Do not charge your smartphone from a USB port: three reasons. Can a car charger drain a battery? Can I leave it in the cigarette lighter
How much electrical current do you think the portable car charger draws when it is in standby mode (no devices are connected to it)? Do you think that it does not consume anything? You are wrong. Then a natural question arises, how much electricity does a mobile charger consume in a car in standby mode and is this enough to power it? There is no better way to know all this and answer questions than by direct measurement. Let's find out more.
Many modern cars have USB connectors, with which you can not only connect a smartphone or tablet to integrate it with the car's audio system, but also. True, the quality of charging from the factory USB connectors leaves much to be desired. The fact is that the transmission power of electricity in car USB connectors is very low. That is, by connecting the phone to the factory USB connector, it will charge very slowly.
For example, in many cars, it may take 1 hour to charge the phone from zero to only 15 percent. That is why many owners of modern cars that are installed in the cigarette lighter (12 volts) of the car.
Thanks to special chargers that are installed in the car's 12-V cigarette lighter, charging phones and other electronic devices is pretty fast. For example, some chargers are able to charge the phone from zero to maximum in just 1 hour. But such a charging power of the device is suggestive. Isn't this fast charging bad for the battery?
So there is reason to be concerned. After all, it is known that the faster the phone charges,. In our case, electrical energy comes from the car battery. That is why there are fears that a powerful car charger can affect battery charging. But if there should be no problems with charging during charging, because while the engine is running, the generator recharges the battery. But what happens when the car's engine is turned off? Like in a parking lot? After all, the cigarette lighter of the car works even when the engine is turned off.
Do I need to remove the charger when leaving the car? After all, in any case, it even consumes current in standby mode? Will the device drain the battery in our absence? Let's find out by measuring the power consumption of the charger in standby mode.
We all know that the charger in the car is powered by the car's 12 volt electrical network. Let's take a measurement at home. To do this, we installed a 12-volt power supply in the outlet in order to simulate the voltage of the car's mains. Next, we took the car charger and connected it to a 12 volt power supply. Then, with the help of crabs (crocodiles), we connected a multimeter (voltmeter) to the charger and took measurements.
Answer: The USB charger for the car's cigarette lighter consumes only 14.2 milliamps (mA) . Do you think this is enough to worry about the device in standby mode may drain the battery? In most cases, no. Here is the proof.
A typical car battery usually holds about 40 amps per hour. This value indicates that such a battery can provide 1 ampere of electricity for 40 hours. So we found out that a USB car charger consumes 14.2 mA, in order for it to completely discharge a car battery with a capacity of 40 amp / h, you need2817 hours or 117 days. So if you use the car every day, you can not worry that the charger installed in the cigarette lighter in standby mode will discharge the car battery very quickly.
It is noteworthy that even if you park the car for a week or even two and do not turn off the charger from the cigarette lighter, you do not risk that it will drain the battery.
But, it is better, of course, to disconnect the charger from the electrical network of the car, since even a low level of electricity consumption by a portable charger during prolonged use can still drain the battery of the car.
But in fact, plugging into a car's cigarette lighter should not be more of a concern than other electrical systems that consume electricity around the clock. Believe me, if you leave the car for a long time in the parking lot, then the battery will drain the alarm or keyless entry system faster than mobile USB charging. The fact is that the car alarm and the Comfort Car Access system consume much more energy even in standby mode.
So, if you went on vacation and remembered that when you parked your car, you forgot to turn off the charger from the cigarette lighter, don't worry. If you haven't been away for more than 100 days, it's unlikely that your charge will completely drain the car's battery. Of course, if the battery in your car is old and not able to hold a charge for a long time, then a USB device in standby mode will drain the battery much faster. But if you left the car for no more than 1 month, then even the old battery will not have time to be discharged before your arrival.
Modern phones have opened up many new possibilities for motorists.
The most obvious thing is that thanks to a smartphone, you can not buy a navigator. A lot of free applications allow you to use the gadget as a full-fledged on-board computer, track traffic jams, build routes and receive information about car services. Drivers have already appreciated all the advantages of using a smartphone, there is only one nuance left: how to properly charge the phone in the car?
Car chargers
You can charge your smartphone in the car using a car cigarette lighter adapter with one or more USB outputs. This interface can also charge a portable battery and other devices with this connector.
In order to avoid a short circuit, breakage of the gadget or failure of vehicle components, manufacturers recommend using only original accessories. Depending on the quality of the charger and cable, the power may be faster or slower than usual.
Try not to save money and buy quality accessories from well-known brands. Also look out for support. desired version Quick charge.
Gained popularity due to its versatility and compatibility with almost any gadget. When choosing it, it is important to calculate the required capacity so that the battery is enough for several charges of the device. The most common and optimal indicator of the capacity of "power banks" is 10,000 mAh. In practice, such a battery will allow you to fully charge samsung galaxy S7 three times.
Car stereo
Modern cars are equipped with radio tape recorders. By connecting your smartphone to the radio via a USB cable, you can not only listen to music, but also charge your phone. The charging speed will not be high, but if there is an urgent need, this option can be used.
When choosing a solar panel, it is important to determine which device it will power. For phones, a voltage of 6V and a power of 4 watts will be sufficient. Everything you need to make your own solar charger can be purchased at radio stores. It is worth considering that the solar battery makes it possible to charge the smartphone only during daylight hours and rather slowly. This method is more suitable for geeks and lovers of experiments.
Is it safe to charge your smartphone in the car?
Charging your phone in the car is easy, but it's important to consider the risks involved. Charging gadgets in a car indirectly violates the rules for operating a vehicle and can harm the phone's battery. The use of low-quality chargers and adapters can lead to localized fire.
