Super Fast Battery Drain: Cause?

[lwilson]

This is not the normal battery complaint. I've literally taken my phone off the charger (after calibrating battery mind you), and I have nothing on but 3G and no surfing. Within 5 min I'm down to 90% and it's a free fall from there. I have 2 batteries and both are draining super fast.

Could this be an app? I can't imagine that as nothing is currently running. Power Manager shows how fast the G1 is draining my battery and it's super weird.

[AndroidUser]

well to manage my batter i downloaded the Toggle app..

and it helps me manage brightness, GPS etc.

And what I do is restart my phone every day. just powering on and then off will cancel those numerous apps that you leave on all day.

that helps save some battery life too.

Other than that, you just gotta keep charging

My theory is that maybe it's an app using GPS.. I notice that absorbs battery like no other.

[lwilson]

This to me is more than just a battery management problem. It seems like it's something wrong with the phone itself. No phone should drain 20% in just 10 min using nothing. So I feel something is wrong here. I have GPS shut off using my profiles with Power Manager.

[DaYuMu6ft7]

All of the above seams to be the answer too this dilemma...

The Battery, Apps & Hardware ( Phone )

[z0mb13e]

I have been reading the G1 service manual http://mikechannon.net/PDF%20Manuals/HTC%20Dream%20SM%20(A04).pdf (http://mikechannon.net/PDF%20Manuals/HTC%20Dream%20SM%20%28A04%29.pdf)

and on page 84/85 there is mention of a battery test procedure, but this requires the diagnostic SD progs.

Does anyone have a copy of the SD card programs? It would be interesting to be able to test the phone against HTCs own specs.

There is also current leakage test that if you had (or could be bothered to make) the test rig) would tell you if the motherboard is taking too much current (<3mA sleep, <180mA at idle)

[lwilson]

My Seidio 1400mah battery just came in. I'm going to do the obligatory 8 hour initial charge up tonight before I officially use it. They say it takes 5-6 full charges to see the performance increase. I'm game to see how it plays out. I like their products.

[Infinatenothing]

has it always been like that or is this a recent change? have you installed any new apps lately?

[rynosaur]

I hate to be a party pooper, but I would back your stuff up and do a factory reset. That'll start the battery calibration at stock and then you can try again. When I installed Stericson's skin and it blanked the phone, the battery drain pattern changed radically. Got better, I means.

[DesignDawg]

Are you running hello aim? Does your phone feel hot when it's draining?

[xxbenbenxx]

I hate to be a party pooper, but I would back your stuff up and do a factory reset. That'll start the battery calibration at stock and then you can try again. When I installed Stericson's skin and it blanked the phone, the battery drain pattern changed radically. Got better, I means.


you can just let the batteries drain all the way to 0% where it shuts itself off and then charge it back up should recalibrate the battery also I think.

[remister]

I think you should get the app called "Watts" from the Marketplace, you get to see how fast your battery is draining.

[XDViPeR]

Or the phone itself could have a problem where something could be using more power than intended, and software just can't control it.

[bsilent]

This is not the normal battery complaint. I've literally taken my phone off the charger (after calibrating battery mind you), and I have nothing on but 3G and no surfing. Within 5 min I'm down to 90% and it's a free fall from there. I have 2 batteries and both are draining super fast.

Could this be an app? I can't imagine that as nothing is currently running. Power Manager shows how fast the G1 is draining my battery and it's super weird.


I am experiencing the same thing? No clue what's wrong but it is the most frustrating of circumstances.

Bought the extended life battery on ebay (2300? $40), the one with the hump. Hoping this will help. Thoughts?

[WazzuKirk]

It's because it's a crappy phone. The Android OS is very nice, but you shouldn't have to turn everything friggin' thing off in order to have the phone last 1/2 a day. I sold my G1 and went back to my BlackBerry Curve, where I do at least 100 emails per day, 50 texts, IM and surf, and my battery lasts for nearly 3 days. It's just a crappy phone.

[androidG]

First thing I did when I received my G1 was to switch everything off and set to 2G networks only. Battery lasted 3 days which I was happy with. When I set the network to 3G, the battery lasted 1 day... On the brink of sending it back, I downloaded aSettings from the App market and noticed that even though I thought everything was off, GPS had somehow become enabled! Needless to say with GPS switched off the phone lasted 2 days at least, dependant on usage. Obviously the G1 isn't for those that rely on going for days between charges, but if you're experiencing poor battery life, i'd do as I did and use aSettings or Useful Switcher to ensure everything is off and set to 2G networks only. Even with 2G you will still receive push email and can download apps etc, albeit slower obviously.

[GasBot]

You're most likely falling victim to a rogue app. Do you have Moxier Mail or TooDo installed? I've identified both of those as draining the battery uncontrollably.

