Question on using the RAZR while charging?

[crimanysakes]

Um... yea -- how does one do it?

When it's plugged in, I just get the screen that shows the battery is "charging".

No amount of swiping or pressing the screen/bottom buttons, or using the power button on the side seems to "wake it up" so that I can use it.

I can't imagine that this thing can't be used while it's charging, so I must be doing something wrong.

It was completely drained when I started charging; so that may(?) have something to do with it? Maybe it didn't actually boot up in this case? My original droid did if it got plugged in; so I may just be used to one thing.

Thanks
--c

[Tyler_C]

Sounds like you just neec to charger a nit and uou should be fine

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using DroidForums

[FoxKat]

Um... yea -- how does one do it?

When it's plugged in, I just get the screen that shows the battery is "charging".

No amount of swiping or pressing the screen/bottom buttons, or using the power button on the side seems to "wake it up" so that I can use it.

I can't imagine that this thing can't be used while it's charging, so I must be doing something wrong.

It was completely drained when I started charging; so that may(?) have something to do with it? Maybe it didn't actually boot up in this case? My original droid did if it got plugged in; so I may just be used to one thing.

Thanks
--c

OK, if the phone was completely dead before you plugged it in, it will not boot but will instead only go into battery charging mode. Once there is at least 10-15% of capacity, it will boot up when you hold the power button in for between 5 and 15 seconds. If the phone responds with the large battery display upon pushing the power button, press and hold it again. I will eventually boot.

[crimanysakes]

OK, if the phone was completely dead before you plugged it in, it will not boot but will instead only go into battery charging mode. Once there is at least 10-15% of capacity, it will boot up when you hold the power button in for between 5 and 15 seconds. If the phone responds with the large battery display upon pushing the power button, press and hold it again. I will eventually boot.

Ah, ok. Thanks much. That's exactly what I was getting -- it was up to 30% but it didn't seem to want to come on. I unplugged/plugged it back in which booted it, but good to know that I just need to push in the power.

[SallyC]

Ah, ok. Thanks much. That's exactly what I was getting -- it was up to 30% but it didn't seem to want to come on. I unplugged/plugged it back in which booted it, but good to know that I just need to push in the power.

As an fyi, I would suggest you avoid letting your battery get really low. From what I understand you don't want them to drop below around 20-25%. And putting it on the charger whenever you get a chance to top it off will not harm the battery at all - it's actually best.

As much hoopla as there has been about the fact that the RAZR doesn't have a removable battery and how bad that is, I would think Motorola would be out in front of this issue with clearer instructions on how to take care of the battery and charging it. Poor care and habits based on older type batteries will lead to poor performance and then poor reviews of the phone.

[FoxKat]

As an fyi, I would suggest you avoid letting your battery get really low. From what I understand you don't want them to drop below around 20-25%. And putting it on the charger whenever you get a chance to top it off will not harm the battery at all - it's actually best.

As much hoopla as there has been about the fact that the RAZR doesn't have a removable battery and how bad that is, I would think Motorola would be out in front of this issue with clearer instructions on how to take care of the battery and charging it. Poor care and habits based on older type batteries will lead to poor performance and then poor reviews of the phone.

SallyC, you raise some very good points and these have been addressed by me in several other posts, here (For those on the fence about getting a razor, just picked one up...), here (Headphone Jack and other issues...), here (RAZR Returned), and here (How do I reset/retrain my battery?).

Even still, preventing dropping below 20-25% isn't really what you should consider as a bottom threshold. The battery, phone, and charger are all constantly working very hard to monitor the battery voltage and make sure you don't damage the battery no matter what you do under normal use. The information provided on the technical sites mentioned (particularly batteryuniversity), are regarding the battery and what to do/not do regarding charging the battery directly (i.e. what the engineers need to know to design appropriate charging and safety circuitry), rather than charging with the actual appproved charging circuitry which was designed by these engineers with this information in mind.

These phones and their batteries and charging circuitry are highly engineered to squeeze the most life, both in duration of charge and duration of lifespan from these little wonders. They have already incorporated the minimums and maximums, charging and discharging rates, etc. into the circuitry to address all the characteristics discussed on that and other sites. However, you WILL gain SOME additional lifespan from the battery by doing shorter, interim boosts to the battery rather than running it down till it shuts off based on pre-set trigger voltages. The question is how much and will it materially affect your enjoyability and useability of the phone.

The fact is, you will certainly benefit in useability and enjoyability if you have a portable charger with you and you plug in whenever possible. Of course, depending on where you are that may or may not be possible. For those extreme situations where a power jack is long and far away, your laptop can double as a power source with the simple USB to MicroUSB cable, or a portable battery booster - either rechargeable or which operates on inexpensive AA batteries may be the solution. In practice, it's undesireable to run the battery down completely for just the reason the OP discovered...a long wait till it's charged enough to even boot.

