Battery discharged by Nav app when Phone is connected to car charger

Zaphod_b_1 · May 26, 2011

Hi @all,

in the German SGS2 Forum at Pocketpc.ch actually there's an interesting discussion (German language unfortunately) about an issue a user has found out regarding using a navigation app on the SGS2:

It seems that, even if the phone is connected to a car charger, the battery is being discharged while using a navigation app, Navigon 3.6.0. in this case.

As it also looks like that this is not an issue of the car charger (has a max power of 1000mA) - it seems to come from the phone itself because Sammy limits the charging power to 450mA while connected to USB or "misc" chargers and to 650mA for AC chargers. Below you can see a piece of the battery driver sourcecode one of the pocketpc.ch-users posted:

if (enable) { /* Enable charging */
switch (info->cable_type) {
case CABLE_TYPE_USB:
val_type.intval = POWER_SUPPLY_STATUS_CHARGING;
val_chg_current.intval = 450; /* mA */
break;
case CABLE_TYPE_AC:
val_type.intval = POWER_SUPPLY_STATUS_CHARGING;
val_chg_current.intval = 650; /* mA */
break;
case CABLE_TYPE_MISC:
val_type.intval = POWER_SUPPLY_STATUS_CHARGING;
val_chg_current.intval = 450; /* mA */
break;

My questions are now:
1) Can somebody here also confirm this behaviour?
2) Is there a workaround?
3) Would it be possible to compile the driver with new settings (i. e. 750mA) and install it without killing the phone?
4) Other suggestions?

Cheers

Zap

Edit: Using another car charger doesn't seem to help due to the limitation...

skibadee · May 26, 2011

It is the charger. I had same issue with a cheap tesco charger. I read about the fact a standard USB is wired differently to Samsung official one. So even if your charger is rated as 1000 it wont use fast charge mode. I got an official one and now it charges not drains in sat navigation. It shows right now as charging AC plugged in my van. With a non Samsung it shows USB.

Hope that helps

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BarryH_GEG · May 26, 2011

I'm using a LG car charger and the battery stays positive also.

3waygeek · May 26, 2011

How does info->cable_type get set? Figure that out and you could probably hack your adapter or cable to fool the SGS2 into thinking it's an AC charger. On some other phones, if the two USB data pins (2 & 3 on the USB A connector) are tied together, that tells the phone it's an AC charger.

Zaphod_b_1 · May 26, 2011

Thanks for your replys. Just to make something clear: I'm not the person who has this problem - I will get my SGS2 next week or so, but since Navigation is one of my main purposes for the phone I was really afraid to get a device unusable therefor. So I originated this thread since I think it is better to get more input than less input.

OK, so it seems that the first try to solve the issue should be changing the charger. After that there's to talk about some hacking ;-). I will send an update as soon as there's some news. Is here anybody involved who can compile a driver with updated sourcecode and tell us how to install it? Unfortunately I'm not a Dev.

Suggestion: What about to list all car chargers the phone is working with correctly during Navigation? I think it should be enough to write down the ROM/Firmware/Kernel Version and the brand/type designation of the charger.

Cheers

Zap

rsenden · May 26, 2011

3waygeek said:
How does info->cable_type get set? Figure that out and you could probably hack your adapter or cable to fool the SGS2 into thinking it's an AC charger. On some other phones, if the two USB data pins (2 & 3 on the USB A connector) are tied together, that tells the phone it's an AC charger.

I was using a Samsung Omnia II before getting the S2, and that one wouldn't even charge at all with a regular micro-USB cable on generic USB wall, car or emergency chargers. Using a modded cable with the USB data pins shorted, the phone will charge on any charger (probably shouldn't connect it to a PC though, as the phone will draw to much current).

I just did a short test with the Galaxy S II together with my generic wall charger. With a regular micro-USB cable it says Charging (USB), with the modded cable it says Charging (AC). So, the same trick still works...

3waygeek · May 26, 2011

rsenden said:
I just did a short test with the Galaxy S II together with my generic wall charger. With a regular micro-USB cable it says Charging (USB), with the modded cable it says Charging (AC). So, the same trick still works...

Cool; it'd probably be better to make the mod to the charger; that way, you should be able to use any USB cable.

RogerPodacter · May 26, 2011

i've posted this code here already, and yes if someone were to test out a few higher values and compile their own kernel, you may be able to get closer to 950mA or so. i would do it myself when i get the device. my hunch is there was a heat issue so samsung capped it at 650mA. who knows for sure though, it may just be their philosophy of how they want their devices charged. there is some truth to the claim that a slower charge gives more robust voltage stability = better battery life over the long term.

