# Mobile Phone Charging Problems



## Silverman

hi , just wondering how you get on with your phone running on the driver app. My mobile a Samsung S6 starts at 100% plugged into car charger but runs down and doesn't seem to charge fast enough. I have 4.8w 5V charger but it still runs down also have a 10000mah power pack and it still doesn't charge. Anyone having similar problems. Need help to sort this out. Otherwise can't drive around for very long and phone is flat.
Please please someone help.............


----------



## Uber Doobie

Silverman said:


> hi , just wondering how you get on with your phone running on the driver app. My mobile a Samsung S6 starts at 100% plugged into car charger but runs down and doesn't seem to charge fast enough. I have 4.8w 5V charger but it still runs down also have a 10000mah power pack and it still doesn't charge. Anyone having similar problems. Need help to sort this out. Otherwise can't drive around for very long and phone is flat.
> Please please someone help.............


I have a Samsung Note & did have the same problem until I shut down all unnecessary apps running in the background & only allowed essential notifications. If that doesn't help you may need to back up & do a complete reset


----------



## weekendnightdriver

Try to make your screen a little bit darker. It will save some battery.


----------



## UberDriverAU

If your device is overheating, that can dramatically slow down the charge rate.


----------



## Silverman

Have darkened screen, used power saving, turned off all notifications etc.. wondering if the battery is faulty. Thinking I might get a new phone but really don't want to add more expense than necessary. 

So how do you people run your phones to keep them going and charged. Would like to hear about some other setups and phone types. Do you keep your phone on charge always? Does this effect the battery life? Just want to be able to drive without the hassle of phone going flat. At moment can't do the hours I want and it's very frustrating.


----------



## UberDriverAU

Silverman said:


> Have darkened screen, used power saving, turned off all notifications etc.. wondering if the battery is faulty. Thinking I might get a new phone but really don't want to add more expense than necessary.
> 
> So how do you people run your phones to keep them going and charged. Would like to hear about some other setups and phone types. Do you keep your phone on charge always? Does this effect the battery life? Just want to be able to drive without the hassle of phone going flat. At moment can't do the hours I want and it's very frustrating.


It does sound like a battery issue. How old is the phone? Batteries do degrade over time and lose their ability to hold a full charge. It'll be cheaper getting the battery replaced than getting a new phone.

Personally I use an old Samsung S4 for Uber and I keep it charging and in a cradle all the time while driving. It stays on 100% charge most of the time, only drops from that if I take a break and take the phone off charge.


----------



## weekendnightdriver

Yep. As UberDriverAU said, try to replace the battery.

I used to use iPhone 5s, but as it becomes older than 3 years, the battery got almost dead. So, I replaced the battery ($10 from eBay) by myself and gave it to my son.
I am using iPhone 7+ now and the battery is really huge. I sometimes use it without charging for a few hours to drain the battery.

Battery tips. For Lithium polymer battery devices, always keep charge level between 10% and 90%. If it is charged 100% all the time, the battery will degrade earlier than it should be.


----------



## mmjljhlkjhlk

i would first replace changing cable and see any difference. i notice some phone don't like some cable. it may says charging but its not actually charging , i am using basic optus phone with quick charger 2.0 for uber , on one cable battery losing charge on the same cable Redmi works well.

edit : is 4.8w enough ? does your power bank have 2A out ? try 3g network (4g use little more power)


----------



## soontobeautomated

I use an iPhone 5 for uber. I HAVE to keep it charging all the time while in use while driving otherwise it runs out of juice in 90 mins. Internal USB charging in my car still sees the battery drain to ZERO with continued use after 4-5 hours. Slightly better charging with a genuine (but worn genuine cable).

Despite being a modern car, I find my $68 power bank from JB HiFi will return the power to 100% within an hour or so even with continued usage. I then plug it back to UBS charing in the car and am good for a few more hours. I repeat as needed. If the power bank runs out of juice doing this 2-3 times in one shift, then I know I have been driving too long and its time to head home. Good for me managing driver fatigue


----------



## Instyle

Try another cord, some cords are charging + data and others are data only. I have a data only cord with micro usb plug, while plugged in the charing icon is displayed by the battery will actually drain.


