Why Phones Explode, Tips To Prevent It 

Phones exploding are extremely rare but there are many reported cases. While it’s generally unlikely that phones explode, there is a high risk of the phone’s battery exploding while charging. There can be several reasons why a phone is likely to explode. However, one should take measures to protect their phones and any damage to oneself. Exploding phones may not be life-threatening but can cause severe burns and injuries. Even though it is rare to happen, if such situations do take place, seek medical help immediately.

Always ensure you keep the phones in a cool and dry place away from direct sunlight and look for any warning signals of potential battery explosion. Do not take any risk since it can affect our health and well-being, so it is always better to take appropriate measures to prevent the explosion of phones. This article will discuss why phones explode or what causes it and prevention tips. So, keep reading to know more. 

What causes phones to explode?

There are several reasons why phones explode, including,

Excessive heat

The most common cause of the explosion of phones is excessive heat. This situation is likely to happen, especially when the phone’s battery or processor gets too hot quickly, damaging the phone’s chemical makeup. When the phone’s chemical makeup is damaged, it causes a chain reaction called thermal runaway, which results in the battery producing even more heat, eventually leading to an explosion or fire.

Overcharging

Overcharging increases the risk of phone explosion. It is the second most common cause and overcharging damages the battery’s normal function, which causes it to divert power to electrolytes that explode when they react with other chemicals. 

Manufacturing defects

Manufacturing defects or errors can lead to an explosion of phones. However, it is rare but when contaminants like metal particles get into battery cells during production, it causes short circuits, which ultimately leads to phone explosion. Also, there can be battery issues, that is a battery can malfunction if it is not tested properly. This increases the risk of phone explosion. 

Physical damage

Physical damage like dropping, bending, or crushing a phone damages the battery, which likely causes the phone to explode. It mostly happens in the case when the battery’s components break during external damage, which triggers a volatile reaction. 

Aging

Aged phones or phones that have been used for a long time will have internal components faded, which causes the battery to swell and overheat quickly. Batteries degrade over time and another reason is battery defects. It prevents two electrodes from connecting to each other, resulting in not functioning properly, and when the electrodes touch, it causes an explosion. 

Using a poor-quality charger

It is always best to use the original charger you get while purchasing the phones, as using cheap or counterfeit charges causes electrical shorts or overloads. Also, poor-quality chargers might not have proper protection mechanisms to prevent overcharging, which increases the risk of overheating and battery explosion. 

Multitasking

Using the phone for a prolonged time or multitasking causes the processor to overheat and even explode. Overuse or multitasking leads to excessive heat generation within the battery, causing a chemical reaction, which potentially ignites or explodes due to pressure. 

Tips to prevent phones from exploding

While the phone’s exploding is rare, you can take measures to prevent it from happening. Here are some of the tips you can try to avoid the risk of phone explosion:

• Use the right charger: It is important to use a compatible, manufacturer-approved charger and cable because cheap or uncertified charges generate excess heat that damages the battery.
• Avoid extreme temperatures: Heat is a main factor that increases the risk of phone explosion, so keep the phone away from direct sunlight or other heat sources. Know that extreme hot and cold temperatures are bad for the battery and cause them damage. 
• Reduce prolonged or heavy usage: Prolonged use can lead to overheating, so it is best to take a break while using the phone to allow it to cool down. 
• Don’t charge for too long: Practice good battery hygiene to prevent any damage to the battery. Ensure you charge the phone between 30 to 80% most of the time and avoid fast charging overnight. 
• Protect the phone from physical damage: Physical damage increases the risk of overheating and explosion. So, protect the phone from falling or bending too much and use a protective, good-quality phone cover. 
• Safeguard from malware: Always ensure you safeguard your phone from malware, as it can cause damage to the battery. 
• Turn off the phone if needed: Practice turning off the phone if it feels too hot to touch. This will give time for the phone to cool down and prevent the risk of overheating. 
• Avoid leaving the phone under soft surfaces while charging: Ensure you charge the phone on a flat, hard surface to vent the heat while charging, and avoid keeping the phone under a pillow or other soft surface as it increases the risk of igniting. 
• Get your phone serviced: Only get your phone serviced at authorized service centers.
• Use battery saver mode: Batter saver mode can help reduce power usage by closing the background apps, lowering screen brightness, and more. 
• Keep the phone software updated: Ensure the phone is updated to the latest version to help prevent overheating or other issues. 
• Don’t tamper with your phone battery: Prevent tampering with the phone’s battery as it can lead to battery explosion. 
• Monitor battery health: Always monitor the battery health of your phone and replace the phone battery if it shows signs of damage. 
• Check for signs of potential explosion: Along with taking measures, check for signs of potential explosions, such as a swollen battery, a smell of burning plastic or chemicals, or a hissing and popping sound.

Also Read: Tips To Safeguard Your Smartphone Data From Online Frauds

Conclusion

Smartphones do not explode but their battery can. However, explosions of a phone’s batteries are rare but they do happen and are mostly due to overheating. Even though it may not be life-threatening, it can cause serious burns and injuries.

Some of the common causes of phone explosion are excessive heat, overcharging, manufacturing defects, physical damage, phone overuse, poor quality chargers, and multitasking. You can easily prevent this situation by taking measures like using the right and original charger, avoiding extremely hot or cold temperatures, practicing healthy battery hygiene, protecting the phone from physical damage, updating to the latest software, and getting the phone serviced at authorized service centers.

Always monitor your battery health, replace the battery if needed, and check for any signs of explosion such as a swollen battery and a smell of burning plastic or chemicals.