Battery Buddy

direc85's picture
Submitted by direc85 on Sun, 2022/03/20 - 21:53
Rating: 
4.89189
Your rating: None Average: 4.9 (37 votes)

Fully discharging a battery and charging it back to full charge again wears it out sooner than you might expect. Battery Buddy can help you increase the battery lifetime by automatically pausing and resuming charging. You can set alerts for low and full enough charge levels, too.

Note: Update to 3.15 resets all intervals to 24h, so please check the settings!

Important: Sailjail support is enabled in Battery Buddy 4.0.0-1, which means it requires at least Sailfish OS 4.3 to work properly. For Sailfish OS 3.3 and up you should be able to use Battery Buddy 3.17-1. For older versions Battery Buddy 3.15-1 should work fine. For Sailfish OS 2.2 you have to download the legacy build.

The application comes with a service component that takes care of charger control and alerts. This means that the application doesn't have to be opened for alerts and limits to work - which is against Jolla Store policy, and hence worth mentioning here. You can control the service from the application (start/stop and enable/disable on boot).

There is now a logging option, which can be accessed via the Settings page pulley menu, with three logging options. You can copy the log contents, too, so submitting the service log for debugging purposes is now a lot more convenient! Using --verbose and --debug flags still work as before.

Please note that the charger control mechanism may not work for every device out there. So far it has been successfully tested with the following devices:

  • F(x)tec Pro¹
  • Fairphone 2
  • Jolla Phone
  • Sony Xperia 10
  • Sony Xperia 10 II
  • Sony Xperia 10 III
  • Sony Xperia X
  • Sony Xperia X Compact
  • Sony Xperia XA2
  • Sony Xperia XA2 Ultra
  • Sony Xperia Z3 Compact Tablet

Please let me know if it works for your device, or if it doesn't work!

Bug reports and translations are most welcome!

If you like my work and would like to support me, you can now buy me a coffee.

Source code can be found in GitHub.

Screenshots: 

Category:

Keywords:

Application versions: 
AttachmentSizeDate
File harbour-batterybuddy-3.15-1.aarch64.rpm129.34 KB25/07/2021 - 21:15
File harbour-batterybuddy-3.15-1.armv7hl.rpm125.55 KB25/07/2021 - 21:15
File harbour-batterybuddy-3.15-1.i486.rpm135.04 KB25/07/2021 - 21:15
File harbour-batterybuddy-3.15.1-1.aarch64.rpm129 KB10/10/2021 - 23:50
File harbour-batterybuddy-3.15.1-1.armv7hl.rpm125.09 KB10/10/2021 - 23:50
File harbour-batterybuddy-3.15.1-1.i486.rpm134.38 KB10/10/2021 - 23:50
File harbour-batterybuddy-3.16.1-1.aarch64.rpm128.8 KB11/10/2021 - 01:14
File harbour-batterybuddy-3.16.1-1.armv7hl.rpm125.13 KB11/10/2021 - 01:14
File harbour-batterybuddy-3.16.1-1.i486.rpm134.54 KB11/10/2021 - 01:14
File harbour-batterybuddy-3.16.2-1.aarch64.rpm128.95 KB24/11/2021 - 23:09
File harbour-batterybuddy-3.16.2-1.armv7hl.rpm125.24 KB24/11/2021 - 23:09
File harbour-batterybuddy-3.16.2-1.i486.rpm134.58 KB24/11/2021 - 23:09
File harbour-batterybuddy-3.17.0-1.aarch64.rpm129.5 KB20/03/2022 - 00:52
File harbour-batterybuddy-3.17.0-1.armv7hl.rpm126.65 KB20/03/2022 - 00:52
File harbour-batterybuddy-3.17.0-1.i486.rpm135.81 KB20/03/2022 - 00:52
File harbour-batterybuddy-4.0.0-1.aarch64.rpm127.77 KB20/03/2022 - 21:53
File harbour-batterybuddy-4.0.0-1.armv7hl.rpm124.93 KB20/03/2022 - 21:53
File harbour-batterybuddy-4.0.0-1.i486.rpm134.15 KB20/03/2022 - 21:53
Changelog: 

4.0.0-1

  • Enable sandboxing with appropriate permissions (GUI only)
  • Use QML DBusInterface for user service manipulation
  • Drop support for SFOS 4.2 and older
  • Clean up systemd service handling during install/update/uninstall
  • Built with Sailfish OS SDK 3.8 for 4.3.0.12

3.17.0-1

  • Disable sandboxing
  • Fix install/upgrade/uninstall scriptlets
  • Service binary consumes less resources
  • Don't try to close notifications if they are not open

