[Battery] Fixes and Tips

[Trident]

This thread along with the other is being created for the purpose of merging all battery threads into three. It will keep the forum clean and will also serve as a one stop information collective.

This particular [Battery] thread is for Fixes and Tips on how to increase battery life. If you have found any ways to help get the most out of your battery please share it here and help other members if you can. Please don't get angry or upset with another member if they disagree with your fix or tip.

 

[Outatime]

I've been on about 5-6 hours with moderate to heavy use. Initially I did two full cycles but haven't let it drop below about 25% since then. Today with no change at all, it's 1/2 way through the day and I'm still at 44%.

 

[colnago]

Right.

All new rechargables need to go thru a conditioning/break-in process as they need a few charging cycles to reach their potential.

 

[jamor]

Good to hear. I get 20+ hours with heavy use.

 

[TokedUp]

Yeah, im getting tired of all the complaining about the battery. I have had no problems at all and like its said here, the battery gets better after a few cycles. DINC rules!!!

 

[jwm2]

It was pretty funny and frustrating to see all the people post about this non-issue 1-2 days into use. I mean how dense can people get? Even after numerous replies by those of us who've had other android phones or smartphones people would insist it was a deal breaker and i'm sure a few people tried to return their phone because of it. All you can do is laugh.

 

[dm33]

Right.

All new rechargables need to go thru a conditioning/break-in process as they need a few charging cycles to reach their potential.

Not true.
Don't know where this false idea comes from. Hard to stop it from spreading like other urban legends. Maybe its confusion between different types of rechargables. Lithium ion is not the same as nicad or nimh.

 

[deadsix]

Yeah, im getting tired of all the complaining about the battery. I have had no problems at all and like its said here, the battery gets better after a few cycles. DINC rules!!!

Also people stop playing with it constantly....

 

[PSUBALL10]

How is everyone determining the % of the battery?

 

[colnago]

Not true.
Don't know where this false idea comes from.

From the experience with my Droid, Moto Q, and N900, along with the instructions from my Seidio extended batteries.

Along with any other smartphone forum with posts about poor initial battery life.

 

[nyjetsfan28]

How is everyone determining the % of the battery?

Battery Widget - Android app on AppBrain

 

[makewayhomer]

From the experience with my Droid, Moto Q, and N900, along with the instructions from my Seidio extended batteries.

the trouble is that you are relying on anecdotal evidence with no control for your "test"

it could easily be that you are just playing with it less after a few days, so you think your battery life is getting better

 

[hexto]

Not true.
Don't know where this false idea comes from. Hard to stop it from spreading like other urban legends. Maybe its confusion between different types of rechargables. Lithium ion is not the same as nicad or nimh.

Lithium Ion batteries still require a 2-5 cycle conditioning. NiCad and NiMh are different in that they form "memory" and can lose capacity if not charged properly due to crystalization but to say that this is an urban legend is just plain wrong

 

[jamor]

Battery Widget - Android app on AppBrain

Does this only calculate in increments of 10?

 

[colnago]

the trouble is that you are relying on anecdotal evidence with no control for your "test"

it could easily be that you are just playing with it less after a few days, so you think your battery life is getting better

Even when new, the batterie(s) did not last the full 6 hours they were rated for, nor a full 24hrs when "idle" (less than 15 minutes per day of interaction with the rest of the day idle on the desk).

I have multiple batteries, with multiple mAh ratings, for all my phones, so I was well past the "wow factor", and using "normally". They all exhibited the same tendencies.

One would think that the manufacturer explicitly supplying this information in their instructions would suffice.

 

[nyjetsfan28]

Does this only calculate in increments of 10?

Nope it's to the exact %.

 

[computerpro3]

Take it easy, Champ. Why don't you sit this next one out, stop talking for a while

Because he's actually right?

Lithium Polymer batteries will not improve capacity with conditioning, and further have no memory.

In fact, it's to the contrary - the lithium polymer chemistry begins slowly degrading every single time it's discharged. It doesn't really matter what you or other people "observe" in a non scientific environment.

