My battery is draining fast, awake time high, but nothing keeping it awake!

[JimR123]

Hi,

Please help!!!

Before everybody redirects me to the standard "ways to extend your battery life" threads, I believe I've tried all the usual tricks, which is why I'm posting another thread.

This is really starting to drive me nuts. Up until a few weeks ago, I was getting good battery life. A couple of days worth with normal usage, which I think is reasonable with all considered.

But now, it lasts about half a day, which is obviously not much use when you can only charge it at night!

I've been checking the "awake time" and sometimes it just keeps staying high. Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't. When the awake time is high, it is also warm to the touch, as if it is doing a lot of processing or something.

I've also been using "spare parts" to see what appears under "partial awake". I have never seen anything under this which accounts for the awake time. For example, the awake time might say "15 hrs", but "partial awake" in spare parts shows the biggest thing as being "Android system", but only taking "2 mins".

I have (as far as I can tell) disabled the standard HTC messages app, and am now using Handcent SMS.

I have turned off bluetooth and GPS, but leave wifi and mobile data on. I know switching these off saves power, but I've always had them on without as much drain as I do now.

I have done a factory reset, and reinstalled all my usual apps, and left off any which I don't really need. All seemed well for a few days, but then the drain started again.

I have a feeling my battery drain is due to an update to an app, but as it's not consistent, I can't figure out which app or update it could be.

As it is, with the battery lasting for less time than I am out in the day, it makes it a really rubbish phone, and just not fit for purpose.

Is there any other way, other than using "spare parts", that I can tell what is using my power?

 

[jaybea830802]

I had a similar problem last week, finding the phone showing 15% of less battery in the morning whereas usually it will run for a couple of days. I deleted some apps but did not find the cause. Like you, Spare Parts was not very helpful. I am not sure whether deleting apps did some good, but it is back to normal now.

If you do not have a rooted phone I am not sure if there is much else that can help. The 2.x versions of the Android ROM have more battery monitoring information, but we are still waiting for that. If you are rooted, then running ADB Shell and then typing TOP will give you an rolling display of the main applications using CPU time and you might get some clues from that. The Windows DOS command shell has a very limited buffer, so you cannot see much history so you may have to sit and watch.

 

[JimR123]

I'm hoping that 2.1 might fix the problem.

I don't suppose you remember which apps you deleted?

The trouble I have is that after I did the factory reset, I didn't install any 3rd party apps for a few days, and everything was fine. Then I installed 3rd party apps, and for a few days everything was fine. And now it's not.

It would be nice if it just suddenly started using loads of power, then I could at least think, "what's changed recently?", but instead, a gradual deteriation.

 

[james]

Probably a long shot but have you tried using spare parts to set the action for the 'Home' button to sleep? Maybe a third party app is stopping your phone from sleeping, if that's the case this might sort it out as then whenever you're not using the phone you can be sure it's actually in sleep mode.

 

[Spacemonkey]

I had loads of battery problems for about 3 months. Spent hours and hours trying all sorts of things but nothing worked properly. Ended up sending it back to HTC with a list of faults inc the battery issue. They flashed it (and maybe did something else) and sent it back in 3-4 days and the battery has worked brilliantly since.

IMO, I think there's an issue with the way Vodafone create their build - might work for some, but not for me.

 

[jaybea830802]

I don't suppose you remember which apps you deleted?

I cannot remember them all, but one was definitely Astrid and I may also have zapped NoSignal. I think that the problems started some time after I installed Astrid, but I could not pin it down to Astrid specifically.

 

[nx1977]

Have any of you got task killer ap installed?

If so, grab the updated version, as this killed the wifes samsung in under a day. She now gets 3 days comfortably.

 

[pbp776]

I was getting same issue with I first got the HTC. I followed all the battery saving tricks and tips on this site and others. However, I still had to charge my phone every day before sleeping. Strange thing is when I used charge at night it was at 100% and by morning 8 or 9 AM it usually down the 80% - 85%. Using Spare parts only saw "Android system", on top detail info "16 mins".
Knocking on the wood* ever since I rooted and install Fresh 1.1 and Gumbo customr Kernel. My battery life is much better. I can last for 2 day before charging again with moderation use. There was good suggestion on The Ultimate Hero Battery Life Thread (Tips & Discussion) which might help. One suggestion I got from member of this site is to wait a day before you install apps.

 

[JimR123]

Strangley, battery life seems to be ok today. The other day I just decided to kill all tasks (using ES Task Manager). That seemed to help. I've restarted the phone a few times, and still battery seems ok.

