Battery Life on Samsung Droid Charge

[turkishcoffee]

I've had my Samsung Droid Charge for about a week now and have been pleased with the battery performance so far. With moderate-heavy use (several phone calls, lots of messaging and email reading, some web browsing, some GPS for navigation and some Pandora streaming) I am getting about 12-14 hours. With light use (email, a few new app downloads, short phone call, calendar and lots of idle time) the battery lasted over two days before needing a charge.

I'm not using any power management apps, but I have let the battery drain until the phone shut down and then have charged it for 8 hours while it was off once (a procedure I read about that is supposed to help calibrate the battery and maximize its effectiveness.) I'm doing this calibration process a second time as recommended.

Here's a screenshot of the battery status with light use.

The main battery drain seems to come from the display. I am using the auto brightness adjustment, but may try to set the display brightness to a minimally acceptable level and see if it improves the battery performance any more.

 

[saillling4life]

If you don't use auto brightness your battery life will sky rocket, or so I hear. I belive the auto brightness setting uses a sensor, that's why the battery life would improve.

 

[Cruiserdude]

Yep, turn off auto-brightness. When you put it almost at the end of the slider, but not the very minimum, its still very bright and looks great indoors. Keep a widget or shortcut to the brightness settings somewhere (I have it in the dock with LP) and turn up the brightness or put it on auto as needed. You'll find its not needed very often.

I'll tell you what else works for me. In the pull-down menu, turn off everything you don't need and it will help tremendously. Once you enable location services, you won't need to turn on GPS for anything other than navigation, and if your GPS works great like mine does, it only takes around 15 seconds for it to find a signal once you turn it on. Auto-Rotate isn't necessary all the time either, and uses a sensor. In fact, it can be rather annoying at times, so you can turn that on and off as well. Only turn on WiFi or Mobile Data when you need it, and you won't need both at once unless you're tethering. Now that VZW has improved a few things in the network, I've found that the phone establishes a data connection within just a few seconds after enabling it when in a 3g or 4g area, and the switching issue is gone. So turn on data when you need it, and turn it off when you don't, such as when you make a call, play a game, or when you're putting it back in your pocket.

Don't use JuiceDefender. All the free version really does is manage your data radio for you, keeping it off and only turning it on when needed. But I found it contributed to data synching problems, and seemed to actually use more battery, both by being a running process, and forcing data to re-sync every time I unlock the screen. My connection and battery life improved dramatically by getting rid of JD altogether, and managing Mobile Data myself as mentioned.

And of course don't use task-killers, but I'm guessing you already knew that. JD and many task-killers that attempt to "tweak" how Android operates generally end up getting in the way, and if they start working against each other will make your system slow and unreliable, as well as kill your battery. I've found the best solution is typically to let the system operate as it was designed, and manage things like connections and running programs manually. Just exit everything with the back button, and/or use the built-in task manager to exit apps and clear memory if you find it necessary.

After about a week and with a properly calibrated battery, your battery life will improve a good bit. If you follow the steps I mentioned, you should have no problem getting through an average day no matter what you do.

 

[st33med]

What he said, and you can also turn off 4G which sucks battery life as it scans for a 4G network. Go to Menu -> Settings -> Wireless and Network -> Mobile Networks -> System selection and select 'CDMA mode' and then select 'Automatic'. Your battery will thank you.

Also, no matter what, the screen will always be the number one battery sucker because it's an sAMOLED + screen. Still, it will last you a long time if you use the phone minimally.

 

[Ken7]

The only thing I'll add is that Verizon has NOT fixed the 3G to 4G, 4G to 3G data issues in all areas. Additionally, the phone is not as sensitive in 3G areas as 3G only phones. So that although you can make & receive calls, you often can not get data that someone standing right next to you with a 3G only phone can.

I'm betting this too sucks battery life out as the phone searches for a 3G signal that's actually there.

 

[turkishcoffee]

Thanks for the replies.

I've turned off the auto-brightness control and set the display brightness to an acceptable minimum. I currently keep my GPS on because I'm using the Locked & Found service.

 

[turkishcoffee]

Follow-Up Questions

I'll tell you what else works for me. In the pull-down menu, turn off everything you don't need and it will help tremendously. Once you enable location services, you won't need to turn on GPS for anything other than navigation, and if your GPS works great like mine does, it only takes around 15 seconds for it to find a signal once you turn it on.

I just re-read your post and paid closer attention to what you said about the GPS. It looks like there are three location services that can use the GPS:

VZW location services
Standalone GPS services
Google location services

I don't really understand the difference between them. I currently have Standalone GPS services enabled (the other two services are unchecked), and the GPS turned on. I have the GPS on because of the Locked & Found app. Are you saying that i don't need to turn on the GPS (for Locked & Found) if I have any of the three location services checked? Or does it have to be a specific location service? Do I only have to turn on the GPS when I want navigation (i.e. while driving)?

 

[shobuddy]

The only thing I'll add is that Verizon has NOT fixed the 3G to 4G, 4G to 3G data issues in all areas. Additionally, the phone is not as sensitive in 3G areas as 3G only phones. So that although you can make & receive calls, you often can not get data that someone standing right next to you with a 3G only phone can.

