Many speakers like the JBL Flip 6, have a red light that glows or blinks at times. This typically occurs when the battery is almost dead. Find this lamp in the battery gauge on the front button panel. But sometimes, this light stays on or flashes for long periods as you play the speaker. E.g. It starts pulsing during play and does not stop, even when you connect a charger. Thus in this post, we list reasons why this can occur, and give possible fixes for this typical problem.
Why JBL Flip 6 Red Light Stays On
It’s normal that the battery gauge gives off a blinking red light when the battery is very low. But this red light should turn white when you connect the Flip 6 to a charger, and battery recharging begins.
But normally, this gauge is dark or only glows white. Furthermore, the amount of the bar that glows tells how full the battery is. It can appear as follows. Here the meter shows a full charge.
Or, all meter lights go out when charging completes. They also go dark when the speaker is running, without the charger, and the battery is not low.
But if it keeps blinking when you connect the adapter, or never goes dark, then several things might cause this. We give these below thus.
1.The Power Outlet May Not Be Live
The Problem
The charger you have may not deliver any power because it is not receiving any to start with. This can happen due to a faulty AC or car circuit or tripped circuit breaker. Also, a blown fuse, loose wiring, or power failure, could be to blame.
The Fix
Check that your outlet has power by plugging in a lamp or other device. Reset circuit breakers if open. And, if the outlet has a light switch that controls it, then be sure that that switch is ON.
2. Your Power Adapter is Not Working Properly
The Problem
The JBL Flip 6 red light stays on, or keeps blinking, perhaps due to the adapter you’re using. That adapter may give SOME but not ENOUGH current. Plus, for older adapters, the output energy can fall over time. So your adapter might not deliver the correct amount presently. The Flip 6 needs 3 amps at 5 volts (15 watts) to recharge in the 2.5 hours spec time.
The Fix
The solution is to replace the adapter with a suitable output newer model. We suggest chargers from Key Power, Belkin, and Anker. These all deliver the 5 volts at 3 amps USB-C power levels the Flip 6 needs.
3. The USB-C Charging Cable is Too Long, Too Thin, or is Faulty
The Problem
The USB cable can limit the charging current excessively, even if your power supply is working as it should. Indeed, this might happen when using very long or thin cables.
The Fix
To solve this, use as short a cord as manageable. Or, upgrade to a thicker, higher current handling wire. We suggest keeping cable lengths to six feet or less. Also, choose a USB-C cable certified to carry at least 3 amps.
4. The Battery in the Flip 6 is Bad
The Problem
As lithium ion batteries age, they lose their ability to fully recharge. And the characteristics of the current they draw changes with more years. Normally, as a battery recharges, it draws less amperage. But in the case of battery failure, it may draw too much or too little current. Thus, this can confuse the charging circuits. So they could act like no recharging is happening. So, lamp stays red since they never see the battery filling.
The Fix
To stop this, replace the battery. But keep in mind that you can’t easily get to it in the JBL Flip 6. Indeed, swapping out the battery means that you must take the speaker apart.
But note that doing this likely breaks the water resistant seal. Thus you risk damage if you get water on it.
Furthermore, breaking this seal may change the sound quality too, and not for the better. So get someone to change the battery who knows how to pick the right replacement. They should also be able to restore the seal to as it was prior, as they reassemble the speaker. A good battery should fit well inside and provide 3.6 volts and at least 4,800 mAh (17.28 watt-hours). But we suggest using only JBL brand battery units in this speaker.
5. The Speaker Might be Defective when the JBL Flip 6 Red Light Stays On
The Problem
Even if you have a big enough adapter, the charging current reaching the battery may be too low or high. This can happen when the battery management circuits fail. Note that these systems monitor battery status. Then they shut off the charging current when they see that the battery is full.
But when these systems break, the battery might get no power at all. Thus, it never recharges. Again, in this case, the red light might never turn white, 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 during charging.
The Fix
The best solution here, given the lower cost of the JBL Flip 6, is simply to get a new one. Also, the circuit boards in this model are quite small. So unless you can replace these board(s) yourself, just buy another speaker.