I reckon it's probably an app I'm starting manually, and that sticks in awake state. Don't know which one it is yet.

I think what I could do with is an "awake alarm", an app which sits in memory and alerts me when another app has kept the phone awake for so long, and tells me which app it is.

I don't suppose there's anything like that?

BTW, contacted HTC about this issue, and they sent me instructions on how to get over issues with bluetooth pairing with other devices. Had to reply with, "did you actually read my question?". They replied with "here's how to reset your phone". Shame they didn't read in my question that I've tried resetting several times. Shocking.

 

[maxsteele]

Strange thing is when I used charge at night it was at 100% and by morning 8 or 9 AM it usually down the 80% - 85%.

Is this considered good battery performance?

Last night Spare Parts had my battery at 86% around midnight.

When I woke up this morning at 7:30am, Spare Parts said it was 74%. My awake time recorded in my phone status did not move, so I know the phone was sleeping, if I'm able to trust that number.

With 20 minutes of web usage, the battery went to 68%.

If this is expected battery usage, I'm fine with that, but I wanted to check in.

Yes, I have went through all of the suggestions for battery life increases on the battery thread. I leave mobile network on because it was affecting updates from GTalk when I did not have it on. I still use the default messaging app because from what I've read, the memory issue was fixed in a prior update.

 

[pbp776]

Is this considered good battery performance?

To be honest I can't never determine was a good battery performance.

Last night Spare Parts had my battery at 86% around midnight.
When I woke up this morning at 7:30am, Spare Parts said it was 74%. My awake time recorded in my phone status did not move, so I know the phone was sleeping, if I'm able to trust that number.

Same here when I used to check before full charge it was at 100% around 12 AM. Then in the morning it would be at 85% sometimes 80%.
Awake time is always below 10% sometimes goes to 15%

If this is expected battery usage, I'm fine with that, but I wanted to check in.

I'm guessing the same. I thing I saw after installed Fresh 1.1 Rom I see battery life is little better.

 

[crish]

I too was getting annoyed by battery drain.
Since i've switched off the 'Always on mobile data' (or whatever it's called) and unticked the background data stuff under google etc my battery life has increased by around 50%. I can actually go twodays without having to charge it.
I've also now got a 1750 battery from ebay Hong Kong for

 

[Steve-Silver]

Hi,

I too have found that stopping Google Mail from syncing automatically has improved my battery life. I have set up a rule to forward my Google emails to my other Pop3 account as that does not seem to drain the battery (auto retrieve set to 30 Mins). I still allow the calendar and contacts to sync.

Mine goes from 100% at midnight to 95% at 7am. Before, it would be down to 85% by the morning.

Steve

 

[james]

Mine is usually 2 or 3% when left overnight. With mobile data turned off.
Being rooted has its advantages for sure

edit - actually, unplugged from charger last night at about midnight at 100%, and this morning at 10:20 it's still on 100%

 

[Spacemonkey]

I installed a couple of apps two days ago and now the battery has started draining super quick again. Awake time stays at 100%, instead of 5-15% which it had been ever since coming back from HTC.

Have uninstalled the new apps and it's still 100% and draining. Getting really pi55ed off with this now. I still think there's a bug in there somewhere that causes this.

 

[pbp776]

Mine is usually 2 or 3% when left overnight. With mobile data turned off.
Being rooted has its advantages for sure

edit - actually, unplugged from charger last night at about midnight at 100%, and this morning at 10:20 it's still on 100%

James,
I'm assuming you have your mobile data turned off during the night?
I also rooted my phone. I'm at 100% at night and morning at I'm at 94% to 90% around 8PM. Compare the stock ROM I battery is better. Before I used to charge twice a day for my moderate used battery used to be at 80% in the morning. I just can't turned off mobile data due to MMS for work.

 

[RaduG]

My Hero loses 1% of battery life during night. I'm running in 2G mode, no mobile data(turned on only when needed), no task killer, just a 2G/3G traffic meter running in background.
After a day of moderate use(a little wifi, some EDGE browsing & IM, email, use of GPS, calls and texts) I've still got 79% left, which I think is pretty good for a smartphone. 3G data sucks a little more battery, but I'm just fine with EDGE speeds.

It isn't the best battery on a smartphone in the world, but still, with some features disabled(like I mentioned above) you can get pretty decent usage time.

 

[JimR123]

I installed a couple of apps two days ago and now the battery has started draining super quick again. Awake time stays at 100%, instead of 5-15% which it had been ever since coming back from HTC.

