Hardware 3DS (dis)charging cradle?

[bowser]

Here's a little something for you guys:

I recently left my 3DS in the charging cradle with the AC adapter plugged into the wall socket but with the switch OFF (yes the adapter was also plugged into the cradle).

I left it like that for a couple of days and the battery meter actually reduced by two whole points! WTF?!

Nobody played it (nor so much as TOUCHED it) in those few days but the battery still drained. Please don't reply saying "are you sure no one played it when you weren't looking?", "are you sure you don't sleepwalk?", etc. I'm sure.

Did this happen to anyone else? Does the battery really drain when leaving the 3DS in the charging cradle with no power to the cradle?

 

[notmeanymore]

Was the orange light on?

 

[heartgold]

Why does it matter if you left it in the cradle or not cuz there's no power supplied to it. Its basically like leaving your 3DS on your desk. The battery will drain because it's used for ticking the clock and two whole bars... oO

 

[bowser]

Was the orange light on?

I hope you're joking.

Wall socket switch was off = no power to charging cradle = 3DS was not charging = orange light was off

It wasn't in SLEEP mode. I always power it off.

 

[Arnold Schwarzen]

Yes 3DS battery drains quickly especially during sleep mode so 2 bars gone within a few days is perfectly normal.

 

[Fat D]

a couple of days

Enough said. Batteries will discharge over time, especially with a load connected. Even without being in full operation or sleep mode, there is a lot of background activity going on within the 3DS, so the battery will drain faster than when it is just lying around. Even just lying around, batteries will discharge over time, and with a 3DS attached to it, it will go down faster, no matter how little the 3DS does. So if you leave it like that for several days, a significant discharge is to be expected.

 

[bowser]

a couple of days

Enough said. Batteries will discharge over time, especially with a load connected. Even without being in full operation or sleep mode, there is a lot of background activity going on within the 3DS, so the battery will drain faster than when it is just lying around. Even just lying around, batteries will discharge over time, and with a 3DS attached to it, it will go down faster, no matter how little the 3DS does. So if you leave it like that for several days, a significant discharge is to be expected.

Even when it is completely powered off? Isn't SpotPass active only in sleep mode?

To test, I've kept the 3DS away from the cradle for the last 2 days and the battery hasn't reduced as drastically.

 

[notmeanymore]

Was the orange light on?

I hope you're joking.

Wall socket switch was off = no power to charging cradle = 3DS was not charging = orange light was off

It wasn't in SLEEP mode. I always power it off.

My wall socket doesn't have a switch, so I had no idea what you were talking about.

Anyway, putting it in the cradle might actually discharge it faster than sitting on the table.

 

[hunter291]

I think he meant the wifi switch. but if your 3ds is always off, the wifi switch couldnt drain any power

 

[bowser]

Was the orange light on?

I hope you're joking.

Wall socket switch was off = no power to charging cradle = 3DS was not charging = orange light was off

It wasn't in SLEEP mode. I always power it off.

My wall socket doesn't have a switch, so I had no idea what you were talking about.

Anyway, putting it in the cradle might actually discharge it faster than sitting on the table.

Yeah I think that's what happened. Just wondering if anyone else noticed it too.

 

[notmeanymore]

The only theory I have is perhaps a circuit is being completed somewhere, but I doubt it.

Why in the world did you put your 3DS in the cradle if there's no power to it? Seems pointless.

 

[bowser]

The only theory I have is perhaps a circuit is being completed somewhere, but I doubt it.

Why in the world did you put your 3DS in the cradle if there's no power to it? Seems pointless.

The battery meter had 3 bars so I didn't need to charge it.

And if I keep it separate from the cradle, it just ends up using extra space on my desk