Question why won't phone screen sleep with new USB power

[Messy_Garage]

I just bought this USB outlet so that I can charge my phone and leave it on top of my dresser. It is a combination light switch and USB outlet.

When the phone is plugged in here, the screen does not go into sleep mode after being inactive. The screen stays on all night. Is there a setting that will allow it? It does go to sleep when plugged in to other outlets (or when not plugged in).

The screen timeout value is set to five minutes.

Software is:
Android version: 14
version: U1THS34.65-74-1-7-14
Security Patch: Sept 1, 2025

Phone is:
Motorola Moto G Stylus (2023)

I bought this from Amazon. Search for "Legrand Pass & Seymour TM83USBWCCV4 15 Amp Combination Decorator Rocker Light Switch and Type A USB Charging Ports, 3-Way, White" for details.

 

[B. Diddy]

I assume the Screen Saver feature is turned off, correct?

 

[VidJunky]

This is odd. There's nothing I can think of that would cause a charger to do this but let's see if we can work through this.

When you say that the screen doesn't timeout and stays on, does it stay on the home screen or does it stay on the lock screen? If you opened it to the home screen would it just stay there until you locked it?

It goes to sleep when plugged into other outlets, using the same cord or different cords too?

If you put the screen to sleep will it stay off or turn back on? How long does it take to turn back on, or is it triggered by an event, like a notification?

Your sleep time is 5 minutes but what is your lock time? Sleep turns off the display, lock means it needs a PIN fingerprint or someone else to access the phone. Putting the screen to sleep doesn't necessarily lock the phone if you have the screen lock set to anything but instant.

Have you tried anything to see if you can force the screen to stay off? Lowered the timeout timer, lowered the lockout timer, pressed the power button to manually put the screen to sleep, closed all the background apps?

Since this only happens when you use this outlet it makes testing easier because we can reproduce the condition at will. The first test is like to do would be to put the phone in safe mode and see if it continues to act the same. This should help us determine if the issue is related to a bad app installed on your phone or some kind of system or hardware issue. At the moment the only thing that I can image this being would be the outlet is wired incorrectly. Outlets are pretty simple they usually take 2 wires and a ground and it could be as simple as the ground not being connected well, but it could also be one of the legs is wired incorrectly in the USB. I assume but must ask, have you tried both of the USB outlets on this device?

Turn down your screen and lock timeouts (temporarily). What's the result?

Tried and safe mode. What's the result?

Answer our questions and we'll see.

 

[Messy_Garage]

note: the problem happens on my wife's phone. I have an older phone and it seems to work okay.

I misspoke when I said it never sleeps. It turns out that there are at least three different behaviors:
a. It fades out slightly (maybe 50% dim) like it is going to sleep but then returns to full brightness. This cycles about every 5 or 6 seconds. Sometimes it sleeps after some time but more frequently it does not sleep.

b. A message comes out at the bottom, something like "90% Charging rapidly". That message comes and goes every few seconds. Simultaneously, there is a status message at the top right: "90%". (I used 90% as an example). It seems to stay awake in this mode.

When I plug in my old phone here, it does not get the 'charging rapidly' message. Probably, there is a difference in hardware.

c. It does indeed sleep after some time but this is rare. I do not know what circumstances allow it to sleep.

---
I suspect that the phone has new-ish hardware that allows 'charging rapidly' but the software still has some bugs.

Wifey says it takes too long to charge, so she has reverted to using the old USB port in another part of the house. It is not clear what she noticed, but she might be referring to the dimming / brightening cycle slowing down the charging.

 

[Messy_Garage]

This is odd. There's nothing I can think of that would cause a charger to do this but let's see if we can work through this.

When you say that the screen doesn't timeout and stays on, does it stay on the home screen or does it stay on the lock screen? If you opened it to the home screen would it just stay there until you locked it?

It goes to sleep when plugged into other outlets, using the same cord or different cords too?

If you put the screen to sleep will it stay off or turn back on? How long does it take to turn back on, or is it triggered by an event, like a notification?

Your sleep time is 5 minutes but what is your lock time? Sleep turns off the display, lock means it needs a PIN fingerprint or someone else to access the phone. Putting the screen to sleep doesn't necessarily lock the phone if you have the screen lock set to anything but instant.

Have you tried anything to see if you can force the screen to stay off? Lowered the timeout timer, lowered the lockout timer, pressed the power button to manually put the screen to sleep, closed all the background apps?

Since this only happens when you use this outlet it makes testing easier because we can reproduce the condition at will. The first test is like to do would be to put the phone in safe mode and see if it continues to act the same. This should help us determine if the issue is related to a bad app installed on your phone or some kind of system or hardware issue. At the moment the only thing that I can image this being would be the outlet is wired incorrectly. Outlets are pretty simple they usually take 2 wires and a ground and it could be as simple as the ground not being connected well, but it could also be one of the legs is wired incorrectly in the USB. I assume but must ask, have you tried both of the USB outlets on this device?

