Panasonic mobile phone driving me nuts!

[Just Allan]

I bought a Panasonic G520 Mobile Phone a few years ago. When I charge
the phone, the battery shows a full charge and stays turned on in
standby for hours - but when I try to dial a number the phone switches
off as if the battery is flat, even though the charge is showing full
bars. If I then plug the charger in, turn the phone back on and then
dial, it dials out fine.

I was thinking of purchasing a new battery but I'm not sure now...
We've hardly used the thing and wouldn't have made an hour
of calls on it all up - but I don't want to throw good money after bad
either.

Anyone have any ideas how to find out if the fault is with the battery
or with the phone itself?

Allan.

 

Just Allan wrote:

I bought a Panasonic G520 Mobile Phone a few years ago. When I charge
the phone, the battery shows a full charge and stays turned on in
standby for hours - but when I try to dial a number the phone switches
off as if the battery is flat, even though the charge is showing full
bars. If I then plug the charger in, turn the phone back on and then
dial, it dials out fine.

I was thinking of purchasing a new battery but I'm not sure now...
We've hardly used the thing and wouldn't have made an hour
of calls on it all up - but I don't want to throw good money after bad
either.

Anyone have any ideas how to find out if the fault is with the battery
or with the phone itself?

Allan.

Sounds excatly like the fault I had with my rather old Nokia. Turned
out to be tarnished contacts on the SIM, and then the keyboard. As soon
as I pressed anything, the phone would go off. So I gingerly dismantled
the phone and cleaned all the contacts with a pencil shaped eraser. Works
OK now.

 

[atec]

Just Allan wrote:

I bought a Panasonic G520 Mobile Phone a few years ago. When I charge
the phone, the battery shows a full charge and stays turned on in
standby for hours - but when I try to dial a number the phone switches
off as if the battery is flat, even though the charge is showing full
bars. If I then plug the charger in, turn the phone back on and then
dial, it dials out fine.

I was thinking of purchasing a new battery but I'm not sure now...
We've hardly used the thing and wouldn't have made an hour
of calls on it all up - but I don't want to throw good money after bad
either.

Anyone have any ideas how to find out if the fault is with the battery
or with the phone itself?

Allan.
Freeze the battery in a plastic bag overnight , often this will dump all

charge memory and restore the battery for some use and if it doesnt
help nothing lost .

 

[Alan Rutlidge]

"Just Allan" <justallan@COLDhotmail.com> wrote in message
news:ae8pd11ubp6473demvsocbbab9gr81lq5s@4ax.com...

I bought a Panasonic G520 Mobile Phone a few years ago. When I charge
the phone, the battery shows a full charge and stays turned on in
standby for hours - but when I try to dial a number the phone switches
off as if the battery is flat, even though the charge is showing full
bars. If I then plug the charger in, turn the phone back on and then
dial, it dials out fine.

I was thinking of purchasing a new battery but I'm not sure now...
We've hardly used the thing and wouldn't have made an hour
of calls on it all up - but I don't want to throw good money after bad
either.

Anyone have any ideas how to find out if the fault is with the battery
or with the phone itself?

Allan.

Could be the phone uses a Lithium Ion battery which has a limited life which
is linked to age not use.

If it isn't the battery, a whole host of possible faults may be contributing
to the fault.

Does the phone operate normally when the charger is connected to it? If so,
the battery is most likely the culprit.

Cheers,
Alan

 

[Mike Warren]

Just Allan wrote:

I bought a Panasonic G520 Mobile Phone a few years ago. When I charge
the phone, the battery shows a full charge and stays turned on in
standby for hours - but when I try to dial a number the phone switches
off as if the battery is flat, even though the charge is showing full
bars. If I then plug the charger in, turn the phone back on and then
dial, it dials out fine.

That is a very common fault with Lithium Ion batteries in mobile phones.
The battery develops high internal resistance and appears to be charged
until the phone starts transmitting. Dirty contacts are the next most
common IME.

Lithium Ion batteries have quite a short life expectancy even if they are
not used very much. It is more dependent on the temperature it is kept at.
For example, here in Cairns I would not expect to get more than 3 years
out of a phone battery.

Anyone have any ideas how to find out if the fault is with the battery
or with the phone itself?

The easiest way is to try another battery.

