Phone charger question

[Elizabeth86]

Do you leave your phone charger plugged in when you are not charging your phone? Is it common knowledge that you are not supposed to do this?

[regentrude]

I leave it plugged in. Why would one not be supposed to do that? The amount of electricity it uses is negligible.

[Elizabeth86]

1 minute ago, regentrude said:

I leave it plugged in. Why would one not be supposed to do that? The amount of electricity it uses is negligible.

Well I went to get mine last night and it was hot and melted and burned my finger. I online chatted with the company and they talked as if leaving a phone charger in was a fire hazzard and I was just supposed to know that.

[Annie G]

We leave ours plugged in. We use charging pads...it would be pretty annoying to have to unplug them after each use. Also leave the chargers for iPads plugged in.  We’re not supposed to do that? 

[Annie G]

1 minute ago, Elizabeth86 said:

Well I went to get mine last night and it was hot and melted and burned my finger. I online chatted with the company and they talked as if leaving a phone charger in was a fire hazzard and I was just supposed to know that.

Wow- I’ve never had that happen, though I do know not to leave charging phones on things like beds or under pillows. 

[Elizabeth86]

Just now, Thatboyofmine said:

Is it an off brand charger, maybe?  

Nokia

[Selkie]

I know someone whose elderly father was killed in a fire started by a charger that was left plugged in.😞 This was around 15 years ago. Maybe there have been improvements in safety since then, but I always unplug it when not in use.

[Elizabeth86]

Just now, Selkie said:

I know someone whose elderly father was killed in a fire started by a charger that was left plugged in.😞 This was around 15 years ago. Maybe there have been improvements in safety since then, but I always unplug it when not in use.

That's terrible. I almost didn't get up to plug in my phone that night. I am so thankful I did.

[alisoncooks]

Well gosh, we've got about 7-8 chargers plugged in at any given time...

[Elizabeth86]

1 minute ago, alisoncooks said:

Well gosh, we've got about 7-8 chargers plugged in at any given time...

I'm glad I'm not the only one.

[regentrude]

37 minutes ago, Elizabeth86 said:

Well I went to get mine last night and it was hot and melted and burned my finger. I online chatted with the company and they talked as if leaving a phone charger in was a fire hazzard and I was just supposed to know that.

wow. that sounds horrible. glad you caught it. Never heard of this.

[gardenmom5]

I now have USB electrical sockets.  I leave a tri-cable in the USB power socket.  (three different heads so I don't need multiple cables.  And retractable.)   I have a USB charging port in my car.  cables are generally left plugged in.

 

most "chargers" now consist of a cable and a "charger base".  Some charger bases are pretty cheap and not meant to last.  they don't have the ability to discern if electricity should be flowing or not.

Edited January 12, 2021 by gardenmom5

[PeterPan]

Yeah, I think it's pretty common knowledge you shouldn't overcharge your phones, that it's really hard on the battery. As far as the charger, I agree in wondering whether it was from the phone manufacturer or a knock off. I just got a new phone (yippee!!) and the crazy thing doesn't even come with a charger, I kid you not. So I'm looking on amazon and it's hard to tell chinese stuff that melts from legit. I may just go to the phone store or Best Buy so I'm sure.

[Katy]

I’ve always left mine plugged in. I worked for one of the top 5 cellular companies for 3 years in college. I’ve never heard of such a thing. I did some tech support for phones for a while, mostly Nokia and Motorola. This isn’t common knowledge, it’s an effort for them to avoid liability. 

[Elizabeth86]

36 minutes ago, PeterPan said:

Yeah, I think it's pretty common knowledge you shouldn't overcharge your phones, that it's really hard on the battery. As far as the charger, I agree in wondering whether it was from the phone manufacturer or a knock off. I just got a new phone (yippee!!) and the crazy thing doesn't even come with a charger, I kid you not. So I'm looking on amazon and it's hard to tell chinese stuff that melts from legit. I may just go to the phone store or Best Buy so I'm sure.

Mine came with my phone.

[Elizabeth86]

5 minutes ago, Katy said:

I’ve always left mine plugged in. I worked for one of the top 5 cellular companies for 3 years in college. I’ve never heard of such a thing. I did some tech support for phones for a while, mostly Nokia and Motorola. This isn’t common knowledge, it’s an effort for them to avoid liability. 

I see. Wonder what I should do about it?

 

[Katy]

1 hour ago, Elizabeth86 said:

I see. Wonder what I should do about it?

 

There's not much to do about it unless it's under warranty.  No one was hurt, it's not worth the price of suing them over a cheap electrical product.  Possibly consider avoiding Nokia in the future.

[Elizabeth86]

1 hour ago, Katy said:

There's not much to do about it unless it's under warranty.  No one was hurt, it's not worth the price of suing them over a cheap electrical product.  Possibly consider avoiding Nokia in the future.

I didn't go figure. I just thought I'd ask. 

[Ausmumof3]

7 hours ago, regentrude said:

I leave it plugged in. Why would one not be supposed to do that? The amount of electricity it uses is negligible.

Some of the ones we’ve had heat up.  It may be some kind of mismatch between cable and charger but it makes me nervous about a fire.

[Lanny]

I do not do that and I strongly suggest that anyone who leaves their Phone Charger plugged in all the time stop by their local Fire Department and ask them about this habit.

Probably small Kitchen appliances should also be disconnected from the AC Wall sockets, but we don't do that.

I plug in the Charger for my phone when I need to charge the battery and when I am done I carefully remove the Charger from the Wall Socket and put it back into the drawer where I keep it..

This applies to  OEM Chargers as well as aftermarket Chargers.

[J-rap]

I remember hearing that warning about 5 years ago, but we've always left our chargers plugged in, all the time.  Our computer and iPad chargers too.  I attach my phone to the charger at night while I'm sleeping.

Everyone I know does this, and I've never heard of anyone having a problem.  Not that it never happens, but I imagine it's quite rare.  That's said, I do feel better about having a brand I feel I can trust.   We have Apple products and all of our chargers are Apple products too.  

 

[Elizabeth86]

5 hours ago, Lanny said:

I do not do that and I strongly suggest that anyone who leaves their Phone Charger plugged in all the time stop by their local Fire Department and ask them about this habit.

Probably small Kitchen appliances should also be disconnected from the AC Wall sockets, but we don't do that.

I plug in the Charger for my phone when I need to charge the battery and when I am done I carefully remove the Charger from the Wall Socket and put it back into the drawer where I keep it..

This applies to  OEM Chargers as well as aftermarket Chargers.

I certainly will from now on.

 

[Elizabeth86]

4 hours ago, J-rap said:

I remember hearing that warning about 5 years ago, but we've always left our chargers plugged in, all the time.  Our computer and iPad chargers too.  I attach my phone to the charger at night while I'm sleeping.

Everyone I know does this, and I've never heard of anyone having a problem.  Not that it never happens, but I imagine it's quite rare.  That's said, I do feel better about having a brand I feel I can trust.   We have Apple products and all of our chargers are Apple products too.  

 

Well that's a nice suggestion. I have had people swear by volvo after a disastrous vehicle accident, but I'm still stuck driving a Kia. So if y'all are poor like me, unplug your stuff. 😂

[Kassia]

I had no idea.  I always have mine charging - day and night.  I will have to do something different.