Can anyone explain why the battery overlheats?
 

I'm sure my understanding of what's going on with this phone is limited. I haven't read anywhere why the phone overheats while charging. It really makes no sense why this happens when the solution is so simple!

So, as I've experienced, my battery overheats. It overheats under the following conditions:

- talking on phone for more than two hours
- using wmwifirouter
- using Google Maps with GPS enabled
- using any software which uses the radio signal

Basically, using the phone for extended periods of time drains the battery extensively. Sometimes, the battery life isn't as good as it should be but, technically, there's a solution!

Plug it in!!

Plugging the phone into its charger *should* fix this problem. The battery drain should stop and the charger should fill the battery back with juice.

Now, I get that the battery heats up as it uses juice. But why is this the case when it gains juice from the external source? Once the battery is full, shouldn't there be a way for the software to use the juice directly from the external source, bypassing the battery all together? Or, if it uses the battery, why isn't there an efficiency method of minimal usage of the battery??

EDIT - Answer is found on this post: http://forum.ppcgeeks.com/showpost.p...72&postcount=6
EDIT 4/26/09 - Updating the radio from stock to newer radio versions reportedly help battery life. Telus seems to be the most popular: http://forum.ppcgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=46616

Re: Can anyone explain why the battery overlheats?
 

Not trying to be a jerk but there are a few threads about this issue already.

Re: Can anyone explain why the battery overlheats?
 

Yeah, there are threads that suggest how to minimize heat, but is there a thread that actually explains why this is happening? I haven't found it!

Re: Can anyone explain why the battery overlheats?
 

battery or not, this baby will heat up. these processes are pretty intense and will create heat, like any other computer.

Re: Can anyone explain why the battery overlheats?
 

Yeah, of course that's true! Lots of processing usually heats up these kinds of devices.

But that still doesn't explain why the phone stops charging! All these processes, with the phone plugged into a charger, shouldn't be doing this, right?

Come on, someone's gotta have an answer that'll satisfy my curiousity!

Re: Can anyone explain why the battery overlheats?
 

528mhz processor with no cooling provisions. When it's under load, it's both going to use a lot of power and generate a lot of heat.

The phone won't run without the battery. Using No2chem's power tools to monitor power consumption... I've managed to make the phone draw over 800mah, even over 1.2amps. Since the charger can only provide 1 amp MAX, the battery is in place to cover the extra power drain that the charger can not provide.

It isn't the battery directly that is overheating, it's the ambient heat from the processor and radio that gets tranmitted into the battery. It's not generating too much heat, there is just too much heat in the area.

I believe a back case designed to transfer heat from the processor out to the case will correct all of the overheating issues. Sure, the phone will feel hot as hell on the back, near the top, but at least that heat will be transmitted to the surface of the device where it can dissipate, instead of being trapped by the cheap, plastic, insulating back cover.

Re: Can anyone explain why the battery overlheats?
 

Good job Shadow; also the battery will stop when it reaches a heat point.it will need cooling b4 it starts again

Re: Can anyone explain why the battery overlheats?
 

Wow, awesome. This is the first I've seen anyone attempt to explain what's going on!

Okay, so the processing is obviously causing a lot of heat to be generated and the battery is kinda absorbing this heat.

So it makes sense, then, when other people suggest to open the keyboard and/or take off the back cover of the phone while using the phone heavily. That's kinda silly that they designed a phone that doesn't dissipate the heat well.

There's no way to use the phone at all without the battery? Is this just the way the hardware is built or is it a software decision?

With my laptop, I can completely take the battery out of the case and use the laptop just fine. Shouldn't this phone work that way too or is it like this by design because of the 1 amp max charge?

Re: Can anyone explain why the battery overlheats?
 

Taking off the back cover makes a HUGE difference. In fact, next time it overheats and stops charging... take off the back cover and blow on the top part of the phone, around the camera. It only takes me one deep breath over like 20 seconds blowing on it to cool it enough to start charging again. Part of the reason the back cover doesn't transmit heat well though is by design, if it did, I could imagine the phone almost becoming too hot to touch in that area. Personally, that's a trade-off I'd take.

The phone not starting without the battery is a hardware issue, I'm afraid. I'm sure the battery completes a circuit. You could probably jump a couple of the pins on the phone's battery connector and have it start but PLEASE PLEASE do not do that, you'll most likely kill your phone, not to mention expose yourself to a potentially lethal 1 amp of power. (Keep in mind, with everything, it only takes 30-50ma traveling past your heart to stop it -- and there's 1000ma to 1 amp). I'm guessing that the battery required to be in is by design and not accidental, because of the power the phone can draw. My last phone (Helio Ocean) could run without the battery. If you took it out while it was running, it restarted. Same if you put it back in. I thought that was strange and unnecessary since it was connected to the wall at all times, but oh well. It's possible in other devices but it seems as HTC has chosen it to be this way.

Re: Can anyone explain why the battery overlheats?
 

Thanks for the thorough and frustrating replies! Now I understand what's going on and why my options are limited in fixing this problem.

Yeah, I'm not an electrical engineer nor am I ambitious enough to take my phone apart to make it work without the battery, so no worries.

I guess my biggest frustration is how older PPCs can easily run lots of software and/or tether with computers easily for hours and then, suddenly, this new design is causing everyone a lot of problems. That also probably shows my lack of understanding how this phone is superior to these older yet similar phones.