-Mike

 

[Just Allan]

On Tue, 19 Jul 2005 17:40:53 +1000, fred@invalid.com wrote:

Sounds excatly like the fault I had with my rather old Nokia. Turned
out to be tarnished contacts on the SIM, and then the keyboard. As soon
as I pressed anything, the phone would go off. So I gingerly dismantled
the phone and cleaned all the contacts with a pencil shaped eraser. Works
OK now.

Someone suggested this to me a couple of days ago. Cleaned gold
contacts but still no go...

 

[Just Allan]

On Tue, 19 Jul 2005 18:57:45 +1000, atec <atec77@xxhotmail.com> wrote:

Freeze the battery in a plastic bag overnight , often this will dump all
charge memory and restore the battery for some use and if it doesnt
help nothing lost .

Thanks - I'll try this, since as you say - nothing to loose now...

 

[Just Allan]

On Tue, 19 Jul 2005 18:22:26 +0800, "Alan Rutlidge"
<rutlidge@nospamiinet.net.au> wrote:

I bought a Panasonic G520 Mobile Phone a few years ago. When I charge
the phone, the battery shows a full charge and stays turned on in
standby for hours - but when I try to dial a number the phone switches
off as if the battery is flat, even though the charge is showing full
bars. If I then plug the charger in, turn the phone back on and then
dial, it dials out fine.

I was thinking of purchasing a new battery but I'm not sure now...
We've hardly used the thing and wouldn't have made an hour
of calls on it all up - but I don't want to throw good money after bad
either.

Anyone have any ideas how to find out if the fault is with the battery
or with the phone itself?

Could be the phone uses a Lithium Ion battery which has a limited life which
is linked to age not use.

If it isn't the battery, a whole host of possible faults may be contributing
to the fault.

Does the phone operate normally when the charger is connected to it? If so,
the battery is most likely the culprit.

Cheers,
Alan

It's a Ni-MH battery...

 

[Just Allan]

On Tue, 19 Jul 2005 20:45:53 +1000, "Mike Warren"
<miwaNOSPAM@iprimus.com.au> wrote:

Just Allan wrote:
I bought a Panasonic G520 Mobile Phone a few years ago. When I charge
the phone, the battery shows a full charge and stays turned on in
standby for hours - but when I try to dial a number the phone switches
off as if the battery is flat, even though the charge is showing full
bars. If I then plug the charger in, turn the phone back on and then
dial, it dials out fine.

That is a very common fault with Lithium Ion batteries in mobile phones.
The battery develops high internal resistance and appears to be charged
until the phone starts transmitting. Dirty contacts are the next most
common IME.

Lithium Ion batteries have quite a short life expectancy even if they are
not used very much. It is more dependent on the temperature it is kept at.
For example, here in Cairns I would not expect to get more than 3 years
out of a phone battery.

Anyone have any ideas how to find out if the fault is with the battery
or with the phone itself?

The easiest way is to try another battery.

-Mike

Yep... Thanks to all who replied, to... I might try connecting a
power supply to the phone's battery contacts tomorrow. If the phone
is at fault (and when I use the charger and the phone works, it
somehow bypasses the fault), then connecting a power supply directly
to the battery contacts on the phone (as if it were a battery) it
should produce the same fault as the battery did... But if the fault
disappears, then it's definitely the battery, yes? Anything wrong
with my logic here??

Allan.

 

[Lord-Data]

With the logic? No .. Just keep in mind the battery voltage will be lower
than charger voltage..

I think if it doesnt cause the fault while plugged into the charger, that
implies enough that the battery is at fault. While on charge, its operating
from the power adapter, not the battery.. Thus, if this is eliminating the
problem, that to me suggests it is indeed the battery at fault.



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"Just Allan" <justallan@COLDhotmail.com> wrote in message
news:nv6qd1hiioso50bqgcg47m7c4acguoe82o@4ax.com...

On Tue, 19 Jul 2005 20:45:53 +1000, "Mike Warren"
miwaNOSPAM@iprimus.com.au> wrote:

Just Allan wrote:
I bought a Panasonic G520 Mobile Phone a few years ago. When I charge
the phone, the battery shows a full charge and stays turned on in
standby for hours - but when I try to dial a number the phone switches
off as if the battery is flat, even though the charge is showing full
bars. If I then plug the charger in, turn the phone back on and then
dial, it dials out fine.

