iPhone 13 Pro Max Slow charging on iPhone 13 PM

[Al Rukh]

Been noticing slow charging speed on my 13 PM. It takes about two hours to go from 55% to 100%. The initial period, the iPhone didn’t “race” to 80%. It seems like it was trickle charging all the way. Below is the image of the graph. Anyone knows what I should do? I’m already using the Apple 20W power brick.

 

[now i see it]

It charges slower when it’s hot.
It’s already tapering current (increasing charge time) by the time it gets near 60%

 

[Al Rukh]

It charges slower when it’s hot.
It’s already tapering current (increasing charge time) by the time it gets near 60%

My phone never got warm throughout the charging process.

 

[now i see it]

If the lightning plug to socket connection isn’t good, the phone will register that it’s charging but not much current will pass through.
Make sure the lightning port on the phone is clean.

 

[jav6454]

Been noticing slow charging speed on my 13 PM. It takes about two hours to go from 55% to 100%. The initial period, the iPhone didn’t “race” to 80%. It seems like it was trickle charging all the way. Below is the image of the graph. Anyone knows what I should do? I’m already using the Apple 20W power brick.

Two things here:

1. Charging when your phone is above 50% will take longer with or without fast charging.
2. Don't charge your phone from 50%, you'll wear down the battery sooner.

 

[Al Rukh]

If the lightning plug to socket connection isn’t good, the phone will register that it’s charging but not much current will pass through.
Make sure the lightning port on the phone is clean.

So the lighting pin might be faulty?

 

[Al Rukh]

Two things here:

1. Charging when your phone is above 50% will take longer with or without fast charging.
2. Don't charge your phone from 50%, you'll wear down the battery sooner.

I see. I noticed different behaviour when I had my 13 some months ago. It speeds through 80% and then slowly charged to 100%.

 

[jav6454]

I see. I noticed different behaviour when I had my 13 some months ago. It speeds through 80% and then slowly charged to 100%.

80 to 100 takes a while as the running theory is charging quick to 100 diminished battery life.

 

[DoFoT9]

80 to 100 takes a while as the running theory is charging quick to 100 diminished battery life.

Agreed with only charging to ~80% (probably why there is a setting for it). There is automatically reduced current (which I believe you refer to as ‘running theory) and from what I recall it is less successful in placing the electrons in the right “spot”.

In all honesty, I use my devices as I would anything else, charging them where required - I wouldn’t be overly concerned about this way or the other, and would recommend you just stick to a common process of letting things charge overnight where possible. The device will handle the rest. I would, however, recommend using reliably tested chargers and cables.

 

[now i see it]

check that there’s no lint packed deep inside the phone port. Use a wooden toothpick. Examine carefully with a magnifying glass with a flashlight

 

[Al Rukh]

I bought the new 35W charging brick and will use a different power socket to charge and see if I notice anything different. Hopefully this would rectify the problem.

 

[Al Rukh]

Problem fixed. A new 35W charger and cable, with the same power socket, make the phone fast charge as expected. Maybe 20W is really less powerful to drive the fast charge on a larger battery like the one in the 13 PM.

 

[DoFoT9]

Problem fixed. A new 35W charger and cable, with the same power socket, make the phone fast charge as expected. Maybe 20W is really less powerful to drive the fast charge on a larger battery like the one in the 13 PM.

Interesting - I believe the 13 PM supports 23W charging, so there shouldn't be a massive difference between the 20W charger that you already had. Perhaps it was the cable?

 

[jav6454]

Problem fixed. A new 35W charger and cable, with the same power socket, make the phone fast charge as expected. Maybe 20W is really less powerful to drive the fast charge on a larger battery like the one in the 13 PM.

Personally, I feel that's not a full fix.

 

[Al Rukh]

Personally, I feel that's not a full fix.

I just hope it’s not the phone that’s being the source of this issue. I have, what I would like to call, a close to perfect 13 PM with good screen. I don’t want to play the exchange game and risking getting a worst looking iPhone.

 

[jav6454]

I just hope it’s not the phone that’s being the source of this issue. I have, what I would like to call, a close to perfect 13 PM with good screen. I don’t want to play the exchange game and risking getting a worst looking iPhone.