3.16.2-1

  • Fix .spec bin file path (thanks, leon and nephros)
  • Built with Sailfish OS SDK 3.7 for 4.3.0.12

3.16.1-1

  • Fix bogus version number

3.15.1-1

  • Built for SFOS 4.2.0.21 using SDK 3.6.6
  • Use semantic versioning
  • Use `systemctl-user` instead of `systemctl --user`

3.15-1

  • Implement BackgroundActivity timed events
  • Drop keepalive-tool

3.14-1

  • Special pi version release :D
  • Use keepalive-tool to mitigate deep sleep
  • Update translators and credits
  • Update Polish translation (thanks, atlochowski)
  • Update Deutch translation (thanks, nephros)

3.13-1

  • Show battery temperature and condition (thanks, nephros)
  • Show notifications about abnormal temperature and condition (thanks, nephros)
  • Fix broken notifications on SFOS 3.4 and earlier
  • Bring back SFOS 2.2 support

Full changelog in GitHub.

Comments

direc85's picture

direc85

Sat, 2020/05/16 - 15:21

Thanks, noted!

direc85's picture

direc85

Sun, 2020/04/26 - 19:23

Hello Sailors!

I rewrote the systemd service, which was a huge task! It's in the famous state "works for me", but I decided to first release it only on GitHub to avoid accidental installation. Please proceed with care and let me know how it works for you and your specific device! Thanks!

Edit: The front page still says that it is required to be kept opened for working properly, but that's no longer true. I'll fix it in the next beta release :)

objectifnul's picture

objectifnul

Fri, 2020/04/24 - 21:49

Seems that some notification should be amended: "Please disconnect the charger" would make more sense than "Please connect the charger" when the upper limit is reached.

babba22's picture

babba22

Sat, 2020/03/28 - 18:06

Hi direc, wonderful app! There's only one thing I would like to ask you: at the moment, when the battery reaches the pause charging limit, not only the battery isn't charged anymore (excellent!), but the phone use the battery power. Is it possible to make it use the AC power instead? This way the battery would be preserved even more

direc85's picture

direc85

Sat, 2020/03/28 - 23:35

I looked into it while I implemented the charger mechanism, but it looks like it's not possible with the current, uh, adaptation layer? Binary driver blobs? I don't know, but there doesn't seem to be any control over that.

The best you can get is to set start and stop percentages close to one another, say 80% and 79% so that the charge stays as constant as possible.

babba22's picture

babba22

Wed, 2020/04/01 - 01:08

Ok, I understand. Thank you very much for the app!

zipotron's picture

zipotron

Sat, 2020/03/28 - 09:42

Dude, amazing app! Thanks a lot for that!!! Just a consideration, if you could deamonize the app is going a be just perfect !

direc85's picture

direc85

Sat, 2020/03/28 - 11:37

Thanks! I'll implement the service at some point for sure!

oxygenh's picture

oxygenh

Thu, 2020/03/26 - 12:35

I have issue: I'm not receiving notification, when charge below low limit or higher upper limit.
( http://prntscr.com/rn0vff )
ps: but charging control work good.
My settings: Sailfish X 3.2.1.20 (Sony xperia x compact)
console log:

[nemo@Sailfish ~]$ harbour-batterybuddy
[I] unknown:0 - Starting Battery Buddy...
[I] unknown:0 - Loaded lowAlert 39
[I] unknown:0 - Loaded highAlert 85
[I] unknown:0 - Loaded interval 300
[I] unknown:0 - Loaded limitEnabled 1
[I] unknown:0 - Loaded notificationsEnabled 1
[I] unknown:0 - Loaded lowLimit 76
[I] unknown:0 - Loaded highLimit 85
[I] unknown:0 - Loaded limitEnabled 1
[I] unknown:0 - Reading capacity from "/sys/class/power_supply/ba
ttery/capacity"
[I] unknown:0 - Reading charge state from "/sys/class/power_suppl
y/battery/status"
[I] unknown:0 - Reading charger status from "/sys/class/power_sup
ply/usb/present"
[I] unknown:0 - Controlling charging via "/sys/class/power_supply
/battery/charging_enabled"
[W] unknown:0 - Theme dir "/usr/share/themes/jolla/meegotouch/z1.
25/" does not exist
[I] unknown:0 - Launching GUI...
[W] unknown:518 - file:///usr/lib/qt5/qml/Sailfish/Silica/private
/PulleyMenuBase.qml:518:29: Unable to assign [undefined] to float
[W] unknown:518 - file:///usr/lib/qt5/qml/Sailfish/Silica/private
/PulleyMenuBase.qml:518:29: Unable to assign [undefined] to float

direc85's picture

direc85

Sat, 2020/03/28 - 11:56

Thanks for the --debug output below (you can remove it now so that there's less clutter).

