Help GPS draining battery down even when plugged in!

[hoffm11]

I am using the GPS for a 10 hour or so trip and have it plugged in. It drains the battery completely down even when its in the charger! Anyone have this issue and anyway to resolve it. I am going to use it again and see if the same things happen before I call VZW.

 

[gruss]

Watch your charging light, if it starts blinking orange-green-orange-green or soemthing like that the battery is to hot and the phone stopped charging.

if you are running navigation with the screen on and everything the phone will barely charge anyway.
Our last trip I got one of those $5 phone holders that clip to a vent and since we had the ac on it worked perfectly! but on long stretches of highway I just let the nav run in the background with the screen off so it had a chance to charge a little.

 

[closhedbb]

I am using the GPS for a 10 hour or so trip and have it plugged in. It drains the battery completely down even when its in the charger! Anyone have this issue and anyway to resolve it. I am going to use it again and see if the same things happen before I call VZW.

I've seen the same thing. When plugged in, the phone takes a few hours to charge. However, with GPS and the nav program running, you are using GPS and the 3G connection constantly, the two biggest drains to the phone's battery. You are actually draining the battery faster or almost as fast as it charges. As the poster before me stated, if it gets too hot, that will stop the charging.

What I do is open the navigation only during critical parts of the trip. Once you find a location, it's the first on your list of recently searched places. I turn it on until I'm at a long stretch, determine at what mileage I should turn it on again, and then turn it off until I need it again.

Remember, the phone wasn't designed to be used as a long-term exclusive GPS, it's just a very nice ancillary benefit.

 

[upther]

I just drove from Vero Beach Florida to Marietta GA last weekend and didn't have a problem. Had the GPS on all the time and was listening to music on the phone. I'd put the phone to sleep so the screen wasn't on all the time which helps. When I'd plug it into the charger, it would actually charge the battery while still using that other stuff.

 

[Colchicine]

One of the biggest enemies for our batteries is heat. When I used my phone on a recent 15hr trip to Chicago, I aimed one of the AC vents at the back of the phone to keep it cool (when I had it docked).

I also didn't have a problem with keep it charged while using navigation, while surfing, while doing emails, etc. So WHO KNOWS?

 

[GAUG3]

One of the biggest enemies for our batteries is heat. When I used my phone on a recent 15hr trip to Chicago, I aimed one of the AC vents at the back of the phone to keep it cool (when I had it docked).

I also didn't have a problem with keep it charged while using navigation, while surfing, while doing emails, etc. So WHO KNOWS?

I do this too. I also take the backplate off.

 

[sabrewings]

Keep in mind that the way the Incredible charges, it switches back to battery power once it hits 100% charge (even if you leave it plugged in and the LED stays green, it's on battery power at that point). So it may have charged and then you were discharging it again.

 

[necosino]

As others have stated: Put an AC vent blowing onto the phone
... Turn off the backlight (hit the power button) while on highways or roads where you don't turn for >15 minutes. The phone will still announce directions.


Doing those two things should dramatically improve your driving life, and actually let the phone maintain its charge the entire time.

 

[k.electron]

i drove about 12 hours with the gps on, and i started out with a full battery, sometimes it drains faster than it charges, then it catches up, then it drains faster, then it catches up... at the end of the trip it was about 40% left.

it helps if u shield your phone from the sunlight in your car. also, if u can try mounting it on the AC vents, that way the phone stays chilled and charges much faster.

 

[hoffm11]

you guys rock. I will try these options.

 

[sabrewings]

i drove about 12 hours with the gps on, and i started out with a full battery, sometimes it drains faster than it charges, then it catches up, then it drains faster, then it catches up... at the end of the trip it was about 40% left.

Let's be clear about this... whether or not the phone pulls more than it can charge depends on the charger you're using. The stock charger puts out a full Amp of current, which the Incredible cannot use a full Amp at any given moment. Simply not possible with the electronics onboard. Using other chargers, they may have lower current capabilities when then it might be possible.

