relative newbie battery drain issue

jfolliard · #1 (**permalink**) 12-23-2007, 08:02 PM

OK - I'm ready to try and figure out why my battery goes down almost all the way in a given day with not that much usage. My set up is rather vanilla. I know I could uninstall each program one by one and do a test but that would take several days without real control because I would still be using my phone.

Is there anyway to determine how much "battery" each program uses. I'm not an electrical engineer on anything close to that but I'm hoping there's a fairly simple way of isolating battery draining stuff.

How does one go about solving an excessive battey drain issue?

Any help or guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

Jack

**Darkness231** · #2 (**permalink**) 12-23-2007, 08:10 PM

Usually this is caused by an application continually using data. Do you have any auto-updating software? Weather apps., email or push email. And of course screen brightness and radios (wifi/Bluetooth) will effect battery. I do not know of any applications that monitor battery usage by application. Only ones that monitor your actual battery level and how much RAM each application is using.

CDRacingZX6R · #3 (**permalink**) 12-23-2007, 08:52 PM

If you have HTC Home with the weather set to update, sometimes the phone doesn't shut off the idle data connection.

Same for email checking.

Darkness posted this in a different thread:

Quote:

Originally Posted by k101d

HKLM\Comm\ConnMgr\Planner\Settings\

delete or rename the SuspendResume to XXXX then Add new one as name SuspendResume and select the type to be String the value of this key set to GPRS_bye_if_device_off

and look for the other key name CacheTime (if not found add new one with type of Dword) then set it to the number of second before disconnect like this

CacheTime = 60

check for every thing right and then make a soft reset after if reboot go to turn on GPRS like check your mail and after the download mail complete and wait for 60 second it auto disconncet GPRS.

I wonder it work I notice I has been make this before but it doesn't work so I decide to rename the key SuspendResume and make a new one and now I very happy with this registry hack on my Treo750

k101d.
PS: finally
HKLM\Comm\ConnMgr\Planner\Settings\SuspendResume=G PRS_bye_if_device_off
HKLM\Comm\ConnMgr\Planner\Settings\CacheTime=60

It has helped with my idle data connection issues.

There is also a set of registry hacks that disable stuff that you probably don't use on a regular basis.

Found in this link:

http://forum.ppcgeeks.com/showthread...tended+Battery

I used these, and I have increased battery life substationally. With moderate internet, and average calling, I can stretch a battery out over 2 days, maybe more.

**Darkness231** · #4 (**permalink**) 12-23-2007, 08:58 PM

Yeah, when I had my Gmail account set to auto update, it was always hanging the data connection.

**Baffles** · #5 (**permalink**) 12-23-2007, 09:29 PM

Idle data connections do not increase power consumption by very much. I have an open data connection (with email updates every 10-15 minutes) on my phone 24/7, and with moderate use, I only drain about 40% battery in a given day.

However, I have found if I keep my LCD on lowest brightness, it doesn't shut off the backlight correctly which drains the battery. Try running your backlight above minimum and see if that helps.

johnnychimpo · #6 (**permalink**) 12-23-2007, 09:36 PM

I would have to disagree. I had some issues with the data connection lingering and draining my battery to almost 60% in 3 hrs. After i did the above registry hack to limit a idle connection to 60 sec, my battery is reading 90% from this morning disconnect at 7am.

Now if you have a data connection that is idle and your signal strength is really good, im sure this would not give you a significant decrease in power consumption like Baffles mentions.

Do the registry hack and add a disconnect button would be my advice. See if this fixes it.

**Baffles** · #7 (**permalink**) 12-23-2007, 09:47 PM

I would go through a full charge in a day when I was in an area with spotty coverage, but recently I've had good coverage all day, which does wonders on the battery.

CDRacingZX6R · #8 (**permalink**) 12-23-2007, 09:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnnychimpo

I would have to disagree. I had some issues with the data connection lingering and draining my battery to almost 60% in 3 hrs. After i did the above registry hack to limit a idle connection to 60 sec, my battery is reading 90% from this morning disconnect at 7am.

Now if you have a data connection that is idle and your signal strength is really good, im sure this would not give you a significant decrease in power consumption like Baffles mentions.

Do the registry hack and add a disconnect button would be my advice. See if this fixes it.

