How to get better battery life on your Optimus

[seyahmit]

is there no way to turn off 3g and 1x while using wi-fi?

Use the app Quick Settings. There is an option to turn 3G data on or off.

[ap3604]

With 1x turned on, currently at 43 hours unplugged, 56% left of battery. This is with very light use - texting, and a little browsing. Let's see how long it lasts!

Now THATS what I'm talking about!

iyakin that is great battery life

[HallOfPromise]

is there no way to turn off 3g and 1x while using wi-fi?

If you want both 3G and 1x off (or over-the-air data), then just put your phone into airplane mode, then turn on wifi.

[noname21]

questions please
If I have wi-fi on, does 3g auto go off? if i am in airplane mode with wifi on, then I can use the net and such but not receive phone calls?

thanks

[derek2079]

Can someone tell me the steps to get this working on the intercept? I just tried the steps by the op and they didnt work for the intercept.

[HallOfPromise]

questions please
If I have wi-fi on, does 3g auto go off? if i am in airplane mode with wifi on, then I can use the net and such but not receive phone calls?

thanks

As a matter of fact you are right. Over-the-air data turns off automatically when set to wifi. Turning on airplane mode does turn off the network radio all together, meaning no in or out going calls/texts. My bad.

[noname21]

thanks for the help

Sent via the HowardForums Android app

[Davidc32188]

I start my day at 9am and the phone starts it with me on a full charge. It is 4L45 now and the phone battery power says 25%, I still have night classes and other things going on, so I need to find a way to increase my battery life. I mainly use my phone for texting, and I have a task killer and the app caller battery doctor too.

I am beginning to think this phone has a faulty battery.

How can I get this dam phone to last the whole day on 1 charge without shutting it off or using airplane mode?

Is there an app that works best?

P.S. The GPS is off and I do not use wifi only 3g.

[Davidc32188]

* 4:45PM not 4L45

[ap3604]

How can I get this dam phone to last the whole day on 1 charge without shutting it off or using airplane mode?

P.S. The GPS is off and I do not use wifi only 3g.

The whole reason I made the thread was to show people how you could shut off 3g to achieve better battery life on the Optimus.

Since your saying you need better battery life than 3g gives you I suggest you read the 1st post of this thread and it will answer all of your questions

[scottberry]

how is the service where your are at? if you are losing signal the phone will burn thru battery trying to get a signal.

i have an app called no bars, it turns off the radio when it does not have a signal. it also does turn on how ever often you set it to, to try to find one.

edit also i think nobars will shut of the wifi when the screen is off.

i have not activated my service yet, i am only using my phone on wifi. it is lasting 2 or 3 days, with me playing angry brids, checking email, and reading books. 17 hours sense i had it plugged in battery at 49 %, and i have played angry birds for around 2 hours. i would bet i have read a book for 2 hours too. when ever the screen is on the wifi is on as well.

[TCAT]

I'm at 71 hours after charging to 100%. Now at 26%, so I have at least another 20 hours left. I put it airplane mode at home (about 12 hours per day). I use this widget: http://www.appbrain.com/app/network/de.mangelow.network to put it in 1G mode during the day (thanks OP!). I don't use it much, but have played "Unblock" a few times (about 75 levels), messed with a few web pages, downloaded a few apps, and made 2 or 3 calls. I see a little slowdown in 1G mode when downloading new apps (like recent Appbrain update took maybe a minute, when in 3G would have been maybe 15 seconds). I can wait a minute to get an extra day from the battery!

[K-L-M]

Hello to all,

I put this information below in another thread already, but some day that thread may disappear as time goes on. I thought this might be a better, more replied to thread for something like this. It will point out in real numbers what happens if you leave Wifi on or Data Access on but not using it and so on. There is also a bit about what Goes on when recharging. Here goes...

I have an Optimus V now. I just made some current drain measurements during charging. The Optimus limits the current from an external power supply to no more than 400ma. About half an hour current consumption dropped back to 350ma and stayed there for most of the cycle.


I found that if you turn the phone off, It will still draw the same current when charging. So if it is off, it will charge a little faster but not by much. Try not to use the phone so much while charging might be best. And yeah using power from a USB/computer is not a good idea. Might wear out low tolerance parts in the machine.

