Anyone recommend an Android battery use analyser?

Forums › Android › Anyone recommend an Android battery use analyser?

andrew027

1269 posts

Uber Geek

#191078 22-Jan-2016 14:52

I've just been texting with my daughter who has an older Samsung Galaxy phone - not 100% sure but from memory I think it's an S3 which would have been purchased new around two years ago, and no idea what version of Android she's running right now. But she's having battery problems, saying that her phone's battery level is currently showing at 9% after having been on the charger overnight. As a result she's missed an important phone call as she put the phone into airplane/flight mode to conserve power - argh!

I know this could be due to any one of a number of things, and many of you will know more about what can cause batteries to die so quickly than I do, and I don't have any more specific information yet than what I've just written above. Sure, there could be a problem with the battery, but my best guess is that she's been on it non-stop for the last seven hours, playing games, accessing the internet via wifi, sending about 500 Facebook Messenger messages, with the screen brightness at 100% and listening to music via headphones at the same time. But I'm only her father so I'm probably making all sorts of negative assumptions, even though they'd be based on observations of her behaviour over the last couple of years!

Anyhoo... for now I just want to be able to see what's using that power. There seem to be 100 apps on the Play store that claim to do that job, so can anyone recommend one that they've found useful and accurate? I know there should be an option under Settings to view battery use, but on my phone it doesn't seem too detailed...

Edit: Added "Android" to the thread title.

timmmay

16095 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Subscriber

#1476873 22-Jan-2016 14:55

Ampere is good for charge rate. Use the android control panel to see what's using that power.

1eStar

1588 posts

Uber Geek

#1477131 22-Jan-2016 23:11

S3's usually have memory leak, teach her how to open the app switcher and clear out running apps. Buy a new battery. It'll probably be a fake, so buy two.

timmmay

16095 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Subscriber

#1477176 23-Jan-2016 07:59

Also, Amplify, if it's rooted.

lNomNoml

1526 posts

Uber Geek

#1477178 23-Jan-2016 08:06

Sounds like that battery has had it, always try to only use the official charger or a decent portable battery, DO NOT use a cheap aftermarket car charger as these usually overcharge the battery damaging it and shorten it's life.

Buy a new battery: http://www.pbtech.co.nz/index.php?z=p&p=SEVOEM2098&name=Samsung-Galaxy-S3-i9300-i9305--EB-L1G6LLU-OEM-Batt

DeepBlueSky

448 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1478176 25-Jan-2016 12:51

Hi Andrew027 - I just replaced my wife's S4 battery bought a SAMSUNG genuine replacement on Trademe - Easy and cheap solution $24.90 including shipping. The old battery was dropping to 30% then shutting the phone down. As for a Battery Monitor there are a number on the market I have used 'DU battery Saver' for a few years now its a good product from memory its a free product but of you want to access some of the advanced options you pay a couple of dollars.

andrew027

1269 posts

Uber Geek

#1478716 26-Jan-2016 08:15

Thanks for the advice, everybody. My daughter's away on holiday with friends at the moment but I'll have a look at some of these options when she's back.

I think she's actually holding out for a whole new phone, although I told her that now she's 18, the next phone she buys she has to pay for herself...

richms

23386 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Subscriber

#1478730 26-Jan-2016 08:28

I tend to find that the battery needs replacing at about 6-9 months on phones, 2 years is probably well past it. Its an S3, you sure its only 2 years old? That's a 4 generation old phone now.

Richard rich.ms

timmmay

16095 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Subscriber

#1478737 26-Jan-2016 08:43

richms:

I tend to find that the battery needs replacing at about 6-9 months on phones, 2 years is probably well past it. Its an S3, you sure its only 2 years old? That's a 4 generation old phone now.

My S4 is 2.5 years old, give or take. It's lightly used, but I use it every day. I spent some time reducing battery use - it's rooted, crapware removed, Greenify installed. On a light use day my battery would drop from 95% to 80%, on a heavy use day it could get as low as 50%. On an average day it probably gets 15 minutes screen time, a couple of phone calls, a few texts sent. On a heavy day add in some photos, more calls, maybe some music streaming. The battery seems almost as good as the day I got it. I try to keep the battery in the range of 40% to 95%, rather than letting it get super low, that stresses the battery.

richms

23386 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Subscriber

#1478740 26-Jan-2016 08:48

I tend to do multiple cycles from full to 30% daily on the phones, often to totally flat tho, very quickly they start to rapidly drop that last 40%.

Was so glad when I found a quickcharge powerbank, but it still doesnt seem as quick as the wall adapter.

Richard rich.ms

tripp

3509 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1478743 26-Jan-2016 08:53

richms:

I tend to find that the battery needs replacing at about 6-9 months on phones, 2 years is probably well past it. Its an S3, you sure its only 2 years old? That's a 4 generation old phone now.

would not surprise me if it is a s3, some places were still selling them as "latest and greatest" a year or so ago

Dratsab

3576 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1478753 26-Jan-2016 09:07

Is it rooted? If so try Better Battery Stats. I've found it very useful for identifying rogue battery hogs. It's also highly recommended by the developers over on XDA.