I agree... I was getting through the day, going to bed at around 30 percent charge.. Now when I go to bed I have around 50-60 percent charge since doing these registry edits.

Before doing it I was pondering just getting that bulky ugly 3300 battery. Now I'm fine with the amount of time I get out of the stocker.

**GoodThings2Life** · #9 (**permalink**) 12-23-2007, 11:34 PM

With 2.17_Software/1.47.01_Radio/60611_PRL and a few registry hacks (cabbed up via this link), I set my 3 email accounts (ActiveSync, IMAP, and Windows Live) to sync at 30 minute intervals. This allows me to go from 8:00am to 9:00pm with only a 10-20% drain (keeping me at a 80-90% charge). My ActiveSync pulls about 30 RSS Feeds in that period, so it is definitely not sitting idle long.

Your mileage may vary, however, with the 1.47.01 radio with 60611 PRL depending on service quality in your area. In some cases, people are having better luck with the Alltel 1.40 radio and PRL 60610. If you search the forums for "1.40 Radio" and "PRL 60611" (no quotes), you should find information on those topics, but I would try the full 2.17 firmware (it includes the new radio) along with calling *2 and speaking with a tech support rep for the PRL update first to see how your experience goes.

Here's the list of registry entries changed by the linked cab file:
;This section adjusts the backlight settings to 4th notch when on battery and full when plugged in.
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\ControlPanel\BackLight]
"BatteryTimeout"=dword:00000078
"BrightNess"=dword:00000003
"ACTimeout"=dword:00000258
"OnOffBatt"=dword:00000001
"OnOffAC"=dword:00000001
"QKeyLedOnOff"=dword:00000001
"QKeyLedTimeout"=dword:0000000A
"AutoSensor"=dword:00000001
"ACBacklightOnTap"=dword:00000001
"BacklightOnTap"=dword:00000001
"OnOff"=dword:00000001
"BatteryTimeoutUnchecked"=dword:00000000
"ACTimeoutUnchecked"=dword:00000000
"ACBrightness"=dword:0000000A

;This section sets a 2 minute "idle standby" when on battery.
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\Power]
"WakeupPowerOff"=dword:0000003C
"ExtPowerOff"=dword:00000000
"BattPowerOff"=dword:000000B4
"SystemIdleTimerResetEvent"="PowerManager/SystemIdleTimerReset"
"DisableGwesPowerOff"=dword:00000001
"ScreenPowerOff"=dword:0000003C
"SystemPriority256"=dword:000000F8

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\Power\Timeouts]
"ACSuspendTimeout"=dword:00000000
"BattSuspendTimeout"=dword:0000012C
"BatteryPoll"=dword:00001388
"BattUserIdle"=dword:00000000
"ACUserIdle"=dword:00000000
"BattResumingSuspendTimeout"=dword:0000000F
"ACResumingSuspendTimeout"=dword:0000000F

;This section enables Power Management for ActiveSync, Infrared, USB, and Bluetooth connections.
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Comm\AsyncMac1\Parms]
"DisablePowerManagement"=dword:00000000

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Comm\Irsir1\Parms]
"DisablePowerManagement"=dword:00000000

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Comm\PPTP1\Parms]
"DisablePowerManagement"=dword:00000000

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Comm\L2TP1\Parms]
"DisablePowerManagement"=dword:00000000

canospinach · #10 (**permalink**) 12-24-2007, 03:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jfolliard

OK - I'm ready to try and figure out why my battery goes down almost all the way in a given day with not that much usage. My set up is rather vanilla. I know I could uninstall each program one by one and do a test but that would take several days without real control because I would still be using my phone.

Is there anyway to determine how much "battery" each program uses. I'm not an electrical engineer on anything close to that but I'm hoping there's a fairly simple way of isolating battery draining stuff.

How does one go about solving an excessive battey drain issue?

Any help or guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

Jack

Hi Jack,

I would like to ask you some background on your situation:

How old is your phone/battery?

How do you charge? PC, AC or DC (or combination, try to explain).

How often do you turn on Blutooth, WiFi, Infrared or Data?

How is your local coverage where you use the phone? Are you mobile a lot, or in one place often?

As others are telling you applications which is a great place to start, but you want to look at the hardware environment as well.

Look forward to hearing your feedback.