Power Cover Not Charging 100% 0% 100% ???

Anonymous
2016-08-27T11:39:33+00:00

I've seen many post, but no answers?  Surface Pro Classic and just bought a Power Cover.  Power Cover is recognized as both a keyboard and a battery under devises.  All firmware ever pushed is there and updated. Battery #1 and Battery #2 show in the battery menu...but not charging or maybe 100% charged is completely depleted. 

Once the internal battery reaches 80% (or so) the Power Cover charge goes from 0% to 100% and not charging.  Once the internal battery is depleted, the Surface shuts off and the Power Cover sits there happily doing nothing to help. 

Has Microsoft just ignored the many people that this problem has occurred to, or is there not a fix.  I'm trying to hold out till the Surface Go, but this battery thing is annoying to deal with.

Please don't add the gif. of how the batteries charge or how the blue fills the keyboard and monitor, please please don't answer with that.

Surface | Surface Pro | USB-C

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  1. Anonymous
    2016-10-15T00:53:37+00:00

    No, in fact the BMS/keyboard circuitry must check that the keyboard is connected before it activates those tiny contacts as there is no voltage present when you take the keyboard off the surface. I assume they do this otherwise the contacts could easily be shorted and cause a fire etc.

    In short, the only way to "wake" the batteries is to open the unit. Again have a good read on Battery university so that you fully understand what you are doing.

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  2. Anonymous
    2016-10-14T23:44:58+00:00

    Hey are the tiny contacts directly connected to the batteries, would it be possible to charge without opening the unit?

    Thanks

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  3. Anonymous
    2016-10-11T10:37:05+00:00

    I do wonder what Microsoft will think when they see their products opened up like this

    Cut along the red line, see next pic to give you a better idea.

    Lift the flap up and you will see this (without the tape), cut out the plastic where the screws are and remove them, cut down the sides of the aluminium and along the bottom.

    Flip the aluminium up, and this will expose the 4 batteries, from my measurements the batteries are connected in series/parallel.

    DISCLAIMER: do this at your own risk, Li-Ion batteries can be volatile, just check out the pain Samsung are going through with the note 7 at the moment. Please read the link I posted above from battery university.

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  4. Anonymous
    2016-10-11T05:51:33+00:00

    Aha, gotchya. If you could post the photos here that would be great. You wouldnt have happened to take photos of the batteries while your's was open did you?

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  5. Anonymous
    2016-10-11T04:46:44+00:00

    Unfortunately no, the only way to gain access is to cut the fabric on the rear cover, under there is an aluminium plate covered in a thin plastic and held down with about 20 screws, once that is lifted there are 4 cells connected in series-parallel.

    Ill take some pics of the cover and mark where to cut if you are interested.

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