I just got a Droid Turbo and wanted to know what was the best way to first calibrate the battery and then how to best keep it maintained going forward so it lasts as long as possible? Thanks for the help
Verizon Motorola Droid Turbo Best way to condition battery?
- Thread starter nwasquad1
- Start date
Re: Best way to condition battery?
Congrats, welcome to the club! Good question, I'm still unclear on this myself after hearing different things. Motorola tech support recommended to me to charge it overnight the very first time - this is before turning on the device. Then they said for the next charge, run it all the way down before charging in order to calibrate. They're not the only ones who say this.
On the other side, you have other sources that say never run Li-Ion batteries down all the way, best to not let it drop below 15-20%, and short charges and 'top-offs' are better in the long run than long, full charges.
Also, a Battery University article shows the negative effects of higher heat on Li-Ions, and since the battery does get reasonably hot at points during turbo charging, it may be better over the long term not to use the turbo charger every time. The article in question seems to be well-respected and often cited on forums:
How to Prolong Lithium-based Batteries - Battery University
Suffice to say, I'm curious myself what the best procedures are for battery calibration and long-term 'health'.
Congrats, welcome to the club! Good question, I'm still unclear on this myself after hearing different things. Motorola tech support recommended to me to charge it overnight the very first time - this is before turning on the device. Then they said for the next charge, run it all the way down before charging in order to calibrate. They're not the only ones who say this.
On the other side, you have other sources that say never run Li-Ion batteries down all the way, best to not let it drop below 15-20%, and short charges and 'top-offs' are better in the long run than long, full charges.
Also, a Battery University article shows the negative effects of higher heat on Li-Ions, and since the battery does get reasonably hot at points during turbo charging, it may be better over the long term not to use the turbo charger every time. The article in question seems to be well-respected and often cited on forums:
How to Prolong Lithium-based Batteries - Battery University
Suffice to say, I'm curious myself what the best procedures are for battery calibration and long-term 'health'.
mobrules
Well-known member
Re: Best way to condition battery?
I came over from the RMHD. It had a non removable battery. I would charge it every other night. The site Happy posted is the best for info. I agree not using the turbo charger daily is a good thing. I think the heat generated will eventually harm the battery. With my RMHD I had it for 2.5 years and never saw any battery degradation.
Mine was about 60% when I first got it. I charged it to 100% then ran it all the way down. I then charged it back to 100% and started using it normally. I easily get 48 hrs between charges but I go kinda extreme with disabling stuff and controlling background data.
Welcome! Check out the threads " battery life" and " apps OK to disable". Lots of good info in those two specifically.
I came over from the RMHD. It had a non removable battery. I would charge it every other night. The site Happy posted is the best for info. I agree not using the turbo charger daily is a good thing. I think the heat generated will eventually harm the battery. With my RMHD I had it for 2.5 years and never saw any battery degradation.
Mine was about 60% when I first got it. I charged it to 100% then ran it all the way down. I then charged it back to 100% and started using it normally. I easily get 48 hrs between charges but I go kinda extreme with disabling stuff and controlling background data.
Welcome! Check out the threads " battery life" and " apps OK to disable". Lots of good info in those two specifically.
Symthic
Well-known member
vzwuser76
Well-known member
Re: Best way to condition battery?
What I've done as far as recalibrating the battery meter is similar to what mobrules mentioned. First, I clear the partition cache, then power down the phone. Next I put it on the charger and let it charge overnight. I power it down first so the battery meter doesn't gain any statistics while it's charging. Then when I power it on, it's 100% charged. After that I run it down until I see the "!" in the battery indicator in the status bar. Then I put it on the charger and let it charge overnight.
After that I run shorter times before I charge, like at 40-50%. That is less aggravating to the battery according to the Battery University article. Then if I start seeing any drop in battery life, I repeat the procedure. I don't know if what I do helps or not. It seems that the battery lasts longer according to the status bar meter. And there have been times where I've run the battery down and after it gets to 10%, it seems to drain slower than up until that point. So I think it's less about conditioning the battery, but more about calibrating the battery gauge.
Just my $.02
What I've done as far as recalibrating the battery meter is similar to what mobrules mentioned. First, I clear the partition cache, then power down the phone. Next I put it on the charger and let it charge overnight. I power it down first so the battery meter doesn't gain any statistics while it's charging. Then when I power it on, it's 100% charged. After that I run it down until I see the "!" in the battery indicator in the status bar. Then I put it on the charger and let it charge overnight.
After that I run shorter times before I charge, like at 40-50%. That is less aggravating to the battery according to the Battery University article. Then if I start seeing any drop in battery life, I repeat the procedure. I don't know if what I do helps or not. It seems that the battery lasts longer according to the status bar meter. And there have been times where I've run the battery down and after it gets to 10%, it seems to drain slower than up until that point. So I think it's less about conditioning the battery, but more about calibrating the battery gauge.
Just my $.02
Re: Best way to condition battery?
