Will Bose SoundLink Mini Work Without Battery?

ByKern Campbell, MBA

The Bose SoundLink Mini is a portable Bluetooth speaker. 

With the latest edition of the speaker featuring an improved battery, this speaker is an excellent option for those who like to listen to music on the go.

Will Bose SoundLink Mini work without a battery? 

The Bose SoundLink Mini is a battery-powered speaker and needs a battery with a charge to function. Without a battery, it’s completely unusable. You can plug the speaker in to charge the battery, but it will not run on AC power alone.

Read on to learn more about the Bose SoundLink Mini, its battery, and possible steps to follow if you need to troubleshoot issues with the battery.

The Bose SoundLink Mini uses a built-in battery as its source of power. 

It’s a Lithium-Ion battery that should give you around seven hours to 12 hours of playtime depending on the model you own. 

Recharging the battery typically takes three hours.

However, there is a newer special edition with an improved playtime for the battery.

Bose claims that you can get 20% more playtime with this new battery.

Batteries produce direct current or DC. 

Wall outlets power appliances with alternating current or AC. 

Unless a device has a built-in rectifier to turn AC into DC, AC power will likely damage the device.

In the case of electronics like the Bose SoundLink Mini speaker, the battery also produces a voltage that is much lower than a wall outlet. 

The battery for the Bose SoundLink Mini is a 7.4V battery, while a wall outlet has a voltage of 110V or 120V.

Some appliances have a voltage regulator to adjust the value of the voltage and protect electronic circuits from voltage fluctuations. 

However, the Bose SoundLink Mini doesn’t have this feature.

Because this Bluetooth speaker will only run on a built-in battery, it’s crucial to keep it charged.

You have two options for charging the battery:

  • The Bose SoundLink Mini comes with a charging cradle. You can connect the charging cradle to a wall outlet with a USB adapter and place the speaker into the cradle.
  • You can also charge the speaker without the cradle by connecting the speaker to a wall outlet with a USB cable. If you get the Mini II, the speaker won’t come with a charging cradle, and you’ll be able to charge your speaker with the USB-C charger that comes with it.

You should see a blinking yellow battery light when your Bose speaker is charging. 

This light will turn green once you have a full charge. 

You can listen to music or use other features like taking calls with your speaker while it’s charging.

Will Bose SoundLink Mini Work Without Battery 1 Will Bose SoundLink Mini Work Without Battery?

Your Bose speaker will display the current battery level when you turn it on. 

However, this indicator will only stay on for a few seconds.

You can check the battery level at any time by pressing and holding the power button. 

The battery indicator will glow green if you have 70% or more of the battery charge remaining. 

It will turn yellow once the charge drops below 70%. 

If you see a red battery icon, you only have 20% or less power remaining and need to charge your speaker.

What Is the Battery Protection Mode?

If you don’t use the speaker for a while, it will enter battery protection mode. 

This mode prevents the battery from becoming completely depleted.

Your Bose speaker will switch to battery protection mode if the battery level drops below 10% and stays at this level for three days or more. 

The battery indicator will blink red, and you won’t be able to use your speaker.

You’ll have to plug your speaker in and let the battery recharge before you can use it again.

You might need to replace the battery on your Bose speaker if it’s no longer holding a charge or if it sustained damage. 

The Bose SoundLink Mini is not waterproof, and exposure to water can damage the battery.

If you charge your speaker for ten hours or more and the battery indicator remains yellow, it’s a sign that you need to get a new battery.

You should also get a new battery if you can’t get more than a couple of hours of use on a full charge.

It’s best to get an official replacement from Bose. 

Here is how you can replace the battery:

  • Turn your speaker over and look for the pull indicator on the rubber foot.
  • Use the pull indicator to remove the rubber foot. You should be able to see the battery.
  • You’ll need to use a screwdriver to remove the fasteners that secure the battery to the speaker. There are four battery screws to remove.
  • Once you have removed the screws, you should be able to lift the old battery out of the speaker.
  • Insert the new battery, secure it with the four battery screws, and place the rubber foot over it.
  • You’ll have to charge the new battery with the charging cradle or a USB charger. Wait for the battery indicator to turn green.

FAQ

Here are a few additional things you should know about the Bose SoundLink Mini battery.

The answer is no, your Bose speaker needs a battery to operate. There are discussions online about whether it’s possible to modify a speaker to run without a battery, but it seems that Bose uses chips or a similar authentication method to make sure that there is a battery in the speaker.

Several factors can shorten the battery life of your speaker. Make sure you wait three hours when charging the speaker to get a full charge.  

You should also know that listening to music at high volumes will use more battery power. Resetting your speaker by plugging it in and pressing the power and volume buttons for 10 seconds can clear errors with the battery.

You should be able to get 300 charge cycles out of your Bose battery. You will probably see the battery life decrease once you have charged the speaker 300 times or more.

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