Everyone who uses technology experiences the death of a charger at some point. We need to keep our devices fully charged so we can access our friends, games, social media, news, and more. Most of us keep chargers stashed around our houses, in cars, at work, or even carry them around in our bags. However, the simple task of charging your phone can be tricky as the charging cord begins to age. You may find yourself twisting your device and holding it at a super-specific angle to make the battery charge. Eventually, it either gives out completely or you give up and buy a new charger. Whether due to price or convenience, shoppers will often opt for cheap, off-brand chargers from a gas station or grocery store. However, aside from sometimes not working well, they can also be defective and dangerous.
Fire
Poorly made phone chargers can easily overheat and electrocute you or cause a fire. If you do use cheap off-brand chargers, don’t charge your device in bed or leave it plugged in when not in use. If your phone is already prone to overheating you can help avoid a fire by keeping it in a cool environment and removing your case while charging the device. Just about any charger will work to juice up your phone, but the cheaper ones aren’t built with safety in mind, so you need to be careful.
Electrocution
Several companies have conducted research about the safety of generic chargers and found that they often fail basic safety testing. People who use off-brand chargers are at an increased risk for electrical shock. Electrocution is one of the contributors to potential fires, and the safety measures to avoid injury are similar. If you choose to use a third-party charger unplug it from the outlet when it’s not in use and keep it out of your bed. An injury caused by electricity can cause severe tissue and muscle damage, burns, heart, and breathing problems.
Off-Brand Chargers Damage Smartphones
Smartphones and devices can come with a hefty price tag. If you try to save a few bucks buying a knockoff charger you could damage your larger investment. Cheap off-brand chargers don’t usually have the same safety or efficiency standards as brand-name chargers. Name-brand chargers specifically have a function to protect users from electric surges. Meanwhile, the voltage of a knockoff charger can fluctuate and damage your port or battery. The plug-in piece is most likely to cause damage to your device, but you also need to be careful about the cord you use.
Computer CPR: Beware of Off-Brand Chargers
Our team of professionals at Computer CPR provides top-of-the-line IT and device support to keep your devices functioning at their highest capacity. We are a small company that cares about clients and offers outstanding around-the-clock care. With our efficient remote maintenance and technical support technology we can serve clients onsite or anywhere in the world. We offer IT services for businesses and individuals, computer repair, virus removal, and data recovery. If your device is having problems contact us for a consultation. Our experts will investigate the problem and offer you the best solution.