Battery drain for dummies!?

[Julia Matcham]

This battery loss is driving me crazy. The tablet has to be almost permanently plugged in.
I would be grateful if one of you experts can interpret the data I have made a note of. Thanks!

Nexus 7 2013 update 5.1.1

During the period below I have I have only used the tablet for checking battery loss.

4pm Battery 100% says 6 days left
Screen 1% Android OS 1%
5pm screen and Android OS as before
5.45 pm now 4 days left ditto screen and Android OS
6pm 3 days left
6.30 pm Uninstalled Skype and BBC Media Player (in the hopes of better performance) --- battery at 95%

7pm -94%
9pm -92%
10.15 pm- 78%

Up to now Gmail and Email were not working most of the day for coincidental server unknown reasons and this came back overnight.

THIS MORNING.
8.30 am - 10% !!!!!!!!!!!
Now we have it additionally saying underneath the graph - Gmail 49%

Under data usage it says Gmail 228 Mb ……Email 151 Mb

What do you experts make of this?
The 5.1 update announced they were merging email. I never use Gmail. I don’t want more than one address, but Google more or less made me have it. (I use Bt Internet).
I have an icon for each one separately on the screen, but both have the same content.

I don’t understand which bits are normal. I simply know it has changed dramatically and I haven’t done anything different from when I first had it.
I suspect the problem is to do with email but really don’t know enough to interpret the statistics. I have no idea how to send screen shots…I am just a civilian!
I don’t want to reset the whole tablet as I have several paid apps and it will be a real pain. Also I have read that for many people in the same fix it hasn’t helped.

I would be very, very grateful for help.
I tried asking in a previous question but due to absence of interest I am posting again.

 

[IAmSixNine]

i hard reset mine after updates and i do not have any battery issues.

 

[Julia Matcham]

I thought this forum was where Google expected people to get solutions to their problems. Is it that what is happening to many people's batteries is a complete mystery, without any possible solution other than starting again? Starting again would be incredibly time-consuming. Paid for apps to re-install...if not pay for again. It is not a solution that any company should expect people to happily accept. There have to be reasons for battery drain and a way of tracking them down. Why is no-one from the sales team explaining how to find the cause? And many people have said they have factory-reset and the problem remained. And that is why one wants to understand WHY and what is causing it. Otherwise it is a monumental waste of time.
Anyone out there??? I would be grateful. Julia

 

[klobkelosh]

Julia, there are some things you can try. I'm no expert, so I can't help with all that much detail, but Google how to do some of these things if you need to.

First, it does sound like gmail/email is your culprit. Let's start with the email app (actually not a real app in this version of Android, so it can go). Navigate to settings, apps, all apps, find email, press the disable button, and accept any warnings (you can always re enable if you wish)

Next, I'd try clearing the data and cache for gmail. Note that you'll probably lose your bt email settings, so make sure you know how to re setup your email first. In the all apps window, find gmail, select clear data. Now you have a clean slate with email apps. See if that works.

If that doesn't work, you might want to try disabling gmail and see if that helps. If it does, you could install a third party email app if you need one. There are many to choose from I the market.

If none of that works try booting the tablet into safe mode and see if the problem persists there. To enter safe mode, hold down the physical power button until you see the power off prompt. Then press and hold the power off screen button until it prompts you to enter safe mode. Test battery in safe mode. If the problem persists in safe mode, you might have a physical battery issue. If it works fine in safe mode, it's an app causing the problem.

Android is notoriously difficult to suss out battery issues. Identifying them often requires super user and developer settings access. I wish you luck.

 

[Julia Matcham]

Er...thanks...a bit daunting but good to be told the truth. I am surprised Android can't invent an App called Sleuth! (Get on with it Android!) I would happily pay for it!
All the above is a nightmare for an ordinary punter. I certainly can't remember how I set up email ...I think someone did it for me. I am quite good at finding my way around settings but the problem always is the adverse consequences of decisions, which are never obvious or mentioned. Oh well. I turn it off completely at night at the moment, but it takes its time to warm up in the morning.
I will have to wait for a moment of courage to follow your instructions. But thanks very much. I will try to get back to you in due course!