----------



## Who is John Galt?

Silverman said:


> hi , just wondering how you get on with your phone running on the driver app. My mobile a Samsung S6 starts at 100% plugged into car charger but runs down and doesn't seem to charge fast enough. I have 4.8w 5V charger but it still runs down also have a 10000mah power pack and it still doesn't charge. Anyone having similar problems. Need help to sort this out. Otherwise can't drive around for very long and phone is flat.
> Please please someone help.............


This is an interesting situation. Isn't the S6 the one that self immolates? I really think you are taking extraordinary risks here.
Are you Tibetan, and perhaps also a buddhist monk? Do you have an agenda in regards to bringing attention to yourself, your country and your cause?

If so, may I suggest that such a demonstration be conducted in a confined space, preferably with a fire extinguisher on hand? Perhaps in your ensuite or toilet at home. In Buddha's eyes, a validation of your beliefs as planned will have just as much an impact at home as in a public place.
Although, if it is in your home bathroom or toilet, may I suggest that you first turn on the exhaust fan?

Silverman, at the outset, if I can offer you any advice at all, I would suggest you change your name from 'Silverman' to 'Saffronman'. Only then will you shrug off the shackles of western culture and its false idols, and all the palava associated with mobile phonetry, and be able to truly focus on enlightenment.


----------



## Tysmith95

For a Samsung phone get a quick charger. I use the one below and it has worked wonders, works better than the wall charger that I have.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B019OSX8UC/?tag=ubne0c-20

You can get that or just look for something that has quick charge 2.0 or 3.0.


----------



## CBear

I have started having similar problems with my s6. I have two battery packs that I use to charge the phone while driving. Usually if they are plugged into the portable battery they still gain charge while ubering, but this last week the phone hasn't been charging quick enough, and I have had to cancel on one trip and return home early another day.


----------



## matais3

Do not charge the phone via usb port in car. Use an actual plug in socket to the cigarette lighter in the car.. 2.1a works fine, I'm using s6 also.


----------



## CBear

Actually I wonder if the uber navigation feature is to blame for the increased power use? My phone has been warning me that the uber driver app has been using a lot of power laitly, which coincides with when I switched from Waze to uber for navigation


----------



## Jagent

Make sure Bluetooth and wifi are disabled. If they aren't, your phone will constantly search for devices and it kills the battery.


----------



## Banker Pete

I use an iPhone 6S Plus and have been having similar charging issues. Now time to throw out those cheap cigarette socket adapters which keep failing. Bought a proper plug in charger from Auto Barn for $35 and it works a treat. Fully charged my phone from 20% in 1 hour while working.


----------



## Howard Cammeray

Silverman said:


> Anyone having similar problems. Need help to sort this out. Otherwise can't drive around for very long and phone is flat.
> Please please someone help.............


I had that problem with my Kogan Agora 6 and Samsung A5 until i discovered i was using the wrong port in the front of the car. I have 2 in the Golf, and the one i was inadvertantly using was the aux input usb, not the dedicated charging port. (Which is the cigarette lighter socket with a usb adaptor in it.)
Although the aux input does trickle charge my phones, it's a losing battle and they slowly drop their total charge when im ubering.
Switched to the other one and no problems, charges quickly.


----------



## NZShaker

I have had this on and off...Samsung S5

Sometimes nothing I do will fix it i.e. restart phone

I have mine over the vent so cold air is blowing on it so heat wasn't an issue.

Found unplugging and re plugging the phone sometimes helped.

No rhyme nor reason but it has been going ok for now.

Phone is 1 yr 4mths old just have to get through to Feb next yr and I can upgrade and this phone can go to motorbike duties


----------



## CBear

So I fixed my problems with a new USB cable. The problem wasn't the phone or the charger, but replacing the cable fixed it and it now charges faster than it drains again.


----------



## fields

This is a common problem with large screen phones during day light hours.

I find killing off all apps running in the background to be the best solution. That means restarting your fone before you start driving for Uber. Reducing the screen brightness also works but that makes the fone more difficult to use during sunny days.


----------



## Jerry888

I bought a new iPhone just to do Uber and it works out pretty good.


----------

