Bluetooth speakers are one of the fastest-growing products on the market right now, and they are very common in many households. Like many electronics, they are commonly plugged in and forgotten about. This leaves many Bluetooth speaker owners wondering if it is okay to leave them plugged in.
You can leave your Bluetooth speakers plugged in. Most electronics, like Bluetooth speakers, come with technology that recognizes when the battery is full and stops the charging process. However, you may not want to leave them plugged in all the time.
Technology has come a long way, which often allows us freedom in being relaxed when charging our devices. In this article, we’ll go a little more in-depth about Bluetooth speakers and why they can be safely left to charge.
How Are Bluetooth Speakers Able to Stay Safely Plugged In?
Bluetooth speakers are made with lithium polymer batteries and are created to charge until they are full, at which point they slow down the flow of charge coming into the device. This process allows you to keep your device plugged in without overloading or overheating the battery.
Your Bluetooth speaker will not stop charging once it reaches a full battery.
Every device loses power when it is on, even when it isn’t being used. This means that if your device fully stopped charging after reaching full battery, then it would immediately begin to lose battery life again.
To prevent the loss of battery life, devices are created to use the trickle effect.
The trickle effect is your device allowing a smaller amount of charge into it after reaching a full battery and it is meant to give your speaker just enough power to remain at full battery without losing any charge.
Because of this trickle effect, there is no risk of overloading or overheating your battery because the full charging power isn’t being used.
What Is The Memory Effect In Electronics?
The memory effect is the idea that a battery will “forget” that it has a full capacity battery if it is not allowed to run out of charge before recharging. This forgetfulness would become an issue if there was a point where your device couldn’t be charged constantly.
The battery would be so used to charging that it would “forget” how long it can last, making it run out of battery faster.
This effect was proven to exist in nickel-based batteries, but companies have since produced circuits that protect batteries from this effect. The battery in your Bluetooth speaker is a lithium polymer battery, which is designed to avoid this effect.
So, you don’t need to worry about it happening to your Bluetooth speaker.
Certain errors can make it seem like the memory effect is happening to your device. For example, if you do not use the proper charger with your device, that can sometimes cause issues with your speaker because it may be overcharged.
Also, if your speaker is exposed to an extreme temperature, this can cause issues with how the battery functions. So, there are other things that can occur due to human error that can create a similar effect for your Bluetooth speaker.
Make sure you are following all guidelines provided with the speaker for optimum performance.
Are There Any Risks of Leaving My Speaker Plugged In?
There is no risk to your device when leaving it to charge, but there are other minor risks involved when leaving electronic devices plugged in long-term. This goes for any electronic device and is not specific to just your speaker, but these risks are easy to combat with basic monitoring.
You’re Using More Energy
When your Bluetooth speaker stays plugged in for long periods, it is using energy to keep it fully charged.
The trickle effect helps your device not use a lot of energy constantly, but leaving it plugged in can still use up energy, even if it is a smaller amount. This energy costs money when it comes time to pay your electric bill.
While it may not be a significant amount of money, some people still choose to unplug their devices to save a little cash when bills come due. If you’re not worried about paying a little bit extra on your electric bill, then leaving your speaker plugged in isn’t much of a risk for you.
Your Speaker Will Get Hot
Electronic devices tend to get hot when charging sometimes. While this is just a natural part of the battery charging process, the speakers may get even hotter than some of your other devices if you use it while it is charging.
This is not particularly dangerous, as it is a normal part of the operation, but it is worth noting and keeping an eye on.
You always want to be careful about the objects that surround your speaker in case it gets too hot, as you don’t want anything to burn or melt when placed too close.
Make sure you are checking the temperature of your speaker when it is charging and during use.
There Could Be A Safety Risk
Any device left to charge without supervision can be a risk.
If a wire is short-circuited, then it could cause a fire in your home. And if the cord gets wet, that could cause a fire or other electrical issues as well.
When planning to leave your speaker plugged in, make sure you are keeping an eye on it. It may also be best to unplug your speaker if you plan to leave your home for an extended time to ensure that there are no electrical issues while you are gone.
Final Thoughts
Though it wasn’t always, it is now safe to leave a Bluetooth speaker plugged in. We no longer have to worry about overheating or overloading the battery because lithium polymer batteries are made to slow down the charging process once your battery is full.
Though there is always room for improvement, we can freely leave our devices plugged in to ensure they are ready to go anytime.
