Will the Car Run Out of Battery When Charging a Phone?
2 Answers
Generally, it won't, because there is a significant difference between a phone's battery and a car battery. Additionally, there are many other devices in the car that use the power from the battery. Here are some precautions regarding the car battery: 1. Parking the car: Avoid leaving the car parked in an open-air parking lot for extended periods. If long-term parking is necessary, remove the battery to prevent freezing damage. 2. Car engine: The car engine is harder to start in winter. Each attempt to start the car should not exceed 5 seconds, with at least a 15-second interval between attempts. If the car still doesn't start after multiple attempts, check other aspects such as the electrical circuit, ignition coil, or fuel system. Avoid continuous attempts to start the car, as this can cause the battery to over-discharge and burn out. 3. Charging: The car battery should be charged regularly. If left unused for a long time, the battery will gradually discharge on its own until it becomes unusable. Therefore, the car should be started periodically to recharge the battery.
The other day when I went to the 4S shop for maintenance, I chatted with the mechanic about this. When the vehicle is running, the engine is operating, and the generator supplies ample power, so charging your phone is completely fine—it's like turning on a small light bulb. However, if you continue charging after the engine is turned off, it becomes problematic because then it relies entirely on the battery. A standard car battery typically has a capacity of around 40 ampere-hours, and charging your phone overnight consumes about 1-2 ampere-hours, which doesn’t sound like much, right? But the car’s anti-theft system, central control screen, and other components also quietly drain power. Coupled with reduced battery performance in extreme winter or summer temperatures, the car might not start after just three to five days. Last year, my neighbor learned this the hard way—he returned from a business trip to find his car completely dead. It’s advisable not to charge for more than half an hour after turning off the engine. If you really need to, start the engine and charge for about ten minutes—it’s both safe and won’t harm the battery.