[moom]

I'm coming from years of using Nokia devices - the problem would be exactly the same on Nokia if you leave everything on all time, such as Bluetooth, Wifi, location, gps, ...
On my G1 I simply installed "Power Manager". I switch off wifi, gps, location and 3G until the moment I do need any of them - as such I can last for about 2 to 3 days on a single charge, which is very decent for a smartphone.

I just can't understand that Android did not setup a more automated on/off for devices - like turning on your GPS when you start an app that needs it, and shutting it down when the app closes. BUT, that would mean having the concept of closable applications, which is not really Android's approach...

So I'd say : learn to master the features, to turn them off when not really needed and you'll be happy. If not happy, sell your phone and buy a BB, Nokia or WinMo.

[chilikid]

I had this exact same problem, and through trial and error found out it was in fact the auto-sync function, once I turned it off it went from draining 20% in 30 minutes to about 2% per hour.

thanks whoever said do that! :)

[DrinkSlinger]

I have just encountered this problem as well i unplugged my phone this morning and within two hours it completly drained. i have not downloaded any new apps in the past few days, any ideas that worked for you would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!!! Ken

[jj71787]

i have power manager app so i turned off wifi, bt, and gps then turn the brightness all the way down, turn the screen timeout to 15 seconds, and turn off 3g
i dont have the best battery but it last until i go to bed and im a heavy texter

[Droider]

I am having this same problem. My phone was working fine until yesterday morning. After charging, the battery was drained within 2-3 hours while in standby. I did not download any new apps or change any of the settings I previously had on my phone. Someone please help.

[texas_born]

started happening to me after i saw this thread. i have that battery status app and it has the percentage on the notification bar. i can literally watch the numbers drop when im at the home screen.

[dippedinsauce]

today my phone did the weirdest thing, i woke up and was talking on it for awhile and the battery showed full all day i was like "thats odd" so i continued to talk on it and then all the sudden it shuts off and wouldnt come back on till it was on the charger for a minute or 2

btw i did check the "battery info" in settings when i noticed it was 100% all day...i think the last app i got was the update to hourDB or maybe it was that new AndNav i got which is now installed

ill keep you posted to see if my battery is draining fast like this

[texas_born]

the newest apps i dled were lock2.0 but i uninstalled but it didnt help.

[dippedinsauce]

update its not draining i dont know what that problem was all about but it hasnt happened again

[Droider]

I was hoping updating would fix the problem. I even factory reset my phone and nothing happened. Dippedinsauce, did you get your update ota? I'm still waiting on mine.

[dippedinsauce]

no i figured that would cause confusion let me clarify

i was updating you all on the situation i had so i said "update"

i didnt receive the OTA cupcake

:) but no im glad i dont have this problem but i also hope the problem i have isnt worse

[Droider]

My bad, I guess I misinterpreted your post =). As for my battery drain, I guess the factory reset DID work. After the factory reset my battery had drained 17% in an hour, which was why I previously jumped to the conclusion that it did not work. However, when I checked my phone again the next morning it had only drained an additional 2% overnight...and ever since then the battery drain has returned to normal. So try doing the factory reset y'all.

[jj71787]

my battery drains quick when fully charged it got to about 69% after 3 hours but once it gets half way it lasts a little longer

[RJL24]

Spoke with HTC customer support. Best to turn off all apps that drain battery, that is take them off the home screen.

Also click on 'unsync', all the apps that are unnecessary.

I returned Qik (notepad) to the All Programs list, taking it off the Home Screen, reducing syncing and battery drain.


There were a few other procedures he suggested, but the main thing was to go to Settings, Accounts sync and uncheck the programs that are not used often. We can manually sync these.

For example, I turned off Facebook, News, stocks, Video Chat. Weather, he said is not a big drainer.

T Mobile (contacts sync) should be on is you wish to sync T Mobile's PC listing and MY Touch contacts. yet, if one uses GMail, the T Mobile sync program may be unnecessary.

And most of all, let the battery drain completely a few times as the phone is a smart phone and will learn to monitor battery usage after we do this

[podengo]

It was the PHONE in our case.

My wife's phone started draining the battery extra fast. It was even draining WHILE it was charging.

We both have the G1, and I let her use my charger. No luck. My charger worked with my phone ok, but not with hers. Then we switched batteries, and she decided to put it on my charger. Next morning, the battery was dead.
Her phone was killing my battery, and it was not hot. Either battery will charge and works fine in my phone with either charger but her phone has turned into a cold-hearted battery killer.
Luckily we have 1 month left on our 2year contract, so I'll forego a phone until then and switch us both to the LG 2X when it is out.

[RJL24]

My problem was solved via an Android application that saves power and the purchase or two additional batteries with their own charger from an eBay supplier:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270686104913&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT#ht_4458wt_827

The price is affordable and totally solves the known smart phone battery drainage issue. The extra batteries are easy to travel with and my mind is totally at peace now with the phone, My Touch 4G.

Best wishes,
RJL