Battery %age seems to get stuck..?!

[Dino F]

Don't remember my iPhone 5 doing this pre-iOS 7 but I am noticing more and more that my battery % level seems to get stuck every now and again.

I will be using my phone and the battery % shows 48% (as an example). I use my phone for a good 5 - 10 minutes (in that time, my phone would typically lose at least 1%) but the battery stays at 48%.

Then, I would carry on using my phone (after the initial 10 minutes) and I glance at my battery and it has then dropped from 48% to 35% in the space of a less than 1 minute?!

Its like the battery gets stuck at a certain level (in this example - the 48% mark), you carry on using the phone and then the battery gets unstuck and drops more than 10% in a split second....?!

This generally happens whenever my battery is less than 50% charged. I also find that when my phone is over 50%, the charge stays well above 50 for a good 2 to 3 days (under normal usage) however, as soon as it drops to less than 50%, I can start the day at 50% but by the end of the day, the phone will be have dropped to anything between 20% and 30%??

I have tried to re-calibrate the battery (if there is even such a thing?!!) by charging it and letting it drop to 20% before re-charging but it doesn't seem to help.....?!

 

[Zcott]

Pro tip: turn off battery percentage and this issue will go away.

 

[Dino F]

Pro tip: turn off battery percentage and this issue will go away.

...yep I guess your correct, but then its difficult to judge how much battery you actually have left, just by looking at the battery icon itslef!

 

[John T]

The Battery Percentage indicator is not a precision instrument and is only meant to be an approximate indicator. If you are getting paranoid about it, as Zcott rightly says, just turn it off!

By the way, there is such a thing as calibrating the battery. Contrary to what you say you are doing, once a month, allow the battery to discharge completely (until the 'phone switches off), then recharge it.

 

[Zcott]

...yep I guess your correct, but then its difficult to judge how much battery you actually have left, just by looking at the battery icon itslef!

You'll always know if you have enough or not...!

 

[dannyyankou]

The Battery Percentage indicator is not a precision instrument and is only meant to be an approximate indicator. If you are getting paranoid about it, as Zcott rightly says, just turn it off!

By the way, there is such a thing as calibrating the battery. Contrary to what you say you are doing, once a month, allow the battery to discharge completely (until the 'phone switches off), then recharge it.

Actually, I've heard some experts advise against draining it completely, it could be bad for the battery. I'd let it drain to about 1-3%, then charging it completely again.

 

[Jambalaya]

The Battery Percentage indicator is not a precision instrument and is only meant to be an approximate indicator. If you are getting paranoid about it, as Zcott rightly says, just turn it off!

[snip]

This !

Dino think of it like a digital speedometer in a car, is that more accurate than a conventional dial ? Fact is when you put a GPS speedo in the car it shows the in-car over reads by typically 5%. The battery readout wouldn't be any more accurate if they displayed it to 2 decimal places.

 

[Dino F]

The Battery Percentage indicator is not a precision instrument and is only meant to be an approximate indicator. If you are getting paranoid about it, as Zcott rightly says, just turn it off!

By the way, there is such a thing as calibrating the battery. Contrary to what you say you are doing, once a month, allow the battery to discharge completely (until the 'phone switches off), then recharge it.

This !

Dino think of it like a digital speedometer in a car, is that more accurate than a conventional dial ? Fact is when you put a GPS speedo in the car it shows the in-car over reads by typically 5%. The battery readout wouldn't be any more accurate if they displayed it to 2 decimal places.

....hmmm - perhaps I may just do this!!!

Thanks!!

 

[John T]

Actually, I've heard some experts advise against draining it completely, it could be bad for the battery. I'd let it drain to about 1-3%, then charging it completely again.

Personally, I'd prefer to accept Apple's recommendations:-

"Use iPhone Regularly. For proper maintenance of a lithium-based battery,
it’s important to keep the electrons in it moving occasionally.
Be sure to go through at least one charge cycle per month
(charging the battery to 100% and then completely running it down)."

- than than those of so-called "experts".

 

[charlituna]

Actually, I've heard some experts advise against draining it completely, it could be bad for the battery. I'd let it drain to about 1-3%, then charging it completely again.

Draining it completely and letting it stay like that is definitely bad. But I have iPads go to zero and shut down on set all the time. They are typically like that for an hour tops. And there's no noticeable side effects

 

[C DM]

Pro tip: turn off battery percentage and this issue will go away.

A more pro tip: if you have a potential battery issue as this at least sometimes if not often indicates then disabling something that makes it a bit more obvious isn't going to resolve the issue itself. Remember the battery color indicator can jump itself as well in cases like this even when the percentage itself isn't being displayed.

 

[sbailey4]

...yep I guess your correct, but then its difficult to judge how much battery you actually have left, just by looking at the battery icon itslef!

Sounds like its difficult to judge it WITH the battery meter too. Just sayin

Seriously that indicator has never been linear so it tends to update whenever. You may show 100% for several hours when first off the charger but we all know that is false. A 4s for example should loose .5% each hr on stdby so technically after 2 hr it should show 99% if no other usage has occurred. I have had mine stay on 100% for several hrs (if not using it) and clearly that is out of Apples usage spec. Also had it last for a few hours when showing 1% before. So take it with a grain of salt.

 

[C DM]

Sounds like its difficult to judge it WITH the battery meter too. Just sayin

Seriously that indicator has never been linear so it tends to update whenever. You may show 100% for several hours when first off the charger but we all know that is false. A 4s for example should loose .5% each hr on stdby so technically after 2 hr it should show 99% if no other usage has occurred. I have had mine stay on 100% for several hrs (if not using it) and clearly that is out of Apples usage spec. Also had it last for a few hours when showing 1% before. So take it with a grain of salt.

The very top and bottom ranges can be somewhat unusual in timing, but in between those, any actual battery issues aside, for the most part, it's fairly good.

 

[bushman4]

Backing up whats been said that the indicator is approximate, When it gets down to 5% the last five % seems to last longer than 5% in between

 

[Dino F]

Backing up whats been said that the indicator is approximate, When it gets down to 5% the last five % seems to last longer than 5% in between

....yea, thats what I find as well! on my iPhone 5, when the battery is between 100% and 50%, it will last for a good 3 to 4 days however, when the battery then drops to below 50%, I can lose anywhere between 10 and 20 % in just one single day and I will generally only get 1 or 2 days usage before I need to charge it again....!

 

[C DM]

....yea, thats what I find as well! on my iPhone 5, when the battery is between 100% and 50%, it will last for a good 3 to 4 days however, when the battery then drops to below 50%, I can lose anywhere between 10 and 20 % in just one single day and I will generally only get 1 or 2 days usage before I need to charge it again....!

Days? Do you barely use the phone at all (and it's more or less in the same location with a constant good WiFi and/or cellular signal)?

 

[Dino F]

Days? Do you barely use the phone at all (and it's more or less in the same location with a constant good WiFi and/or cellular signal)?

...I use it on the way to work (before 9am) and then it sits on my desk connected to wifi until about 5pm (when I leave). I don't use it at work unless I get a message or a call (which doesn't happen that often).