diff --git a/wii-pair/wiiboard.py b/wii-pair/wiiboard.py
index a7a3b34..c9827e7 100644
--- a/wii-pair/wiiboard.py
+++ b/wii-pair/wiiboard.py
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ EXTENSION_8BYTES = 0x32
 
 BUTTON_DOWN_MASK = 8
 
+BATTERY_MAX = 0xD0 # Taken from cwiid source
+
 TOP_RIGHT = 0
 BOTTOM_RIGHT = 1
 TOP_LEFT = 2
@@ -55,6 +57,7 @@ class Wiiboard:
         self.LED = False
         self.address = None
         self.buttonDown = False
+        self.reportingTypeSet = False
         self.battery = None
         for i in range(3):
             self.calibration.append([])
@@ -91,6 +94,7 @@ class Wiiboard:
             self.status = "Connected"
             self.address = address
             _thread.start_new_thread(self.receivethread, ())
+            _thread.start_new_thread(self.statusthread, ())
             self.calibrate()
             useExt = bytes([COMMAND_REGISTER, 0x04, 0xA4, 0x00, 0x40, 0x00])
             self.send(useExt)
@@ -181,7 +185,9 @@ class Wiiboard:
                 data = self.datasocket.recv(25)
                 intype = data[1]
                 if intype == INPUT_STATUS:
-                    self.setReportingType()
+                    self.battery = data[7]/BATTERY_MAX
+                    if not self.reportingTypeSet:
+                        self.setReportingType()
                 elif intype == INPUT_READ_DATA:
                     if self.calibrationRequested == True:
                         packetLength = data[4]//16 + 1
@@ -200,6 +206,11 @@ class Wiiboard:
         self.status = "Disconnected"
         self.disconnect()
 
+    def statusthread(self):
+        while self.status == "Connected":
+            time.sleep(30)
+            self.requestStatus()
+
     def parseCalibrationResponse(self, bytes):
         index = 0
         if len(bytes) == 16:
@@ -213,7 +224,7 @@ class Wiiboard:
                 index += 2
 
     # Send <data> to the Wiiboard
-    # <data> should be an array of strings, each string representing a single hex byte
+    # <data> should be of type bytes
     def send(self, data):
         if self.status != "Connected":
             return
@@ -238,5 +249,9 @@ class Wiiboard:
     def setReportingType(self):
         msg = bytes([COMMAND_REPORTING, CONTINUOUS_REPORTING, EXTENSION_8BYTES])
         self.send(msg)
+        self.reportingTypeSet = True
 
+    def requestStatus(self):
+        msg = bytes([INPUT_REQUEST_STATUS, 0x00])
+        self.send(msg)