The ultimate thread to discuss why everyone experiences different battery life!

Jimbro727 · 02-23-2007, 07:31 PM

OK everyone, I've spent alot of time on these forums, and I have noticed that almost everyone has completely different experiences with their battery! I'd like to discuss, and ultimately determine, why this is. Some people claim 1 or more days on the slim battery, others can't make it a few hours on that thing. Some make it a day on the extended battery, some make it a half day. Some only make it a day on the 3200mah super extended battery, and for some that would last them a week!

Why is this?

Even personally I've experienced vastly different battery life with the same usage and same 100% charge!

So let me start this off by saying what I do, and have done, and what my battery life is.

I recently did a hard reset, which seemed to double my battery life! I always close tasks when I'm done with the task manager. My phone/net usage varies, but yesterday I used alot (over an hour) of internet, and spent probably around 15 minutes on the phone (alot for me), and the battery still had power after 16 hours. Some days with that same usage, it'll die in 8 hours or less. I almost always have bluetooth ON, but use it only in the car, and not for very long. I also use push e-mail, and probably average 20 pieces of mail a day. My txt usage varies, but I usually average maybe 5 (in+out) per day (some days more, some days less).

I charge my phone every night, and on average, the extended 1640 battery dies before I get home. Some days it'll surprise me and last, and some days it refuses to. I also know about removing the battery and rebooting, and sometimes that'll give me 2 extra bars and let me run for hours more, and sometimes it does nothing.

What's everyone else's experience? What are your theories? Let's get to the bottom of this!

--Jimmy

ZATZAi · 02-23-2007, 08:08 PM

What Sips power, grouped and somewhat in order from most tob least power usage (Based on usage experience so may not be 100% accurate).

Streaming Video
Video
Streaming Audio
Audio
Intensive games

Full backlight (Not dimmed with Candlelight App)
Heavy downloading
Instant Messengers

Bluetooth Comm
Infrared Comm
Push email
Frequent email checks

Long backlight / screen timeout
Not using keylock when pocketed
Lost of active programs

Weather (Colder is better)

...

Not to mention the size of your battery, and it's age...

Jimbro727 · 02-23-2007, 09:16 PM

Originally Posted by ZATZAi

What Sips power, grouped and somewhat in order from most tob least power usage (Based on usage experience so may not be 100% accurate).

Streaming Video
Video
Streaming Audio
Audio
Intensive games

Full backlight (Not dimmed with Candlelight App)
Heavy downloading
Instant Messengers

Bluetooth Comm
Infrared Comm
Push email
Frequent email checks

Long backlight / screen timeout
Not using keylock when pocketed
Lost of active programs

Weather (Colder is better)

...

Not to mention the size of your battery, and it's age...

hey thanks for the info.. as far as your list goes, I only recently started streaming Sirius, but I haven't noticed a major hit in battery life, probably because i dont listen to it very often. Infrared I never use, I shut off whatever option I found in settings.. but Im not sure if it's 100% off or not.. push e-mail i do use, and it's a must... i have the shortest backlight timeout, and I don't use keylock, but I also use a clip holster. Would locking it still help me there?

I have heard alot about candlelight around here, does it really make the life that much better? I'll get it if it does..

And I've heard alot about battery age also... perhaps both of mine are old? I just ordered a new 2100 I think it is Seidio battery, so maybe that'll help alot since it's bigger and *hopefully* newer.

lexluthor · 02-23-2007, 10:21 PM

I think signal strength is the #1 factor.

I'm in a weak area where I get around 1 bar. It was switching between Ev and 1x every so often. I guess when it drops to 1x and tries to search out an Ev signal that really runs the battery.

I saw a dramatic increase in battery life when I set it to just 1x only.

Jimbro727 · 02-23-2007, 10:26 PM

Originally Posted by lexluthor

I think signal strength is the #1 factor.

I'm in a weak area where I get around 1 bar. It was switching between Ev and 1x every so often. I guess when it drops to 1x and tries to search out an Ev signal that really runs the battery.

I saw a dramatic increase in battery life when I set it to just 1x only.

See I've heard that, too.. and to be honest I don't know how good my signal strength is.. I'll have anywhere between 3 and 1 bars depending where I place the phone on my desk! I rarely notice it dropping to 1x, however. Maybe I'll force it to 1x and see what that does for my battery.. process of elimination!

ZATZAi · 02-23-2007, 11:06 PM

Ah yes the EVDO switch, I don't suffer from that so it's easy for me to forget. There is a way to change it around here somewhere... you just dial a special number. But if you reboot your phone, you have to re-apply it.

I doubt keylock will help you if you use a clip on holster, but remember you can turn off the screen quickly by holing down the mail key on the bottom left.

Candlelight makes a big difference, but it also makes the device hard to read in bright light (Outside). I always kick myself when I forget to turn it on.

Skipper · 02-24-2007, 11:46 PM

Well, my experiences include purchasing the silver q early on and the battery life was horrid to begin with. that was with a fresh wipe and everything. BUT I just bought a Black Q and its like night and day (no pun intended). From what I understand is the framework. the newer Q's have the newest version of framework and supposedly motorola got enough complaints to work hard and improve the life of the slim battery.

soooo. not sure if this helps, just my experience and thoughts.

qnoob · 02-25-2007, 01:20 AM

this may not exactly battery life related, but my problem now is my Q keeps showing 4 full battery bars all the time and the only way I'll know it's time to re-charge is when it goes dead.

SafeHarbor · 02-25-2007, 01:57 PM

My secret to great battery life on my VZW black Q is that I don't use it to surf much, don't make many calls, seldom play games with it, don't poll email with it), and don't tell anybody my cell number. Tuesday will be four weeks with it, and so far I've had four calls. Two of them were from Verizon to see how I was doing with it, one from my mom, and one from my boss.

I get GREAT battery life this way. Right now it's showing a full battery and three bars of signal, and the last charge was leaving it plugged in to my work PC day before yesterday. (Friday - this is Sunday afternoon.)

Oh, and I have Candelight installed and infrared beam is turned off.

Lamar

TAG1976 · 02-25-2007, 03:28 PM

Bluetooth was the killer for me in the beginning. I work out of a "Company Issued" Dell Axim, and I would transfer files back and forth to and from my storage on the Q. I never thought that leaving BT on would be an issue. I would get a full day out of my Extended battery with BT on and moderate use of other services(Web, Calls, Email, Etc) Now that I turn BT off every time + kill all unececessary processes, I can see an easy 2 days out of my phone.