That is a very common fault with Lithium Ion batteries in mobile phones.
The battery develops high internal resistance and appears to be charged
until the phone starts transmitting. Dirty contacts are the next most
common IME.

Lithium Ion batteries have quite a short life expectancy even if they are
not used very much. It is more dependent on the temperature it is kept at.
For example, here in Cairns I would not expect to get more than 3 years
out of a phone battery.

Anyone have any ideas how to find out if the fault is with the battery
or with the phone itself?

The easiest way is to try another battery.

-Mike

Yep... Thanks to all who replied, to... I might try connecting a
power supply to the phone's battery contacts tomorrow. If the phone
is at fault (and when I use the charger and the phone works, it
somehow bypasses the fault), then connecting a power supply directly
to the battery contacts on the phone (as if it were a battery) it
should produce the same fault as the battery did... But if the fault
disappears, then it's definitely the battery, yes? Anything wrong
with my logic here??

Allan.

 

[Just Allan]

On Wed, 20 Jul 2005 06:07:04 +1000, "Lord-Data" <data@ihug.com.au>
wrote:

With the logic? No .. Just keep in mind the battery voltage will be lower
than charger voltage..

I think if it doesnt cause the fault while plugged into the charger, that
implies enough that the battery is at fault. While on charge, its operating
from the power adapter, not the battery.. Thus, if this is eliminating the
problem, that to me suggests it is indeed the battery at fault.

That's what I originally thought myself - until two different phone
shop owners told me the same thing - which caused me to doubt my own
diagnosis... They said if the phone turns off while the battery shows
full charge bars, it was likely that the fault was with the phone, not
the battery, since it can stay on in standby for hours.

Thanks for the confirmation though... What I'll do today is, dig out
a variable power supply and power the phone via the gold contacts as
if it were a battery, just to be sure there's not some damaged
circuitry that separates the charge socket from the battery contacts.

Thanks again to all who replied...

Allan.

 

[KLR]

On Wed, 20 Jul 2005 08:43:33 +1000, Just Allan
<justallan@COLDhotmail.com> wrote:

On Wed, 20 Jul 2005 06:07:04 +1000, "Lord-Data" <data@ihug.com.au
wrote:

With the logic? No .. Just keep in mind the battery voltage will be lower
than charger voltage..

I think if it doesnt cause the fault while plugged into the charger, that
implies enough that the battery is at fault. While on charge, its operating
from the power adapter, not the battery.. Thus, if this is eliminating the
problem, that to me suggests it is indeed the battery at fault.

That's what I originally thought myself - until two different phone
shop owners told me the same thing - which caused me to doubt my own
diagnosis... They said if the phone turns off while the battery shows
full charge bars, it was likely that the fault was with the phone, not
the battery, since it can stay on in standby for hours.

Thanks for the confirmation though... What I'll do today is, dig out
a variable power supply and power the phone via the gold contacts as
if it were a battery, just to be sure there's not some damaged
circuitry that separates the charge socket from the battery contacts.

Thanks again to all who replied...

Allan.

It might be an interesting exercise, (when using the power supply) to
monitor the current the phone is drawing while in standby and "talk"
mode too.

While I tend to think that the battery is the problem here, there is a
possibility that the phone is pulling some ridiculous amount of
current when it goes "on air" (due to a fault) and shutting down.

Also, most batteries now on phones and such, have more than 2
terminals, the extra one possibly being a "sense" connection, to
monitor battery temperature or such. If this terminal is left open,
(when using a power supply) its also 'possible' that the phone might
not work, or might do other strange things due to it not getting a
reading from this 3rd terminal.

If this is the case - connect the battery in parallel to the power
supply.

 

[Alan Rutlidge]

"Just Allan" <justallan@COLDhotmail.com> wrote in message
news:6s6qd1hsgg8ugnro93n6d2sthtpjqdnfi7@4ax.com...

On Tue, 19 Jul 2005 18:22:26 +0800, "Alan Rutlidge"
rutlidge@nospamiinet.net.au> wrote:

I bought a Panasonic G520 Mobile Phone a few years ago. When I charge
the phone, the battery shows a full charge and stays turned on in
standby for hours - but when I try to dial a number the phone switches
off as if the battery is flat, even though the charge is showing full
bars. If I then plug the charger in, turn the phone back on and then
dial, it dials out fine.

