Picture of the red light flashing on the JBL Flip 6 speaker.

JBL Flip 6 Blinking Red Light, How to Fix

Many JBL speakers, including the Flip 6, have a blinking red light when the battery is almost out of power. In the case of the 6, we find this lamp in the battery gauge on the speaker’s buttons panel. Sometimes though, this red light blinks for long periods as you play the speaker.  E.g. It starts flashing during play and does not stop, even when you connect a charger.  Thus in this post, we offer reasons that red light blinking happens on the Flip 6.  Then we give possible fixes for this common problem.

 JBL Flip 6 Blinking Red Light: Reasons and Fixes

It’s normal that the battery gauge gives off a blinking red light when the battery is very low.  But this lamp should turn white when you connect the speaker to a charger, and battery recharging begins.

Picture of the red light flashing on the JBL Flip 6 speaker.
The red light flashing on the JBL Flip 6 speaker.

Normally though, this gauge only shows white lights.  The amount of the bar that  glows tells you how full the battery is. It can appear as follows.

Picture of the battery gauge, showing that the speaker is at full charge.
The battery gauge, showing that the speaker at full charge.

Or, once recharging finishes, all lights in this gauge go out when the speaker is OFF.

Picture of the dark battery gauge.
The dark battery gauge.

Now the blinking red light may not change to white when you connect the charger. If not, then several problems might cause this. We list these below.

1.The Power Outlet May Not Be Live

The Problem

The AC or car adapter for this Bluetooth speaker may not deliver any power. This could be because it is not receiving any to begin with. This can happen due to a defective AC or car circuit or a tripped circuit breaker. A blown fuse, faulty wiring, or a general power failure might also cause this.

The Fix

Check that your outlet has electricity by testing it by plugging in a lamp or other device.  Reset circuit breakers if tripped. And if the outlet has a light switch that controls it, then be certain that that switch is ON.

2. Power Supply is Not Working Well

The Problem

The JBL Flip 6 red light continues blinking perhaps because the adapter you’re using provides SOME but not ENOUGH current. Its output energy can fall over time. So it might not deliver the correct amount presently.  Note that this speaker requires 3 amps at 5 volts to fully recharge in the specified time.

The Fix

The solution is to replace the adapter, preferably one that delivers 5 volts at 3 amps (15 watts).





3. JBL Flip 6 Blinking Red Light: The Battery in the Flip 6 is Bad

The Problem

As lithium ion batteries age, they lose their ability to accept a full charge. Furthermore, the characteristics of the current they draw while charging changes with time.  Normally, as they recharge, they draw less charging current as they fill up. But when these batteries fail, they may draw too much or too little amperage. So the charging circuits react as though no charging is occurring at all.  Thus the red lamp stays on, as they keep trying to start the charging.

The Fix

To fix this, replace the battery. But keep in mind that you can’t easily get to it in the Flip 6. Indeed, changing the battery means that you must take the speaker apart.

But note that doing this likely breaks the water resistant seal.  Thus the speaker will no longer be safe to use, if you get water on it.

Breaking this seal may also change the sound quality too. So get someone to replace the battery who knows how to pick the right replacement. They should also be able to restore the seal to as it was, as they reassemble the speaker. A good battery should fit well inside.

5. The Speaker Might be Defective

The Problem

Now you may have the right power supply. Yet the charging current that reaches the battery may still be too high or low.  This can happen when the battery management circuits inside the speaker fail.  Note that these systems normally keep an eye on the battery status. Then they stop the charging current when the battery reaches fullness.

But when they fail, the battery might get no power at all.  Thus, it never recharges.  Again, in this case, the red light might never stop blinking, even with the charger connected. You may also see that the speaker doesn’t play as long before going dead. Or it might not play at all, except when you’re charging it.

The Fix

The best solution here, is simply to get a new speaker.  Why?  Because the circuits in this model are quite small.  So unless you can replace the system board(s) on your own, just buy another speaker. This will save you a truckload of aggravation.

Other Posts About the JBL Flip 6

    1. JBL Flip 6 Technical Specifications
    2. Restarting Tips
    3. Fixing When the Buttons Stop Working
    4. How to Turn On
    5. How to Make This Speaker Discoverable

References for JBL Flip 6 Blinking Red Light

    1. JBL Flip 6 Official Product Page
    2. Where to Buy JBL Flip 6