I need tech help...cell phone...battery question

[ProudGrandma]

I have a Samsung Galaxy Core Prime tracfone.  It's less than a year old.  Up to today, the battery life was just fine...but today, within an hour it went from 100% charged to 73%.  So I charged it again....and again within about an hours time it went from 100% to about 76%.   It has never done that.    It's not searching internet because I am at home with wireless.  It doesn't seem to be downloading anything...so what else can I consider?

[ProudGrandma]

like what? I guess I am not sure what you mean?  What would be an example of what would being running that I wouldn't see or know about?

[ProudGrandma]

hmmm....I have nothing new on my phone since yesterday.  There are apps that are "running"...but I have no idea if that is ok or not.

 

If it's a virus, how do I know....and what do I do about it?

[Alessandra]

like what? I guess I am not sure what you mean? What would be an example of what would being running that I wouldn't see or know about?

I would Google this for your operating system -- try a search phrase like save battery life.

 

I have an iPhone. One battery drainer is if the phone is set to check for email and let me know if I have mail. I set the phone not to do that; I check manually. Also some apps don't actually shut off. I know on my phone I double click the main button and swipe all the apps off the screen one by one. There should be something similar on your phone. (Turning off the phone does not work for me, as apps can load again when phone is restarted.

 

Many apps are set to use your phone's location by default. That uses power. But you can turn off location, app by app.

 

Sorry I am answering with ideas from another phone, lol. But some things could be similar.

 

Oh, setting your screen so it is not the brightest possible will help,too.

 

ETA

 

https://www.whistleout.com/CellPhones/Guides/Tips-for-Improving-Smartphone-Battery-Life

 

https://support.sprint.com/support/article/Troubleshoot-shortened-battery-life-on-your-Samsung-Galaxy-Core-Prime/WTroubleshootingGuide_542_GKB82994-dvc8770003prd

Edited June 19, 2016 by Alessandra

[Lanny]

I am using a phone that is probably similar to your phone. That is strange, that one day it was "normal" and the next day the battery is  dropping, quickly.  One thing my wife taught me is to get rid of the Notifications you receive. Apparently those take up battery. Swipe them to the Left.   In the Upper Left Hand corner of the display, pull the Notifications down and get rid of any that you can.  I am new to Android and bought the "Dummies" book about Android phones.  I think the author wrote that normal Android Apps run all the time, but that after not being used for awhile, they go into the Background or something and don't take up memory or use the battery.  It could be that your battery is starting to die, and you might want to buy a new one and see if that one works properly or if this is caused by some other issue. 

[hornblower]

In addition to looking for software glitches / viruses, I'd try turning the phone off, popping the battery right out, wait a few minutes, pop it back in and charge and see how it does. (Assuming you have a removable battery)

[Lanny]

The Samsung "DUOS"  phone  I am now using is approximately 2 years old.  I think/assume the battery is the original battery, but am not positive about that.  I do not have Bluetooth turned on. I do have WiFi, GPS, etc., turned on at all times. I do not turn the phone off. Yesterday, in the morning, I charged the battery. This morning, it was down to about 71% and I am charging it again.  If your battery is dropping that much, almost immediately, I believe there is a problem. Possibly with the battery, possibly with the charger, possibly with the charging circuit inside the phone.  I bought a spare battery (not OEM) which was very inexpensive, from our "Cell Phone Doctor", but it is completely dead now and if I put it into the phone, I can't charge it with the regular charger, so I will take it to the Cell Phone Doctor and ask him to give it a jolt, with a more potent charger he has, to get it up to the point where I can charge it with a normal charger.  I bought  10 Micro USB cables and 10 of the AC Chargers, for about $17 total  on eBay and they work fine.     As a PP mentioned, many new phones do not have removable batteries.  The Motorola Turbo my wife has and the Motorola phone I had for 2 months before giving it to DIL, had non removable batteries. I believe that is the trend, especially in mid level and upscale phones with high capacity batteries.  That will be a PITA,  and probably very expensive, when those phones need a replacement battery.  

 

ETA: I Have Data turned on all the time too. The only thing I don't use is Bluetooth and that is always turned off. It has Dual SIMS so 2 radios are in use, one for each provider.

Edited June 20, 2016 by Lanny

[Joules]

Apps that check your location constantly can drain the battery rapidly.  Look for things like Google Maps or friend locators and make sure they are off when you aren't using them.  On the iPhone you can also turn off location services for apps that don't need them.  I think there is a similar setting on the Android.

Edited June 20, 2016 by Joules

[ProudGrandma]

I can remove my battery, so I did do that last night...and replaced.  the phone was 100% this morning when I turned it on...and within minutes it had gone down to 97% without me using it. 

 

HOWEVER....I do now remember a couple days ago I think it was facebook, but I am not 100% sure...sent me some sort of message about what seems to stick in my brain as a "friend locator" or some thing like that...I am probably said yes to it.  But, I am not sure how to find it and turn it off or even if that is what it is...but I did forget that was something I did within the last 2 days. 

 

I just wish I could remember more about it.  I guess I need to be way more careful about what I push yes to, huh?

 

Can someone help me with that?

[ProudGrandma]

maybe that's not it....I was able to find a facebook menu that has "find friends" on it...and it's already turned off...so I am not sure.

 

I know that radioshack sells tracfones and I will be close to one today...so maybe the best thing to do is stop in there and see if someone can help me.  The only other places in our town that sell tracfones are the discount stores (Wal-mart etc) and their people know nothing usually so that won't be helpful at all.

Can someone help me with that?

 

On Android, if you go to "Settings", then find "Battery", there's  "Battery Usage" button which will tell you which apps have used what percentage of the battery.  Sometimes, apps go crazy, and a restart of the phone will help.

[ProudGrandma]

I am 91% right...

 

the screen is taking 58% of the battery...the other apps are 11% (wi-fi) and under...and there are only 9 apps listed (including the screen and wifi)

 

Does that seem normal or not?

I am 91% right...

 

the screen is taking 58% of the battery...the other apps are 11% (wi-fi) and under...and there are only 9 apps listed (including the screen and wifi)

 

Does that seem normal or not?

 

Is your screen brightness on full blast?  I set mine to auto-brightness.

[ProudGrandma]

it is...but I have always had it on full blast.  This issue just started yesterday.  So, I doubt that is the issue.

[Alessandra]

Check to see if there is a phone rear shop near you. We use one that will look at your phone and give an estimate for free.

 

I am not sure I would recommend Radio Shack -- aren't they going out of business?

[ProudGrandma]

I guess I don't know about RS going out of business....will most any phone kiosk in a mall look at my phone...even though it's a tracfone?

[Alessandra]

I guess I don't know about RS going out of business....will most any phone kiosk in a mall look at my phone...even though it's a tracfone?

Sorry, I don't know the answer to that. (The place I go is iPhones only.)

[Lanny]

I have the Screen Brightness set to about 50% on my Samsung Android.  Setting it higher will use more battery.  I would *not* worry about it dropping from 100% battery charge to 97%, quickly, but I would wonder about it dropping, quickly, from 100% to 73%

 

I would try to buy a new battery and stick that into the phone.  If the problem continues,, then you know it wasn't the battery. Always begin with the things that are easiest to fix/replace.

 

I have GPS turned on all the time and I have the Google Maps App installed, which uses GPS, and I believe there are other apps I have installed that also use GPS.

 

Be thankful your Battery is Removable and very inexpensive.  My guess is that if/when the time comes for the battery in my wife's Motorola Turbo to be replaced, the cost will be so high that she will consider buying a new phone instead.