I was thinking of purchasing a new battery but I'm not sure now...
We've hardly used the thing and wouldn't have made an hour
of calls on it all up - but I don't want to throw good money after bad
either.

Anyone have any ideas how to find out if the fault is with the battery
or with the phone itself?

Could be the phone uses a Lithium Ion battery which has a limited life
which
is linked to age not use.

If it isn't the battery, a whole host of possible faults may be
contributing
to the fault.

Does the phone operate normally when the charger is connected to it? If
so,
the battery is most likely the culprit.

Cheers,
Alan

It's a Ni-MH battery...

Did this phone come off the Arc with Noah? Give it the flick and buy
another cheapie.

Cheers,
Alan

 

[John Crighton]

On Wed, 20 Jul 2005 08:43:33 +1000, Just Allan
<justallan@COLDhotmail.com> wrote:

On Wed, 20 Jul 2005 06:07:04 +1000, "Lord-Data" <data@ihug.com.au
wrote:

With the logic? No .. Just keep in mind the battery voltage will be lower
than charger voltage..

I think if it doesnt cause the fault while plugged into the charger, that
implies enough that the battery is at fault. While on charge, its operating
from the power adapter, not the battery.. Thus, if this is eliminating the
problem, that to me suggests it is indeed the battery at fault.

That's what I originally thought myself - until two different phone
shop owners told me the same thing - which caused me to doubt my own
diagnosis... They said if the phone turns off while the battery shows
full charge bars, it was likely that the fault was with the phone, not
the battery, since it can stay on in standby for hours.

Thanks for the confirmation though... What I'll do today is, dig out
a variable power supply and power the phone via the gold contacts as
if it were a battery, just to be sure there's not some damaged
circuitry that separates the charge socket from the battery contacts.

Thanks again to all who replied...

Allan.

Hello Allan,
while you are having a play around why not test
the battery also?
The number of milliampere hours may be written on
the battery.


Charge your battery pack.

I would use my little constant current charger so I know
how many milliamps went in for say 12 hours.
Just use your normal charger.



Test the capacity of your battery.

After charging the battery, discharge it by fitting a load
resistor to take out 50 or so milliamps and see how many
hours the battery voltage holds up. You will have to keep
an eye on your voltmeter every hour or so. Work out what
the discharge current should be over a ten hour period.



Do a rapid discharge test.

Will the voltage hold up when a load resistor
is fitted to draw 200mA, 500mA or more current?
Have a play.
If the voltage droops quickly there may be a dud cell.



I have an old nokia 5110 and new battery packs are
a few dollars to several dollars on ebay if you are willing
to try and pick up a bargain. Takes days of trying, you
need time on your hands.

Some time ago, while waiting for my new battery packs
from ebay to be posted I had a bit of a play with old
battery packs.
From two dud battery packs I cut open the plastic
and removed the dud cells and made one usable pack.
Ugly due to exposed cells, but it worked fine.

For a bit more experimenting, the dud cell that was
near O Volts even after many hours of low current
charging was rejuvenated by a bit of rough treatment.
My power supply was set to several volts and the
current limit set at a few amps.
Passing high current through the dud cell for a few
seconds several times seemed to help it recover.
I read on the net that this was supposed to remove
little metallic growths that short out the cell internally.
Seemed to work, to my surprise.

That was a cheapskate exercise but an interesting
bit of fun for me anyway to get an old phone
battery working again, temporarily that is.

Regards,
John Crighton
Hornsby

 

[rg26ce1991@hotmail.com]

Allan.
I have a customer who had much the same trouble with a mobile phone. He
was told in a phone shop that the phone was faulty.

I connected a bench power supply to the phone, and it worked fine.

I do seem to remember that the neg. terminal on the phone had to be
connected to one of the other terminals on the phone to make it think a
battery was installed.
This is easily worked out my using a volt/ohm meter connected to the
battery terminals.

I sold him a new battery I got from WES, and I had a happy customer.

Russell.

 

[Gordon]

"Just Allan" <justallan@COLDhotmail.com> wrote in message
news:ae8pd11ubp6473demvsocbbab9gr81lq5s@4ax.com...

