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

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments

78 answers

Sort by: Oldest
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Anonymous
    2016-11-13T15:03:14+00:00

    how much of current and voltage you applied on each cell to boost the voltage? 

    is there anyway for a newbie to achieve this? i really need my new power cover for my long flight back home. i am comfortable with electronic stuff.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  2. Anonymous
    2016-11-14T05:23:50+00:00

    If you're comfortable with batteries (li-ion can be volatile) and electronics you should have no issue.

    With regard to volt/current, I used a current limiting power supply set at 4v and 200mA with a volt meter monitoring it at all times. You will find that they will be in the region of 1.7v and as you apply the power they will fairly quickly ramp up to 3v at which point I stopped charging. I then checked the voltage again after a few minutes, and it was still around 3v, put it all back together, coupled it with my Surface and after 1 or 2 reconnections it started charging, not sure why this was required as but it immediately showed 100% !

    Was this answer helpful?

    3 people found this answer helpful.
    0 comments
  3. Anonymous
    2016-11-14T05:30:29+00:00

    Hi Jestoni, Thanks for the feedback, however I don't believe Microsoft offer a warranty on products brought from eBay vendors etc., so this was my only option to get  power cover going again.

    Perhaps in future you could recommend to Microsoft to ensure excess/old stock does not make it onto eBay etc., thus this situation where faulty Microsoft products making it to end users would not occur.

    Thanks,

    Pete

    Was this answer helpful?

    1 person found this answer helpful.
    0 comments
  4. Anonymous
    2016-11-22T04:14:58+00:00

    Thank you so much, Pete.

    I disassembled a 500ma 4.2v 18650 charger. It was a few more milliamps than you used, but it's what I had on hand...

    These surface pro battery covers are currently 30 bucks on amazon, likely because they are almost all broken - after much fury, I'm happy to have tried this. I left my surface at work, but I'm hoping if 3v holds for an hour it holds for half a day.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  5. Anonymous
    2016-11-22T18:54:32+00:00

    I did the same and it worked for me as well. Thanks!

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments