Is my Libre charging correctly?

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Andy777

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Hello there.
I've switched off the Libre (an old Libre), connected its charger to it, switched on power at the wall and the screen is blank, no charging icon. I read somewhere that it takes 2 to 3 hours to charge but I'd like to be assured that it is actually charging now. my bs is low and I'm wondering if I can check it again in an hour either by switching it back on or using it whilst charging? Thank you.
 
Perhaps it’s battery was really low? If the screen comes on, you should be able to scan with it plugged in. If your BS is low, you might be better off finger-pricking anyway.
 
Thank you. Battery was on red. Is that why there is no charging icon?
 
Andy777 said:
Thank you. Battery was on red. Is that why there is no charging icon?
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Very possible. Mine has never gone that low, but judging by similar products it sounds like your battery was almost dead so it will take a little while to get enough power to function correctly.
 
If you think your BG is low, do a fingerprick check. I assume you have such kit. If you haven’t got that, get one. You need that to check when the reader is very low or very high. Using the Libre, and now the Dexcom I still have a supply of strips and a reader to check readings, and in the case of the Dexcom, for calibration. Dexcom actually advise you to use blood tests when it is showing very low or very high, though the Dexcom is much better than the Libre for low readings.
 
LEAVE IT !!!

As has been said - when it's that low. it does take the best part of some time to spark up again - I can't say this long or that long as I've always plugged mine in and simply ignored it until the next day, because I have ALWAYS had my meter anyway.
 
mikeyB said:
If you think your BG is low, do a fingerprick check. I assume you have such kit. If you haven’t got that, get one. You need that to check when the reader is very low or very high. Using the Libre, and now the Dexcom I still have a supply of strips and a reader to check readings, and in the case of the Dexcom, for calibration. Dexcom actually advise you to use blood tests when it is showing very low or very high, though the Dexcom is much better than the Libre for low readings.
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yes, I need to try to do my own finger pricks from time to time. Its something I have never done. Not once! I was 70 when I became diabetic and I think I was donated the Libre so that I could check my readings myself. I'm finding my way with it but I need to do more. thanks for your much appreciated help and advice. .
 
trophywench said:
LEAVE IT !!!

As has been said - when it's that low. it does take the best part of some time to spark up again - I can't say this long or that long as I've always plugged mine in and simply ignored it until the next day, because I have ALWAYS had my meter anyway.
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I never know when to recharge it. I've always waited for the 'low batt' warning, taken a reading and then the battery is pretty much empty.
 
Well you can see how full the battery is on the same screen you see the results when you scan - so better to plug it in (any handy phone charger will do it, same as you can use the bright yellow cable to charge your phone if they're the same connection type) sooner rather than later.
 
trophywench said:
Well you can see how full the battery is on the same screen you see the results when you scan - so better to plug it in (any handy phone charger will do it, same as you can use the bright yellow cable to charge your phone if they're the same connection type) sooner rather than later.
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Ummm no. Not any handy phone charge will do. Many phones now use a USB-C adapter whereas the Libre reader using USB micro.
About three of four years ago, the yellow cable could charge my phone but I have upgraded my phone since and have to carry additional cables with me.
I am not sure iPhones ever used the same able as the Libre reader.
 
Yeah true, just that we haven't got anything that modern! (or Apple)
 
Andy777 said:
I never know when to recharge it. I've always waited for the 'low batt' warning, taken a reading and then the battery is pretty much empty.
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Get in the habit of looking at the battery indicator when you put the reader on to scan. I recharge mine once the battery goes below half. That way it’s not an urgent task and I can choose a good time of the day to do it. I wouldn’t think letting the battery go that low was a good thing longterm.
 
Inka said:
Get in the habit of looking at the battery indicator when you put the reader on to scan. I recharge mine once the battery goes below half. That way it’s not an urgent task and I can choose a good time of the day to do it. I wouldn’t think letting the battery go that low was a good thing longterm.
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My dad was an electrical engineer in the days before microchips. The first rechargeable dry batteries were nickel cadmium, and the rules with those were very definitely give it an extra long charge when you first got it and then always run it right down and then charge it fully. If you didn’t do that you severely shortened its lifetime. And the slower you charged it the better too. Modern lithium-ion batteries can stand much more abuse than that, I don’t know whether there’s a grain of truth that they will last longer overall if you look after them and do as many full charges as you can, but my dad has never forgotten those original rules and cringes when he sees me put my phone on charge when it still has 30% battery and then take it off before it’s full :D

In terms of the Libre reader, the battery indicator isn’t the clearest I’ve ever seen and it doesn’t tell you when it’s finished charging either. So as @Inka says, think about charging it when it’s anywhere below half, choose a convenient time then charge it for 2-3 hours and then consider it done.
 
It is generally better and in some cases essential to use the correct charger. In the lab we had numerous automatic pipette fillers which every time you bought more they had a different charger and if they were put on the incorrect one the pipettor melted or failed to recharge.
 
Sally71 said:
My dad was an electrical engineer in the days before microchips. The first rechargeable dry batteries were nickel cadmium, and the rules with those were very definitely give it an extra long charge when you first got it and then always run it right down and then charge it fully. If you didn’t do that you severely shortened its lifetime. And the slower you charged it the better too. Modern lithium-ion batteries can stand much more abuse than that, I don’t know whether there’s a grain of truth that they will last longer overall if you look after them and do as many full charges as you can, but my dad has never forgotten those original rules and cringes when he sees me put my phone on charge when it still has 30% battery and then take it off before it’s full :D

In terms of the Libre reader, the battery indicator isn’t the clearest I’ve ever seen and it doesn’t tell you when it’s finished charging either. So as @Inka says, think about charging it when it’s anywhere below half, choose a convenient time then charge it for 2-3 hours and then consider it done.
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exactly, Sally. When mobiles first came on the market we had to wait until the battery was almost empty before recharging it, otherwise the memory in the battery would have been reduced. My wife says we once had the same mob phone battery for over 5 years by sticking to that rule.
btw, I only noticed the battery icon when it was pointed out to me and I had put my glasses on. 🙂
 
trophywench said:
any handy phone charger will do it
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I wouldn't advise that, charger wires can malfunction if not used with the correct device rendering them useless, also Abbott specify you only use the yellow wire probably for that reason
 
I've already been shouted at for saying that thanks, K ! 🙄
 
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