Other power drain notes (Battery fully charged, and using external linear regulated power source):

48mA- Phone off (note the 4 buttons are lit)

31mA- Phone on standby mode, screen off

69mA- At the 'home' screen

123mA- Screen rolling a page

75-85mA - Looking at the Settings> About Phone > Status screen (looking at signal strength change, etc.)

165mA- WiFi turned on and using it to download 1MB file. Once done drops back to 69mA

235mA- (WiFi off) Network data enabled (3G), downloading angry birds, 4 bars reception

235mA- Using the maps app to show me where I am at. drops to 113mA when network data is idle, map on display.

155-160mA Playing Angry Birds

140mA- Phone call with 4 bars reception

275mA- Phone call with speaker phone on, 4 bars reception

Update 2011 Feb. 17 - A few more test results below...

Some folks wanted to see the difference in current drain between 3G and 1xRTT, and the general belief that 1xRTT is a big battery saver compared to using 3G. And some claim WiFi may be a better way to go. Let'ssee what I found...

3G / 1xRTT / WiFi current drain comparison:

(speed test performed, signal strength -85dbm (weak), non stock apps stopped, background data/sync off)

3G 250mA average Speed test complete in 9 seconds 284kbit/s

1xRTT 210mA average Speed test complete in 25 seconds 132kbit/s

WiFi 170mA average Speed test complete in blink of an eye. Router 25' and 1 wall away from phone.

Short answer: After a number of tests between the two, and a signal of -85dbm (not the best reception, but good for testing as the transmitter runs longer) the average current drain is only 40mA greater when using 3G.

* Note: Because the transmitter had to remain active longer in 1xRTT mode to complete the same test, the phone actually drew 0.85mA more than it did in 3G. So if phones are saving power in 1XRTT, thee is another factor some where not supported here. You could say this was a lab test condition with lab tests results, but as we all know, things are always different in the real world right?

Another way to look at it...If the 3G was transmitting for an hour I figure it used about 4% more battery life over 1xRTT. (In lab tests heh heh)

How did I come up with 4%? That's some what approximate. Other tests I've done a few times now, show that to recharge a dead battery, the phone drew right at 1000mA (phone off) before charge was complete. But, how much of that 1000 went to circuitry, even though off at the time, and not to the battery? I have a fair answer to that as well but I will save that for another post. Battery says 1500mAH, but charges to 1000, it's normal, don't panic.

Additionally, I kept fighting all the apps (that may use data network) that kept turning them selves on over and over again so they would not interfere with the way I performed the tests. I found it ridiculous how these apps keep coming back, after 'force stop'.

More tests...

Airplane mode ON / OFF- Some say the receiver is also turned off when airplane mode is enabled. I don't see a change in current drain in either state. Of course airplane mode does inhibit the transmitter.

Charging time
I've measured Recharge of a stone dead battery as 3 hours and 15 minutes. The phone will draw no more than 400mA from an external source. Charge current gradually rolls off nearing the end of the charging cycle. *Update* That's 3 hours and 15 minutes if the phone is off. If on, an you are using it hard the whole time, it could take up to an additional 45 minutes.

Gee, the only thing I'm missing is the charging power curve!

Hope this helps in realizing what the demands are that we put on the phone under typical conditions. I'm delightfully surprised.

K-L-M

[Davidc32188]

I do not have good wifi at my institution so I leave 3g on. I need the phone to have service so I can do my job and communicate so if wifi is not dependable than my only option is 3g. Wifi eats up more battery so I have been told anyway.

Someone please tell me what this 1x thing is all about. What applications or setting changes would help me save battery on the LG Optimus V?

Honestly, on a full charge I get about 7 hours tops. Pathetic!

I am thinking about just buying a duplicate battery for $20 and throwing one on the battery charger I have and bring it as a spare to school with me, because I am not around outlets and I do not have the time to plug in my phone because I am always moving locations. So if no one has any suggestions my suggestion is to buy an additional battery and have it charged and ready to go for mid day.

Someone has to have a smart idea out there...........

[Davidc32188]

Those have been recalled due to high frequency issues when receiving calls. Not always best to be cheap. Spend $20 and get the one that is scientifically tested to work!