hey guys, i'm new to the site, also new Android owner, been doing some learning, there's a lot to learn but every time i learn something it makes my phone more useful, I've searched the forum for some help on battery life, i got the Galaxy Nexus GT-i9250M, i'm in Canada my carrier is Mobilicity and i got Jelly Bean stock, my 1750 mAh is not great, I've tried a few different things but not much improvement, so i decided to buy a new battery (Seidio Innocell 3500mAh Super Extended Life NFC Battery for Samsung Galaxy Nexus) paid $61.16 with taxes and delivery, my question is: what should i do when the new battery gets here, I've heard so many things about training the battery, calibrate the battery, cycles and so on but not sure exactly what to do, i got Battery Monitor Widget Pro, i cant find a tutorial or how to use, thanks!
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Help Battery Life
- Thread starter alexyov1
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Tim K
Android Expert
Don't do anything. Just use it. New batteries don't need any special treatment or breakins. Current technology is very different from the old NiMH and such. The device manages battery usage and charging. There's nothing you need to do.
That said, I've got a bunch of usage tips listed in my signature that will help you maximize battery life.
That said, I've got a bunch of usage tips listed in my signature that will help you maximize battery life.
it went down to 30% in less than 7 hours with minimal use
Tim K
Android Expert
Feel free to post your battery screenshots for an amateur evaluation...
It really comes down to a few things.
Screen Brightness
Screen On time
WiFi/3G/4G
Streaming
Signal strength
....and remember that GPS and voice calls take a lot of power too
I keep my brightness at 30% unless I am outside in bright light, then its 70%
Screen on time - the lower the better. On a std battery, you'll be lucky to get 4hrs of screen on time even if you do little else.
WiFi uses the least power, so whenever possible keep WiFi on - unless you are somewhere for an extended period of time with no WiFi. 3G uses less power than 4G, so there is a trade-off for all that speed.
Streaming or anything data intensive will use a lot of power even over WiFi
Signal strength is the one that many people overlook. If you are in a poor coverage area, your phone will "hunt" for a strong signal and boost power to try to improve signal. It may also switch back and forth from 3G to 4G if you are in a fringe area. All of those things burn battery.
My typical day is 90% WiFi, 1-2 hours of screen on time at 30% brightness. Rarely stream, and a little MAP/GPS use. Maybe 20-40 minutes of voice calling. I usually go from 7am - 10pm before I hit 20% remaining.
It really comes down to a few things.
Screen Brightness
Screen On time
WiFi/3G/4G
Streaming
Signal strength
....and remember that GPS and voice calls take a lot of power too
I keep my brightness at 30% unless I am outside in bright light, then its 70%
Screen on time - the lower the better. On a std battery, you'll be lucky to get 4hrs of screen on time even if you do little else.
WiFi uses the least power, so whenever possible keep WiFi on - unless you are somewhere for an extended period of time with no WiFi. 3G uses less power than 4G, so there is a trade-off for all that speed.
Streaming or anything data intensive will use a lot of power even over WiFi
Signal strength is the one that many people overlook. If you are in a poor coverage area, your phone will "hunt" for a strong signal and boost power to try to improve signal. It may also switch back and forth from 3G to 4G if you are in a fringe area. All of those things burn battery.
My typical day is 90% WiFi, 1-2 hours of screen on time at 30% brightness. Rarely stream, and a little MAP/GPS use. Maybe 20-40 minutes of voice calling. I usually go from 7am - 10pm before I hit 20% remaining.
Zeinzu
Well-Known Member
Stock ROM with only the soft keys changed, 4.1.1, stock kernel, 2100mah Samsung OEM battery.
Tim K
Android Expert
Are you running the GSM variant or the LTE Verizon version....? My guess is GSM since you are on 4.1.1 but you could be running the Verizon leak as I am.
Hmm... but the 2100mah battery is for the i515 (CDMA Nexus). The i9250 Samsung extended battery is only 2000mah.
Zeinzu
Well-Known Member
Sprint, actually. Sprint already has official Jelly Bean.
GandalfTehGray
Android Expert
Thats very nice battery life. I only get about 2-3 hrs of screen time usually. But i bought an extra battery and a charger for it from samsung so I just bring that with me for long days at school.
CharlzO
Android Expert
Could you elaborate on the circumstances for the day? What kind of area/strength you're in, what you used, etc?
