Cell phones have become a part of our daily routine. Like it or not, an average person usually spends five to six hours on their phone daily.
With that amount of daily use, you probably drain the battery each day. So even if the battery indicator says it’s 80% charged, how much power does the device actually have?
This Step-by-Step Guide will show you how to test your cell phone battery with a multimeter, and a few common problems that a faulty battery can cause.
Step 1: Removing the Battery
Back in the day most cellphones actually had a removable back, however, that’s not the case with modern-day smartphones.
Removing the battery was as simple as popping out the back, and just reaching out to unplug the battery.
If your phone has an easy way of removing the battery then great. But if your phone is sealed shut, you might need some extra tools to remove it safely.
Some common cellphones have the battery fixed with an adhesive (this is to keep the phone water protected) while this is a great feature it does make it almost impossible for the average user to remove their battery rather than a removal they need to purchase a whole new phone.
Common Models and Battery Removal
Samsung Galaxy S Series – adhesive fixed, very difficult to remove, can be done with specific tools
Iphones – use strong glue, can be very difficult to remove without an expert
We could provide you with a guide, but it all depends on your phone model, so please research this before continuing on as this guide assumes you have already removed the battery.
Once you have the battery out of your phone make sure to store it in a dry environment.
Step 2: Checking Battery Label
Before proceeding with the testing, you need to check the label for the voltage. Most batteries are either 3.7V or 3.8V. After checking the labeling on the battery, adjust the multimeter setting to DC Volts. Some multimeters also use V for DC voltage.
If you are not sure if you chose the right setting, you can make sure by finding the straight line with 3 dots below it.
AC voltage is accompanied by a curved line. Make sure to not use this setting since batteries always run on DC voltage.
Also, check if the battery indicates the amperage or mAh.
Step 3: Using the Multimeter
Place the battery so the terminals face you. The terminals are labeled with “+” and “-“.
The multimeter should consist of two probes. One black and one red probe.
Touch the tip of the red probe on the terminal labeled with “+“.
Touch the top of the black probe on the terminal labeled with “–“.
Do this for a few seconds to make sure you have an accurate reading. Once the number stabilizes you should get the actual value.
Now, the reading displayed on the screen should indicate how much battery juice is in the battery.
If the reading is close to the battery label that you previously checked, that means the battery is fully charged. Compare that value with the battery indicator on your phone. (1)
Step 4: Test Again!
Before you come to a conclusion about whether your battery is dead or not, give the testing another go. If the readings are the same you’ve probably done the test right!
Step 5: The Results
After you made sure you’ve properly done the testing it’s time to know if you need a trip to your local mobile repair shop for a new battery.
If the multimeter reads over 3.0 volts, your battery is pretty much in pristine condition.
If the multimeter reads between 2.2 and 2.9 volts, your battery is fine, but it means the chemicals inside aren’t as potent as they were and the battery is decaying over time. (2)
If the battery is showing a reading under 2.2 volts it’s time to throw it out and get a new one.
If the battery shows there’s power in it or it shows a high voltage reading, but there are still problems with it, you might want to check the amperage.
Repeat the testing the same way as before, but this time switch to the amperage setting on the multimeter.
If the amperage displayed on the multimeter is significantly lower than the number on the battery label, the battery storage capacity is probably lowered which means it’s time to replace it.
How Do You Know if the Battery is Draining Fast?
A multimeter won’t help you determine if your battery is draining fast. It cannot actually measure the discharge. The multimeter will show you how much charge is left in the battery. That’s it.
How Do You Know if the Battery is Dead?
If the readings show 0, don’t give up yet. Grab your phone charger and plug it in for a while. Leave it for at least an hour before trying the test again.
If the numbers refuse to change, the battery is faulty. In this case, swapping out the battery is necessary since they are not repairable.
Take a look at some of our related articles below.
- How to test a generator voltage regulator
- What should a 6-volt battery read on a multimeter
- How to read an analog multimeter
References
(1) phone – https://www.tomsguide.com/us/smartphones-best-battery-life,review-2857.html
(2) chemicals – https://ehs.mit.edu/chemical-safety-program/dangerous-highly-toxic-chemicals/
