Questions about fast charging and wireless charging

[JohnJSal]

Hi all. First off, simply put, what's the difference between fast charging and regular charging other than speed? Does the charge of a fast charge deplete faster or something like that? Why not just make fast charging the *only* charging method?

Second, is it safe to use fast charging and/or the wireless charging pad (which uses fast charging) overnight? Does it work the same as regular charging in that it basically switches off when the charge is full?

Thanks!

 

[chanchan05]

1. Nothing. Just speed.
2. AFAIK yes.

 

[lvt]

Fast charging won't top up your phone as fast as possible because it will damage the battery, it will only charge your phone to certain level, the rest will be a regular charging.

 

[JohnJSal]

Thanks. So why is it even an option to disable fast charging if it's superior to regular charging?

 

[lvt]

Thanks. So why is it even an option to disable fast charging if it's superior to regular charging?

Fast charging isn't superior to regular charging. It's helpful when you are in a hurry.

 

[chanchan05]

It could get hotter, especially if you're using it while charging. Heat is detrimental to battery life span.

 

[AZgl1500]

Fast Charging will make the battery hotter than with a normal charger. and it has a detrimental long term effect on the life span of the battery. I'm in the "don't care about that" arena, I leave my phone set to Fast Charge as all of my phones have removable batteries

I also have a wireless charger coil in my Note 4 and both of my S5 phones.
that charges at roughly half the rate and is easier on the battery, but the phone gets hotter because the wireless charger itself produces heat. it is a weird conundrum.

 

[lvt]

Always charge your phone normally using the cable if you can.

 

[JohnJSal]

Always charge your phone normally using the cable if you can.

Fast charging was actually one of the first settings I turned off. I didn't like the warning about the battery getting hot.

I tend to charge overnight anyway, so speed isn't an issue.

 

[mikiep]

I don't know much about chemistry but ... from what I have read;

Quick Charge V3.0 wont really heat up things like the V2.0 does. V3.0 is just recently starting to be seen in new devices.
Phone & Charger both need to be the same matching versions to talk to each other properly. The device asks for and receives current (volt/amps) from the charger that the device maker has determined proper and is not detrimental to the device or its battery.

V2.0 was or is mostly in three levels of va/current steps and would heat up batteries and their surroundings - if it reached a predetermined temp, the device would stop the charge and let things cool before restarting.

V3.0 is almost infinitely variable currents, well 200ma steps anyhow, so a two amp charger could have 10 steps or actually more, but that's for different days - devices will only ask for currents that the device manufacture deemed non harmful to the device and/or its battery. But, if your cell phone is sitting in a black car on a sunny day... it still senses max temp and shuts off once a max temp is detected to let things cool. That sunny care may be over the max anyhow so no charging may happen. Ambient temps play a role in rate of charge chemically too.

Any charging increases heat as does discharging.. a chemical reaction will make temperature changes happen. Any heat above normal we all have repeatedly heard over and over is detrimental to electronics/batteries/plastics/etc - I don't know what normal degrees are.. but suspect around 77F/25C would be a likely norm.

New v3.0 - I have read the batteries can enjoy maybe a 3000 cycle life span - so its up to the device maker to determine a suitable life scenario for his battery heat, to have it juiced up as fast as possible yet have no fires and some kind of reasonable battery lifetime.