Have uninstalled the new apps and it's still 100% and draining. Getting really pi55ed off with this now. I still think there's a bug in there somewhere that causes this.

Have you tried using Spare Parts to check the "partial awake time"? If so, does Spare Parts account for all the awake time?

 

[Spacemonkey]

Have you tried using Spare Parts to check the "partial awake time"? If so, does Spare Parts account for all the awake time?

I ended up doing a factory reset (and then having it crash completely before getting it running properly again), so i don't know for sure what the readings were. But I don't remember Spare Parts accounting for much AT itself.

Have just checked now and Android System is leading the way on approx 13%. AT is going down all the time. All in all, happy days methinks.

 

[RaduG]

This is the third day since my last charge and I've still got 32% left. And the for the last 2 days i've browsed the web and installed some apps, only in Wifi/3G mode. 3 full days+ for a smartphone like Hero is excellent.

 

[prause]

I think it is important to realize, that there is at least two different issues with batterylife. A lot of people are talking about improwing batterylife by diasbling 3g etc etc. this is propably good advice, but it fails to recognice, the fact, that some people (incl. mee) have another problem altogether.
Even though i disable everything the wake status stays at 95-100% - this problem is not solved by turning off 3g wifi etc.
I have done a clean install about 5 times during the last 2 months, afterwards i reinstall a few apps: astrid, facebook, MyBackup pro - using backup pro (good app. BTW). Doing so my Hero has a wake status about 5-10 % dependning on use. After a few reboots it unfortunately returns to wake status about 95-100%, thus draining battery in aprox 8-10hrs.
Handcent and all the other fixes does absolutely nothing.

Jon

 

[pbp776]

I think it is important to realize, that there is at least two different issues with batterylife. A lot of people are talking about improwing batterylife by diasbling 3g etc etc. this is propably good advice, but it fails to recognice, the fact, that some people (incl. mee) have another problem altogether.
Even though i disable everything the wake status stays at 95-100% - this problem is not solved by turning off 3g wifi etc.
I have done a clean install about 5 times during the last 2 months, afterwards i reinstall a few apps: astrid, facebook, MyBackup pro - using backup pro (good app. BTW). Doing so my Hero has a wake status about 5-10 % dependning on use. After a few reboots it unfortunately returns to wake status about 95-100%, thus draining battery in aprox 8-10hrs.
Handcent and all the other fixes does absolutely nothing.

Jon

Jon when u reboot u see your awake time @ 100? I used to see that with fresh rom. What I did was once I reboot the phone, I let it come to the home screen then I put the phone to sleep for five or more mins. Then I look at the awake time and it is down to 10%. See if this help. I'm not sure what is causing the awake time after reboot to be high. However, once the awake time is low after that it stays low.

 

[Spacemonkey]

Prause, is your's a Vodafone phone? If so, you might have the same problems as I had - ended up sending it back to HTC who flashed it and got it working properly.

 

[pbp776]

This is the third day since my last charge and I've still got 32% left. And the for the last 2 days i've browsed the web and installed some apps, only in Wifi/3G mode. 3 full days+ for a smartphone like Hero is excellent.

How much of browsed you did? Hr per day? It nice to see 32% left after 3 days.

My phone battery is kind is getting good after SetCPU msm7k. Friday 10ish is was 100% after charged. Saturday around b/w 9am to 10am 91% left. Two hours of internet 85% left. Two phone calls less than 30 mins. 80% left. When to my cousin place where only 1 bar very weak signal. Battery was drain but not too fast. It was around 79% around 2 PM. Browser the internet again for three hours around and some games 35% left. Came home around 1AM and battery was still at 27%. Around 10 AM today battery was at 15%. I think compare to what I was getting is much better.

 

[RaduG]

How much of browsed you did? Hr per day? It nice to see 32% left after 3 days.

My phone battery is kind is getting good after SetCPU msm7k. Friday 10ish is was 100% after charged. Saturday around b/w 9am to 10am 91% left. Two hours of internet 85% left. Two phone calls less than 30 mins. 80% left. When to my cousin place where only 1 bar very weak signal. Battery was drain but not too fast. It was around 79% around 2 PM. Browser the internet again for three hours around and some games 35% left. Came home around 1AM and battery was still at 27%. Around 10 AM today battery was at 15%. I think compare to what I was getting is much better.

I'd say 1h/day of internet, including social networks, market and browsing.Today i've made a test and it looks like the GPS drains the battery life like hell, 15% are gone after using it for 45minutes, with 3G data on(google maps). Though I love the accuracy of the GPS, it points exactly where I am.