I notice that mine is about the same, but I can't swear to "minimal" use myself. When I'm at work, I'm on a fairly weak signal out at my desk. After an 8 hour shift, I'm down to about 20% or so, but I do also use it to play a bit on breaks and lunch, with screen on most of that time, and on full brightness. So for me, I feel that it's consistent with most smartphones I've had to date. Now, yesterday for example, sitting at home on Wi-Fi all day, I was still at 65% at 2 AM this morning, after 18 hours unplugged. And if I'm in the training room at work where I pick up Wi-Fi there, it jumps a lot too.
And I do have syncs set up, mostly around 15-30 mins, Location on, etc. I'm just curious if your usage is similar to my own, or if there's something else at work.
mattywalnuts
Well-Known Member
yay, another battery life thread!
if i don't leave my home, keep the device on wifi, and don't use it, i can get 48 hours...
however in a typical day for me (which includes train and subway), i take the device off the charger around 6:45 am, get to work at 8am with 78-80% left and when i get off the train exactly 12 hours later around 6:45pm i have around 15% left (if I don't charge at work). This includes streaming Sirius for approx. 1.5 hours.
Biggest killer is #1 using the screen, #2 going in and out of 3g/4g
if i don't leave my home, keep the device on wifi, and don't use it, i can get 48 hours...
however in a typical day for me (which includes train and subway), i take the device off the charger around 6:45 am, get to work at 8am with 78-80% left and when i get off the train exactly 12 hours later around 6:45pm i have around 15% left (if I don't charge at work). This includes streaming Sirius for approx. 1.5 hours.
Biggest killer is #1 using the screen, #2 going in and out of 3g/4g
Tim K
Android Expert
4hrs screen / 18hrs total seems more typical at least for me. I used to do about 2-3hrs screen time and get 20-24hrs.
I'm guessing if you are on sprint you aren't in an LTE market.
I'd like to see the screen shot of your battery graph page.
Zeinzu
Well-Known Member
Yes, Sprint and no LTE. What's shown on the graph that you would need to know? I posted everything that's important.
Zeinzu
Well-Known Member
I like to see the graph page. Shows how good connections are and awake times.
Gotcha. Well if it helps I get great signal where I live and work, and my phone gets excellent standby so I'm assuming wakes are either infrequent or shot timed.
Ok Nexus brothers and sisters, I need any advice I can get. I am new to the Nexus...just got mine this past Saturday via a trade. First thing I did was to install the Jelly Bean leak. Perfect, sweet, I really like how smooth this thing is. Everything seems to work. But, I have a problem with battery life. Now, I know this is not a Maxx, but it should do better. Today, I let the battery died as I was planning to wipe the battery stats, but to my surprise, I did not find that option on CWR. So, what should I do? I charged the phone last night to 100%. Today, I had it all day in CDMA only (not LTE), no wifi, no data sync, brightness to minimum, no bluetooth...and I still got 8 hours and 39mins with only 30mins of screen time. Any advise? I am attaching a few screen shots. FYI: I have the 2100 extended battery.
Tim K
Android Expert
You are in an area with horrific, horrendous signal. Honestly, there's almost nothing you can do about that.
1. If you are in an area with WiFi - USE IT. As much as possible. WiFi uses the least power of any data transfer. WiFi < 3G < 4G.
2. Keep brightness low - I run at 30% indoors, 70% if in bright light/sun.
But the reality is, these 2 tips will only help you so much. WiFi will help the most if its available to you. However, the cell signal you have is going to kill your battery quickly. You've got 84% of the time with NO SIGNAL..... looking at the mobile data line graph you have more red than I have ever seen on a phone.... and bright yellow is just about as bad and that's the rest of the graph. When your phone has poor signal strength it tries to boost its signal and search for a better connection....thus using more battery. Not to mention, that the process of doing so keeps the CPU awake which uses battery too.
I'm guessing that any verizon phone is going to have problems in that location, though the Nexus may be a little worse. The only solution is either one of their repeaters, or turning off your phone during the day (or airplane mode with WiFi).
1. If you are in an area with WiFi - USE IT. As much as possible. WiFi uses the least power of any data transfer. WiFi < 3G < 4G.
2. Keep brightness low - I run at 30% indoors, 70% if in bright light/sun.
But the reality is, these 2 tips will only help you so much. WiFi will help the most if its available to you. However, the cell signal you have is going to kill your battery quickly. You've got 84% of the time with NO SIGNAL..... looking at the mobile data line graph you have more red than I have ever seen on a phone.... and bright yellow is just about as bad and that's the rest of the graph. When your phone has poor signal strength it tries to boost its signal and search for a better connection....thus using more battery. Not to mention, that the process of doing so keeps the CPU awake which uses battery too.
