can solar power damage phone being charged

Customer's Question

Hello,

I have some questions I need guidance on
1) please how authentic are solar power banks for phones?
2) Do they explode when charged for long?
3) Will the power from the sun affect the phone being charged since phones use electricity or it weakens the phone battery when used?
Please I really need answers to these questions as I am so tired of getting power banks that are not effective despite the brands and the power capacity they carry. I bought 4 of it and none can charge my phone up to at least 20% or even get to average and I bought them all within a space of 2 months. I really need a good and powerful power bank to at least carry me for some time that is why I am opting for a solar power bank instead.

Answer to Customer's Question

1) Power banks are good for your phone

as long as they are not fakes. Some fake power banks have sand in them so no matter how long you charge them for, they will not recharge your phone because they cannot store the power to charge your phone with. And if they do, not for as long as you expect.  Either way, make sure you buy a known brand power bank from a reliable source. Just search the brand (like HetoGrow solar power bank) online and see what you find. Sellers of fake power banks hardly have good individual online presence. You deserve the best!

For more info, see power banks and quality assurance considerations to look out for. Also, follow the link to the User Manual page so you have a good understanding of what to expect before you buy.

2) Fake power banks have high tendency to explode or damage phone

Moreover, all batteries have a risk of explosion. Remember how Samsung batteries randomly got swollen and exploded in 2015/2016? Samsung had to recall the particular model of phone that had that problem. That's what good brands do when there's a problem. Battery type is also a risk factor. There are normally two types of batteries - Lithium Ion (Li-Ion) and Lithium Polymer Li-Po). Li-Ion batteries have more power but are also consequently more risky.

Fake power banks are particularly very risky because the manufactures are mostly crooks that don't care about safety. Good quality power banks should not explode. They'll normally have overcharge and high current protection. When batteries are being charged, the electrodes get excited and emit slightly higher radiation. In this state, there is a higher risk of explosion. That is why @HetoGrow we strongly advise customers not to use their phones when being charged. If you must, use a headphone and ONLY FOR A VERY SHORT TIME. Though the risk is small, it is best to be safe than sorry especially if you are a very heavy phone user over long periods during which risks are heightened and accumulated.

3) Power from the sun won't damage phone

Solar power produces DC current. That's also the type of current that batteries store in the form of chemical energy, and then convert the stored chemical energy into electrical energy when needed, in the form of DC current. The adapter you plug your phone into on the wall socket (which is AC current) functions as a transformer that converts the current from 220V to 5 volts for mobile gadgets. The internal control circuit (ICC) uses diodes to control flow of current and converts the electric current to 3.7 volts for storage in batteries.  For the output port of a power bank, the ICC has embedded transistor that increases the battery voltage to 5.0V output. Similarly, your phone has an internal circuit that steps the power down to 3.7V or other appropriate voltage for storage in the battery.

Another thing that happens is that the AC current is converted into DC for storage in your battery. Similar thing happens with Laptop chargers - you’ll notice the small box the charger cable plugs into. That box is the adapter that performs the step down and conversion. The process of converting current from AC to DC and vice versa, causes heat, which is a form of lost energy. Phones and power banks also contain internal control circuits that control flow of current. If any of these items is a fake or bad, then you may not get as much power as you expect. Moreover, faulty components can cause damage.

A further consideration is that the size of the solar panel is limited. Therefore, the amount of power it can generate from the sun is limited. If you can, get solar power bank with extendable and/or detachable solar mat. If not, not to worry, go for a good brand like HG to ensure the rated capacity is actually what you get.

One more point - all batteries lose energy

About 15%-20% power is lost when being used. This is due to heat produced when charging, climate, resistance, ageing and natural degradation, etc. A major factor is the quality of the ICC. If it is of poor quality as is common with fake and unbranded power banks, it won’t be able to perform basic functions like temperature control, current / voltage management, overcharge and short circuit protection, etc. This can damage your phone battery. For instance if your phone battery is 2500 mAh, and you buy 10000 mAh power bank, you'd think that your phone will be recharged 4 times. Right? Well, wrong! You have to consider the lost energy noted above. Therefore, you should really expect it to recharge about 3 times. Quick tip - look out for power banks that will give you a bit more - for instance, 10400 mAh but advertised as 10k mAh. I won’t say more than that :) 

Feel very free to message me again if you need more info.

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