Physics > your experiences

 

[Old Member]

I'm at 14h and 15m since unplugged. I have 63% left. I have played with the phone WAY less today. The 1st 6.5 hours was when I was asleep and I had wifi, network, bluetooth, etc. all turned off. When I woke up at 7:00 I turned on wifi and refresh. I have sent and recieved over 30 texts today and talked about 40 min on various calls. I have downloaded and installed 3 new apps.I have also sent and received over 20 emails. I go home in an hour. Today is the 1st day that I am confident that I will be able to make it an entire work day without even worrying about recharging my phone. I can get used to this.

 

[computerpro3]

My stats:

Unplugged since 9:08 AM EST - current time is 3:08 EST

Discharging from 100%

Battery is currently at 32% charge

Voice Calls - 21% usage - 49 minutes total
Android System - 16%
Cell Standby - 15% 6h 0min
Bluetooth - 15% 6h 0min
ExtremeTypist - 15% - 2min 54 seconds
Phone Idle 12% 4h 48min
Display - 5% - 1h 13min
Wifi - 2% - 39min 26s


So in total, the battery really does blow.

In summation, I had 49min of voice calls and then 1h 13min where I was touching the phone whether it be sending txts or organizing my sense UI or whatever. No games, no music, no apps. Wifi on for 40min total. Battery is already down to 30% after 6 hours. It looks like I'll get no more than 2 hours of actual usage out of the stock battery.

Looking foward to my TP2 battery that's in the mail.

I'm beginning to think that signal strength is the biggest determination of battery life. I get 0-1 bars in my apartment, which is where I've been most of the day.

 

[Mondidroid]

I'm beginning to think that signal strength is the biggest determination of battery life. I get 0-1 bars in my apartment, which is where I've been most of the day.

Just spitballing here, but there have been mentions that the reported low signal strength is a software issue. If power is being boosted to compensate for the reported low signal strength, then it stands to reason that when the signal strength reporting is fixed battery life could improve as a result.

 

[colnago]

Just spitballing here, but there have been mentions that the reported low signal strength is a software issue. If power is being boosted to compensate for the reported low signal strength, then it stands to reason that when the signal strength reporting is fixed battery life could improve as a result.

FWIW, my Droid could go 24+ hours of "my normal use". However, at my mom's house, a low signal area for her Verizon flip phone as well, my fully charged Droid almost fully drained in under 4 hours from a varying signal of 0-1 bar. Phone was also "warm to the touch".

I don't believe that the relationship of low signal and high battery drain is limited to the Incredible.

 

[jamor]

I get about 20 hours with heavy use and 27 hours with light-medium use.

I LOVE my Incredible!!

 

[zaCh™]

For the first few days, I noticed my battery draining constantly, even in standby. I was seriously considering going to verizon and asking for either a replacement battery or a new phone altogether. Then, magically, today it stopped draining. I don't think it has much to do with conditioning. I think it is more related to the software. Maybe there was some initial calibration (beyond the battery meter, even) that had to be done, but I did have to restart it a lot last night (for app reasons, not battery) and it seems like the battery life has improved since. This is all pure speculation, however, but it seems to me like if the battery needed conditioning to achieve a longer discharge, that would be a gradual change, not a sudden oh-my-godz-my-phone-is-now-the-awesome sorta situation. I could be wrong, though.

Also, Mobile network is on, but always-on is not.

 

[tudmf]

My stats:

Unplugged since 9:08 AM EST - current time is 3:08 EST

Discharging from 100%

Battery is currently at 32% charge

Voice Calls - 21% usage - 49 minutes total
Android System - 16%
Cell Standby - 15% 6h 0min
Bluetooth - 15% 6h 0min
ExtremeTypist - 15% - 2min 54 seconds
Phone Idle 12% 4h 48min
Display - 5% - 1h 13min
Wifi - 2% - 39min 26s


So in total, the battery really does blow.

In summation, I had 49min of voice calls and then 1h 13min where I was touching the phone whether it be sending txts or organizing my sense UI or whatever. No games, no music, no apps. Wifi on for 40min total. Battery is already down to 30% after 6 hours. It looks like I'll get no more than 2 hours of actual usage out of the stock battery.

Looking foward to my TP2 battery that's in the mail.

I'm beginning to think that signal strength is the biggest determination of battery life. I get 0-1 bars in my apartment, which is where I've been most of the day.

Looks more like ExtremeTypist blows

 

[Trident]

Please be respectful to you fellow members or the thread will be closed.