Attention to those carrying cell phones in the car: Be careful or leave your car parked (guide not to damage anything)

What you should know to take care of your phone battery but also so that your car never stops

It’s a behavior that many people adopt on a daily basis, and there has been a lot of talk about their potential counterparts. However, despite the fact that the question is no longer new, it is still difficult to answer a simple and unequivocal “yes” or “no”.

For the ACP (Automóvel Club de Portugal), there are some considerations to be made with regard to the cell phone battery, regardless of whether we are talking about charging via the latest car model using USB and / or induction chargers (Wireless) or in an older car, by charging with the cigarette lighter.

According to the organization, there may be what is called battery charge life cycles, that is, the number of times a cell phone battery can be recharged until it begins to degrade, because this number is limited by default.

Something potentially dangerous about charging batteries has to do with temperature, but that, ACP says, could be the wrong question. It is true that temperature affects mobile phone battery speed and charging time. In the case of a lithium-ion battery, it must not be charged outside the range between -10°C and 40°C. However, the foundation notes that “currently all cars are equipped with air conditioners.”

However, the ACP warns that if a cell phone’s battery temperature is higher than normal, the user should not connect the charger, as this could cause the cell phone battery to overload or “explode”.

On the other hand, another aspect that must be taken into account is related to charging with non-original cables, as this can lead to a “throttling” of the battery charge capacity. This, in turn, can lead to partial charges, thus reducing battery life. Finally, the ACP also warns that if you leave your mobile phone connected to a car’s cigarette lighter charge but with the engine off, you risk draining the car’s battery and not being able to start it again.

Inefficient wireless charging – and the impact on your car battery

In the case of cars with a wireless phone charging option, this may represent a more convenient solution – however it is not without its nuances. In wireless charging, more energy is required to fully charge the mobile phone, thus generating higher temperature and consuming more car battery.

Second Data from OneZero and iFixitWireless charging is less efficient than cable charging, and although this solution saves wear and tear on mobile phone charging ports, part of the transmitted energy is lost in the process in the form of heat. On average, wireless charging requires 47% more power than conventional charging, and this discrepancy increases dramatically if the mobile phone is not aligned properly.

According to the study, there is a difference of millimeters in placement smart phone It may suffice to have this not load at all via Wireless. In cases where charging is possible, even if the device is not compatible with the base, power consumption can be up to 80% higher.

In addition, the charging bases tested in the study recorded a small but consistent power consumption when no device was being charged. The study notes that this specific consumption can be neglected, but over the course of several hours, it can be more of a burden.