Code:

static int sec_bat_enable_charging_main(struct sec_bat_info *info, bool enable)
{
	struct power_supply *psy = power_supply_get_by_name(info->charger_name);
	union power_supply_propval val_type, val_chg_current, val_topoff;
	int ret;

	if (!psy) {
		dev_err(info->dev, "%s: fail to get charger ps\n", __func__);
		return -ENODEV;
	}

	info->batt_full_status = BATT_NOT_FULL;

	if (enable) {		/* Enable charging */
		switch (info->cable_type) {
		case CABLE_TYPE_USB:
			val_type.intval = POWER_SUPPLY_STATUS_CHARGING;
			val_chg_current.intval = 450;	/* mA */
			break;
		case CABLE_TYPE_AC:
			val_type.intval = POWER_SUPPLY_STATUS_CHARGING;
			val_chg_current.intval = 650;	/* mA */
			break;
		case CABLE_TYPE_MISC:
			val_type.intval = POWER_SUPPLY_STATUS_CHARGING;
			val_chg_current.intval = 450;	/* mA */
			break;

SBS_ · May 26, 2011

RogerPodacter said:
i've posted this code here already, and yes if someone were to test out a few higher values and compile their own kernel, you may be able to get closer to 950mA or so. i would do it myself when i get the device. my hunch is there was a heat issue so samsung capped it at 650mA. who knows for sure though, it may just be their philosophy of how they want their devices charged. there is some truth to the claim that a slower charge gives more robust voltage stability = better battery life over the long term.

I'm pretty sure it could be bumped up to 950mA without any issues. As it is right now the phone is downright cold when charging compared to earlier phones I've had.

dlwnew · May 26, 2011

I am using a 2amp usb adapter with an HTC lead which is not a data lead but charge only and this is the best way to use nav and charge, it worked well with my HD2 because with the standard data cable didn't charge while with nav either.

RogerPodacter · May 26, 2011

SBS_ said:
I'm pretty sure it could be bumped up to 950mA without any issues. As it is right now the phone is downright cold when charging compared to earlier phones I've had.

oh then i would say definitely it can be increaased. i know other phones get very hot when charging, and most of them allow closer to 1 amp during the charge. i see no reason why a custom ROM couldnt enable this for the SGS2. damn i would be anxious to test this out. has anyone even compiled the kernel from source yet?

beppez82 · May 27, 2011

Same problem here with navigon the phone don't charge...I'm using the same charger of my sgs1 (cellularline), never got a problem with it...
I have no idea of which charger i have to buy...can someone post a link of a Sam's charger that work?
Thanks.

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plaut · May 27, 2011

I have a microUSB car charger from a Motorola Backflip that shows Charging(AC) when used with the SGSII, and yet I still find that the battery discharges when using Navigation (with screen set to Auto brightness, which is usually just below 50% when in the car). Is there any reason to think that the official Samsung charger would provide greater charging?

I should also say that, when plugged directly into a wall socket (showing Charging(AC) of course) and with the Navigation app running (and music playing) and the screen set to 100% brightness, the battery charges rather than discharges, so it obviously draws more power from a socket than from a car charger even when the latter shows Charging(AC).

Running Navigon rather than Google Navigation produces the same behavior (although the discharging is much more gradual).

[running KE7 on UK sim-free]

Bart1981 · May 27, 2011

I had the same problem with Navigon and running KE7..
I haven't checked it quite yet, but I have an idea it's KE7 which uses more 'juice'.
I'm back on KE2 now, and now the phone seems to get charged when Navigon is runnig.

But as I mentioned before, I haven't driven long routes since I'm back on KE2. I'll be able to check it tomorrow.

XdaPete · May 27, 2011

I checked my HTC charger and Samsung charger, both show charging status as AC but still have slow discharge when using Navigon. Has anyone with this problem tried turning WiFi off?

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beppez82 · May 27, 2011

XdaPete said:
I checked my HTC charger and Samsung charger, both show charging status as AC but still have slow discharge when using Navigon. Has anyone with this problem tried turning WiFi off?

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Allways off and it discharge...and it is a problem

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RogerPodacter · May 27, 2011

its always going to be a problem because you can get your phone to draw more than 650 mA but running navigation with the GPS on and screen on. that lets it pull more current than 650 mA, so it will always happen unless you get the power draw low enough by using low screen brightness, wifi off, etc.

beppez82 · May 28, 2011

RogerPodacter said:
its always going to be a problem because you can get your phone to draw more than 650 mA but running navigation with the GPS on and screen on. that lets it pull more current than 650 mA, so it will always happen unless you get the power draw low enough by using low screen brightness, wifi off, etc.

OK but i have read others thread where people can use a navigation app and get the phone charging slowly...the prob is on the car charger i think, so I'm asking if someone can be so kind to post wich charger they use, and if they got or not those problems, a link is appreciated (obviously of the good one XD)

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XdaPete · May 28, 2011

beppez82 said:
OK but i have read others thread where people can use a navigation app and get the phone charging slowly...the prob is on the car charger i think, so I'm asking if someone can be so kind to post wich charger they use, and if they got or not those problems, a link is appreciated (obviously of the good one XD)

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Samsung CAD300UBEC and have slow discharge when using Navigon

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beppez82 · May 28, 2011

XdaPete said:
Samsung CAD300UBEC and have slow discharge when using Navigon

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So with a Samsung one you can't charge the phone using a navigation app?
So maybe is like someone says before is a rom or kernel problem inside the ke7 or maybe the new navigon update...

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Battery discharged by Nav app when Phone is connected to car charger

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