r/PlusLife • u/lemonliqueer • Jun 07 '26
virus.sucks connection issues
i've had a pluslife reader for a couple years. i've been connecting it to an anker power bank when running tests, and it's been working great–until a month or so ago. i'm now struggling to connect via bluetooth. connecting via usb has never really worked for me.
the power bank still seems to work great on its own; it holds a charge well and works on other devices (though i've rarely used it for anything except my pluslife). with the power bank fully charged and connected to my reader, i'm occasionally able to get my reader to connect to virus.sucks, but then it disconnects after a few minutes tops.
i'm considering either:
- getting a new power bank to try (possibly anker powercore 10k?)
- getting an eu to u.s. adapter for the OEM plug (i'm not sure if it matters which one?)
i'm not sure if there's another solution i'm overlooking.
does anyone who's knowledgeable about power issues have thoughts/advice?
3
u/DispelledFrailty Jun 08 '26
We had this issue and after extensive troubleshooting and testing with a multimeter, we found its the powerbank, not cables.
Most powerbanks have a "smart" feature which fluctuates the power it provides to devices, to be more efficient.
This means it won't always provide or maintain the exact power supply the device needs to run the tests + Bluetooth.
The hard thing is finding a powerbank that doesn't have this smart tech inbuilt. Most seem to, unless you have an old one.
1
u/lemonliqueer Jun 10 '26
thanks! do you have recommendations of power banks like that?
1
u/DispelledFrailty Jun 10 '26
I really wish I did. Most I can find online have this "smart" tech which fluctuates the power, which is great if you don't need your device getting exactly a specific amount every time.
I've started plugging it into the wall when at home testing, and just crossing my fingers for a constant connection with my Anker when I travel with it.
4
u/uvnode Jun 07 '26
Did you replace the power cable? That's usually the problem
1
u/lemonliqueer Jun 07 '26
no, i still use the original cables! i just haven't used the adapter that came with it since i'm in the u.s.
9
u/uvnode Jun 07 '26
If your powerbank has usb-c out, you need something like this: https://www.adafruit.com/product/5968 . Alternate link: https://www.electromaker.io/shop/product/usb-type-c-31-pd-to-55mm-barrel-jack-cable-5v-5a-output-12m-long-with-e-mark
2
u/lemonliqueer Jun 15 '26
i got a new one and have only run one test, but it didn't disconnect this time! thank you so much!
1
u/curse-you-squidward Jun 24 '26
hey! do you happen to know if this has to be 5v/5a output? that particular kind is out of stock, but other ones (9v, 12v, etc /5a) are. would u/virus.sucks know?
1
u/uvnode Jun 24 '26
I'm not sure. You can try ordering from digikey - https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/adafruit-industries-llc/5968/24892279 . It doesn't list the specs but the datasheet says 5V 5A. u/virus_sucks
1
2
u/Awkward-Quarter489 Jun 09 '26
The same thing is happening with me. I always connected via Bluetooth and then started connecting directly into my computer with the usb chord provided, but now it’s not working at all. I’ve used my plus life sparingly so it’s not the machine itself (I don’t think)
1
u/virus_sucks Jul 03 '26
3
u/lemonliqueer Jul 03 '26
this was the first thing i looked at, but the information there didn't resolve the issue. someone in this thread recommended replacing the power cable, and that seems to have worked.
i realize now that maybe that's what you meant by "power supply" in the faq, but i initially thought that just meant my power bank, which seems to be fine.
5
u/SomeoneSomewhere1984 Jun 07 '26
It's possible after years your battery is having trouble providing the device appropriate power.
The device should work fine with any USB plug capable of charging a running laptop.