Those run $50 - $80 online so considering the expertise involved in the labor, I guess that's fair.

Two questions: 

1) Does this repair sound OK for replacing the battery in a $450 device, and

2) since this model came out, there are newer 10" tablets that cost less than this one did. Should I consider a new tablet instead? I can't think of any new features I need - I'm happy with the N10 - and as far as I know everything but the battery still works fine.


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## DarkFury (Aug 16, 2016)

Al Azar said:


> The battery in my Nexus 10 is getting weaker and weaker. I'm thinking of having it replaced. I've noticed that even if I use it plugged in, the battery drains. That suggests to me that if the battery fails, the charger does not provide enough power for it to function on the charger alone.
> 
> I checked online and batteries are now available (they weren't six months ago) - Amazon, Ebay, etc. I called a local shop and the fellow there said he'd replace it for $135 with a Samsung battery. Those run $50 - $80 online so considering the expertise involved in the labor, I guess that's fair.
> 
> ...


*I just got an Elipsis 10 for videos and am damn happy with it. 300 dollars and one year warranty on the machine and battery. Using it plugged in should not be hurting it. Have you checked the output on your charger? *


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## ogibillm (Aug 16, 2016)

not worth it.


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## Al Azar (Aug 16, 2016)

DarkFury said:


> Al Azar said:
> 
> 
> > The battery in my Nexus 10 is getting weaker and weaker. I'm thinking of having it replaced. I've noticed that even if I use it plugged in, the battery drains. That suggests to me that if the battery fails, the charger does not provide enough power for it to function on the charger alone.
> ...


 I have not.  I have a multimeter.  What pins do I check?

The battery drops to zero if it falls below about 40%.  I can fire it back up on the charger, but I have to let it rest frequently.


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## mamooth (Aug 16, 2016)

This should be worth looking at.

Nexus 10 Battery Replacement


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## ogibillm (Aug 16, 2016)

i think the charger is crap and that's your problem - but your tablet isn't worth the cost of the battery replacement.

the nexus 10 uses a micro usb, right? just use a different charger and cable


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## Al Azar (Aug 16, 2016)

mamooth said:


> This should be worth looking at.
> 
> Nexus 10 Battery Replacement


 Thank you.  I've checked out videos of the process.  Although I generally prefer to do things myself when I have the knowledge and skills, there are some things I don't want to learn by doing when the first attempt has to be right.  In this case I'd rather pay someone who's done it before.


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## Al Azar (Aug 16, 2016)

ogibillm said:


> i think the charger is crap and that's your problem - but your tablet isn't worth the cost of the battery replacement.
> 
> the nexus 10 uses a micro usb, right? just use a different charger and cable


OK, worth a try.  I'll switch chargers and see if I can run the tablet on it after the battery suddenly drops to zero.


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## ABikerSailor (Aug 16, 2016)

You know, not only has the tablet itself evolved and become better, but so have the batteries, because they are working longer now.

Might be worth it to invest in a new one and get a 1 year warranty on it.


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## Al Azar (Aug 16, 2016)

ABikerSailor said:


> You know, not only has the tablet itself evolved and become better, but so have the batteries, because they are working longer now.
> 
> Might be worth it to invest in a new one and get a 1 year warranty on it.


 Thanks.  The original battery failed within 90 days and Samsung replaced it.  This one has lasted three years.  If I can get longer life out of a newer battery design, I'm interested.


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## Al Azar (Aug 16, 2016)

Al Azar said:


> ogibillm said:
> 
> 
> > i think the charger is crap and that's your problem - but your tablet isn't worth the cost of the battery replacement.
> ...


 Minutes later, with maybe 50%, it dropped to zero.  It's charging on a different charger now and is showing a constant 0% charge, so at least the charger is powering it enough to function while plugged in. The display is occasionally flashing brightly so it's not happy.


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## Intolerant (Aug 16, 2016)

Just buy a new one. Technology has grown by leaps and bounds withen  the past three years. Check out eBay I've gotten some really good deals there.


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## Rocko (Aug 16, 2016)

Planned obsolescence. These tablets and phones are junk, not built to last.


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## Al Azar (Aug 16, 2016)

Intolerant said:


> Just buy a new one. Technology has grown by leaps and bounds withen  the past three years. Check out eBay I've gotten some really good deals there.


 Any suggestions in the 10" range?  I've just read some reviews but there are so many choices.


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## OnePercenter (Aug 16, 2016)

Al Azar said:


> Intolerant said:
> 
> 
> > Just buy a new one. Technology has grown by leaps and bounds withen  the past three years. Check out eBay I've gotten some really good deals there.
> ...



Buy the most powerful, most (all) memory for the least amount of money.


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## Al Azar (Aug 16, 2016)

Well, this isn't good.  The battery isn't accepting the charge.


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## OnePercenter (Aug 16, 2016)

Al Azar said:


> Well, this isn't good.  The battery isn't accepting the charge.



You're beating a dead horse.........


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## Al Azar (Aug 17, 2016)

OnePercenter said:


> Al Azar said:
> 
> 
> > Well, this isn't good.  The battery isn't accepting the charge.
> ...


May be.  I went back to my old charger and it began charging.  Apparently the charger for my wife's Nexus 4 has a different (lesser) current output for that device and was insufficient to charge my tablet fast enough to register in the time I allowed.

Testing charger output with a multimeter appears to be a chore.  I found an app (Ampere) that is supposed to do it, and more.  I'm on the PC right now but when I get to the tablet I'll give it a try.

