Whether you’re on a long road trip or stuck in traffic during a daily commute, a low iPhone battery could spell disaster for the bored driver. At first, it may seem harmless to plug your phone into your car’s USB port. But unless you’re desperate, charging your iPhone during your commute might be a big mistake. (And by the way, charging your iPhone like this could ruin its battery.)
Why? For starters, the USB port in your vehicle probably provides less electricity than your phone really needs to charge. As a result, your phone might stall while it charges, or worse—barely charge at all. This common battery-saving iPhone hack actually hurts your charge, too.
“Many people may notice that on their
commute home from work their phone charged very little (if at all)
during their 30 to 60 minute commute, this is mostly due to the fact the phone is using more power than the car charger is supplying it.”
Your phone could also receive too much power,
especially if you’re using a “Cigarette Lighter” port to charge up. Most
Cigarette Lighters can supply up to 10 amps, while most chargers use
one to three amps. A malfunctioning or damaged charger can provide
inconsistent power to the device, resulting in sudden spikes or surges
that could cause overheating, damage to the internal components, or on
the rare occasion, destroy the device.
Charging your phone while on the road could drain your car’s battery,
too. If you leave your car running on “accessory”—where your engine is
off, but you still use the radio—the device will draw power from your
car’s battery as it charges. This usually isn’t a big deal for those who
own new cars with healthy batteries, but if your car is
an older model, you might want to avoid charging your phone through its
USB port.Most importantly, it’s not safe to use your phone while operating a vehicle. “Anytime a person’s hands leave the wheel or eyes leave the road, it becomes incredibly dangerous for them and the other people around them,” Nichols says.
Bottom line: Play it safe, and wait until you get home to plug in. Next time.
See Also: Smart Phones Price Listing
Summary:
- Turns out, charging your phone in your car could do more harm than good.
- Plugging your phone into a car's USB port could stall the charging and even damage the charger.
- Charging your phone could even drain a car's battery, especially if it's an older model.
- The best thing to do is to get home to charge your phone at an outlet.
Source: Reader's Digest
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