How to tell if Sony XB32 portable Bluetooth speaker is charging? This extra bass speaker has an orange LED light on the rear port panel, just above the micro USB power input port, as shown in the following picture. This light that Sony labels as the CHARGE light flashes orange when the battery is almost dead. So it does tell battery level (to a small degree). E.g. When the speaker is not on the charge and this lamp blinks, it means to CHARGE the speaker because the battery will soon go dead. But to see if the XB32 is charging, check out this lamp as well. We explain how to read it next.
How to Tell if Sony XB32 is Charging
Connect your XB32 to USB Power
Of course, you can definitely be certain that the 32 is NOT charging with no charger cord attached to it.
Check that the CHARGE LED is Glowing Solid Orange
When the speaker is OFF, you can tell if the Sony XB32 is charging if this light glows steady orange. This lamp continuously glows while charging, when the speaker is either ON, paired, or, OFF. Furthermore, when no charger is connected, this light blinks when the battery has about run out of juice. Otherwise, it is OFF. Note that the Power lamp on the top of the speaker, also flashes to let you know of an imminent dead battery too.
If the SRS XB32 CHARGE lamp blinks when the power cord is attached, then the speaker is likely NOT charging. So you should check that your micro USB cable, adapter charger, and power source are all working. To test them, try a new adapter or a known good cord. You want this light glowing steadily to know for sure that the XB32 is charging.
Check Speaker Temperature
Additionally, the the XB32 may warm slightly in the rear port area as the speaker charges. Moreover, most charger adapters you power it with will also heat a trifle. In fact, this warming is a great sign to tell you if the XB32 is indeed charging. If there is some warmth, then the speaker is likely charging. But if there is no heat, then it may not be charging. Note however that there may not be as much speaker heating if you’re using a lower current charger.
Have the XB32 Tell you Battery Full Percentage as it Charges
As speaker charging advances toward finish, the CHARGE LED continues glowing steadily. But unlike some of the higher grade wireless speakers, the 32 gives no visual reading of just how far along its recharging is, just that the charging is still in progress.
But you can hear how charging is advancing by pressing the BATT button, also found in the rear port panel. Pressing this pushbutton causes the XB32 to speak the current percentage of charge in the battery, in a female voice.
So as time passes during charging, you can press this button now and then to see if the battery percentage full number is getting higher. If the percentage number spoken increases over time, then this is another great indicator the the speaker is indeed charging. But if that number does not increase after a half hour or so, then it is likely that the unit is NOT charging.
When the CHARGE LED Goes OFF, Charging is Finished
The battery charge cycle is finished when the CHARGE LED goes gray, as we see in the next picture.
Even with the charger cord still supplying power, and when the XB32 is OFF or ON, the CHARGE lamp stops glowing when the battery is full. We see this in the last picture. The speaker indeed no longer recharges when the battery reaches full charge condition and this light shuts off. If this light shuts off after several hours, then this is another hint that the XB32 was indeed charging while the light was ON. If the lamp never goes out, then the speaker may not be charging.
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Revision History
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- 2023-03-26: First published.