Help GS2 Randomly dies with full battery, after reboot battery is critical [solved]

[camel_456]

I was rooted until I starting having this problem, so I fully wiped the handset and installed the stock Orange 4.0.3 LPD software. Unfortunately I'm still having the problem.

I can have about 80% battery, then randomly, whether I am using the device or not, the screen brightness with flicker for 2-3 seconds and the screen will turn black. The device becomes completely unresponsive and I have to pull out the battery and reinsert it.

Upon reboot the once almost full capacity battery is now show around 3%. The phone then either shuts down due to the low battery, or the screens brightness flashes again the the screen just turns black. Sometimes if I plug in the charger for a minute or two, then boot up the phone, the battery level has shot back up to being almost full capacity (as shown in the screen shot).

What worries me is that this problem has persisted even after I have unrooted the device and am running stock firmware. I have just bought a new battery (even if this isn't the problem it'll be good to have a spare) so will be able to try that in a few days.

I have read online that the fuel gauge may need to be reset, but before I root the phone again I wanted to get a second opinion, and see if anyone on here has any suggestions.

Cheers,

Cameron

 

[Hawker]

You have about a 25% chance that every time you switch off your phone your battery level will take a big hit. It's one of the drawbacks of having a fuel gauge chip than never needs calibrating.

Once one of these nose-dives has occurred, if you switch your phone back on and leave it idle, you will find the batter level gradually creeps back up.

The only real "calibration" method for a GS2 is to:

1. charge to 100%
2. take out battery for 3 mins.
3. re-insert battery.

It also wont hurt during the time the battery is out to hold the power button for 10 seconds+ (soft reset) and when you re-insert the battery after 3 mins to hold home+power for 10 seconds+ (hard reset)

 

[camel_456]

Thanks for the suggestion. I understand upon reboot some battery may be "lost" but this doesn't explain why the phone is dying randomly.

I've updated to 4.0.4 through Kies, and then performed a hard reset. Unfortunately the problem still persists, but I have deduced it isn't happening when the phone is plugged in, so I am hoping my there is a problem with my battery. The new one should arrive in a couple of days so I will be able to check then.

 

[camel_456]

A new battery fixed the problem. I'll be in touch with Samsung to see if I can get a replacement for the faulty battery.

 

[kunalgolani]

Hey Cameron

I am facing the exact same problem. I have read other people saying that a new battery did not solve similar problems for them. Using the new battery, did you get the problem again after a few weeks? If no, I shall buy a new battery myself. If yes, did you figure out another way to fix it?

I can have about 80% battery, then randomly, whether I am using the device or not, the screen brightness with flicker for 2-3 seconds and the screen will turn black. The device becomes completely unresponsive and I have to pull out the battery and reinsert it.

Upon reboot the once almost full capacity battery is now show around 3%. The phone then either shuts down due to the low battery, or the screens brightness flashes again the the screen just turns black. Sometimes if I plug in the charger for a minute or two, then boot up the phone, the battery level has shot back up to being almost full capacity (as shown in the screen shot).

Cheers,

Cameron

 

[camel_456]

Hey Cameron

I am facing the exact same problem. I have read other people saying that a new battery did not solve similar problems for them. Using the new battery, did you get the problem again after a few weeks? If no, I shall buy a new battery myself. If yes, did you figure out another way to fix it?

Hi kunalgolani,

Yes, for me the new battery worked perfectly. I believe one of the cells in the old battery had become faulty which is why the capacity was jumping all over the place.

Interestingly I just cleared out my desk draw and found the old faulty battery a few weeks ago. Worryingly it had swelled to almost 3 times it's normal size, so I suppose it was definitely faulty (and it had been in a draw right next to my legs all this time, was glad to get rid of it)!

Cameron

 

[jikijiki]

Hi, I think I may be having the exact same issue.
I have the same symptoms, except that the only time my screen flickers and then the phone turns off only happens when I do something internet related ie Facebook, youtube, or the internet app.

It crashes and then one of two things happened:

1) On startup, it would just crash again.
2) As you said, a successful restart = critical battery level.

I've tried the battery calibration method as suggested by others but I still get the same issue. Has your phone died again since you bought a new battery?

Would you be able to describe how 'puffed' up your battery seems to be? If you take off the battery cover and press down on the side of the battery that is furthest away from the back camera, is it supposed to be able to (I'm not sure about the wording) be pressed down? As in, does it jiggle?

 

[camel_456]

I don't have the phone anymore, but like I mentioned, I never had any problems with the new battery. The phone was like brand new.

My battery problem did not relate to any particular software use. It died whenever it wanted.

My old battery never moved around inside the phone. When it was in the phone it was normal size but after a few months in my desk draw it had swollen to about 12mm thick. Definitely not normal behaviour!

 

[gotrixie]

I have had this same issue almost from day 1 of getting my gs2.
I took it to sprint and every time they give me a new battery. It fixes the problem... for a time.
But in the end it does it again.
And the guys at Sprint just want to keep giving me batteries. How about fixing the phone?
Something is faulty in the phone.