Fixing my Logitech Spotlight Presentation Remote that would not switch on

The Problem

I am getting back out in front of audiences again as opposed to doing Teams/Zoom events. So I dug out my trusty Logitech Spotlight presentation remote from the bag where it had been sitting for well over a year. However, there was a problem, it would not pair with my re-built Windows 11 PC. It could not even switch on.

A quick search showed I was not alone in having this problem, the Logitech forums showed a lot of angry people. The summary was, if left alone for a few months a Spotlight goes so flat it cannot be charged, and Logitech don't have a fix, or seem to care. There were a lot of comments about very expensive paper weights.

The Fix

The solution, found a in thread comment on the Logitech Forum, was this very useful video from 2ai.

The basic summary is to charge the battery via an external source to kick start the Spotlight. You can see a photo of the setup I used here.

A few comments on the process:

• Getting the back off the Spotlight remote is a pain, even using my iFixit tools I added a few scratches to the case.
• As the video said, the soldering is delicate, you need to strip a way the cellophane to expose the solder points.
• The video was not clear on the polarity or voltage of the battery/PSU.
  • The wire from the centre terminal on the Spotlight battery was connected to the +ve terminal on my PSU
  • The wire from the outside terminal on the Spotlight battery was connected to the -ve terminal on my PSU
  • I used a variable voltage power supply. I switched it on at its minimum of 3V and slowly increased the voltage until the Spotlight leapt into life at about 4V. This took only a few seconds.
• As soon as the Spotlight came to life, I plugged in a USB-C cable and removed my externally connected the PSU connections. Leaving the Spotlight to fully charge via USB.

So a slightly fiddly fix, but it worked. Much better than the alternative of buying a new remote and sending the old one to e-waste/landfill.

Updated 16 Nov 22 - I spoke to soon

It seems the fix was only temporary. The battery in the Spotlight is not holding charge, so I have a remote that works as long as I have it plugging in via a USB-C charging cable (or I suppose an external battery pack). So, not the most remote of remote presenter devices!

So I did more digging and found this battery replacement guide on iFixit. So, I have ordered a suitable battery and will update this post when it arrives and I have done the replacement.

Updated 19 Nov 22 - Success at last

I have fitted the replacement 90mAh 3.7V Lithium Polymer Li-Po li ion Rechargeable Battery and the Spotlight is now working as it should. I did have not had to charge it, via the USB-C cable, but once done the remote works as it should.

It will be interesting to see how long the battery lasts, but even if it has to be charged more often, it is still a lot better than having a dead remote.

So if you have this issue, I would recommend a battery swap. It is not that hard to do, and the battery is not expensive. Much better than a $150 paper weight.

Updated 27 Sept 2023 - I let it go flat again!

I left my Logitech Spotlight in my bag and it went flat again. So I was back to square one, it would not charge.

I first tried to 'jump start it' again, putting 4V from an external PSU across the battery terminals while it was also connected to USB power to charge the battery.

Initially it appeared to work, but as soon as I removed the external USB power it died again.

Next, I unsoldered the battery and tested it, it seemed OK giving around 4V.

So I reconnected it, plugged in USB power, this time overnight, then tested it again. This time it worked.

So either it was a poor battery connection, or the battery just needed a much longer charge as it was so flat.