 

[Julia Matcham]

Klobkelosh,
For the record I took the Email (only email) back to Factory setting and haven’t yet re-established it (due to not knowing how! and lost passwords!). But clearly email is the problem as that seems a normal expectation of battery use ...I presume?
9pm 82%
11 pm 78%
9.30 am 71%
9pm 61%
11 am 52%
What I don't know is how much battery email should be expected to use? Just checking email from time to time. ? What is roughly speaking normal?

 

[klobkelosh]

Klobkelosh,
For the record I took the Email (only email) back to Factory setting and haven’t yet re-established it (due to not knowing how! and lost passwords!). But clearly email is the problem as that seems a normal expectation of battery use ...I presume?
9pm 82%
11 pm 78%
9.30 am 71%
9pm 61%
11 am52%
What I don't know is how much battery email should be expected to use? Just checking email from time to time. ? What is roughly speaking normal?

I'd say the numbers you posted above look normal to me. Sounds like email is the culprit. Of course you'll likely need to set up your email again. If you do, I might suggest that you try some other third party email apps first. I have no recommendations for you, as I use gmail app for gmail only and outlook app for work email and both work fine with no battery drain.

 

[Soapm]

What I don't know is how much battery email should be expected to use? Just checking email from time to time. ? What is roughly speaking normal?

Doesn't it depend on how many mailboxes and how much mail you get? Not too mention how often you have it set to poll.

 

[Julia Matcham]

Klobkelosh,,
I have re-established gmail (NEW account because I couldn't remember old password) which as far as I can make out is the portal through which all email has to come. That I could use, but don't want to as I only want one email address.
I also established my btinternet credentials...and there it is in the email slot, along with gmail(working), but NOT SYNCING for ever. Troubleshooting says try turning sync on and off several times. Where you do that defeats me. I have looked at about every crevice in settings. I have spent hours looking. I turned the tablet off completely last night in the hope it might work in the morning. It didn't.
Sync settings doesn't have an off switch, just a list of timings. But I looked everywhere for the sync emblem that the internet Utube how to shows you on Nexus 7...but NOT on mine!
What did you mean about 'third party email aps?
I can get to email through Yahoo but it is an untidy mess and not worth the effort. If I hadn't also got a computer I would....put my head in the printer!!!
Any advice would be more than welcome.

 

[Julia Matcham]

Soapm,
'Doesn't it depend on how many mailboxes and how much mail you get? Not too mention how often you have it set to poll. '
I am just a civilian so information is gleaned where I can...what I gather from your comment is that the length of time you set the Sync for incoming emails has an effect on the battery? If that is the case, what do you consider an appropriate interval?
Thanks. NB As you can see I am only on gmail at the moment and desperately trying to restore my btinternet.

 

[Soapm]

Soapm,
'Doesn't it depend on how many mailboxes and how much mail you get? Not too mention how often you have it set to poll. '
I am just a civilian so information is gleaned where I can...what I gather from your comment is that the length of time you set the Sync for incoming emails has an effect on the battery? If that is the case, what do you consider an appropriate interval?
Thanks. NB As you can see I am only on gmail at the moment and desperately trying to restore my btinternet.

If you have only one mailbox then that isn't the problem unless you get like 10 messages per minute lol

I have 5 mailboxes so I have my main two to poll every 15 minutes and the other 3 less used boxes poll every 3 hours. But I don't get much mail on any of my addresses but I did notice this change extended my battery life.

 

[Julia Matcham]

Thanks, I will bear that in mind ...if I ever get my email back!

 

[mikman11]

I uninstalled the gmail updates, effectively putting the gmail app back to a factory image and the problem with my battery drain went away. I don't know what change in the updated app causes the battery drain. But it's not just you having this problem with their nexus 7 2013... not sure what else you can do but uninstall the gmail update. Settings -> Apps -> Find gmail then click uninstall updates.