I bought a Panasonic G520 Mobile Phone a few years ago. When I charge
the phone, the battery shows a full charge and stays turned on in
standby for hours - but when I try to dial a number the phone switches
off as if the battery is flat, even though the charge is showing full
bars. If I then plug the charger in, turn the phone back on and then
dial, it dials out fine.

<snip>

I have had the same problem with a Li-ion battery for a JVC DV camera. The
battery charge indicator says the battery is charged but it lasts about 5
minutes, (should normally last for an hour). I have had the battery for
about 10-11 months from new.

Purchased a new JVC battery for $110 and now after 18months same thing is
happening. Seems to be a common draw back with LIION batts.

Any know cures to extend the life? Will try the suggestion of freezing. The
other obvious cure for the camera, is to build a separate battery packfrom
cheaper NICads, and use the external power jack. This detracts from the
original attraction of this camera, the portability of the thing, the fact
it will fit inside a shirt pocket.

 

[Just Allan]

On Wed, 20 Jul 2005 10:27:25 +1000, KLR <kenreed1999@yahoo.com> wrote:

While I tend to think that the battery is the problem here, there is a
possibility that the phone is pulling some ridiculous amount of
current when it goes "on air" (due to a fault) and shutting down.

Point taken.

Also, most batteries now on phones and such, have more than 2
terminals, the extra one possibly being a "sense" connection, to
monitor battery temperature or such. If this terminal is left open,
(when using a power supply) its also 'possible' that the phone might
not work, or might do other strange things due to it not getting a
reading from this 3rd terminal.

Yes, it has 4 connections, marked:

+
T
S
-

If this is the case - connect the battery in parallel to the power
supply.

Hm... Ok.

Thanks!

Allan.

 

[Just Allan]

On Wed, 20 Jul 2005 09:49:00 +0800, "Alan Rutlidge"
<rutlidge@nospamiinet.net.au> wrote:

Did this phone come off the Arc with Noah? Give it the flick and buy
another cheapie.

Aw, it's not that bad. It's only about a third of the size of a Nokia
5110 (which most people would recognise). Or about the size of three
matchboxes. Often had better reception than other folks with Nokias
too - when it worked, that is. ; )

 

[Just Allan]

On Wed, 20 Jul 2005 03:58:31 GMT, john_c@tpg.com.au (John Crighton)
wrote:

Hello Allan,
while you are having a play around why not test
the battery also?
The number of milliampere hours may be written on
the battery.

I may do this, but even if the phone is ok, the battery has been
acting up (I feel) since new. So I'd still a new one if the phone is
ok. The reason I say "may" is, my main concern is the phone... Once
I know for sure the phone is ok, I'll either sell it on ebay (they
only sell for about $30), or, buy a new battery from WES - about $10 +
postage.

(YES I'm a cheapskate.) Nah... The main reason I don't want to
waste the ~$15 is, someone has given us an Ericson they don't use -
and so I'm not in a hurry to risk wasting $15.

I have an old nokia 5110 and new battery packs are
a few dollars to several dollars on ebay if you are willing
to try and pick up a bargain. Takes days of trying, you
need time on your hands.

There's someone on there selling the battery for $1 - but they're
overseas - and after postage - well, you know...

That was a cheapskate exercise but an interesting
bit of fun for me anyway to get an old phone
battery working again, temporarily that is.

Regards,
John Crighton
Hornsby

Oh - I see you're one too! : D

Thanks...

Allan.

 

[Just Allan]

On 19 Jul 2005 23:14:45 -0700, "rg26ce1991@hotmail.com"
<rg26ce1991@hotmail.com> wrote:

Allan.
I have a customer who had much the same trouble with a mobile phone. He
was told in a phone shop that the phone was faulty.

I connected a bench power supply to the phone, and it worked fine.

I do seem to remember that the neg. terminal on the phone had to be
connected to one of the other terminals on the phone to make it think a
battery was installed.
This is easily worked out my using a volt/ohm meter connected to the
battery terminals.

I sold him a new battery I got from WES, and I had a happy customer.

Russell.

Yep, a new battery from WES is about $10 + $4 postage. But I'm just
such a CHEAPSKATE! : )