Motorola RAZR V3
Strange charging and battery life behavior
Love the phone but am seeing some strange behavior. Has anyone run into these:
- If the V3 has been charging and indicates a full charge, I can take it off the charger and put it right back on without doing anything and the battery charge indicator indicates the battery is at only one notch flashing and it looks like it needs a full charge.
- After charging for several days and the phone indicating a full charge while on the charger, I can take the phone off the charger and the battery level will be at 2/3 notches as soon as I take it off the charger and will be blinking. After just an hour or so, it'll be flashing with only one notch left. Turn the phone off and immediately back on and I have 3 full bars and the level is all the wa...
(continues)
- If the V3 has been charging and indicates a full charge, I can take it off the charger and put it right back on without doing anything and the battery charge indicator indicates the battery is at only one notch flashing and it looks like it needs a full charge.
- After charging for several days and the phone indicating a full charge while on the charger, I can take the phone off the charger and the battery level will be at 2/3 notches as soon as I take it off the charger and will be blinking. After just an hour or so, it'll be flashing with only one notch left. Turn the phone off and immediately back on and I have 3 full bars and the level is all the wa...
(continues)
...
I think you're over-charging from the scenarios you describe. You really should not charge it full, pull it off, and then go and plug it back in again. And if I read your description correctly, "charging for several days"- does that mean on the charger for several days continuous? Too much if that's the case.
You'll get the best performance and battery level reporting by using the device until there is 1 bar left or an indication of a low battery, and then charging it up while the unit is off. After the display indicates the charge is complete, unplug it and turn it on. Then use it until there is 1 bar or less and repeat the charging cycle.
The fuel gauge needs to calibrate the max and min capacity of the battery and also some time in ...
(continues)
You'll get the best performance and battery level reporting by using the device until there is 1 bar left or an indication of a low battery, and then charging it up while the unit is off. After the display indicates the charge is complete, unplug it and turn it on. Then use it until there is 1 bar or less and repeat the charging cycle.
The fuel gauge needs to calibrate the max and min capacity of the battery and also some time in ...
(continues)
...
What you say makes sense for charging NiCad batteries in a remote control car or something, but not a phone or any device I've known with a Lithium Ion battery. I've never had an issue with leaving other phones on a charger when not in use. Doing so allows you to be sure you have a full charge when you really need to use the phone (when you are going out). Letting it run down to 1 bar all the time will result in the phone being dead (or almost dead) much of the time when you really need it. Also, if I have to turn the phone off while charging it, that means I cannot receive calls and important messages while charging the phone: another issue I've never had to deal with when using other phones.
If this phone cannot be left on the cha...
(continues)
If this phone cannot be left on the cha...
(continues)
...
I too have noticed similar battery charging issues with my RAZR. I have even had the battery indicator show red (no battery remaining) after a complete charge. I recently replaced my phone with a new one and the new one still has some issues with the battery indication.
I agree with you about lithium ion batteries. They are designed differently than NiCd and NiMH batteries and you are not required to charge/discharge them in the same fashion. Leaving the charger attached after a full charge is not a problem with Lithium Ion batteries. However, the battery life will degrade with age regardless of how you use/charge it.
I also agree that this is a firmware issue with the phone and hopefully Motorola with fix it in the near future....
(continues)
I agree with you about lithium ion batteries. They are designed differently than NiCd and NiMH batteries and you are not required to charge/discharge them in the same fashion. Leaving the charger attached after a full charge is not a problem with Lithium Ion batteries. However, the battery life will degrade with age regardless of how you use/charge it.
I also agree that this is a firmware issue with the phone and hopefully Motorola with fix it in the near future....
(continues)
...
Have you tried turning the phone off and then back on when this happens? I've been down to one (blinking) battery dot right after disconnecting from the charger and a quick off/on with the phone puts the meter back at a full 3. Certainly seems like a firmware issue to me.
I'm going to try letting mine run down all the way once and then recharging. It is possible that the battery/charger has to see one full charge cycle before the meter is calibrated???
JD
I'm going to try letting mine run down all the way once and then recharging. It is possible that the battery/charger has to see one full charge cycle before the meter is calibrated???
JD
...
Just in case it's helpful to either of you, I've had NO such battery indicator issues,
My phone is out of one of of the first batches of consumer (i.e., non-contest) phones, purchased on 11/10 (before the "Day 1" release) meaning it's less likely (but is possible) it's something that got "fixed" in my phone and not in yours.
So, it sounds to me like a hardware issue, not the V3's firm/software, or the bugs would be the same phone to phone.
My phone is out of one of of the first batches of consumer (i.e., non-contest) phones, purchased on 11/10 (before the "Day 1" release) meaning it's less likely (but is possible) it's something that got "fixed" in my phone and not in yours.
