JBL Charge 5 Speaker Won’t Charge

Many wireless speakers, including the JBL Charge 5, offer truly portable operation via their lithium ion batteries. And when said battery dies, you can recharge them with an AC or car adapter. Sometimes though, the JBL Charge 5 speaker won’t charge fully, or at all.  To solve that, we offer information here to help.

JBL Charge 5 Speaker Won’t Charge: How to Tell

You can tell that the JBL Charge 5 won’t charge by reading the battery status gauge on the top.  Now the meter changes from white to pulsing red during play, to alert you that the battery is running low.

But there’s a problem if this flashing keeps going, even when you attach the charger.  Why?  Because the battery gauge should change at this point though, to blinking white, when you apply charger power.  When the gauge stops flashing red, this means that the 5 is getting some power from the adapter. But if the red blinking continues, then correct recharging is likely not occurring.

You can also feel the power supply’s case ten or fifteen minutes after connecting it to the 5.  Then, it should feel warm. The same with the 5 too.  The speaker itself indeed heats up a little during correct recharging also.  But if you detect no warmth, then again, the JBL Charge 5 speaker probably won’t charge.

Moreover, the battery gauge normally shows battery recharging status.  So as long as charging continues, one of the progress lights in the meter flashes white.  And, as mentioned, the gauge fully darkens when charging completes.  But if the meter still blinks after several hours on the charge, then chances are, recharging is not working correctly.

Thus when the Charge 5 is not recharging, check out why and figure out how to fix. So here, we offer reasons why the speaker may not charge. Then we give possible solutions to try.

JBL Charge 5 Won’t Charge: Reasons and Fixes

As we stated above, it’s normal that the battery status gauge pulses red when the battery is about dead.  But again, the light should switch to a blinking white when you connect a working charger.

Normally though, this gauge stays dark except for just after you press any button when the 5 is ON.  In that case, the gauge lights white when the battery is not near dead.

Or once recharging finishes, the battery level meter goes dark.

Now the meter light may not change to flashing white when you connect the charger. If it doesn’t, then several things might cause this. We list these below thus.

1.The Power Outlet May Not Be Live

The Problem

The charger may not output any energy, because it is not receiving any to begin with. This can happen due to a defective circuit or  tripped breaker. A blown fuse, faulty wiring, or general power failure may be to blame also.

The Fix

Check that your outlet has power by plugging in a test light or other device.  Then, reset circuit breakers if tripped. And if the outlet has controlling light switch, then flip that switch ON.  Or, simply try a different outlet.

2. The USB Adapter is Defective or Too Small

The Problem

When the JBL Charge 5 speaker Won’t Charge, the adapter is outputting SOME but NOT ENOUGH amperage.

Now as these adapters age, their output energy can fall off over time. So this power supply might not deliver the correct amount if it is very old.   So you may see the speaker’s battery status gauge start flashing white. But it never goes dark, though it should darken when correct charging finishes. Note that the 5 needs 3 amps at 5 volts (15 watts) to get the 2.5 hours spec charge time.  Yet charging will likely go slower if the charger does not deliver on these requirements.

The Fix

Replace the charger. Buy one that has a USB-C plug and delivers at least 5 volts at 3 amps). Most common USB-C power supplies meet these power requirements. But check and be certain that the one you want does.

3. The USB Charging Cable is Too Long, Too Thin, or is Faulty

The Problem

The USB-C cable can limit the charging current too much, even if your power supply is working well.  This might happen with very long or thin cables.

The Fix

To resolve this, use as short a cord as workable. Or, upgrade to a thicker, higher current cable. We advise keeping cable lengths to six feet or shorter. Also, select a cable certified to carry at least 3 amps for fastest charging.

4. The Battery in the Charge 5 is Defective

The Problem

As lithium ion batteries age, they lose their ability to fully charge. Plus the characteristics of the charge current they pull, changes with advancing years.  Normally, as a battery recharges, it draws less and less amps from the charger as it fills. But in the case of cell failure, it may draw too many or too few amps. This can confuse the charging circuits. They may respond as though the battery is already full.  So the battery meter shows that charging is not happening. It may either never stop its red blinking, or never change to white.

The Fix

To repair this, replace the battery. But understand that you likely will not easily get the old one out of the Charge 5. Indeed, changing the battery means that you must take the speaker apart, and this can be a daunting effort.

Also note that doing this likely breaks the moisture seal.  So the Charge 5 will no longer be safe to use, should you expose it to water afterwards.

Breaking this seal may alter the sound quality as well. So get someone to replace the battery who knows how to pick the right Charge 5 replacement. They should also be able to restore the seal to as it was, as they reassemble the 5. A good battery should fit well inside the speaker and provide 3.6 volts at 4.8 amp hours, or 17.28 watt-hours. But we suggest using only JBL certified batteries for the 5.

5. The Unit Might be Defective when the JBL Charge 5 Speaker Won’t Charge

The Problem

Even if you have the proper adapter, the current reaching the battery may be too low or high.  This can happen when the battery management system goes amiss. Note that these circuits watch the battery status. And when it’s full, they switch OFF the charging current.

But when they go askew, the battery might see no power at all.  Thus, the speaker never recharges.  Again, the battery gauge might continue blinking white and never stop. You may also see that the 5 doesn’t play as long before dying.  Or it might not play at all, even with the charger.

The Fix

The best answer here, is simply to get a new speaker.  Why?  Because the electronics inside are quite small.  So unless you can replace the bad components yourself, just buy another unit. This is the easiest route.

Other JBL Charge 5 Speaker Posts

1. 1. JBL Charge 5 Speaker Charging
   2. The Full Specifications
   3. Firmware Update Directions
   4. How to Reset This Speaker
   5. Speaker Wattage Figures

 

References for JBL Charge 5 Speaker Won’t Charge

1. 1. Official JBL Charge 5 Speaker Product Page
   2. Where to Buy the JBL Charge 5 Speaker