Phones are only getting more expensive as time passes, as Apple and Android come out with the latest models which boast impressive features and have ever expanding capabilities. Because the cost of phones is increasing so quickly, it only makes sense that people would do everything in their power to make their phones last for a longer period of time than they currently do.
As such, there has been a fair amount of research done into what makes a phone last longer, such as not using it while charging it. There are many things that will drain the battery from your phone quicker, but an item which isn’t on this list is using a power bank to charge it. Power banks are often misunderstood but it’s perfectly fine to use one to charge your phone, just as you would for any other electronic device.
Using Power Banks to Charge Your Phone
You can use a power bank to charge your phone because that’s what they’re essentially designed for. Under normal circumstances, so aside from exceedingly rare instances, a power bank will not damage your phone or make it run for a shorter time than simply plugging it into a normal USB phone charger. Now, you should be sure that the current is not too strong that’s going into your phone.
If the current is too strong, it may cause your phone to subtly overheat, causing your battery to die quicker and some of the life of your phone to die as well. However, there are not many power banks with currents that can easily overheat a phone, especially if you’re using a smaller, more portable power bank. Most power banks will charge your phone quickly and efficiently, just like the charger you normally use.
Will Your Phone Heat Up?
Amazingly, you can actually charge your phone using solar panels connected to your house, as long as you make sure that the current emanating from the panels is not too strong. Most smartphones will take a 5V input for charging, so as long as the device you’re charging them with is near or on this output, you should be fine. A phone can take a substantial charging before heating up even slightly and it will take multiple charges of an extreme nature before the battery feels any ill effects.
There are power banks that deliver nearly two hundred volts of power but these will be much larger and fairly obvious; you wouldn’t typically think of charging a phone with one of these power banks. Even if you do, phones actually have circuit breakers which will stop most of the excess voltage from entering the battery and preserve the life of the phone. Still, it’s better to select power banks which aren’t too large or will charge your phone to quickly or too extremely, using an excess of voltage.
It’s helpful to think of the power bank as a reservoir of power for the phone; the phone can gather up all the power it needs from the reservoir, but the reservoir can’t suddenly force feed power into the phone. This is why you’re usually okay even if the power bank is too big, but again, it’s best to make sure it’s the proper size to ensure your phone never loses battery life.
Find a Reputable Source
There are still some precautions you absolutely need to take when finding a phone charger or power bank to charge your phone. Many disreputable sources sell knock off power sources or power banks which won’t work as advertised. You should do your best to avoid these sources and make sure you’re only shopping from reputable and brand name stores.
These stores make power banks which are designed to last far longer than knockoffs, and it’s possible that knockoffs can damage your phone with you knowing. The quality of knock off or ultracheap power banks and chargers is simply unknown and could damage your phone and cost you hundreds in repairs. Only buy from names you trust.
Power Banks Are Absolutely Fine
There’s no sense in avoiding charging your phone with power banks or being wary of overheating your phone simply because you’re using a power bank to charge it. There are some practices you should avoid, such as using your phone while it’s charging and charging it to one hundred percent capacity every time you put it in the charger, but even these issues aren’t a huge deal unless you’re constantly and frequently doing them.
Knowing the safety of your power bank is the only true issue you need to worry about, as third-party sellers and those online on sites like eBay may mislead you and cause you to use products which will ultimately end up killing your phone in the long run. Aside from using sketchy third-party power banks, however, there’s not anything to worry about in the grand scheme of things. Always buy from a trusted and reputable source to avoid these problems.
Maintaining Your Power Bank
In addition to charging your phone with a power bank you trust; you can also recharge your power bank and use it over and over again to charge your phone. Most power bank manufacturers recommend that you charge your power bank once every three months or around this time span. Recharging your power bank is easy and safe and it will allow you to use your power bank for years down the road, using it to charge your phone hundreds of times before it truly runs out of life. Remember not to use your phone while it’s charging, whether it’s in a power bank or not, and take care not to charge it all the way up to one hundred percent battery life, as this can kill your lithium-ion battery and lead to degradation and a shorter lifespan for your phone. All in all, power banks are perfectly safe and reliable, and you shouldn’t worry about using one to charge your phone.
