Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

iPhone Charges Backwards

carfac

carfac

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Feb 18, 2006
1,244
31
So I spend some time doing syncing, adding images and stuff last night, so thr iPhone spent a good deal of time in the cradle. By the time I am done and go to bed, the phone is charged better than 90%.

The phone spends all night in the cradle, attached to the iMac. I get up this morning, and the phone has a 20% charge, if that.

Whats the deal? Does it stop charging in Sleep mode or something? How do you guys work around this?
 
carfac said:
So I spend some time doing syncing, adding images and stuff last night, so thr iPhone spent a good deal of time in the cradle. By the time I am done and go to bed, the phone is charged better than 90%.

The phone spends all night in the cradle, attached to the iMac. I get up this morning, and the phone has a 20% charge, if that.

Whats the deal? Does it stop charging in Sleep mode or something? How do you guys work around this?
Click to expand...

do you have it plugged directly into the iMac or through a usb hub?
 
drater said:
do you have it plugged directly into the iMac or through a usb hub?
Click to expand...

Thank you for your help.

Direct into the back of the iMac. I use the iPhone-supplied cable to the iPhone supplied cradle.
 
Did the Mac go to sleep?

Maybe it power saved and then the iPhone battery was somehow drained?
 
ogee said:
Did the Mac go to sleep?

Maybe it power saved and then the iPhone battery was somehow drained?
Click to expand...

I don't think that would be the issue, but maybe. however there were problems with some of the usb connections on the docks. I'd call Applecare and have them trouble shoot for you. Maybe try charging without the dock. See what happens.
 
Thanks for the hlp so far.

Yes, the iMac does sleep.

I am BRAND NEW to the iPhone- just got it Saturday, so I am still learning.

The past two days, I have taken the same cradle to work, and plugged that in here, and gotten full charges here. This is USB into the back of a PC here (with NO iTunes, if that makes a difference. Well, not true, I have iTunes, but it is version 7.3.2.6, so it does not "see" the iPhone)

What is "Power Saved"?
 
sparkyms said:
My iPod NEVER charges if my mac falls asleep.

That's probably your problem.
Click to expand...

That was what I was thinking, that it was a sleep issue. How do you deal with it? Just let the screen blank, but not power down the computer (sorry, I am not at a mac right now, so I am not sure the terms on a Mac.)
 
carfac said:
That was what I was thinking, that it was a sleep issue. How do you deal with it? Just let the screen blank, but not power down the computer (sorry, I am not at a mac right now, so I am not sure the terms on a Mac.)
Click to expand...

go to system preferences, energy saver, set the sleep mode to "never"
 
oseary said:
Or just charge the phone via the wall-charger and the dock. Problem solved.
Click to expand...

Yeah, but hardly "elegant." Plug it into the iMac to update, then pull the cable, reach down, plug it into some other gizmo plugged in behind my desk (while balancing on one foot trying to reach that far down).. then, unplug it again and plug back into the Imac and start over. No, I do not want to do that. Nor do I want to pull the cradle every day and take it to work just to charge.

I will try the sleep never option.
 
sparkyms said:
My iPod NEVER charges if my mac falls asleep.

That's probably your problem.
Click to expand...

Still 90% charge to 20% overnight is a bit much, so it's being actively drained.

I don't see how a USB connection would discharge the battery though. What happens if you (the OP) leave it unconnected overnight (with all your normal settings)?

I've gone three days without charging and that was while camping in an area with no coverage - not only that, I had the iPhone only a couple of days and hadn't learned to go into airplane mode and switch off wifi, so it would have lasted a lot longer. That's what makes me thing the OP's battery is being drained somehow.
 
I did have WiFi on all night... I thought it would be charging, so I did not take it off.

I can leave it off charge tonight and see, sure.
 
plinden said:
Still 90% charge to 20% overnight is a bit much, so it's being actively drained.

I don't see how a USB connection would discharge the battery though. What happens if you (the OP) leave it unconnected overnight (with all your normal settings)?

I've gone three days without charging and that was while camping in an area with no coverage - not only that, I had the iPhone only a couple of days and hadn't learned to go into airplane mode and switch off wifi, so it would have lasted a lot longer. That's what makes me thing the OP's battery is being drained somehow.
Click to expand...

I can say for near certain that it is the fact that that the computer is asleep is the issue. My wife has to leave her ibook open to make sure it charges her ipod nano - or else it is completely drained in the morning. ditto with my G5 and my various ipods - if the machine goes to sleep, the ipod will be drained by morning.
 
bluedevil97 said:
I can say for near certain that it is the fact that that the computer is asleep is the issue. My wife has to leave her ibook open to make sure it charges her ipod nano - or else it is completely drained in the morning. ditto with my G5 and my various ipods - if the machine goes to sleep, the ipod will be drained by morning.
Click to expand...

OK, so NO SLEEP. Thanks. I will try tonight, and I will report back!
 
Jeez- this thing takes a LOT of time to charge! iPut it on at 10 AM, when it was about 20%. It is after 2 PM, and it is at 50%....
 
carfac said:
Jeez- this thing takes a LOT of time to charge! iPut it on at 10 AM, when it was about 20%. It is after 2 PM, and it is at 50%....
Click to expand...

is WiFi turned on or off? It will take longer to charge with WiFi on at least in my experience...
 
Wifi Off. Jeez, I just watched it bounce down to about 25% now. Just sitting there, doing nothing. Plugged in, screen on, no wifi, NO USE!
 
Looks like you have a battery problem - a visit to the genius bar is in order.

Charging is supposed to be fast to 80% (about an hour?) with a while longer to complete the charge.
 
You know, there actually IS a manual for iPhone and it says the following:

"Note: If iPhone is connected to a computer that’s turned off or is in sleep or standby
mode, the iPhone battery may drain."
 
It's because your computer went to sleep. This has been documented on here before.

In the Energy Settings on the computer, put the display to sleep, but not the computer, or use a wall charger.
 
Well, I am reporting back!

First, thanks to all, and your advice. As you said, I was able to sleep the monitor, and leave the computer up (or, in "Never" sleep).

This morning, I had a fully charged iPhone! Worked fine!

Thank you ALL for your help! Another VERY HAPPY iPhone user.
 
I always charge via the wall charger whilst the phone is on airplane mode. Works well for me.
 
Telp said:
I always charge via the wall charger whilst the phone is on airplane mode. Works well for me.
Click to expand...

Me too. I always leave my phone right next to my alarm clock so I leave it on airplane mode so I don't get calls when I'm sleeping, and it also eliminates the BUZZ BZ BZ BZ BZ BZZZZZZZZZZZ sound that it makes next to the alarm clock. :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back