Do you have a phone that only charges when turned off? You may be one of many whose phone’s battery will not charge unless the phone is completely powered down. Most, if not all smartphones use Li-ion batteries which contain a small circuit board that tells the device to stop charging once fully charged. It also helps prevent overcharging, which can result in a fire.
Sometimes, this circuit board can malfunction and your phone will continue to try to charge. This is a safety measure that ensures your battery doesn’t explode in case of a faulty circuit board or faulty wiring in the USB cable. To prevent this from happening, you may need to send it back to the manufacturer service center.
Your charging circuit board can also go bad if you drop your phone in the water. If the circuit board is damaged by water, it could cause this malfunction after time. This is because of corrosion that can build up on contacts or solder points within the circuit.
A battery-only charges when there is current flowing into it (charging) and stops charging when too much current is flowing in (overcharging). If your phone continues to charge when plugged into a power source, it may be because of faulty wiring within the USB cable.
Too much current flowing in can also cause damage to your phone’s charging circuit board which will need to be repaired at an authorized service center. This happens sometimes when you plug your phone into an unknown USB port such as those found in public places.
If your battery is bad and you continue to charge it, it can cause damage to the motherboard of your device. This is because overcharging a Li-ion battery can result in overheating which damages or kills the cells within the battery.
If your phone is showing signs of charging intermittently, it likely means that your battery is faulty and will need to be replaced.
Contrary to popular belief, leaving your phone plugged in overnight does not cause any type of damage if you’re using the factory charger. As long as you are using the proper cable and the cable works, there should never be any problems.
If your phone has a removable battery and this doesn’t solve the problem, it could be that your charging port is contaminated by dirt or other materials that should not be there. This can also affect the connection between the charger and the device which will require an inspection of the charging port by an authorized service center. If your phone is under warranty, they will cover the cost of repairs.
If you cannot identify the problem with your phone, bring it to an authorized service center where a professional can help diagnose and repair the issue. If your phone is over one year old, it’s likely better to purchase a new smartphone as the cost of repairs would be higher than the price of a new device.
If there is no warranty remaining and you’re still concerned, you can purchase an external battery charger to ensure that your phone always has power. This will prevent the issue from occurring again in the future.
An external battery charger can also be helpful if you live in an area where charging stations are scarce such as mountainous regions or remote areas.