There is no such thing as calibrating the battery, but you can train the internal phone circuitry to understand the battery's usage by just using the phone normally and charging to 100% at least occasionally. (I just plug in my phone every night.) Once every month to two months it's probably helpful to let the phone drain below 15% or so and then immediately charge to 100% without unplugging (powering off the phone while doing this is fine but not required.)
Based on the many reports of problems so far, I'd stay away from wirelessly charging the phone until there is a software update that mentions a fix to wireless charging.
There is no such thing as calibrating the battery, but you can train the internal phone circuitry to understand the battery's usage by just using the phone normally and charging to 100% at least occasionally. (I just plug in my phone every night.) Once every month to two months it's probably helpful to let the phone drain below 15% or so and then immediately charge to 100% without unplugging (powering off the phone while doing this is fine but not required.)
Based on the many reports of problems so far, I'd stay away from wirelessly charging the phone until there is a software update that mentions a fix to wireless charging.
Symthic
Well-known member
Re: Best way to condition battery?
I was just asking because this is the first I've heard of such a thing, and I've had my Turbo for about a month, just using it and charging it whenever possible without any forethought. I also charge it overnight, given I've been told it that has no adverse effects.
I've only ever really charged it using the Turbo charger as well. Would I do better to use another charger?
I was just asking because this is the first I've heard of such a thing, and I've had my Turbo for about a month, just using it and charging it whenever possible without any forethought. I also charge it overnight, given I've been told it that has no adverse effects.
I've only ever really charged it using the Turbo charger as well. Would I do better to use another charger?
mobrules
Well-known member
Re: Best way to condition battery?
And thats exactly how it should be charged, without any thought. We shouldnt have to worry about using any specific charger. I however feel the heat generated by the turbo charger will eventually cause battery problems. Maybe I am wrong but we wont know for at least a year. I usually keep phones for two years so I want it to last at least that long. Battery university showed pretty clearly heat for lithium ion batteries is not a good thing. I will use the turbo charger if I absolutely need to but otherwise I use a couple of old blackberry chargers and most of the house uses apple so chargers are always around.
Re: Best way to condition battery?
According to Battery University, more heat causes more stress on Li-Ion batteries and over time reduces the capacity it can recharge to - at a rate noticeably faster than at lower temperatures. Since the turbo charger heats up the battery quite substantially at points, it stands to reason that usable battery capacity will decrease more quickly than if using a typical wall charger, Qi charger, or usb charging.
What we don't know for sure is at what rate and to what extent, regarding our battery in this phone. (EDIT) And we likely won't know for 1-2 yrs until real world data starts rolling in, as mobrules states above. So people may not think it's worth bothering with other chargers, and perhaps they're right; there's a chance the effect may not be too noticeable over time - but it does appear to be a legit, substantiated effect.
I just decided to play it safe and reduce my turbo charger use since I have a bunch of other charging options available, so why not. It's not something I'll think about much since usually I charge at bedtime, but instead I'll just appreciate having the turbo charger there during the day in situations where I really need it.
According to Battery University, more heat causes more stress on Li-Ion batteries and over time reduces the capacity it can recharge to - at a rate noticeably faster than at lower temperatures. Since the turbo charger heats up the battery quite substantially at points, it stands to reason that usable battery capacity will decrease more quickly than if using a typical wall charger, Qi charger, or usb charging.
What we don't know for sure is at what rate and to what extent, regarding our battery in this phone. (EDIT) And we likely won't know for 1-2 yrs until real world data starts rolling in, as mobrules states above. So people may not think it's worth bothering with other chargers, and perhaps they're right; there's a chance the effect may not be too noticeable over time - but it does appear to be a legit, substantiated effect.
I just decided to play it safe and reduce my turbo charger use since I have a bunch of other charging options available, so why not. It's not something I'll think about much since usually I charge at bedtime, but instead I'll just appreciate having the turbo charger there during the day in situations where I really need it.
Re: Best way to condition battery?
Thanks for the replies. A few things: I thought it is not wise to charge your phone with a non-OEM charger for that brand (ie using a Samsung charger for a Moto phone (or vice versa), using a Blackberry charger with a LG phone, etc instead of Samsung charger --> Samsung phone)
Also, with the Turbo charger automatically "turbo charging" the Turbo to 75-76% before "slowing down" to a normal charge, does that mean I shouldn't let the battery go below 75% most times so I don't "turbo charge" it too often?
I also want to know to get an idea of how long my battery lasts (and should last) so I know whether I have a defective phone that will require an exchange within my 14 day period with VZW or warranty exchange via Motorola
Thanks for the replies. A few things: I thought it is not wise to charge your phone with a non-OEM charger for that brand (ie using a Samsung charger for a Moto phone (or vice versa), using a Blackberry charger with a LG phone, etc instead of Samsung charger --> Samsung phone)
Also, with the Turbo charger automatically "turbo charging" the Turbo to 75-76% before "slowing down" to a normal charge, does that mean I shouldn't let the battery go below 75% most times so I don't "turbo charge" it too often?