I don't think there's anything wrong with my normal charger.  I know that the battery is bad because once it reaches a certain point of discharge, between 40% and 50%, it drops instantly to zero and shuts off the device.

If I replace the Samsung battery I should be good for another three years.  If I buy a new tablet, it would cost two or three times as much and might last, what, four years?  By then I'd need another new tablet just because of tech progress.  I'm beginning to think battery replacement is the better choice until I feel I need a new tablet.

In any event, discussing the issue here has helped me understand my options better.  Thanks to those who seriously participated.


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## Alex. (Aug 17, 2016)

Nexus 10 came out in 2012. a "new" on is one the market for approx 80 bucks.

Try to trade it i  on a new tablet like a Samsung s2 and see what you can get.

Just a thought.


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## Al Azar (Aug 17, 2016)

Alex. said:


> Nexus 10 came out in 2012. a "new" on is one the market for approx 80 bucks.
> 
> Try to trade it i  on a new tablet like a Samsung s2 and see what you can get.
> 
> Just a thought.


"...a 'new' on is one the market for approx 80 bucks."

I'm not sure what that sentence means.

I bought my N10 in Feb '13.

How does one trade in an N10 for a new Samsung Tab S2?


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## Alex. (Aug 17, 2016)

Al Azar said:


> Alex. said:
> 
> 
> > Nexus 10 came out in 2012. a "new" on is one the market for approx 80 bucks.
> ...


I think this is your model or similar
Jet.com - Prices Drop As You Shop


I had that same problem with my iPad I walked into Best Buy, smiled broadly, and asked how much for a trade in. I never told them about the battery problem, they did not seem to care.


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## Al Azar (Aug 17, 2016)

Alex. said:


> Al Azar said:
> 
> 
> > Alex. said:
> ...


 This is the product I have, purchased direct from Google:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ACVI202/?tag=ff0d01-20

I see that BB has a 9.7" Samsung S2 w/32GB storage for $399.  I could stop by with my N10 and tell them I'm thinking of trading up?


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## Alex. (Aug 17, 2016)

Al Azar said:


> Alex. said:
> 
> 
> > Al Azar said:
> ...


Thanks for the clarification



Yes just go in and talk with them, you never know.


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## Ringel05 (Aug 18, 2016)

Uuuummmmm, my tablet doesn't come with a battery.


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## Stasha_Sz (Aug 19, 2016)

Al Azar said:


> The battery in my Nexus 10 is getting weaker and weaker. I'm thinking of having it replaced. I've noticed that even if I use it plugged in, the battery drains. That suggests to me that if the battery fails, the charger does not provide enough power for it to function on the charger alone.
> 
> I checked online and batteries are now available (they weren't six months ago) - Amazon, Ebay, etc. I called a local shop and the fellow there said he'd replace it for $135 with a Samsung battery. Those run $50 - $80 online so considering the expertise involved in the labor, I guess that's fair.
> 
> ...





Al Azar said:


> The battery in my Nexus 10 is getting weaker and weaker. I'm thinking of having it replaced. I've noticed that even if I use it plugged in, the battery drains. That suggests to me that if the battery fails, the charger does not provide enough power for it to function on the charger alone.
> 
> I checked online and batteries are now available (they weren't six months ago) - Amazon, Ebay, etc. I called a local shop and the fellow there said he'd replace it for $135 with a Samsung battery. Those run $50 - $80 online so considering the expertise involved in the labor, I guess that's fair.
> 
> ...


 
If it is like the tablets I used to service, the costs you quote sound about right. To get at the battery, you basically have to disassemble the whole unit, make the replacement, then reassemble it. A very time consuming process.

The battery draining even when plugged in is more disturbing. That should not happen. It could indicated a bigger problem with the programming and/or the motherboard. That could end up costing more than the unit is worth.

The big question as to whether or not to replace the unit and just forget about the repair would probably come down to what you use it for. If it is just a souped-up toy, then yes, replace. If you actually use it for work, data storage or whatever, then you must also consider how much hassle it would be to transfer what is on the old one to the new one. A lot of those tablets do not have USB ports, so putting in a stick and dragging may not be feasible.

Good luck!


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## Al Azar (Aug 20, 2016)

Stasha_Sz said:


> Al Azar said:
> 
> 
> > The battery in my Nexus 10 is getting weaker and weaker. I'm thinking of having it replaced. I've noticed that even if I use it plugged in, the battery drains. That suggests to me that if the battery fails, the charger does not provide enough power for it to function on the charger alone.
> ...


Thank you.  It appeared that the drainage was due to the charger I switched to.  It wasn't providing enough power to operate the device, only to slowly charge it.  On a proper charger the device itself seems to be in working order.  It slowly charges as I use it.  All it needs is a battery and it should be good to go.

The tablet is a convenience, something to keep by the TV to use to quickly search for an answer to a question that's popped into my mind, check on forum activity, email, to take photos and audio recordings, stuff like that.  I have very little data on the device itself.  Even what data I do have in the device is backed up in my PC and the cloud, both.  I'm big on backing up, ever since my first PC crashed and burned a dozen years ago and I lost everything.

So replacing it wouldn't be a chore.  But I don't want to replace a perfectly good device.  That's why I'm thinking of springing for the battery replacement to carry me a few more years or until something actually does go wrong with the device, then upgrade to a current model.

Thanks again.  Describing the problem here and getting input from members has really clarified the situation in my mind and made it easier to proceed.


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