Display using 90% of battery, phone dies in 3 hours

[dazzaa]

Forgive me if this has been covered before. I searched extensively but wasn't able to find an answer.

The problem started suddenly about a week ago. I didn't download any new apps or use my phone any differently, it just began out of the blue...

If I charge my phone to 100%, unplug it and set it down on the counter, it will be dead within 4 hours. GPS, WiFi, BT and 4G all turned off, with very good 3G signal. When I look at my battery usage it shows the Display as using +90% of the battery charge, even if I never once turn the display on. It drains so fast my USB laptop charger barely keeps up with the drain, charging the phone takes 10 hours using it! The wall charger and car charger are faster but still... effing ridiculous.

Honestly I don't know the first thing about these phones, I've never rooted or ROMd one before. It's 100% out-of-the-box stock aside from apps and I'm a light user (about 500MB/mo) Here's some info that might be helpful:

Android 2.3.5
Baseband 2.15.00.12.19
Kernel 2.6.35.10
Software 5.07.651.1 710ORD
PTI 2.33_003

Where do I begin? I can't find any (obviously) offending apps or tasks that would be eating up milliamps like this. But my Up Time and Awake Time are nearly identical and it's really effing hot, which leads me to believe the phone is cranking away at 100% all of the time, for some reason.

Any ideas?

 

[OperationA7X]

Stock you say? Hmm. Phone is overheating while off...by the way, OF COURSE charging your phone via laptop is going to take longer than a wall or car charger, it doesn't send out as much current as the last two. If it did, it wouldn't be able to transfer files. Now that I got my OCD out of the way, I would suggest rooting and using SetCPU to control your processor. (Higher = more speed, lower = battery saver). Think about it. As for the suggestions if you decide not to root....get a task killer.

Sent from my HTC Vivid WCX using Android Central Forums

 

[tube517]

Use the stock wall charger and charge it that way first before trying anything else. Don't charge via laptop/USB. Download an app called Spare Parts and it may show you what is causing the issue

And don't use any task killers. They are not necessary in GB 2.3 +

 

[wanabee]

might want to try 'better battery stats' in market this should tell you what is using all the juice.

 

[dazzaa]

Honestly charging is the least of my concerns, I only pointed that out to highlight the fact that my battery drains so fast my charger can barely keep up with it. That, to me, highlights how bad the drain is. I've already downloaded Spare Parts Free and looked around in it, but I can't find any functions that tell me more about which app/task is draining the battery better then what's already available in the stock GB battery monitor.

And sorry, but I refuse to root the phone and slow it down just because something else is wrong with it. Slowing down the CPU doesn't solve the root of the problem at all, it just masks the symptoms while forcing me to deal with all the side effects of a slow phone. No deal.

As an example, last night before going to bed I reset my phone and then plugged it in to the wall charger. When I got up in the morning, sure enough my Awake Time and Up Time were within 10 minutes of each other and the Display used up 92% of the battery, even though I never once turned the display on.

 

[tube517]

In spare parts look for battery history then change dropdown to partial wake usage. Look at the app with the highest amount

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[Illusions]

Your display is apparently staying on...perhaps very dim and not noticeable...you might consider changing to another rom to see if it fixes it.

Sounds like your battery may have gone bad for some reason. I suggest getting a new one...fairly cheap batteries available for $5 on Amazon.

 

[dazzaa]

In spare parts look for battery history then change dropdown to partial wake usage. Look at the app with the highest amount

Sent from my Thrive using Android Central Forums

Hmmmm... my free version does not seem to have that option. I might have to DL the full payed version.

Your display is apparently staying on...perhaps very dim and not noticeable...you might consider changing to another rom to see if it fixes it.

Sounds like your battery may have gone bad for some reason. I suggest getting a new one...fairly cheap batteries available for $5 on Amazon.

Considering my device is not rooted, changing ROMs is not an option at the moment. While I agree the short battery life might be indicative of a battery fault the fact that 'display' eats up 90% of it, that my phone never goes to sleep and that it's hot to the touch lead me to think the battery is actively being drained by the phone and not just faulty by itself.

 

[tube517]

Hmmmm... my free version does not seem to have that option. I might have to DL the full payed version.

Sorry, it's been a long time since I used the free version of spare parts. Try an app called Android Booster Free. Go to the "Power Manager" section and it should tell you what app is eating up your battery.

 

[OperationA7X]

Sorry, it's been a long time since I used the free version of spare parts. Try an app called Android Booster Free. Go to the "Power Manager" section and it should tell you what app is eating up your battery.

Why wouldn't you use a task killer? I've been using one since Eclair! Sorry if I like more battery life and less data being transferred, hence saving my set data limit AND my battery. I'd rather not go through and force close everything. Did that once. Slowed down my phone bad. All I did was flash Gapps again, and everything is fine.

Sent from my HTC Vivid WCX using Android Central Forums

 

[tube517]

Why wouldn't you use a task killer? I've been using one since Eclair! Sorry if I like more battery life and less data being transferred, hence saving my set data limit AND my battery. I'd rather not go through and force close everything. Did that once. Slowed down my phone bad. All I did was flash Gapps again, and everything is fine.

