Power bank should not become a ‘ball of fire’, keep these things in mind before charging

Powerbank works as an emergency charger for smartphones or other electronic devices. If you are traveling or are at a place where there is a power problem, then you need a power bank to charge your phone or another device. Be it a power bank or any other chargeable device, there is a risk of fire or blast in them. This is the reason why some things should be kept in mind while using them or putting them on charge.

The power bank can become a ‘ball of fire’

Recently, a fire broke out in a house in Oklahoma City, USA due to a power bank. The lithium-ion battery present in the power bank is the main reason for this. As useful as these batteries are for your electronic devices, they are equally dangerous. These batteries can store electric energy for a long time, but as soon as there is a reaction in the chemicals present in them, they can catch fire and even blast. 

The same thing has come to light in the American incident as well. The dog present in the house had chewed the power bank, due to which a spark came out of it and the house caught fire. Apart from this, many incidents of smartphones catching fire have also been reported in India, in which the fire has occurred due to the phone being on charge or due to a short circuit caused by some other reason.

Keep these things in mind

1. While charging the power bank, you should keep in mind its charging capacity. Choose the charging adapter for the power bank according to its charging capacity. Generally, a standard 10W to 22.5W charger is required to charge the power bank. However, some power banks also support fast charging. In such a case, they can be charged with a fast charger.
2. After putting the power bank on charging, you should check whether it is getting hot or not. If you feel so, you should immediately remove the power bank from charging. It can catch fire due to overheating.
3. Before charging a phone or other device with a power bank or charging the power bank, you should check the ports provided. Generally, during the rainy season, there is moisture in them, due to which the chances of short-circuit increase. In such a situation, you should clean the ports of the power bank with a dry cloth. Only after this, you should charge it or any other device.
4. The lithium-ion battery present in the power bank is extremely flammable and explosive. So do not keep it in a place where it can get heated.
5. Also, ensure that the power bank does not fall from a height. Falling can also cause a blast. Apart from this, if the power bank is old, then get its battery replaced. Lithium-ion batteries can prove to be dangerous if it gets too old.