How to Test Your Redmi Note 3s Battery: A Comprehensive Guide

When purchasing a smartphone, one of the most important factors to consider is battery life. With a 4000mAh battery, the Redmi Note 3s should offer impressive performance. However, users often experience shorter battery life, wondering if their device truly has the advertised capacity. This guide will help you determine if your Redmi Note 3s battery is living up to its potential.

Checking the Battery Capacity via the Phone

One of the simplest ways to check your battery capacity is directly through your phone. Here's a step-by-step guide to do so:

Find the Security App: Open the Security app on your Redmi Note 3s. Access Battery Usage: Locate and click the icon for battery usage. Check the Battery Capacity: The capacity of your battery will be displayed on the right side. It should look something like: 4000mAh.

Advanced Methods to Test Battery Capacity

While the method described above provides a straightforward way to check the battery capacity, it may not be sufficient in some cases. Here are more detailed steps to ensure the accuracy of your battery's capacity:

Using External Tools

CPU-Z: This application gives detailed information about your device, including hardware specifications and battery details. Download it from the Play Store and run a battery check.

Benchmark Apps: These apps can provide insights into how well your phone performs under various conditions. They can help identify if power usage is the issue, but they don't directly measure battery capacity.

Testing Battery Capacity with a Multimeter

If you're still unsatisfied with the methods above, you can conduct a more accurate battery capacity test using a multimeter. Here's how to do it:

Check the Multimeter Battery: Ensure your multimeter’s battery is not depleted. If it is, replace it immediately. Prepare the Testing Setup: You will need a battery holder with terminals, a 2-watt resistor, two alligator clips for the multimeter probe tips, a stopwatch, and a calculator. Set Up the Testing Circuit: Place the battery in the holder. Attach the alligator clips to the meter’s probe tips. Select a resistor according to the battery's voltage and typical drain current using the appropriate chart (see below). Start the Test: Connect the battery’s positive terminal to one of the resistor’s leads. Set the multimeter to read direct current (DC) in the 200-milliamp range. Clip the positive (red) probe to the unconnected resistor lead. Clip the negative (black) probe to the battery’s negative terminal. Record the Initial Current: Note the initial current reading on the multimeter. Reset the stopwatch and start it. Monitor the Current Over Time: Check the current reading every hour. Stop the stopwatch when the current drops to about 70% of its initial value. Calculate the Battery Capacity: Multiply the number of hours recorded on the stopwatch by the initial current reading to get the milliamp-hour (mAh) rating of your battery.

Resistance Calculation Table

Battery Type Typical Drain Current (mA) Resistance Value (ohms) D battery 200 milliamps 7.5 ohms (10 ohms as next standard value) C battery 100 milliamps 15 ohms (20 ohms as next standard value) AA battery 50 milliamps 30 ohms (33 ohms as next standard value) AAA battery 10 milliamps 150 ohms (150 ohms as next standard value) 9-volt battery 15 milliamps 100 ohms (100 ohms as next standard value)

Software can also be helpful in determining battery capacity. Try the Battery Monitor Widget available on the Play Store.

Conclusion

By following these steps, you can accurately test the capacity of your Redmi Note 3s battery. If the battery performance falls short of expectations, consider other factors such as power consumption due to background apps or mobile usage habits. Understanding these factors can help you make the most of your device's battery life.