Today, smartphones come in all shapes and sizes, and with the kind of abilities they possess, they also come equipped with larger sized batteries.
And often, due to these batteries, the phones have been known to catch fire. But how do phones actually catch fire? There can actually be various reasons that contribute to this.
Using a phone with a swollen battery
If your phone’s battery is swelling up, it’s best if you get it replaced as soon as possible. According to iFixit, swelling of a battery is the result of particulates getting caught in between the layers of the battery that eventually puncture the membrane separating the layers.
Using a phone even when it is damaged
Whenever you drop the phone and there is some severe damage, stop using it immediately and get the device checked at a service centre. This is because a cracked display or body frame may let water or sweat enter the device or the battery may not be usable any longer. Using damaged phones is risky.
Liquid damage and short circuits
Just like physical damage, if your phone has survived a good dunk in a pool or some other liquid and has miraculously booted up, it’s strongly advisable to shut it down, as the liquid on the circuit boards could result in short circuits that could even cause phones to catch fire.
Using fake or duplicate chargers
Be very careful while using fast charging adapters. Always stick to using the one that has come with your smartphones. Using chargers of higher power rating may stress the battery of your phone. Also, don’t use duplicate chargers.
Using fake batteries
Never use third-party or fake batteries. Using such batteries can pose serious safety issues. A poorly made lithium-ion battery can overheat, catch fire and explode.
Charging while gaming, calls
During charging, devices tend to get hotter, and if you club that with playing games or taking calls for extended periods of time — a power and process hungry activity — it would result in the phone to get even warmer. And in case you didn’t know, batteries don’t react well to warm situations. This can cause damage to the internal layers of the battery and eventually explode.
Today, most phones come with safety barriers on software and even hardware level to prevent this from occurring, however, not all devices are made the same, so it’s best to avoid doing anything heavy while charging.
Extension cords and power strips
Extensions and power strips can be convenient, however, using poorly made ones can result in uneven flows of current, which could damage components including but not limited to chargers, smartphone battery as well as other hardware.
Overcharging your phone
Do not keep your phone for charging overnight and it is not always necessary to charge your phone till 100%. It’s a good habit to stop charging the battery after 90% as it extends the lifespan of the battery. Not to forget overcharging your phone may cause the battery to expand and it becomes risky.
Getting smartphone repaired from unauthorized service centres
Getting phones repaired from unauthorised service centres could result in untrained or unqualified engineers fixing the phone for cheap. However, phone manufacturing has become an extremely complex task today and even a small misstep could result in the phone stopping functioning or in worse cases, explode.