I'm betting this too sucks battery life out as the phone searches for a 3G signal that's actually there.

This only applies if you're outside 4G or on the fringes of 4G, right? If you're in an area completely covered by 4G, then it should not matter, right?

 

[turkishcoffee]

This only applies if you're outside 4G or on the fringes of 4G, right? If you're in an area completely covered by 4G, then it should not matter, right?

Yes, that is my understanding.

 

[BuTbKa#IM]

I'm not that impressed with battery life yet. Coming from DroidX, with same use my battery doesn't last more then 10-11 hours, which is no go. Another issue I noticed ... when I charge phone overnight in the morning I have a message that phone is at 100%, but as soon as I disconnect charger it drops to 90% within 10 seconds. Is it common problem, or just my device?

 

[Ken7]

Just your device. I remove mine from the charger and it shows 100% for awhile.

 

[DroidXcon]

I'm not that impressed with battery life yet. Coming from DroidX, with same use my battery doesn't last more then 10-11 hours, which is no go. Another issue I noticed ... when I charge phone overnight in the morning I have a message that phone is at 100%, but as soon as I disconnect charger it drops to 90% within 10 seconds. Is it common problem, or just my device?

that is not a problem if you disconnect the battery when it is 100% it may stay around there, but at 100 the battery stops charging and slowly discharges and charges in pulses. its just how almost all batterys and charging systems work there is thread about this in detail over at XDA ...

anyway you are comparing apples and oranges with DX and a LTE device. But if the battery is super inconvienient i heard that DX2 is pretty good

 

[brianct1972]

I'm not that impressed with battery life yet. Coming from DroidX, with same use my battery doesn't last more then 10-11 hours, which is no go. Another issue I noticed ... when I charge phone overnight in the morning I have a message that phone is at 100%, but as soon as I disconnect charger it drops to 90% within 10 seconds. Is it common problem, or just my device?

I get about the same usage as you, but I am not seeing the almost instant 10% drop. Certainly sound like a device issue, that is not normal.

 

[BuTbKa#IM]

Thats what I'm thinking too. Overall phone is pretty good, but that 10% drop every morning just bagging me. Will give it a full week, then might stop by Verizon store..

I get about the same usage as you, but I am not seeing the almost instant 10% drop. Certainly sound like a device issue, that is not normal.

 

[dubge]

when you get up in the morning give it a couple of bump charges before you head out and see if that makes a difference (unplug and plug it back in)

 

[turkishcoffee]

I'm not that impressed with battery life yet. Coming from DroidX, with same use my battery doesn't last more then 10-11 hours, which is no go. Another issue I noticed ... when I charge phone overnight in the morning I have a message that phone is at 100%, but as soon as I disconnect charger it drops to 90% within 10 seconds. Is it common problem, or just my device?

Have you tried calibrating the battery by letting the battery charge go to 0% until the phone shuts off, and then charging it with the phone off for 8 hours? I've gone through this procedure twice now and I believe it has helped the battery get fully charged. Sounds like your battery may not "really" be getting a full charge.

I'm getting through each day (with moderate use) and still have 40% battery left. With heavier use I still get through the day (i.e. 14 hours). I've been experimenting with different things to see how it affects battery life. Since the office I normally work out of has wifi, I am using that and turning off the data when I don't need to use it. I'm finding that the biggest power drain is the display. I've turned off the auto-brightness feature and have set the brightness to a minimum, and it is still quite bright under normal conditions.

 

[mlw1599]

I'm not that impressed with battery life yet. Coming from DroidX, with same use my battery doesn't last more then 10-11 hours, which is no go. Another issue I noticed ... when I charge phone overnight in the morning I have a message that phone is at 100%, but as soon as I disconnect charger it drops to 90% within 10 seconds. Is it common problem, or just my device?

I agree, I've had a terrible time with the battery. Coming previously from the Samsung Vibrant I was expecting an equal if not better battery life.... I went to Verizon to see if I was doing soemthing wrong, I've tried EVERYTHING, they told me they had no idea what I was talking about, no one has had trouble with the battery and it has the best battery on the market.... I'm pretty much at my wits end with a battery that has to be charged when I am at work, about 8 hours after being taken off the charger with little to no use and having the "mobile data" and GPS turned off the entire time. Mine drops immediately as well. Like, I unplug, leave the house, ride the el 7 minutes, get in my building and it's already down visibly in the display. Have you gotten anything to work?

 

[barrycinti]

Just your device. I remove mine from the charger and it shows 100% for awhile.

My battery indicator stays high for quite a while, but towards evening it seems to drop off at a faster rate regardless of how much I use it. I can check it early evening and it will be at 40% then one hour later it will be at 30% or lower with no use. This is with the following off - GPS, mobile data, WIFI. Bluetooth on. I am going to try the suggestion below for battery calibration to see if I get different results.

 

[arctic388]

complained to Verizon and they sent me out a replacement. on my fourth day with it and it drains faster than the one that came with it.

weird thing is i bought a 1500mAh replacement and it last longer and takes less time to charge.

 

[prubin]

Best thing I did was black wallpaper. Apparently amelod screens do not have a backlight and black pixels use no power.

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