So, it sounds to me like a hardware issue, not the V3's firm/software, or the bugs would be the same phone to phone.
...
I understand the differences in battery chemistry and charging requirements. However, you need to keep in mind the one common environmental condition that will destroy any battery: heat. Heat causes the water to evaporate from the cells and ruin the electrolyte thus reducing the cell's capacity and it's life. Long-term charging will do this even with Li Ion because you are keeping a small electrical current pulsing through the cells which creates heat due to the resistive losses.
My reason for letting it run down down to a low level (but not completely exhausted) is to limit the number of charge cycles and that will extend the life of the cells.
As for odd readings on the battery level indicator, most types of fuel gauges need time to ...
(continues)
My reason for letting it run down down to a low level (but not completely exhausted) is to limit the number of charge cycles and that will extend the life of the cells.
As for odd readings on the battery level indicator, most types of fuel gauges need time to ...
(continues)
...
I understand what you are saying and I'm really not trying to be contradictory but I do know a few things about charging batteries. I've actually worked with a local lab working with and ironing out issues in high end equipment using Lithium Ion and NiMH batteries, working on procedures to balance cells, maximize battery life, understand and use chargers, etc.
Most chargers (ones that are designed properly) will do a peak charge, detect when the battery is fully charged, and then switch over to a trickle charge mode. The trickle charge is designed to be just barely higher than the internal resistance of the battery so that the battery maintains a charge but is not overcharged. Electronics in the charger are often used to detect how m...
(continues)
Most chargers (ones that are designed properly) will do a peak charge, detect when the battery is fully charged, and then switch over to a trickle charge mode. The trickle charge is designed to be just barely higher than the internal resistance of the battery so that the battery maintains a charge but is not overcharged. Electronics in the charger are often used to detect how m...
(continues)
...
i have had a similar problem as well as that problem, when i remove my charger my phone still indicates that its still charging and the batttery is blinking....I just turn the phone off and on again and everything is fine
...
to quote the bottom of manual page 18 :
"Some batteries perform best after several full charge/discharge cycles."
and the note at bottom of page 19:
"You can safely leave the travel charger connected to the
phone after charging is complete. This will not damage the battery."
"Some batteries perform best after several full charge/discharge cycles."
and the note at bottom of page 19:
"You can safely leave the travel charger connected to the
phone after charging is complete. This will not damage the battery."
...
This is actually a pretty standard Motorola thing. I'm not sure why they do this, but I've seen it on my old v60, several v551's (that I've sold and that I've used), and a lot of v220's and v600's.
I can't understand quite what's goin on with them, but when you power them off and back on they'll show more of a charge than they did prior to the power cycle. 😕 As for plugging the phone back in after taking it off the charger....I've only seen that in the v60 and v551, but on several models of each. It doesn't make much sense, but after a minute or two it should say "charge complete" once again. Or at least my v60 did.
I can't understand quite what's goin on with them, but when you power them off and back on they'll show more of a charge than they did prior to the power cycle. 😕 As for plugging the phone back in after taking it off the charger....I've only seen that in the v60 and v551, but on several models of each. It doesn't make much sense, but after a minute or two it should say "charge complete" once again. Or at least my v60 did.
...
Today I took the V3 off the charger and headed out the door. 30 minutes later, it was flashing that the battery was almost dead. This time, I looked at the display and it said "charging". The phone thought it was charging when it wasn't on the charger! Turned it off and then back on, the word "charging" no longer appeared on the display, and I had a full battery on the indicator.
Definitely a firmware issue.
JD
Definitely a firmware issue.
JD
...
I had this happen top me as well. But now I'll just charge at night with it off ...
...
Charging with it off isn't an option for me because I use the phone to receive important text messages. I'm still looking into the problem, but I think there is a certain sequence that causes it. For example, I think the problem might be related to when you take it off the charger versus when you open it up. I've noticed that if you take it off the charger and wait until the front display goes black before you open it, it is usually OK. Opening it up and looking at the main display at a certain time (after it is unplugged from the charger) is what I think is causing it to think the phone is still being charged. When it happens, the words "charging" or "fully charged" appear where the date should be, even with it off the charger. That's...
(continues)
(continues)
...
I have experienced pretty much all the strange symptoms described in this thread and the previous one. The symptoms only occur for me if I charge the phone when it is powered on.
In other words, if I cut the phone off before I connect it to the charger, let it charge fully, unhook the charger and cut it back on, it works fine.
In other words, if I cut the phone off before I connect it to the charger, let it charge fully, unhook the charger and cut it back on, it works fine.
...
