According to LG’s survey in 2016, nearly 9 of 10 people have “Low Battery Anxiety“. So power banks are a lifesaver for daily life on the go.
However, some people said power banks are bad for the phone or kill the phone battery. Is it true?
Is Using A Power Bank Bad For Your Phone?
Generally speaking, charging a phone with a power bank does not harm your phone in any way. It should be the same as charging your phone with a wall outlet.
For phones, most of them require 5V to get charged. Suppose the voltage and current are within the permissible limits. In that case, it does not matter what power source is, even a solar panel.
However, the general condition does not include the cheap stuff with inferior quality. If you buy a low-priced one or a crazy 100,000mAh one, you may suffer something.
A low-quality power bank potentially delivers unstable voltages (higher or lower than your phone required). It will degrade your phone battery and can cause real damage to your phone’s battery. Perhaps that’s why some people find their phone battery was damaged after charging the power bank.
In reverse, you should not worry if you buy a power bank from a reputable company. It will protect your device from overcharging, over-current, over-voltage, and overheating. For example, some power banks can deliver up to 20V for working on a laptop. But it will only allow 5V to go if working on mobile.
BTW, make sure you are using a high-quality cable when charging your phone. Stay away from using cheap lines, which is less than $1 from questionable eBay listings. They will be bad for your devices during the charging process.
What Other Things May Damage Your Phone Battery?
Here are some things that may damage your phone battery. Please note that avoid doing them.
1. Using or charging your phone in extreme temperatures.
2. Charging your phone with damaged power banks. If you find your power bank is with physical damage, such as bloating, smoke, smell, etc., please stop using it.
3. Place your phone in airtight conditions such as a car’s glove box.
4. Let your phone’s battery discharge to 0 always. It will degrade the battery faster. It is better to do it when the battery hits 20%.
5. Using your phone when it is charged. It will create extra heat and make the charging process unstable.
Conclusion
A power bank is a backup daily, especially for travelers. You do not need to worry that the power bank is harmful to your phone. Just ensure that you use a high-quality power bank, and you should enjoy using it.
