Found Out Why GB's Killing My Battery (with Temp Fix)

[Skates12]

This morning I was finally able to isolate what was causing my extreme battery drain. It's "Enable Background Data". I disabled it, unplugged my fully-charged Pro and in exactly four hours it has only used 20% power.

If you don't have an unlimited data plan - and you're experiencing this problem - I highly recommend keeping a close eye on your data use because that's how I discovered the cause.

Normally, I use between 1.2 and 1.4 gigs/month. Post GB, my phone has gobbled up 1.1 gigs in the past SIX DAYS! My battery was also running red hot. After disabling b/g data, the temp has dropped over 10 degrees (my battery app measures exact temp).

Disabling b/g data is hardly ideal, but I'm sharing this in the hope that it helps some of you until a permanent fix is available.

 

[jzamoras]

have you lost any real world functionality?

 

[Skates12]

have you lost any real world functionality?

The only two things I've noticed so far are:

1) It doesn't seem to be checking email automatically anymore, and
2) If you want to open the app market you have to reenable, but I'm willing to live with that for now.

There's a Yahoo! Notifier message that claims it needs the function enabled, but it's working fine (I only use IM, not mail).

On the plus side, web browsing is much faster.

It's been unplugged 9.5 hours, I've been putting it through the paces and I still have 30% charge left.

 

[jzamoras]

I also noticed connect to GSM instead UMTS network improves battery life... I don't know which solution (gsm or bg data) is worst, lol

 

[jpcalhoun]

I also noticed connect to GSM instead UMTS network improves battery life... I don't know which solution (gsm or bg data) is worst, lol

You should be connecting to CDMA...Verizon is a CDMA carrier. Using Global or GSM will only use more battery...Verizon is NOT either one of those type networks.

 

[Skates12]

All, I decided it might be useful to search outside of just the Pro battery issues. Apparently, several other models have experienced the same battery drain problem once GB was installed.

Two other suggested fixes to try are:

1) If you have Corporate Sync, delete it, then recreate it.

2) Set wireless sleep policy to "Never".

Many users report that one - or both - solved their battery drain problem.

I've done both of these, am currently charging my battery to full, then will see if either of them works for me.

Grasping at straws here, but with background data disabled I'm losing a lot of functionality.

** Update ** Neither of these worked. Battery dropped 40% in two hours. The only thing that works for me is disabling background data.

 

[jzamoras]

You should be connecting to CDMA...Verizon is a CDMA carrier. Using Global or GSM will only use more battery...Verizon is NOT either one of those type networks.

where I live there is no CDMA, just GSM / UMTS networks

 

[jpcalhoun]

where I live there is no CDMA, just GSM / UMTS networks

Okee Hokey...didn't realize that. Sorry.

 

[google123]

I would look for an app in the market that can gauge the data usage of your apps. There shouldn't be anything in GB that uses that much background data. Clearly there is an app that is misbehaving. Just saying. Look for apps that can gauge an apps' data usage and make adjustments or kill it with fire!

https://market.android.com/details?...sImNvbS5jdXJ2ZWZpc2guYXBwcy50cmFmZmljaW5mbyJd

I just installed TrafficInfo by CurveFish from the market and it shows how much data each app (user and system) has used. Its a great app. I used it on my Droid Incredible running CyanogenMod 7.1 just now.

 

[Skates12]

I appreciate all the people who keep saying it CAN'T be Gingerbread, but do a web search and you'll see very quickly that this is a chronic problem affecting many customers.

My Pro is clean and had great battery life. The moment GB was installed, the battery drain was obvious.

I'm already tracking & when background data is enabled, it is pushing/pulling data constantly - at 4x my normal usage rate!

It is NOT an offending app, it is GB.

 

[google123]

Hmmmm well hope you get it figured out. Sucks that that your battery drains so fast with this data problem. I never had that problem when I had my Pro running GB. In fact, here is a screenshot of the kind of use I got out of mine. This was with the extended battery though but still.....

http://db.tt/dM4LrYk

 

[Skates12]

Thanks for the info - and I don't mean to be cranky - but I also have the extended battery and my Pro dies in 5 hours now.

 

[sculptedstylus]

This morning I was finally able to isolate what was causing my extreme battery drain. It's "Enable Background Data". I disabled it...

This is what I've been doing on my Asus Transformer for quite a while...I get great battery life with it, and now I'm trying it on my DroidX. The only problem that I have is that it takes at least 20 seconds after tapping Data Manager to get to the Background Data setting. I also uncheck Enable Data while there! Anyone else experiencing this amount of time for the settings to come up? I should mention, though, I'm rooted and still on Froyo...and too chicken to install any ROMs.

 

[google123]

5 hours!!!???!?!? WTF????!!! I would be cranky too. Have you tried a factory reset? I would.

 

[Skates12]

I'm holding onto a reset as a last resort. Everything I'm reading online says that it isn't solving the problem for those who have tried it.

I'm hoping if enough customers complain, Google/Moto/VZ will address it.