Droid too hot to charge?

[m3kilpat]

It seems as though if the droid is too hot it simply won't charge. I noticed this happening today when I was using navigation while plugged in to my car charger, mounted in the car dock. Today was HOT, 90+ degrees F, though I had the AC blaring. Basically the droid began charging when first mounted, then I noticed it stopped for no reason. The temp of the phone was around 55-59 degrees C since it was sitting in the sun on my dashboard. Once I took it out of the car dock, turned off navigation, and held it in my lap for awhile to let it cool down, it finally started charging again.

Perhaps this is a safety precaution to not heat the phone up anymore, but it really sucks when you need navigation on a long trip during a hot day.

Anyone else experience this? I'm on Cyanogen 5.0.7 overclocked to 1ghz for what it's worth.

 

[jbwiden]

It seems as though if the droid is too hot it simply won't charge. I noticed this happening today when I was using navigation while plugged in to my car charger, mounted in the car dock. Today was HOT, 90+ degrees F, though I had the AC blaring. Basically the droid began charging when first mounted, then I noticed it stopped for no reason. The temp of the phone was around 55-59 degrees C since it was sitting in the sun on my dashboard. Once I took it out of the car dock, turned off navigation, and held it in my lap for awhile to let it cool down, it finally started charging again.

Perhaps this is a safety precaution to not heat the phone up anymore, but it really sucks when you need navigation on a long trip during a day.

Anyone else experience this? I'm on Cyanogen 5.0.7 overclocked to 1ghz for what it's worth.

It certainly sounds plausible, Heat kills the battery quickly and temp sensors are near(on?) the battery so it makes sense that it could be a feature. I actually have a vent mount so on hot days cold air blows on the back of the Droid.

 

[jsh1120]

Yes, the phone will not charge if it gets too hot. The phone will heat up using navigation. However, you may be experiencing problems from overclocking your phone. It doesn't happen to all phones but the reason the standard clock speed is what it is is that for a given batch of phones manufacturing variances will cause some devices to overheat if overclocked.

It's also worth noting that the problem may stem from a faulty battery. You can get a replacement on amazon.com for less than $10. It's a cheap diagnostic tool and a useful accessory.

 

[pc747]

good point jsh. When I run any nav or music streaming app I set the clock speed back to default 550. I just do it to be safe. If you are running music and nav during hot weather I would recommend dropping the speed. O/c heats the phone up any way. No matter what a dev tell you about their rom or kernel being cooler, overclocking your processor is overworking it so it WILL heat up. at 1ghz you have it at almost twice the recommended speed.
I am not telling people to not o/c, because I have my droid set at 800. But it would be wise to pay attention to clock speed, especially during summer months.

 

[jimnutt]

The phone will not charge the battery if the battery temp is too high. This is a safety feature intended to keep the battery from exploding.

 

[jsh1120]

The phone will not charge the battery if the battery temp is too high. This is a safety feature intended to keep the battery from exploding.

No guts no glory.

 

[Fraxinus]

It doesn't happen to all phones but the reason the standard clock speed is what it is is that for a given batch of phones manufacturing variances will cause some devices to overheat if overclocked.

It's also worth noting that the problem may stem from a faulty battery. You can get a replacement on amazon.com for less than $10. It's a cheap diagnostic tool and a useful accessory.

I've had the same experience as the OP with navigation on a hot day. Got where I was going, checked the curvefish battery widget and it had stopped charging and was at ~50% charge (while plugged in). I am overclocked to 800Mhtz but I have a profile set to max out at 550 when the phone is charging, so I'm not sure what the story is there. Either the overclocked kernel runs hotter even when not overclocked, or I have a phone that just runs really hot. Unfortunately I didn't monitor battery temperatures prior to overclocking so I don't really have a good baseline for comparison.

Interesting thought about a faulty battery, I may look into that...

 

[Nick177th]

The phone will not charge the battery if the battery temp is too high. This is a safety feature intended to keep the battery from exploding.

That is good to know. I experienced that the other day for the first time. I'm not rooted or anything but, my phone got a little warm from running NAV for awhile. battery just wouldn't charge. After it cooled down for awhile, no problems charging.

 

[Darkseider]

It seems as though if the droid is too hot it simply won't charge. I noticed this happening today when I was using navigation while plugged in to my car charger, mounted in the car dock. Today was HOT, 90+ degrees F, though I had the AC blaring. Basically the droid began charging when first mounted, then I noticed it stopped for no reason. The temp of the phone was around 55-59 degrees C since it was sitting in the sun on my dashboard. Once I took it out of the car dock, turned off navigation, and held it in my lap for awhile to let it cool down, it finally started charging again.

Perhaps this is a safety precaution to not heat the phone up anymore, but it really sucks when you need navigation on a long trip during a hot day.

Anyone else experience this? I'm on Cyanogen 5.0.7 overclocked to 1ghz for what it's worth.

There is actually a suggestion from VZW to NOT put the phone on the dash in direct sunlight on a hot day when using navigation. I would think that this is common sense at this point but apparently not. It is a METAL phone that is painted BLACK.

 

[Fraxinus]

I experienced that the other day for the first time. I'm not rooted or anything but, my phone got a little warm from running NAV for awhile.

Nick, it's great to hear from someone who isn't rooted and has had the same experience. I've thought about returning to stock to see if the stock kernel and no overclocking would prevent overheating, but it sounds like it would likely still be an issue for me.

There is actually a suggestion from VZW to NOT put the phone on the dash in direct sunlight on a hot day when using navigation. I would think that this is common sense at this point but apparently not. It is a METAL phone that is painted BLACK.

Also good to know...makes sense.

 

[Darkseider]

In case there is any doubt.

http://www.motorola.com/staticfiles...tatic-Files/DROID_UG_Verizon_68000202474a.pdf

Page 44 of the manual.

"Avoid leaving your phone in your car in high temperatures."

Now just because the AC is on and the ambient temperature is comfortable the phone itself is in direct sunlight when mounted on the windshield or dash. Your best bet if you want to use navigation in the car is to get a stalk mount or face mount on the dash. At least then the unit would be out of direct sunlight and can even have cool air directed at it from one of the cars dash vents.

 

[REMilk]

I have a Motorola Droid and I am running stack 2.1. This past weekend, I, too, encountered the Droid over heating when using GPS and the battery ceased charging and in fact, discharged rapidly. I unplugged the charger for about 1/2 hour and it cooled off. Once plugged in, it started charging again.

 

[Romple]

The phone will not charge the battery if the battery temp is too high. This is a safety feature intended to keep the battery from exploding.

No guts no glory.

IKR!!!

 

[pc747]

I experienced the same problem with the iphone when using nav apps. It just get hot.....as stated above, reposition your phone from direct sunlight and try to put it near a vent where it can get cool air blasts. If you running an oc kernel, drop th e speed to stock while charging or using nav apps during the summer. You really do not need you processor that high just for nav apps. The droid can run nav just fine at stock 550. The o/c is more useful for games, navigating through your phone, and internet.

 

[drowe]

I just took a road trip to the beach in NC last week and the phone heated up and stopped charging running the nav. on the way to the beach. I had it in a Garmin bean bag mount. While I was there I picked up a cheap cell phone vent mount and put it in. On the way home, I had the A/C on and ran the nav, slacker, and charged all the way home. I use the vent mounts now in both cars. If it is hot enough for me to need the A/C, it is hot enough for the Droid to need it to.