Battery draining 25% per hour

[JRParsons]

See the pics below. When I boot in safe mode I go about 2% per hour. Any suggestions?

 

[cr6]

What model S5 do you have? What OS version are you running? Have you taken an update lately? Is there a reason you're running it in safe mode? How is your battery life in normal mode?

S5 tap'n

 

[JRParsons]

Thanks for the reply, it's the VW SM-G900V, with current updates. I ran it in safe mode as a troubleshooting tactic for two days in an effort to narrow down the cause of the battery drain. In normal mode the problem exists. The problem isn't always this extreme, sometimes it's 12-15% per hour, which to me still indicates a problem. I've also done a hard reset. Thanks again.

 

[Jonny Kansas]

I don't use GSam, but I'm not sure that I've ever seen "Kernel" show up in battery stats. If I have, it certainly wasn't at the top of the list.

When you say you did a hard reset, do you mean a factory reset? (ie, wipe the phone and start over like it's brand new)

 

[JRParsons]

Thanks for the reply, yes. I did a factory reset but let my apps auto load. I then ran the phone in safe mode and I got 2 days out of the battery. I'm guessing I have an app that's causing the drain. I'm trying to avoid going 1 app at a time, I have about 60 downloaded apps and each "test" would most likely need to be at least 2-3 hours of battery monitoring. Thanks again

 

[Jonny Kansas]

Unfortunately, that's what you're probably looking at having to do. Running the device in safe mode disables all apps that have been downloaded from the Play Store, so even though "Kernel" is showing in your screenshot as a top battery user, the chances are pretty good that it's an app that you've installed, even though Kernel seems to be a system app.

If you tap on that entry that says Kernel, do you get any details? I know in the stock battery usage screen, some of those have a list of things that are included in them. If Kernel gives something like that, it might be possible to narrow your search down to apps that you've installed from the Play Store that have something to do with that list (if it exists. Not all entries have more info)

 

[JRParsons]

Thanks. I'm going to try another F.R. and install 1 app at a time. I'll report back in a month when I'm done.

 

[Jonny Kansas]

Eh. It won't take that long. You could do a couple at a time. Worst case is you have to uninstall the 2 or 3 you installed together to narrow it down further, but it'd be quicker than downloading one & watching your stats for a few hours, then moving on. Do it in clusters.

Sent from my Note 4 via Tapatalk

 

[MattE303]

Actually I think the most efficient way to determine which app is at fault would be a 'binary search'; install 1/2 of all the apps (30), then test, You've now eliminated 50% of the culprits (30 apps). Depending on whether you saw the issue or not, the problem app is either in the 30 that you loaded or the other 30. Load 1/2 of the group that contains the problem app (15) and test again, etc. Using this approach you will quickly narrow it down to the app that is causing the issue.

 

[JRParsons]

I know there are many factors affecting battery life, but what kind of life do you guys get with average use. My battery dies about 35% overnight, 6-7 hours with no use. I seem to remember that number being closer to 10‰. I tried the FR and was getting almost 40 hours per complete charge. I then connected my gear watch and that went to about 30 hours (expected). I then added Facebook, down to about 24 hours. FYI Gsam seemed to adversely affect the battery more than it should have, it's gone but my battery life is still pretty poor.
I think I may be giving up, there are various threads about this around the forums, and nobody has solved it that I could find. I'm getting tired of chasing it.
I'm going to try again with Matt's suggestion and then maybe put it on Craigslist and look for something else.

As a side note, I really haven't been happy with my s5 like I was with my prior Samsungs, Lollipop kinda sxxks also, after the update I switched to a 3rd party launcher for the first time in years. Thanks for the help, I'm done being cranky.

 

[Miller6386]

If it were me I would re-flash the lollipop update via ODIN and rule out a bad OTA.

Note 4Tified

 

[JRParsons]

If it were me I would re-flash the lollipop update via ODIN and rule out a bad OTA.

Note 4Tified

Thank you for the reply, I assume that would require root. The last phone I rooted was a Thunderbolt. Also, in safe mode I get almost 50 hours out of a charge, From that I deduced that the OS is probably not the cause.
I do appreciate you taking the time to help.

 

[furbearingmammal]

There are apps on the play store that can tell you what's draining your battery better than the settings display. I used to use carat for just that purpose, but I don't know if it's compatible or even still available.

 

[Miller6386]

Thank you for the reply, I assume that would require root. The last phone I rooted was a Thunderbolt. Also, in safe mode I get almost 50 hours out of a charge, From that I deduced that the OS is probably not the cause.
I do appreciate you taking the time to help.

No my suggestion would not require root. If I recall safe mode only uses the most basic of system features. Could still be a system issue. But at least flashing via ODIN and letting it go a few days will rule out a system issue then we can start looking at apps

Note 4Tified

 

[mountainbikermark]

In the app mentioned previously, Gsam, open it, tap the vacuum icon on the (possibly top if you set the bar at the top) , tap the arrow in upper right to give a scroll menu, tap kernel wakelocks, tap any that show up (none of mine are misbehaving right now so I can't give a screen shot of one) tap the one that's misbehaving and if memory serves there's another icon you tap in the middle upper right that takes you to an explanation of it and how to stop it.

I've also used Watch Dog Lite to find rogue apps but it has a little bit of a learning curve.
Both apps mentioned are free
Hope that helps