There are a slew of cautionary tales about how to properly use a rechargeable battery. We all want our batteries to have a long runtime and to be long-lasting in our devices. Most devices should not be used while they are charging, but should the same rule apply to Bluetooth speakers as it does for other devices?
Is it permissible to use a Bluetooth speaker while the device is charging?
Yes. You can continue to use your Bluetooth speaker while it is charging without causing any damage to the battery. If you are using the speaker for the first time, you will need to charge it to its maximum capacity while it is turned off in order to test the battery life.
After the first charge, you should have no trouble using the speaker while it’s charging the next time. Most of the time, the battery will run out while you are still using the speaker, and you may not want to stop using it at that point. It is for this reason that charging while still in use is beneficial.
If you charge and use your speaker at the same time, depending on the brand of speaker you have, the charge light on the speaker may not illuminate.
Using a Bluetooth speaker while charging results in the following results.
Is it harmful to use a speaker while charging your phone? The charging of the speaker has no effect on the speaker’s overall performance. No issues with sound quality will arise as a result of the operation of your speaker.
The only difficulty is that you must charge the battery at the same time that the speaker drains it. Depending on the manufacturer of the speaker you are using, the battery may drain more quickly than it charges at times. Even when connected to an AC outlet, if you use the speaker at a high volume, the battery may drain more quickly.
It is possible that you will need to reduce the volume of the speaker in order to ensure that the device charges faster than it drains. If you notice that the volume of the speaker is becoming increasingly low, it is possible that the battery is becoming even more depleted.
You have the option of turning off the speaker and allowing it to charge, or turning the volume down even further.
When the battery’s power level is low, the battery’s maximum power output is not available to it. If you disconnect the USB AC adapter and the speaker’s sound output stops for a brief period of time, this is not a speaker problem, and the sound output will resume in a short period of time.
Batteries are also susceptible to temperature fluctuations. While charging your speaker, if the temperature is extremely hot or cold and you are using the speaker, the charging process may be interrupted. This is a built-in safety feature found in a number of batteries. A temperature range of 41 to 95 degrees should be used for optimal performance.
Even if you are confident in your ability to charge and use your battery at the same time, you must still take good care of it in order to extend its lifespan. In some cases, if you are quick to recharge the battery before the low battery light illuminates, you may be able to force the battery into a lazy battery mode, also known as the memory effect.
What exactly is the memory effect?
In the case of incorrect charging, the memory effect describes the condition in which the battery loses more of its charge capacity than it gains back. After a while, your battery will appear to be losing charge at an alarming rate. If you charge the battery incorrectly for an extended period of time, crystals will form inside the battery, which will affect the way it discharges.
However, even though you can charge the battery while using it, you should avoid doing so when the battery is half full because it will cause damage to the battery. Because of the crystals that have formed, your battery is unable to charge to its maximum capacity. Your speaker will appear to be completely depleted, and the battery will be damaged as a result.
If you suspect that your battery may be suffering from a memory effect, you should charge and discharge the battery in the proper manner to see if the problem is resolved or not. It is only in nickel-cadmium batteries that this memory effect occurs, and these batteries are being phased out due to their negative impact on the environment.
If you use lithium-ion batteries, which are the most common type, you won’t have to be concerned about the memory effect at all.
The charge and discharge cycles, on the other hand, are what determine the longevity of your batteries. The battery has a limited number of charge and discharge cycles, and once those cycles have been completed, the battery’s life will be over. In the event that your battery is ever connected to a charger, you will reduce the battery’s longevity.
What are the advantages of turning off the speaker while it is being charged?
Although your speaker, like your phone, is a machine, it still requires a break from time to time. Taking a short break can have a significant impact on the performance and life of your battery. If you have been using the speaker on a continuous basis, you will need to turn it off and allow the battery to recharge.