Turn down your screen and lock timeouts (temporarily). What's the result?

Tried and safe mode. What's the result?

Answer our questions and we'll see.

1. When you say that the screen doesn't timeout and stays on, does it stay on the home screen or does it stay on the lock screen? If you opened it to the home screen would it just stay there until you locked it?

a. This is wife's phone. She does not have lock enabled. It stays on the home screen.

2. It goes to sleep when plugged into other outlets, using the same cord or different cords too?

a. I tried two different cords in both working and non-working outlet. Neither cord worked in the problem outlet and both worked in the older outlet.

3. If you put the screen to sleep will it stay off or turn back on? How long does it take to turn back on, or is it triggered by an event, like a notification?

a. If I press the power button to sleep, the screens turns off. When I plug it in, the screen turns on and there is a 'ding' sound. After several seconds, it does go to sleep.

4. Your sleep time is 5 minutes but what is your lock time? Sleep turns off the display, lock means it needs a PIN fingerprint or someone else to access the phone. Putting the screen to sleep doesn't necessarily lock the phone if you have the screen lock set to anything but instant.

a. Wife set it to not lock

5. Have you tried anything to see if you can force the screen to stay off? Lowered the timeout timer, lowered the lockout timer, pressed the power button to manually put the screen to sleep, closed all the background apps?
a. have not tried anything

6. Since this only happens when you use this outlet it makes testing easier because we can reproduce the condition at will. The first test is like to do would be to put the phone in safe mode and see if it continues to act the same.

a. have not tried save mode.

7. This should help us determine if the issue is related to a bad app installed on your phone or some kind of system or hardware issue.

a. I suspect it has to do with 'charging rapidly' capability on the phone.

8. At the moment the only thing that I can image this being would be the outlet is wired incorrectly. Outlets are pretty simple they usually take 2 wires and a ground and it could be as simple as the ground not being connected well, but it could also be one of the legs is wired incorrectly in the USB.

a. Since it works correctly on my old phone, I do not think it is wiring problem.


9. I assume but must ask, have you tried both of the USB outlets on this device?

a. I tried both outlets. The results are the same.

10. Turn down your screen and lock timeouts (temporarily). What's the result?

a. have not tried

11. Tried and safe mode. What's the result?

a. have not tried


12. second phone?

a. I tried my phone, which has lock screen enabled, does sleep after timeout.

b. It is 1 year older Motorola, Moto G Power with Android Version 12. (the problem phone has V14)

 

[VidJunky]

Thank you for your answers. It's surprisingly rare that someone actually answers all of the questions even though they come looking for help. I looked over your answers and could barely remember this discussion. Hahaha.

Looking over your answers, the screen dimming and coming back, and then the message coming and going sounds like outlet port is bad or not making a good connection. To confirm, the phone doesn't do this behavior anywhere else when charging? Your old phone acting correctly in this position is odd if I'm right about the outlet itself being the source of the issue but out of curiosity what model is that old phone?

Anyway, your description sounds like the outlet may be the problem and it doesn't have anything to do with the phone. That's based on the fact that the phone did not act this way before and doesn't act this way when plugged in other places, on top of that it doesn't matter which cable is used, everything points to the outlet. You say "but what about my old phone that doesn't do this?" What make and model is your old phone? Does it have fast charging, or super fast charging? Dose your Moto get hot when plugged in to this outlet? Lithium batteries are not to be trifled with and I would not trust this outlet or want to connect my phone to it if these are the results. Is it too late to return or exchange this outlet? That would be my move since all of the symptoms are only here and everything you've described sounds like some kind of short.

 

[mustang7757]

Check in Developer settings if stay awake while charging is on if so turn it off that setting can override the 5 minute timeout.
Also try a good known cable if using a cheap one .

 

[Messy_Garage]

re: what are the phone models?

Phone that works: Motorola Moto G Power with Android Version 12.

Does not work: Motorola Moto G Stylus with Android Version 14.

 

[Messy_Garage]

The switch/plug does not appear to get hot when it is in use.

It is too late for me to return the switch. But I do not mind replacing it. The first one is made by "Legrand Pass & Seymour". I found a different maker on Amazon and will order one made by "Bryant Electric". (it looks basically the same, but with the rocker switch going left/right instead of up/down)

 

[mustang7757]

The switch/plug does not appear to get hot when it is in use.

It is too late for me to return the switch. But I do not mind replacing it. The first one is made by "Legrand Pass & Seymour". I found a different maker on Amazon and will order one made by "Bryant Electric". (it looks basically the same, but with the rocker switch going left/right instead of up/down)

Did you check developer settings?