Phone started to drain battery

[newbie321]

I've been noticing that my battery started to get drained way too much...
Before my phone lasted over a day on a single charge and all the sudden the battery started go from 100% to 0% in just 2-3 hours.

I checked battery consumption stats (settings/battery) and it just says that the screen/display took most of the energy. However, my screen usage is the same as before. Moreover, the phone is getting hotter very much similar to when the phone is downloading/uploading something constantly. The warmth is coming from around the upper part of the phone? so it looks like like radio or something is constantly working that is not detected by settings->battery monitor.

Anyone had to deal with such problem? if so, what is the remedy?

Thanks!

 

[Hadron]

Try a second opinion: GSam Battery Monitor gives you more detail on usage than the build-in monitor, so might provide a clue.

Also, has anything changed recently? The obvious thing to check is signal strength: if a cell is out in the location you spend most of your time, for example, the phone will have to work much harder to maintain contact, and so the battery will drop faster (admittedly what you describe is really drastic for that, but it's easy to check - just look at the signal meter).

And as a general thing to try, boot into recovery and wipe the cache (just the cache). That only takes a minute, doesn't lose any of your data, and can sometimes clear up odd behaviour.

 

[newbie321]

Thanks for a reply, @Hadron ,

Yes my signal strength is 5 our 5 bars. so no issues here. Nothing really changed on my phone... the apps are the same (although they have been updating).
I will download the battery monitor you recommended.
Thanks

 

[newbie321]

@Hadron ,
so I installed GSAM. GSAM is showing me that my phone radio is being heavily used. What exactly does 'phone radio' mean? does it mean
1) 'Communication with cell tower for phone conversation usage'
OR
1) 'Communication with cell tower for phone conversation usage' AND
2) Usage of LTE/4g data connection as well.

Interestingly enough, I just noticed that my z981 no longer can connect to the ZTE's update site (settings / about phone / system updates).

Thanks,
Edgar

 

[lunatic59]

Interestingly enough, I just noticed that my z981 no longer can connect to the ZTE's update site (settings / about phone / system updates).

This may bee the root of your problem. With ZTE's shutdown, their update servers may be offline and your phone is constantly trying to connect to it. I think we are going to see more of this problem with ZTE phones in the short term.

 

[KBU2]

@Hadron ,
so I installed GSAM. GSAM is showing me that my phone radio is being heavily used. What exactly does 'phone radio' mean? does it mean
1) 'Communication with cell tower for phone conversation usage'
OR
1) 'Communication with cell tower for phone conversation usage' AND
2) Usage of LTE/4g data connection as well.

Interestingly enough, I just noticed that my z981 no longer can connect to the ZTE's update site (settings / about phone / system updates).

Thanks,
Edgar

That explains a lot why MetroPCS is giving away those phones to new or existing customers that open a second line with free activation.

 

[KBU2]

I hate to be the Bearer of bad news but it maybe time for you to get another phone that's supported by its manufacturer, mainly because that problem is not going to go away no time too soon because your phone will constantly search for pings connected to ZTE update server that has been disabled

 

[Hadron]

@Hadron ,
so I installed GSAM. GSAM is showing me that my phone radio is being heavily used. What exactly does 'phone radio' mean? does it mean
1) 'Communication with cell tower for phone conversation usage'
OR
1) 'Communication with cell tower for phone conversation usage' AND
2) Usage of LTE/4g data connection as well.

Interestingly enough, I just noticed that my z981 no longer can connect to the ZTE's update site (settings / about phone / system updates).

Thanks,
Edgar

It's never explicitly explained what this means, but I've always taken it as "power used maintaining the network connection, in addition to active communication, be that data or voice".

 

[RootBeerGuy]

Yes OTA system updater can be fully disabled in the phone's App Manager! Just tap on the 3 dots in the upper right hand corner and select "Show system" and then look for a system app called "System updates" and you disable that sucker! Then your z981's or z982's battery drain rate will be back to normal.

 

[newbie321]

Yes OTA system updater can be fully disabled in the phone's App Manager! Just tap on the 3 dots in the upper right hand corner and select "Show system" and then look for a system app called "System updates" and you disable that sucker! Then your z981's or z982's battery drain rate will be back to normal.

Thank you very much!! I was not aware of that at all. Very promising news!
I will try this evening as I currently switched to my backup phone.

 

[newbie321]

Yes OTA system updater can be fully disabled in the phone's App Manager! Just tap on the 3 dots in the upper right hand corner and select "Show system" and then look for a system app called "System updates" and you disable that sucker! Then your z981's or z982's battery drain rate will be back to normal.

Just want to give you an update on your suggestion...
I disabled system update, had my phone charged up to 100% at midnight. Woke up at 6am. The phone was reading 94%. I think 6% drain in 6 hours is incredibly very reasonable ,given the battery is already over 1 year old.

Thanks again for your help!!