By turning off the speaker, the battery is able to charge more quickly. Generally speaking, you should avoid allowing your battery to completely drain, and you should avoid charging your battery to its maximum capacity. If the battery gets down to less than 20% of its capacity, you can charge it up to 90% and then leave it.
You will extend the battery’s life if you do this correctly. If you use the speaker while it is charging, you are continuously charging the battery, which reduces the number of charge cycles it has. When you are using and charging the battery at the same time, the battery may still completely drain, which is not good for the battery cells.
As long as the ambient temperature remains within the recommended battery range, there is little chance that the battery will overheat during charging while the device is turned off. While in use, the vast majority of lithium-ion batteries heat up, and if you charge them at the same time, they may become damaged due to overheating.
Give your battery a break and charge it while it is turned off once in a while. Later on, you will be grateful that you took the time to do so.
Should you leave the speaker plugged in overnight to charge it?
If you listen to music while you sleep, you may want to leave the speaker plugged in so that it doesn’t turn off in the middle of the night as you sleep. People who carry their speakers with them wherever they go during the day may find it beneficial to leave the speaker charging while they sleep.
The majority of speakers have intelligent charging features that turn off the charger when the battery reaches its maximum capacity, but some speakers continue to charge.
The problem is that if you need to protect the speaker, you shouldn’t charge it to its maximum capacity. When you leave it plugged in all night, the battery will charge to 100 percent of its original capacity. In particular, lithium-ion batteries will be put under stress by the high voltage.
Because the charger is still plugged in, every time the battery loses a small percentage of its charge, the charger will attempt to recharge it. In the case of Bluetooth speakers, the charging light consumes a small portion of the charge, which is replaced by the charger.
Therefore, even if your battery is equipped with an overcharging protection feature, your battery will continue to charge continuously throughout the night.
What Happens If You Leave the Battery Connected for an Extended Period of Time?
A cathode and an anode are both present in the battery of your Bluetooth speaker. In order to generate power, ions are pushed from one electrode to the next, and the ions respond by pushing back, generating energy in the process of doing so.
If your battery is completely depleted, or if you charge it to its maximum capacity, the ions will be concentrated on a single electrode and will not have enough space to anchor themselves. Afterwards, the ions become restless and begin to release kinetic energy, which can lead to the destruction of the battery’s cells.
The energy can degrade the anodes to the point where the battery is rendered inoperable. In today’s world, however, most Bluetooth speakers are equipped with a battery protection circuit that prevents this from happening. The circuit disconnects your battery when it reaches a certain percentage of charge before it runs out of power completely.
Once again, when the battery is nearly fully charged, the charging rate drops to a trickle as the battery approaches full capacity. Maintaining the battery’s connection may cause it to be charged to its maximum capacity, which you do not want to happen in this case! In the majority of cases, however, leaving your battery plugged in for a short period of time will not harm it.
Unless your Bluetooth speaker’s battery is old, the majority of newer batteries are designed to protect against damage.
Instead of worrying about whether or not you can leave the battery charging overnight, look into ways to keep the battery safe from an electrical surge. It is possible that the battery of the speaker will be unable to handle an increase in electric current, resulting in significant financial loss for the speaker. In order to ensure the safety of your battery, you can invest in surge protectors.
Lastly, some final thoughts
Your Bluetooth speaker battery is equipped with features that help to keep it safe. No matter how much you charge it, the battery has a built-in protection mechanism. However, there are still things you can do to help keep the battery in good condition for as long as possible.
For starters, make certain that the battery does not drain below 20 percent and does not charge above 80 percent while in use. This charge range helps to keep the battery stable and ensures that it has a long life span. You should also avoid exposing the battery to extreme weather conditions such as high temperatures or low temperatures.
I strongly advise you to purchase a high-tech Bluetooth speaker with a modern battery. These modern batteries have advanced features that allow them to operate almost completely without the need for maintenance. With such batteries, you won’t have to worry about remembering what you should and shouldn’t do when charging your speaker.
