You might be tempted to save a few bucks by using a knockoff charger, but this could end up costing you more in the long run.
Using a third-party charger is perfectly fine if it meets the requirements of the phone and is from a verified company but there can be a problem if the charger is fake or cheap.
A knockoff charger can damage your phone battery and can cause the screen to go crazy. The fluctuation of voltage can damage the charger port, and even damage your battery. Using an off-brand charger probably won’t do as much damage as a fake charger.
In this article, we will explore why using a wrong or bad charger is bad for the phone and we will also see how can you identify if the charger is wrong for your device or not.
Why using a fake charger is bad
Using anything fake is not a good idea and the same goes for phone chargers as well. The reason why using a fake charger is bad.
Because most of the time they don’t meet the output requirements of the phone. A charge should supply constant power to the battery without any fluctuation if the charger is not able to do that it is the wrong charger for your device.
Voltage
Voltage is the most important specification of a charger. Most devices require a charger that can output a voltage of five volts.
The wrong charger might or might not be able to supply the required voltage to your device. If it is not able to, then it will damage your device.
Amperage
The amperage is the next specification you should check. Using a charger that supplies higher amperage than what the device need is perfectly fine.
But using a charger that supplies lower amperage than what the phone requires can be bad on a long-term basis.
This can cause heating, slow down the charging process, and also put a load on the charger itself. it will get hot also.
What happens when you use a wrong charger
Right now, there are a lot of low-cost charging devices on the market. Many of these chargers are advertised to work with a wide range of phones.
If you don’t have access to a charger, you may feel compelled to purchase a counterfeit one rather than spending too much time considering if “can a cheap charger harm my phone?”
Your phone manufacturer provides the charger at a higher cost because they meet all standards and ensure that the chargers are built for durability
Now let’s see what are the common problems that you might face if you are using a charger that’s wrong for your phone.
- Your phone might not charge at all.
- The charging process will be slow.
- Your screen might go crazy or ghost touch might start happening.
- Your phone might get hot while charging.
- Of course, it will also cause battery problems.
How to know if a charger is wrong
So how do you know if an off-brand charger is wrong for your phone or it is not? Perhaps the easiest way to know a charger is unsafe is if the battery heats up abnormally while charging.
Or you can just check If the charger is supplying the same amount of volts that is required for your device.
Does it supply equal or more amperage than what the device needs? There are applications to display the battery temperature and voltage on the screen.
If you notice that it is taking more time for your phone to charge now compared to when you used the original charger, it is the wrong charger for your device.
It is better to avoid such a charger because of the reasons we have discussed in this article earlier.
Best charger for the device
Ideally, you should use the original charger that came with your device. But if you don’t have access to that, you should get a charger that has the same specifications as the original one just check the volts and amperage.
If the charger is from a good brand that adheres to regulatory standards, then you can use that charger for your phone without worrying about causing problems.
For example, If the requirements of the phone are met you can charge your Samsung phone with a OnePlus charger without a lot of problems because both the chargers are from good and trusted brands.
Conclusion
I hope you found this article helpful. Phones and chargers can be tricky. There is nothing wrong with using a different charger on your phone but the question is whether the other charger is good or is it bad.