TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
Three reasons to stop charging smartphones in cars
Always starting your travels with smartphones fully charged is a good habit. It will spare you from being dependent on power banks and the need to charge using car’s USB port.
Change text size
Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone
Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!
Mobile phone charging plugged on car console (Shutterstock/Ekkaphan Chimpalee)
A
lways starting your travels with smartphones fully charged is a good habit. It will spare you from being dependent on power banks and the need to charge using car’s USB port. Reader’s Digest compiles five reasons why the latter is not advisable.
USB port in cars might provide less electricity
When the phone gets less electricity than it really needs to charge, it could be harmed. Less electricity could result in stalls while charging, or it might also fail to charge.
Brad Nichols, a technician at Staymobile, a company that provides cell phone repair, accessories and protection plans for mobile devices, told Reader’s Digest that many people may notice that during 30-60 minutes commuting time, their phones only charge very little or not charging at all.
“This is mostly due to the fact the phone is using more power than the car charger is supplying it,” Nichols was quoted as saying.
Read also: Soekarno-Hatta Airport bans power banks on planes
Phone could receive too much power
If a smartphone is charged up at “cigarette lighter” port, it could receive too much power, according to Nichols. While most chargers only supply one to three amps, cigarette lighters provide up to 10 amps. The excessive power could cause malfunction or damage to the charger, resulting in inconsistent power supply to the device.
Phone could experience sudden spikes or surges, overheating, damage to internal components or become destroyed at worst occasions.
Car battery could be drained
When a smartphone is charged using USB port in a car, it will draw power from the car’s battery. Nichols said that this may not be harmful for new cars with healthy batteries, but it would affect cars of older models. Furthermore, the more you avoid charging phones in using car USB or cigarette lighter ports, the better for the battery life. (mut)