A faster charger isn't the solution. What you need to do is accept the algorithm your phone is doing to reduce wear on your battery. By forcing more current in the mid to mid-high levels of charge you are damaging your battery's health. In other words, you are reducing it's capacity.

 

[Al Rukh]

A faster charger isn't the solution. What you need to do is accept the algorithm your phone is doing to reduce wear on your battery. By forcing more current in the mid to mid-high levels of charge you are damaging your battery's health. In other words, you are reducing it's capacity.

That’s something I am fine with. As long as it doesn’t deplete my battery to 80% after a couple of months. 90% or so after about 8-12 months is acceptable for me.

 

[cynics]

Slow charging is generally a result of a poor condition or cheap cable. Like mentioned it could be the pins on the connector, always look at them before you plug a phone into them. If you see a burned/black pin discard the cable. Also like mentioned the last 20% will intentionally charge slow to reduce the strain on the battery which is because as a battery is charged and its voltage increases its internal resistance increases if a high current is maintained it makes heat. And since the battery is the resistance it would be heat in the battery.

For example this is a 12 watt iPad charger connected to a USB load simulator via a brand new Apple cable.



Just to get it close to 12watt I needed to increase the load (thus current) to the point the voltage was dropping (due to the resistance of the cable) passed the safe 5volt +/-5% that a LiPo charging circuit would keep it. And thats a brand new brand name cable. Using a 10 foot long knock off cable from the local gas station....your not doing yourself any favors.

Here is a 6" cable. It gets a lot closer but using a USB tester plus the load simulator lets you see of the voltage, current and wattage drop through the cable.



So yeah, if your phone is charging slow and the cable looks like crap then toss it.

Personally I wouldn't concern yourself with battery health. Obviously don't do something dumb like charge your phone on the dashboard of a parked car in the middle of the summer but they really aren't that expensive to replace anyway. Do we carry our shoes to prevent wearing out the soles?

 

[cynics]

Two things here:

1. Charging when your phone is above 50% will take longer with or without fast charging.
2. Don't charge your phone from 50%, you'll wear down the battery sooner.

While their is some truth to that (keeping it between 30-70% would be better technically) the logic behind it doesn't hold up. You recommending artificially having 50% of your batteries capacity to prevent from actually having 70-80% years from now? What is the difference between being inconvenienced by pretending your iPhone has a battery with 50% health vs having a battery with 50% health...aside from the decade it would take to degrade that far?

 

[Al Rukh]

Slow charging is generally a result of a poor condition or cheap cable. Like mentioned it could be the pins on the connector, always look at them before you plug a phone into them. If you see a burned/black pin discard the cable. Also like mentioned the last 20% will intentionally charge slow to reduce the strain on the battery which is because as a battery is charged and its voltage increases its internal resistance increases if a high current is maintained it makes heat. And since the battery is the resistance it would be heat in the battery.

For example this is a 12 watt iPad charger connected to a USB load simulator via a brand new Apple cable.

View attachment 2025913View attachment 2025912

Just to get it close to 12watt I needed to increase the load (thus current) to the point the voltage was dropping (due to the resistance of the cable) passed the safe 5volt +/-5% that a LiPo charging circuit would keep it. And thats a brand new brand name cable. Using a 10 foot long knock off cable from the local gas station....your not doing yourself any favors.

Here is a 6" cable. It gets a lot closer but using a USB tester plus the load simulator lets you see of the voltage, current and wattage drop through the cable.

View attachment 2025916

So yeah, if your phone is charging slow and the cable looks like crap then toss it.

Personally I wouldn't concern yourself with battery health. Obviously don't do something dumb like charge your phone on the dashboard of a parked car in the middle of the summer but they really aren't that expensive to replace anyway. Do we carry our shoes to prevent wearing out the soles?

Well said. Thanks for your insightful explanation. I did notice some black marks on the Lightning end of my USB charging cable. With that said, once I changed the cable and the plug (from 20W to 35W), it’s been charging at a speed that is expected and acceptable.