Tips to Help Improve Battery Life on ThunderBolt

[BigMcGuire]

With all these battery issues I am glad I decided to pass on the TB... Definably not read fro Prime Time.

I've made it 20 hours with no charge, and was on 4G/LTE roughly 15 of those 20 hours... light to moderate use. I'm in the middle of a strong LTE area, so maybe that helps.

I made it 11 hours with some medium to heavy use (taking HD video and uploading to youtube (about 6+)) in an LTE area (Northern LA). I get 3G at work and battery life is quite a bit more.

 

[BigMcGuire]

i've been able to get about 14 hours with 2 hours of screen use since i got the phone. that's with constant 4G. it is obvious though that the percentage meter is constantly calibrating based on the usage and the actual voltage of the battery. since i got the phone, i have been watching what percentages corresponds to actual voltages and i have found this varied quite a bit during this "learning" process.

this chart is from my RC airplane hobby. it shows the typical discharge curve of lithium ion/polymer batteries.

By cell
4.00V--84%
3.96---77%
3.93---70%
3.90---63%
3.86---56%
3.83---48%
3.80---43%
3.76---35%
3.73---27%
3.70---21%
3.67---14%

the more i use the phone, the more the voltages and percentages fit that chart.

Really nice to see someone else's Voltage usage. Thanks for taking the time to type that out. The percentages change a lot, so there's some heavy "calibration" going on like you say.

 

[jawa6969]

I bought a slim extended from Siedio and I'm currently on over 24 hours unplugged with moderate usage (few long phone calls), some 4g, texting, a lot of gaming. I am at 13% with 3 hours left (depending on usage). Pretty nice. Hope it stays this way.

The slim extended is the 1600mAh one right? I think I saw that on amazon for just over $40, not too shabby if it does as good as you saw!

Yeah, the 1600mAh. I didn't think it would make this big of difference. Still going... LOL. At 9 percent. Gonna let it die so Battery Left will have full calibration. One other note on the Battery Left front, it states at full charge this batteries life is 31 plus hours (obviously usage dependent). Pretty nice.

 

[jntdroid]

I bought a slim extended from Siedio and I'm currently on over 24 hours unplugged with moderate usage (few long phone calls), some 4g, texting, a lot of gaming. I am at 13% with 3 hours left (depending on usage). Pretty nice. Hope it stays this way.

The slim extended is the 1600mAh one right? I think I saw that on amazon for just over $40, not too shabby if it does as good as you saw!

Yeah, the 1600mAh. I didn't think it would make this big of difference. Still going... LOL. At 9 percent. Gonna let it die so Battery Left will have full calibration. One other note on the Battery Left front, it states at full charge this batteries life is 31 plus hours (obviously usage dependent). Pretty nice.

does that fit in the normal casing?

 

[sms160]

https://market.android.com/details?id=myc.phone.PhoneInfo&rdid=myc.phone.PhoneInfo&pli=1

Forgive me if this was already posted here. This app has all great reviews, and most of the users state they own the TB. This would be useful for those on the fringe of a 4g network or if you just decide you only need 3g speed.

Give some feedback if you decide to install.

 

[hogowner]

I live and work in a 4 g area. I am lucky if I get 5 hrs. I have charges all over so it doesn't really bother me. I will give up battery time for having 4 g ANYTIME

Sent from my THUNDERBOLT

 

[slinky]

G

I'm not disputing this has been your experience, but I have had a difference experience and am using LTE regularly (just not today, work from home tuesdays). The times i've seen you report are very different from what I experience, so much so that I'd think we had different phones. Yesterday I got 18 hours and didn't skimp on usage, 11 of which was LTE...hardly put the thing down...and had about 25% when I turned in to charge it and sleep.

So
Your usage experience is over 11 hours of LTE (12+ remaining battery) or TWICE Verizon's own maximum LTE usage times? Please... Do explain.

 

[guitarchris123]

Yeah, the 1600mAh. I didn't think it would make this big of difference. Still going... LOL. At 9 percent. Gonna let it die so Battery Left will have full calibration. One other note on the Battery Left front, it states at full charge this batteries life is 31 plus hours (obviously usage dependent). Pretty nice.

does that fit in the normal casing?

Yes, the Seidio 1600 mAh slim extended battery fits in the TB with the same rear cover, it is roughly the same size as the stock 1400mAh battery, and it goes for about $45 on Amazon and $50 on the Seidio website (but you can use a coupon code to get a discount). There were rumors that it would not make much of a difference as compared to the stock battery (because aftermarket batteries are known to actually have lower capacities than what they claim, and they typically do not last as many months/cycles as OEM batteries in general). I refuse to get the 2750 because it makes the phone way too huge, and I have to carry it in my pocket and I use a Seidio Innocase. I have no idea how people are getting by with the big HTC battery.

That is very interesting that Battery Left is saying 31 hours total with a full charge on your 1600. Right now it says 23 hours maximum full battery life for me for the stock 1400. I know our different usages probably factor into the estimation, but I still was not expecting the difference between the two batteries to be more than a few hours. I wanted to find out myself, but you have to pay for that app if you want to calibrate 2 different batteries (I have the same Seidio as you, but have not needed to use it yet). I may end up doing it at some point if I start to use it regularly though. If the 1600 is really giving you that much more than the stock, I see no point to the 2750. Just charge every night like normal and you will be fine, and won't have that ugly hump!

 

[jntdroid]

G

I'm not disputing this has been your experience, but I have had a difference experience and am using LTE regularly (just not today, work from home tuesdays). The times i've seen you report are very different from what I experience, so much so that I'd think we had different phones. Yesterday I got 18 hours and didn't skimp on usage, 11 of which was LTE...hardly put the thing down...and had about 25% when I turned in to charge it and sleep.