I tested it, too, and it looks like I managed to break the notifications at some point. I'll fix it and release a new version soon (hopefully today).

EDIT: I deleted the debug output comment.

oxygenh's picture

oxygenh

Sat, 2020/03/28 - 19:23

Thank you very much! My issue absolutely fixed with last release. It's cool! Superbe!

direc85's picture

direc85

Sat, 2020/03/28 - 23:30

You're welcome!

direc85's picture

direc85

Thu, 2020/03/26 - 13:50

Try to run the application using "harbour-batterybuddy --debug". Its actually not documented yes. Whoops. And I still have to add debug stuff.

oxygenh's picture

oxygenh

Wed, 2020/03/25 - 10:54

Thank you very much for vry usefull app. Do you have plan built in system setting (like battery notifier), and make daemon?

direc85's picture

direc85

Wed, 2020/03/25 - 12:12

Thanks! Most likely I will do that in a month or so; I suddenly managed to rid myself of all free time for a month '-.-

oxygenh's picture

oxygenh

Wed, 2020/03/25 - 13:46

It will be cool! I will wait. Thank you.
Where do i send little donat? ;)

direc85's picture

direc85

Wed, 2020/03/25 - 14:38

TBH I'm working on it. Thank you for asking :)

PawelSpoon's picture

PawelSpoon

Tue, 2020/03/24 - 08:15

Great with Situations ! Starts on cable plugin

enrish's picture

enrish

Sun, 2020/03/22 - 21:51

Genius! I hoped for this new feature for long, as i often missed notifications when in another room. Thanks a lot. I also had problems after the very last update, and uninstalling-reinstalling did it.

mz_i_norge's picture

mz_i_norge

Sun, 2020/03/22 - 21:39

Why is it not possible to charge the battery up to 100% with automatic charging control? That stops at 95%.

direc85's picture

direc85

Mon, 2020/03/23 - 09:40

Thanks for feedback! That's just an arbitrary maximum value I chose. I have to revisit the sliders, too, because it's quite hard to get the value exactly right on Jolla Phone with its small display. I'll fix both of these in a future release.

t0t3u's picture

t0t3u

Sun, 2020/03/22 - 16:46

Fixed by reinstalling it.

t0t3u's picture

t0t3u

Sun, 2020/03/22 - 16:44

Oups!
Don't know if it's related but it failes to start after last update:
[nemo@Sailfish ~]$ harbour-batterybuddy
[I] unknown:0 - Starting Battery Buddy...
[I] unknown:0 - Loaded lowAlert 30
[I] unknown:0 - Loaded highAlert 76
[I] unknown:0 - Loaded interval 60
[I] unknown:0 - Loaded limitEnabled 0
[I] unknown:0 - Loaded notificationsEnabled 1
[I] unknown:0 - Loaded lowLimit 50
[I] unknown:0 - Loaded highLimit 70
[I] unknown:0 - Loaded limitEnabled 0
[I] unknown:0 - Reading capacity from "/sys/class/pow
er_supply/battery/capacity"
[I] unknown:0 - Reading charge state from "/sys/class
/power_supply/battery/status"
[I] unknown:0 - Reading charger status from "/sys/cla
ss/power_supply/usb/present"
Segmentation fault
[nemo@Sailfish ~]$

direc85's picture

direc85

Sun, 2020/03/22 - 19:09

Thanks for reporting. I'll have a look at the issue. Good to know that reinstalling helped, too...

t0t3u's picture

t0t3u

Sun, 2020/03/22 - 10:28

Great work!
I confirm that the automated part works on X10.

fllp's picture

fllp

Sun, 2020/03/22 - 02:42

Version 2.0 is a wonderful update. Thank you!
Automatic change limit works on Xperia X. Like a charm.

direc85's picture

direc85

Sun, 2020/03/22 - 02:50

Thanks for reporting, adding that one, too!

PawelSpoon's picture

PawelSpoon

Sat, 2020/03/21 - 23:00

Automatic turn off did work too

direc85's picture

direc85

Sun, 2020/03/22 - 02:52

Good to hear!

If manual part works, the automated part works too - as long as the logic behind works. So far so good :)

PawelSpoon's picture

PawelSpoon

Sat, 2020/03/21 - 20:25

At least manual part does work on X10 . Great !!

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