What's probably happening is the phone is reaching full, then discharging to a set point, and beginning its charge cycle again. Does the LED ever hit green when you're doing this? If yes, then that is what happens.

 

[Hikarius]

Check out my old topic on this issue:

http://androidforums.com/accessories-incredible/115782-dedicated-car-charger-vs-microusb-cable-battery-heat.html

I bought the LG Dare charger that Bug Splat had posted and it solved my problems. It charges my phone at a relatively quick rate even with navigation running and the screen on. Though it also improved my heating issues, I would have the phone near a vent if at all possible. Always a a good idea to keep it cool.

 

[Terabethia]

As others have stated: Put an AC vent blowing onto the phone

This is all fine and dandy for now, but what are we going to do in the winter when we have heat on instead of AC?

Now I personally have a Garmin that I use for Nav so this won't effect me, but lots of people use the phone for their Nav so I can see this being a problem in a few months

 

[yojoe600]

to the op make sure your charger for you car is putting out 1000ma or the phone will use more power than its charging back

 

[necosino]

This is all fine and dandy for now, but what are we going to do in the winter when we have heat on instead of AC?

Now I personally have a Garmin that I use for Nav so this won't effect me, but lots of people use the phone for their Nav so I can see this being a problem in a few months

In the winter it shouldn't be as much of an issue, really. It's the whole 80* ambient temp + direct sun that becomes an issue.

 

[Bing]

I suspect OP is charging via USB, or some other charger other than stock. Apparently USB ports only give off 500mah, not enough to offset the GPS usage. You should be fine with the stock charger -- whether it's in the sun or not.

 

[Member110111]

Keep in mind that the way the Incredible charges, it switches back to battery power once it hits 100% charge (even if you leave it plugged in and the LED stays green, it's on battery power at that point). So it may have charged and then you were discharging it again.

I guarantee this is what was happening if you weren't getting the flashing lights for overheating. Mine does this every time I use GPS. If it reaches 100% it stops receiving power from the charger and the battery drops like a rock when using GPS. The Inc is basically worthless for long trip navigation unless you or someone else can continuously unplug and plug it back in to reset the charge cycle.

 

[necosino]

I suspect OP is charging via USB, or some other charger other than stock. Apparently USB ports only give off 500mah, not enough to offset the GPS usage. You should be fine with the stock charger -- whether it's in the sun or not.

A car does not have walls to plug into with the stock charger... Thanks for trying though...

 

[marcusmpe]

Let's be clear about this... whether or not the phone pulls more than it can charge depends on the charger you're using. The stock charger puts out a full Amp of current, which the Incredible cannot use a full Amp at any given moment. Simply not possible with the electronics onboard. Using other chargers, they may have lower current capabilities when then it might be possible.

Definitely true. I have two different car chargers. One of them blows. It certainly cannot keep up with my phone running GPS and only charged from 55-62% in an hour drive with nothing running. My other charger runs like a champ when running GPS and etc and can charge the phone very quickly.

 

[sabrewings]

A car does not have walls to plug into with the stock charger... Thanks for trying though...

A lot of cars have inverters built in. Or you could be like me and hardwire one in anyway so you can plug in anything you want any time you want (up to 400w). I use the stock HTC (1A) charger in the car.

 

[Diabl0]

Check out my old topic on this issue:

http://androidforums.com/accessorie...r-charger-vs-microusb-cable-battery-heat.html

I bought the LG Dare charger that Bug Splat had posted and it solved my problems. It charges my phone at a relatively quick rate even with navigation running and the screen on. Though it also improved my heating issues, I would have the phone near a vent if at all possible. Always a a good idea to keep it cool.

x2


I sent back the Verizon one that I bought with the Incredible. I have been using the one I had bought with my LG Dare and it's perfect. The phone never gets hot and it keeps the battery fully charged. This is running GPS for 4-6 hours, full brightness, always on, full volume, and in a hot car.