I'm guessing that any verizon phone is going to have problems in that location, though the Nexus may be a little worse. The only solution is either one of their repeaters, or turning off your phone during the day (or airplane mode with WiFi).
Tim K, thanks for the information. Inside my work building, I get virtually no signal. Once in a while I might get some signal. As soon as I step outside the building, I get 4G. So, I am going to put my phone on airplane mode and see what happens today. No sense in me keeping the data on when I have no signal! Unfortunately, the wifi network at work is protected and no one can access it other than for work related stuff (which makes sense anyway). In examples like this is when you truly see the awesomeness of the Razr Maxx. That phone with everything turned on and same signal issues here would still be at more than 50% by the time I left the office. By midnight, with HEAVY usage, it would still be at around 20%. But, I love the Nexus fluidness, everything seems to "just work right", and the fact that you can do a lot more configuration to it.
I was actually looking into different kernels and roms, but I did not see of anything impressive in terms of gaining on battery life. So for now, I am sticking to Jelly Bean's leak JRO03O.
I will finish charging the phone and will take a pic after the end of my work day to see how the battery behaves on airplane mode. I think we all know the answer, but just to share with everyone the results in case someone else is experiencing similar issues.
I was actually looking into different kernels and roms, but I did not see of anything impressive in terms of gaining on battery life. So for now, I am sticking to Jelly Bean's leak JRO03O.
I will finish charging the phone and will take a pic after the end of my work day to see how the battery behaves on airplane mode. I think we all know the answer, but just to share with everyone the results in case someone else is experiencing similar issues.
Gekko
Android Expert
i suffer no hardships doing this -
Battery Tips for Android
1. Toggle off LTE, WIFI, GPS, BT, NFC, Hotspot. Toggle on as needed.
2. Display Brightness - Turn off Auto Brightness and Reduce Setting Bar to Minimum.
3. Sign out of Google Latitude, GTalk, G+, Google Now, and Messenger. Disable Location Reporting/History.
4. Beware of constantly syncing Apps and Bloatware like Facebook, Twitter, News, Non-Push Email, etc. Set Sync interval for every 1 hour or more.
5. Turn off keyboard haptic feedback.
6. Don't use Live Wallpaper. Use dark wallpaper if possible.
7. Set Display Sleep Setting to 2 Minutes or Less.
8. Set WIFI to Always stay on during Sleep if you regularly use WIFI.
9. Turn off vibrate for Emails.
10. Be careful of using too many live widgets.
11. Sync Exchange Emails 30 Days or less.
12. Do NOT use a Task Killer App.
Battery Tips for Android
1. Toggle off LTE, WIFI, GPS, BT, NFC, Hotspot. Toggle on as needed.
2. Display Brightness - Turn off Auto Brightness and Reduce Setting Bar to Minimum.
3. Sign out of Google Latitude, GTalk, G+, Google Now, and Messenger. Disable Location Reporting/History.
4. Beware of constantly syncing Apps and Bloatware like Facebook, Twitter, News, Non-Push Email, etc. Set Sync interval for every 1 hour or more.
5. Turn off keyboard haptic feedback.
6. Don't use Live Wallpaper. Use dark wallpaper if possible.
7. Set Display Sleep Setting to 2 Minutes or Less.
8. Set WIFI to Always stay on during Sleep if you regularly use WIFI.
9. Turn off vibrate for Emails.
10. Be careful of using too many live widgets.
11. Sync Exchange Emails 30 Days or less.
12. Do NOT use a Task Killer App.
Thanks Gekko. That's what's frustrating too. I am a minimalist when it comes to my phone. No live wallpapers: agreed. I am using this and it is awesome!
https://play.google.com/store/apps/...oid.NoWallpaper&feature=search_result#?t=W10.
I hope that by turning airplane mode on while in the office will trully save battery life.
I was thinking about installing AOKP because of the toggles on the notification bar. That will make it extremely easy to switch services as required.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/...oid.NoWallpaper&feature=search_result#?t=W10.
I hope that by turning airplane mode on while in the office will trully save battery life.
I was thinking about installing AOKP because of the toggles on the notification bar. That will make it extremely easy to switch services as required.
Gekko
Android Expert
i use the app "WIFI@Home" to automatically toggle WIFI on when at home and off when away -
WiFi@Home
by Achim Beinroth
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.aebeinroth.wifihome
it uses cell towers for location awareness and not GPS so it saves battery. it does only save one "Home" location but IMO it's still the best. there are some others like Llama and Y5. these all can be useful to automate your WIFI settings. perhaps you could set the "Home" location as your workplace since it has WIFI.
good luck!