Why do mobile phone batteries explode? Reasons, Warning Signs & Preventive Measures

The cases of phone battery explosion are common these days. The main reason that hints towards the event are excessive heating of the battery. These rechargeable batteries in our smartphones are mostly safe and rarely burst into flames. And the reasons for overheating of phones are assorted.

Most of the time the real cause behind the explosion of smartphones is carelessness, manhandling, or overuse. Get to know everything from reasons and symptoms to solutions for the mobile explosion in this article.

What causes phone battery explosion?

The advanced set of mobile phones, or better to say smartphones are mechanized by Lithium-ion batteries. These batteries constitute a balance between positive and negative electrodes. And when they come in contact with high heat exposure, the inner components of a battery cause a volatile reaction which later catches fire.

A phone battery can indeed explode due to excessive heating, but claiming it as the only reason will be false. So the list of other reasons includes:

• Long exposure to sun or water
• Any sort of physical damage.
• Overuse of the device
• Any error to the charging port
• Keeping phones in the hot zone like a car dashboard, kitchen stoves, etc
• Using cheap and local chargers.
• And short-circuit

According to reports, excessive temperature for a longer period heats the battery which results in making the cells in the battery unstable producing gases such as carbon dioxide and oxygen.

What are early warning signs of a mobile phone explosion?

Experts say that before turning into a fireball, phone batteries give flags. And the good part is that anybody who can read these early signs of explosions can deal with fatality.

Some of the early warnings of phone battery explosions are:

• The gadget gets extremely hot.
• Usually, the device swells or the seams are bursting open.
• The device starts emitting smoke with a nasty chemical smell.
• The smartphone charging port does not work properly.
• Unusual liquid leaks from the device.
• Extra care needs to be taken in case of serious damage to the device.
• You might hear popping or hissing sounds from your phone at non-uniform intervals.

How to prevent phone battery explosion?

• Do not leave the mobile phone to charge overnight. 
• Avoid using the phone for a prolonged duration. 
• Do not keep your mobile phones under pillows while sleeping.
• Avoid keeping mobile phones on the car's dashboard. 
• Get your mobile phone serviced only at authorized service centers. 
• Use a compatible first-party charger.
• Avoid any kind of tampering with the phone battery.

In case of an explosion, it is advised to use a fire extinguisher or use something fireproof to cover the phone. Whereas, the second step should always be calling the emergency services while evacuating the area to stop the further spread of fire.