So
Your usage experience is over 11 hours of LTE (12+ remaining battery) or TWICE Verizon's own maximum LTE usage times? Please... Do explain.

What is Verizon's "standing" LTE time? I had mine on LTE for almost 15 hours straight between charges yesterday and today. Now, obviously, that included overnight time, as well as somewhat light usage when I was awake.

 

[slowr6]

https://market.android.com/details?id=myc.phone.PhoneInfo&rdid=myc.phone.PhoneInfo&pli=1

Forgive me if this was already posted here. This app has all great reviews, and most of the users state they own the TB. This would be useful for those on the fringe of a 4g network or if you just decide you only need 3g speed.

Give some feedback if you decide to install.

Which option: cdma, cdma prl?

 

[jntdroid]

https://market.android.com/details?id=myc.phone.PhoneInfo&rdid=myc.phone.PhoneInfo&pli=1

Forgive me if this was already posted here. This app has all great reviews, and most of the users state they own the TB. This would be useful for those on the fringe of a 4g network or if you just decide you only need 3g speed.

Give some feedback if you decide to install.

Which option: cdma, cdma prl?

CDMA auto (PRL)

 

[sms160]

https://market.android.com/details?id=myc.phone.PhoneInfo&rdid=myc.phone.PhoneInfo&pli=1

Forgive me if this was already posted here. This app has all great reviews, and most of the users state they own the TB. This would be useful for those on the fringe of a 4g network or if you just decide you only need 3g speed.

Give some feedback if you decide to install.

Which option: cdma, cdma prl?

cdma auto (PRL)

 

[jawa6969]

Yeah, the 1600mAh. I didn't think it would make this big of difference. Still going... LOL. At 9 percent. Gonna let it die so Battery Left will have full calibration. One other note on the Battery Left front, it states at full charge this batteries life is 31 plus hours (obviously usage dependent). Pretty nice.

does that fit in the normal casing?

Yes, the Seidio 1600 mAh slim extended battery fits in the TB with the same rear cover, it is roughly the same size as the stock 1400mAh battery, and it goes for about $45 on Amazon and $50 on the Seidio website (but you can use a coupon code to get a discount). There were rumors that it would not make much of a difference as compared to the stock battery (because aftermarket batteries are known to actually have lower capacities than what they claim, and they typically do not last as many months/cycles as OEM batteries in general). I refuse to get the 2750 because it makes the phone way too huge, and I have to carry it in my pocket and I use a Seidio Innocase. I have no idea how people are getting by with the big HTC battery.

That is very interesting that Battery Left is saying 31 hours total with a full charge on your 1600. Right now it says 23 hours maximum full battery life for me for the stock 1400. I know our different usages probably factor into the estimation, but I still was not expecting the difference between the two batteries to be more than a few hours. I wanted to find out myself, but you have to pay for that app if you want to calibrate 2 different batteries (I have the same Seidio as you, but have not needed to use it yet). I may end up doing it at some point if I start to use it regularly though. If the 1600 is really giving you that much more than the stock, I see no point to the 2750. Just charge every night like normal and you will be fine, and won't have that ugly hump!

No fugly hump here. LOL. Yeah, I paid for the Pro Battery Life so I could calibrate both the standard and extended. Just died on my while eating dinner. My best estimate is about 30 or so hours off the one charge. Gonna see how long I can get on the next charge.

 

[evilssj4]

Sounds like a defective battery to me or device. There is no way the battery should go from 100% to 76% in a minute. Have you had this device for a couple days? Or did you just get it and its doing this?

Well last night it didn't do that drastic jump from 100% to 77% it just went down to like 97%. When I fell asleep the battery was at 76% n left the phone on all night not plugged and when I woke up the phone was dead

 

[MadScientist]

Yeah, the 1600mAh. I didn't think it would make this big of difference. Still going... LOL. At 9 percent. Gonna let it die so Battery Left will have full calibration. One other note on the Battery Left front, it states at full charge this batteries life is 31 plus hours (obviously usage dependent). Pretty nice.

does that fit in the normal casing?

Yes, the Seidio 1600 mAh slim extended battery fits in the TB with the same rear cover, it is roughly the same size as the stock 1400mAh battery, and it goes for about $45 on Amazon and $50 on the Seidio website (but you can use a coupon code to get a discount). There were rumors that it would not make much of a difference as compared to the stock battery (because aftermarket batteries are known to actually have lower capacities than what they claim, and they typically do not last as many months/cycles as OEM batteries in general). I refuse to get the 2750 because it makes the phone way too huge, and I have to carry it in my pocket and I use a Seidio Innocase. I have no idea how people are getting by with the big HTC battery.

That is very interesting that Battery Left is saying 31 hours total with a full charge on your 1600. Right now it says 23 hours maximum full battery life for me for the stock 1400. I know our different usages probably factor into the estimation, but I still was not expecting the difference between the two batteries to be more than a few hours. I wanted to find out myself, but you have to pay for that app if you want to calibrate 2 different batteries (I have the same Seidio as you, but have not needed to use it yet). I may end up doing it at some point if I start to use it regularly though. If the 1600 is really giving you that much more than the stock, I see no point to the 2750. Just charge every night like normal and you will be fine, and won't have that ugly hump!

I noticed a large bump in time between charges on my X when I got the extended battery for that as well and it wasn't but a few hundred mah increase. It's probably not a linear extrapolation as many would assume (us math majors know that extrapolation is very bad assumption anyway)

Sent from my Thunderbolt