I also want to know to get an idea of how long my battery lasts (and should last) so I know whether I have a defective phone that will require an exchange within my 14 day period with VZW or warranty exchange via Motorola
mobrules
Well-known member
Re: Best way to condition battery?
As long as it's a micro USB cable it makes no difference who makes it. I buy cables and chargers from monoprice and don't have any issues. Heck I even use the Apple knockoff products. I usually let my battery go to 50% but no lower. About once a month I will let it run down to 15% then charge it back up. A lot of people charge every night. That's all depending on use.
Battery life depends on many factors. Signal strength, features used, what's disabled., and what's running and being used. I get 48 hrs easily and went over three days once draining it down. Check out the battery life thread and the apps OK to disable thread. My setting are extreme and some are power users so it's hard to say what you should get. Install gsam battery and charge all the way up and let it go for a day. It can tell you what is using your battery and what's using background data. If you see settings you like in the threads just pm me and I'll help you set it up. Good luck
As long as it's a micro USB cable it makes no difference who makes it. I buy cables and chargers from monoprice and don't have any issues. Heck I even use the Apple knockoff products. I usually let my battery go to 50% but no lower. About once a month I will let it run down to 15% then charge it back up. A lot of people charge every night. That's all depending on use.
Battery life depends on many factors. Signal strength, features used, what's disabled., and what's running and being used. I get 48 hrs easily and went over three days once draining it down. Check out the battery life thread and the apps OK to disable thread. My setting are extreme and some are power users so it's hard to say what you should get. Install gsam battery and charge all the way up and let it go for a day. It can tell you what is using your battery and what's using background data. If you see settings you like in the threads just pm me and I'll help you set it up. Good luck
Re: Best way to condition battery?
Good questions, nwasquad1. It's preferred if you can use an OEM charger, and I have my Droid Razr Maxx HD charger on hand; standard Motorola chargers are relatively inexpensive purchases also. My understanding is that there's no hard and fast rule against using a standard wall charger from a reputable brand if necessary. The guideline is to not charge with a cheap quality and/or generic charger.
Yeah, Motorola states that turbo charging kicks in below 78%. But there's no way I'd micromanage charging to the extent you stated! It comes down to weighing cost vs convenience. Much better to use usb charging via desktop or a powered usb hub if you have no other options, but I'd spring for a standard Motorola wall charger.
The last question is not straightforward and I'm nowhere near an expert. The generic answer might be something like 'a day and a half with moderate use', but everything depends on definitions and type of usage. Pay attention to how many hours of usage you're getting per charge cycle and what apps are draining the battery the most. Read through the huge battery thread on this forum to get a feel for what others are getting. There are also apps that can somewhat approximate how many hours of usage are left based on averages. Or if you're diehard you can run some tests like in certain reviews where you play videos and time it for ump-teen hours straight, but I definitely wouldn't recommend that! I know I'm missing a bunch of suggestions that people better than me can fill you in on, but it's a start.
EDIT: Foiled by mobrules posting something stellar seconds before me! j/k
Yeah, listen to mobrules, much more specific and helpful.
Good questions, nwasquad1. It's preferred if you can use an OEM charger, and I have my Droid Razr Maxx HD charger on hand; standard Motorola chargers are relatively inexpensive purchases also. My understanding is that there's no hard and fast rule against using a standard wall charger from a reputable brand if necessary. The guideline is to not charge with a cheap quality and/or generic charger.
Yeah, Motorola states that turbo charging kicks in below 78%. But there's no way I'd micromanage charging to the extent you stated! It comes down to weighing cost vs convenience. Much better to use usb charging via desktop or a powered usb hub if you have no other options, but I'd spring for a standard Motorola wall charger.
The last question is not straightforward and I'm nowhere near an expert. The generic answer might be something like 'a day and a half with moderate use', but everything depends on definitions and type of usage. Pay attention to how many hours of usage you're getting per charge cycle and what apps are draining the battery the most. Read through the huge battery thread on this forum to get a feel for what others are getting. There are also apps that can somewhat approximate how many hours of usage are left based on averages. Or if you're diehard you can run some tests like in certain reviews where you play videos and time it for ump-teen hours straight, but I definitely wouldn't recommend that! I know I'm missing a bunch of suggestions that people better than me can fill you in on, but it's a start.
EDIT: Foiled by mobrules posting something stellar seconds before me! j/k
Yeah, listen to mobrules, much more specific and helpful.
mobrules
Well-known member
Re: Best way to condition battery?
Cracking me up man!!! And I havent seen you post anything that wasnt helpful. Threres about 4 or 5 posters here that pretty much post the same general ideas and all usually very helpful. I consider you to be in that group. I always carefully read what you and they post in the hopes of learning something. Thanks for the shout out though I appreciate it.
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