Many JBL speakers sport a status light that shines red as they charge / recharge. Sometimes though, this often red light in the JBL speaker stays on. E.g. It does not turn off once charging completes. Further, this concerns many JBL speaker owners, as they wonder if there’s something wrong with their device. So they’d like to resolve the issue. Therefore in this post, we offer reasons that this occurs and possible fixes for this common problem.
Why JBL Speaker Red Light Stays On
For just about all JBL speakers, it’s normal that this red light glows while charging. Then, when charging completes, this light should turn white or blue or turn off altogether.
Or, the light should turn off when recharging finishes, when the speaker is OFF.
If the red lamp does not change to white or blue, or go dark, this might have several causes.
1.The Power Outlet May Be Defective
The Problem
The AC or car adapter may not deliver any power because it is not receiving any to begin with. This can happen due to a defective AC or car circuit. Tripped circuit breakers, blown fuses, faulty wiring, and power failure can cause it as well.
The Fix
Check that your outlet has power 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 flip that switch ON.
2. Power Supply is Too Weak, Broken, or is the Wrong Version
The charger did work well at one time. But recently, its output power has fallen due to aging parts inside. Most speakers needs at least 1 amp of charging current at 5 volts (5 watts) to fully recharge. And the larger ones like the Charge and Xtreme series need much more.
To address this, check the power requirements of your speaker. Then make sure that the charger you select matches or exceeds them.
In the case of USB-C chargers, make sure the version of the one you have is compatible with your speaker. The same holds true for the connecting cable between them.
Charger Not Big Enough
Many speaker models do not come with a charger adapter. Indeed in its smaller models JBL leaves it up to the user to get one that works well. Unfortunately though, many folks pick chargers that are too small to work well. This is of particular concern for the speakers that accept USB-C power.
The fix is to replace the power adapter, preferably with a beefier, higher output model. For USB-C speakers, use an adapter that has a USB-C output. In that case, use a USB-C to USB-C cable for the fastest charging.
3. The USB Charging Cord is Too Long, Thin, or is Defective
The cable can reduce the charging current, even if your power supply is working well. This might occur with extra long, thin, or defective cables.
To solve this issue, use as short a cord as is practical. Or, switch to a thicker, higher current cable. We suggest keeping cord lengths to six feet or less. Also choose a lead certified to carry at least 1.0 amps. Finally when in doubt, use a new cord.
For USB-C cables, make sure you have a cable with the power distribution version that your speaker supports. Most JBL speakers will charge well using 60-watt cords.
4. The Battery in the Speaker is Faulty
The Symptoms of a Broken Battery
As lithium ion polymer batteries age, they lose their ability to fully charge. Plus, the characteristics of the charging current they draw changes too.
Now normally, as a battery charges, it draws less and less current as the recharging progresses. It appears that the speaker watches how much current the battery is drawing. When that current falls to a value that the speaker detects full charge, it shuts off the red light.
But a defective battery may not behave this way, and continue consuming higher power, even when it reaches full charge. So in this case, the current never falls to the fully charged value. So the red lamp never turns off. Instead, it stays on as the system continues pumping more charge into the broken battery.
The Fix for an Aging Battery
To fix this, replace the battery. Now you can’t easily get to it in most JBL speakers. So to do this you must take the speaker apart. However, beware that disassembling the unit will likely break the waterproof seal. So this means that the unit will no longer resist damage should you dunk it.
Further, destroying this seal may also change how the unit sounds. Thus get someone who knows how to choose the right replacement to change the battery. They must also be able to restore the seal as they reassemble the speaker.
5. The Speaker Might be Defective when the Red Light Stays On
Now you may have a strong enough power supply and cable with a working battery. But the current that actually reaches the battery may be too low or too high. The can happen when the battery management system inside degrades. In detail: These circuits watch the battery and regulate the amount of charge. Then they shut off the charging current when they detect that the speaker reaches full charge.
But when these systems fail, the battery might get no charging current at all, and thus never recharge. Again, in this case, the red light might never turn off while the charger is working. You would also notice that the speaker doesn’t play as long before going dead. Or it might not play at all except when you’re recharging it.
The best answer here, though perhaps not the most affordable one, is to just buy a new speaker. The micro circuits are typically too small for most human hands to work with. So unless you can replace the system board(s) in whole, just buy another speaker.