Sent from my HTC Vivid WCX using Android Central Forums

Task killers are no longer necessary after Froyo and Gingerbread. When I first bought my EVO, everyone was using task killers. After froyo and gingerbread, it wasn't necessary.

Also, task killers, if not used properly, can cause bootloops, force closes, etc.

As far as battery life, I use Juice Defender/Ultimate Juice and also underclock my phone and get great battery life. It blows away using a task killer for battery life

Real World Test Show That Android Task Killers Are Still Useless

http://www.droid-life.com/2011/06/02/revisiting-android-task-killers-and-why-you-dont-need-one/

 

[OperationA7X]

XD yeah, I know the whole "uses more CPU, etc." Thing before. And I'm not the typical user, mind you. People pay me to flash their devices, mod them, tweak them, etc. I prefer Advanced Task Killer because it helps my phone out. I know how to whitelist, not stop, etc. I have used Juice Defender back when I was on a low end phone (Motorola Flipside) and it wasn't bad. But ICS + ATK makes things so much simpler.

Sent from my HTC Vivid WCX using Android Central Forums

 

[OperationA7X]

And I just read the link and lol'd at the newbies. Except for the CM guy. Had a good point, but again, if you know what you're doing, it could come in handy. We can sit here and throw links at each other, but why can't we just respect each other's differences? You like Juice Defender and I like ATK. Both very good apps for squeezing that battery life to last longer. I need my task killer for two reasons: don't need that many apps running and I have a set data limit (AT&T). So, by "killing" (turning off the apps), my data won't be used, hence, keeping my bill low.

Sent from my HTC Vivid WCX using Android Central Forums

 

[tube517]

And I just read the link and lol'd at the newbies. Except for the CM guy. Had a good point, but again, if you know what you're doing, it could come in handy. We can sit here and throw links at each other, but why can't we just respect each other's differences? You like Juice Defender and I like ATK. Both very good apps for squeezing that battery life to last longer. I need my task killer for two reasons: don't need that many apps running and I have a set data limit (AT&T). So, by "killing" (turning off the apps), my data won't be used, hence, keeping my bill low.

Sent from my HTC Vivid WCX using Android Central Forums

Never said that I didn't respect the difference. Just answering your "Why" question. That's how it works in forums. You can do what you want with your phone. All I'm saying is it's not necessary.

 

[OperationA7X]

I can agree with that. I loooooooove not killing apps, but I only do that when I'm in WiFi. Yeah, I know Android prides itself on being "a great multitasker".

Sent from my HTC Vivid WCX using Android Central Forums

 

[dazzaa]

So... back to the problem at hand

 

[dazzaa]

Sorry, it's been a long time since I used the free version of spare parts. Try an app called Android Booster Free. Go to the "Power Manager" section and it should tell you what app is eating up your battery.

I tried this, it still just says "display", same as the stock battery monitor. None of the apps I've DL'd (Android booster, spare parts, juice defender) give me any more detail than what's already on the phone. Obviously if my phone is sitting on the table, screen off, unused, the screen shouldn't eat 90% of my battery.

 

[r3ddawn]

If your awake time and sleep time are almost the same, then it's some app/process that is eating up your battery. As suggested, you should get betterbatterystats from the market. I don't think they have a free version, but either way, this app will always be handy no matter what android phone you have in the future. I would suggest the following. Turn your display brightness as far down as possible, to where you can read the screen of course, but no more, install betterbatterystats, and charge your phone all the way to 100 percent. Then disconnect, and let it fully drain out your battery. Once your battery is fully drained, post screenshots if you can of the batterystats app showing what it logged, or simply write it out. There are different sections within batterystats to view, we will need to see all that info to figure out what is causing the problem, but again, it's more then likely some app/process making your phone stay awake, when it should go to sleep..

 

[tube517]

I tried this, it still just says "display", same as the stock battery monitor. None of the apps I've DL'd (Android booster, spare parts, juice defender) give me any more detail than what's already on the phone. Obviously if my phone is sitting on the table, screen off, unused, the screen shouldn't eat 90% of my battery.

Click on Applications and a list of the top battery draining apps is shown for your phone

 

[dazzaa]

If your awake time and sleep time are almost the same, then it's some app/process that is eating up your battery. As suggested, you should get betterbatterystats from the market. I don't think they have a free version, but either way, this app will always be handy no matter what android phone you have in the future. I would suggest the following. Turn your display brightness as far down as possible, to where you can read the screen of course, but no more, install betterbatterystats, and charge your phone all the way to 100 percent. Then disconnect, and let it fully drain out your battery. Once your battery is fully drained, post screenshots if you can of the batterystats app showing what it logged, or simply write it out. There are different sections within batterystats to view, we will need to see all that info to figure out what is causing the problem, but again, it's more then likely some app/process making your phone stay awake, when it should go to sleep..

OK, I'll work on that this weekend. Thanks!

Click on Applications and a list of the top battery draining apps is shown for your phone

In which app?