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Q: Are cheap chargers bought on the street bad for my phone?
Sometimes when I plug one of them in, my phone goes a bit crazy and does weird stuff.. Is this bad for my phone?
10 years 13 weeks ago in Web & Technology - China
Crazy how ? I would not use such a charger.
If you phone has a standard micro-usb plug it should be possible to find a good charger at "near street-level" prices.
brother1818:
It kinda of just does its own thing, sometimes it will just unlock itself without me touching it, once it even made a phone call while lying on my bedside table.
brother1818:
But when I unplug it from the charger it's completely normal again.
Scandinavian:
very strange. my wife's Xiaomi phone, at first would shutdown when it was charged with another charger, the two chargers had different electrical specifications (different amps) but other than that the phone would get charged. After a software update it is not charging fine with all three different chargers we have in house.
The behavior you describe could also be other things. It would be interesting to know if it also happens after a factory reset. That aside, I think you should go look for a new charger.
Yes, a badly designed charger can hurt your phone. Most mobile phone use lithium-based batteries. Such batteries have to be carefully charged to avoid overheating and damages (like erratic discharge behavior). In the worst case, the battery can simply burn or even (mildly) explode 
One does not simply charge/discharge lithium batteries.
ScotsAlan:
I agree with DrMonkey.
Also, make sure you plug the charger in before you connect the charger to your phone. It's not good to connect the phone to charger then plug the charger into the wall socket. Chinese sockets spark a lot when a loaded plug is plugged in. The electrical spike from the spark could damage your phone.
SHORT ANSWER: YES
LONG ANSWER:
If you have a cheap knockoff phone then don't worry about it, if you have a high end smartphone then get a genuine charger or a decent priced alternative that is designed for your phone.
When I bought my Samsung in Doha (UAE) I didn't have the plug for China so I used my old Apple one and put the Samsung USB into that. My phone hardly kept it's charge for more than 2-3hrs of light usage. Don't f*&c around with this, it's more hassle and expense than paying a few extra rmb for the genuine.
mike695ca:
Anyone ever told you that your a strange dude? You make a big point of telling everyone you went to Doha and even put the country in brackets for us morons ( UAE). except........ if you really went to doha you would probably know thats its in Qatar not UAE. Close but no cigar my friend.....
hiddenjelly:
Good point, the fact I didn't mention was that I didn't actually go to Doha, it was my wife traveling back from a business trip in France.
mike695ca:
fair enough, it was the " i bought my phone in doha" instead of " i got my phone from doha" musta confused me. Anyways its a forum, not an essay, your forgiven
Pretty much anything bought on the street is stolen or made in an underground factory. I do buy some of this stuff on the street when I think the benefit out ways the cost. For example: Buy a cheap knockoff cell on the street; then buy a charger on the street. Some of this garbage actually works well for awhile. I haven't been burnt yet. I wouldn't want to buy an expensive cell only to buy a "street" charger to save a couple rmb ($0.30).
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/8356442/man-killed-electrocuted-charging-phone-earphones-music/
They left our where the charger was made in the story.
diverdude1:
I bet he was listening to R.E.M. - It's the End of the World as We Know It ~
Stiggs:
Not related but....
Hey Divedude, where did your latest question go? I saw it earlier and just logged in now intending to answer it, but meiyou.
diverdude1:
hey stiggs,,, yeah, I just deleted it,,, you know what they say.... !
"Don't Drink and Post!' 