It is recommended to charge the smartphone only with original and reliable accessories and in the presence of the user. The second convenient, mobile and versatile charging method - external batteries.
If you're on the road and the trip promises to be long, or stuck in traffic for several hours on your way home, there's nothing worse than a smartphone battery going to zero. A low phone charge can spell disaster for a bored driver. But you shouldn’t panic, because it’s so cool that in modern cars there are, and often there are several of them, but you can, if anything, plug a splitter into the “cigarette lighter” and charge several devices at once, if you really feel like it. Is there any catch in charging your phone through the car's USB port? Let's figure it out.
At first glance, plugging your phone into your car's USB port may seem completely harmless. But if you can delay charging, there is no emergency, you should not connect your iPhone or Samsung to the on-board power via a cable, because this can be a big mistake. Accumulator battery Your phone won't thank you for it.
Why is that? Here are a few reasons to believe or not in which - it's up to you:
Charging a smartphone through a car USB port is almost impossible (too low current)
Firstly, charging the phone in the car is useless in 80% of cases. The USB port in your car will most likely not provide the power your phone really needs. As a result, your smartphone can simply be discharged to zero during charging if you use it.
“Many people may notice that during their 30-60 minute drive home from work, the connected phone barely charges., says Brad Nichols, a technician at a company that specializes in fixing Staymobile devices. - This is mainly due to the phone using more power than the car charger can supply.”
In fact, this is easy to check, for example, in my car, you can charge the iPhone for two hours and move only 10-15%.
"Plug" a mobile phone into the cigarette lighter, you will also get problems
Things will be even worse with charging mobile phone. In this case, the smartphone may receive too much power. Most cigarette lighters are able to “accelerate” by delivering current up to 10 amperes, while most of the chargers operate on one, maximum three amperes.
If the charger is working properly, then in general there should be no problems. But if the charger is damaged, defective, or just a Chinese replacement for the original, expect problems. Plugged into the cigarette lighter socket, it can cause sudden power surges that can cause your smartphone to overheat, damage internal components, or, in rare cases, destroy the device.
A left smartphone can drain a car battery
Thirdly, charging the phone through the USB port. Do not be surprised, as experts say, this happens. If you constantly leave the device plugged into the charging port on a car with the engine off, sooner or later the following will happen: you will not be able to start the car because the battery will not have enough starting current. He'll just loosen up.
This is usually not a big deal for those owners who have new cars with new batteries in the garage. But if your car is no longer young, you should avoid charging your phone through the USB port, provided that you are a forgetful nature.
We live in the 21st century, in a period of globalization and an incredibly developed world of high technologies. Some smartphones and tablet PCs are becoming more powerful than a regular computer, the screens are high resolution and show movies in HD quality. The memory of gadgets is already measured in hundreds of gigabytes. But the manufacturing technology of lithium-ion batteries is still standing still and it is difficult to see any global changes in this area.
Teenagers often have to listen to lectures from parents about not using the phone while charging, or parents have a habit of forbidding their child to put the phone on charge at night. We decided to dispel these myths and tell you about the true functionality and rules for using lithium-ion batteries in your gadgets.
- First myth. "Using another brand of charger will degrade the battery"
To be frank, branded accessories that are different from your device cannot harm your smartphone or tablet. But fakes and chargers of unknown production can harm your gadget.
Therefore, you should not use cheap or nameless devices to charge your tablet. Such charging will cause the battery to charge for a long time or in this way you will accelerate the deterioration of the battery and disable it.
If you charge your Lenovo smartphone with a branded charger from LG, nothing bad should happen.
- Second myth. "Use mobile device during charging is strictly prohibited!
Such a statement is not true. Use your device for as long as you want. It is quite difficult to harm him with prolonged use. If you still use cheap “charging”, then frequent use of the device will take away the little energy that has accumulated when charging with a low-quality charger
It is unlikely that your smartphone will explode while charging. It can only get very hot. It happens especially often with smartphones that have just been purchased, and the battery has not yet had time to “bear”.
- Third myth. “Overnight charging of a smartphone significantly wears out the battery and harms the device”
In fact, the smartphone itself knows what to do when it is fully charged. As soon as the battery in the smartphone reaches one hundred percent, special controllers stop the charging process. That is, if your phone is fully charged, then its stay on charge will be no different from if it were in your pocket or on your nightstand. We do not recommend charging your smartphone every night. Keep your phone charged between 40 and 80 percent.
- Fourth myth. “Mobile devices don’t need shutdowns and reboots”
Smartphones are such devices without which it is difficult to imagine a modern person. Machines must satisfy our needs almost everywhere and always. But rest for your electronic pet never hurts. In order for your smartphone battery to last you longer, you need to turn it off at least once in a while. For example - at night or when you go to the shower.
- Fifth myth. "Do not charge the device until it is completely discharged"
It may have been so in the past, but now lithium-ion battery technology allows you to charge your device even when it is only half discharged. If you discharge your smartphone “to zero” all the time, then you risk that the battery in your smartphone, laptop or tablet will wear out very quickly. Each lithium-ion battery has a certain number of charge and discharge cycles for the device. When you discharge it completely, you reduce the number of these cycles.
In addition to the myths indicated above, I would like to mention one very important fact.
Remember! High temperatures destroy the battery of the mobile device!
This statement is the purest truth. Tablet PCs, laptops, smartphones, universal readers are afraid of high temperatures. When overheated, they can freeze. Although, such gadgets are also not friendly with low temperatures.
The allowable battery temperature of your device should be between 10-20 °C.
In high or low temperatures, the mobile device will certainly work, but the battery life will be significantly reduced.
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