[SallyC]

Thanks, FoxKat. I've read - and learned from - some of those posts but will go to read the others. One question - I am of the impression that it does not hurt my phone to leave it on a charger even if it's charged. I have it plugged into AC via a USB where I sit sometimes even though it's already charged. Am I correct in my impression that there is circuitry within it to prevent damage from overcharging? Thanks.

[bullswife98]

I leave mine in my HD docking station at night/overnight... it doubles as my alarm clock/desktop clock with smart actions set to quiet time or sleep. No issues what's so ever. Love it btw! And then at 4:00am unplugged, go to work,smart actions for work trigger at 6:00am/trigger off at 1:00pm, then come home battery is at 90%still fiddle on here for awhile,play bubble blast, check facebook, send a few texts, later look at android market for new apps phone at75%,plug phone in, look on forums again,it then fully charged, then go to bed it gets put back on the dock. That's it, that's all I do. Works great for me!

Sent from my DROID RAZR

[FoxKat]

Thanks, FoxKat. I've read - and learned from - some of those posts but will go to read the others. One question - I am of the impression that it does not hurt my phone to leave it on a charger even if it's charged. I have it plugged into AC via a USB where I sit sometimes even though it's already charged. Am I correct in my impression that there is circuitry within it to prevent damage from overcharging? Thanks.

SallyC, again you are spot on. The circuitry knows the capacity of the battery and the highest safe voltage the battery can be pushed to. At normal charging rate when the battery begins nearing a full charge (indicated by the voltage and also the rate of ascent), the charging circuitry will switch from a normal charging rate, and instead go into a very slow trickle charge to top off the battery gently. Once the battery is completely charged, the circuitry will stop the charging altogether. If left on the charger, it will also monitor the battery voltages and, just as all batteries lose charge slowly, it will detect when the voltage dips slightly and will intermittently supplement the charge with a slow trickle charge when needed to bring it back to a full charge state and keep the battery topped off.

To address your concernt, it used to be taboo to keep a device on the charger if it had Nickel Cadmium (NiCad) rechargeable batteries, and to a much lesser extent Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) batteries. NiCad batteries are known to suffer from a problem known as the "memory" effect where they begin to perform at the capacity they are typically used to and recharged from. So if you charge them fully, then use perhaps 50% of its designed capacity, then charge again and use 50%, after many cycles of that type, they will eventually be unable to hold more than the 50% capacity they are always asked to supply.

Furthermore, if they are either charged too long (left on charge as your concern was), not charged fully before being drained or not drained fully, the memory effect can begin to take hold and reduce capacity. This is most frequently experienced by people with portable home phones which often are placed back into their docks after every short phonecall and sit there essentially 24/7. They start to run down quicker and quicker each time they're used until eventually they won't hold a charge at all - then it's time to replace the batteries. Lastly, if NiCad batteries are left completely drained without recharging for extended periods of time, they will eventually cease to be able to take a charge at all, rendering them completely useless and virtually irreparable under most consumer applications.

Lithium Ion (Li) and Lithium Ion Polymer (LiP) batteries are a far more evolved animal than the ones mentioned above. They can supply greater voltages, greater amperages, do so in faster timeframes for high current drain, can be charged quicker, stored with a charge that will last longer, and are significantly smaller and lighter. The advantages do come with some added risks such as overheating, and in some very rare and extreme cases, even explosion and fire. This is why it is ALWAYS recommended to use ONLY the APPROVED chargers ESPECIALLY when charging Li batteries.

In short, there is almost nothing you can do when using your smart phone under normal circumstances that will damage the battery, as long as you use the "APPROVED CHARGERS". All bets are off if you use a charger that is not designed for your particular phone since the charger is designed with your phone's specific battery in mind. Minimum voltage before damage, maximum charge rate before risk of overheating, maximum voltage before risk of fire, etc., are all engineered into the charger and charging circuitry with the particular battery's specifications in mind. Use the wrong charger and you may either damage or circumvent those protective circuitries, potentially risking a catastrophic failure.

[FoxKat]

I leave mine in my HD docking station at night/overnight... it doubles as my alarm clock/desktop clock with smart actions set to quiet time or sleep. No issues what's so ever. Love it btw! And then at 4:00am unplugged, go to work,smart actions for work trigger at 6:00am/trigger off at 1:00pm, then come home battery is at 90%still fiddle on here for awhile,play bubble blast, check facebook, send a few texts, later look at android market for new apps phone at75%,plug phone in, look on forums again,it then fully charged, then go to bed it gets put back on the dock. That's it, that's all I do. Works great for me!

Sent from my DROID RAZR

This is exactly what the phone was designed to do. This person should never have battery problems, as long as her routine doesn't change significantly and for long periods or permanently.