Avoid Phone Explosion | Unplug Charger Before Answering Call

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the safety concerns related to using cell phones while they are charging, particularly the claim that doing so can lead to dangerous incidents, including explosions. Participants explore various aspects of this issue, including anecdotal evidence, battery technology, and the reliability of information sources.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • One participant shares a dramatic story of a person who allegedly died after answering a call while charging, warning others to unplug their phones before use.
  • Another participant cites sources suggesting that such incidents are rare and often linked to faulty equipment, noting that counterfeit batteries have been implicated in some cases.
  • Some participants express skepticism about the veracity of the initial story, with one suggesting it may be fictional.
  • Concerns are raised about the inherent risks of lithium batteries, with some participants acknowledging that while the risks exist, they are relatively small compared to other household electrical hazards.
  • Discussion includes the idea of implementing safety features in batteries, such as pressure safety valves, to mitigate risks.
  • Several participants share anecdotes about battery safety and risks, including the potential for batteries to explode or cause injury under certain conditions.
  • One participant humorously suggests keeping phones in back pockets to avoid injury from potential explosions, while also questioning the conditions under which batteries might fail.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the validity of the initial claim regarding cell phone explosions while charging. There are multiple competing views on the risks associated with lithium batteries and the reliability of anecdotal evidence presented.

Contextual Notes

Participants express uncertainty about the reliability of various sources of information regarding battery safety and incidents of explosions. There is also mention of counterfeit batteries and their role in safety concerns, but no definitive conclusions are drawn regarding the mechanisms that lead to battery failures.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be of interest to individuals concerned about cell phone safety, battery technology enthusiasts, and those looking for insights into the risks associated with electronic devices and their charging practices.

WiFO215
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IMPORTANT MESSSAGE





...Never do this! Tell all your friends TO UNPLUG THE CHARGER before using your cell phone to answer a call


We usually charge our phones, most of the time during the night, but occasionally while we are driving, we will use the plug in the car charger. Will definitely unplug it in the future.

I do this all the time . I guess I won't be doing it ANY more !




A few days ago, a person was recharging his mobile phone at home.

Just at that time a call came in and he answered it with the charging
Instrument still connected to the outlet.





After a few seconds electricity flowed into the cell phone unrestrained
and the young man was thrown to the floor with a heavy thud. As you can see,
the phone actually exploded.
His parents rushed to the room only to find him unconscious, with a weak
heartbeat and burnt fingers.





He was rushed to the nearby hospital, but was pronounced dead on arrival.
Cell phones are a very useful modern invention.





However, we must be aware that it can also be an instrument of death.
Never use the cell phone while it is hooked to the electrical outlet! If you are charging the cell phone and a call comes in, unplug it from the charger and outlet.
FORWARD THIS TO THE PEOPLE THAT MATTER IN YOUR LIFE!
Whether or not they have a cell phone. They can also inform others who do...


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I keep getting this crap often by e-mail. Never any references along with it. Sometimes it also comes attached with gory pictures of a blown up phone and a disfigured hand. Does anyone have any claims to back this up?
 
Computer science news on Phys.org
I've seen several sites that suggest it is very rare and due to faulty equipment. The phone batteries have also exploded when the phone is used normally. Except for the news story about the phone exploding without its battery, the snopes article seems reasonable. I wish I could how found some non .com articles. Snopes indicates that the exploded batteries were found to always be counterfeit. I myself purchased a batter online that I found to be counterfeit after it shorted. Fortunately, it didn't blow up.

Also, would it be impractical to implement a pressure safety valve in the battery?

http://www.hoax-slayer.com/cell-phone-charging.html

http://www.snopes.com/horrors/techno/cellcharge.asp
 
Perhaps this story represents a potential breakthrough in battery technology - or perhaps it is pure fiction. I'm leaning towards fiction.
 


Lithium batteries are a known risk. Definitely not neglectable, but small. However, I bet more people suffer each year after being electrocuted by faulty cable in hair drier or something similar, then because of lithium battery explosion. I am not going to stop hair drier, I am not going to stop using my mobile.

Well, when it coms to hair drier, each year I have less use for it, so I will probably stop using it - but not because of safety concerns.
 
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Lithium batteries sure are dangerous for such a common consumer item. Lithium polymer are better though. We used them for radio controlled airplanes. You were always advised to never charge lithium battery packs near flammable objects and never charge above their ratings or you'd risk an explosion or the things melting. Expensive things too...
 
While the risk of fire with these batteries is real, the story linked, talking about a cell phone actually exploding like a bomb, with enough force to throw a person to the floor and kill them is almost certainly a hoax. In particular, the idea of electricity flowing into a cell phone "unrestrained" is just meaningless technobabble. Electricity doesn't flow "unrestrained" except in a superconductor and a cell phone charger is only capable of a few hundred miliamps. If you short it, it'll draw a few amps for a few seconds and then burn out, leaving no exterior signs that it has died.
 
Hmmm...according to my recent research on things that blow up, cell phones can, in fact, kill you if they send a piece of shrapnel into your neck when they explode: http://weirdnewsfiles.com/weirdnews/man-killed-by-exploding-cell-phone/

My advice: keep your phone in your back pocket (never front pocket - the risk there is too horrific to contemplate).
 
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russ_watters said:
Hmmm...according to my recent research on things that blow up, cell phones can, in fact, kill you if they send a piece of shrapnel into your neck when they explode: http://weirdnewsfiles.com/weirdnews/man-killed-by-exploding-cell-phone/

My advice: keep your phone in your back pocket (never front pocket - the risk there is too horrific to contemplate).

Huh? My question was whether they could all blow up while charging? It seems to be because of some fraudulent battery salesmen. Even in the link you posted above, the bloke is said to have replaced his battery recently.

Question 2: Among the ones that DO blow up because of faulty batteries, what exactly sets them off?
 
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russ_watters said:
Hmmm...according to my recent research on things that blow up, cell phones can, in fact, kill you if they send a piece of shrapnel into your neck when they explode: http://weirdnewsfiles.com/weirdnews/man-killed-by-exploding-cell-phone/

My advice: keep your phone in your back pocket (never front pocket - the risk there is too horrific to contemplate).

Thanks russ, now I know what to have a nightmare about when I sleep, also I'm trying to convince it that it's safe to come out now. :biggrin:

As for "blowing up"... if your cell bursts into flames, leaks corrosives, and melts... most people are going to say, "it blew up".

That said, you're at far greater risk from your car battery, which really CAN "blow up". Hydrogen + strong acids... not fun.

Well.. it's fun, but not in that context.

@anirudh215: Overheating, can melt or deform the battery casing, or cause the contents to combine. Add a charge going in... a bit of flammable gas as a result of the contents being exposed... and ouchy. Batteries, Dynamos, Flywheels, Criticality Accidents... anything that stores and can rapidly release energy is inherently dangerous, especially as the world is essentially 'shrapnel in waiting'. Very low chance however, and really it's just a good reason to exercise good judgement when buying a battery.
 
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