Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not allow phone chargers to be on overnight?

244 replies

RamblingRita · 09/12/2018 01:19

Massive issues with adult and teen DC over this. Not only phones but ipads as well.

I have told them I do not want them to be charged overnight as the plugs heat up and they are a fire risk.

They are arguing as they never let devices charge enough in the day as they're always on them.

Sick of same old bullshit argument every night when I just want to get into bedAngry.

So AIBU?

Just to add I am the type to unplug everything but the fridge overnight after a relatives house was burned down due something being left plugged in and fire officer said always unplug everything it's possible to at night.

OP posts:
MarthasGinYard · 09/12/2018 09:30

Are people aware that it's the lithium batteries that are the significant risk rather than the actual charger?

I'm no expert but pretty shocked reading this thread TBH

IsobelKarev · 09/12/2018 09:31

House fires aren't rare (My shower caught fire while I was in it two years ago), but being killed in an accidental house fire if you have working smoke alarms is.

Fire officers have to give "lowest common denominator" advice. They could say "buy chargers from reputable sources which meet the legal standard, don't keep them under things and make sure the phone is on the side rather than under a pillow", but that is too long. So they keep it simple - don't charge phones overnight.

Aragog · 09/12/2018 09:31

Newer iPhones and other devices don't overcharge. That's an old issue that was rectified a while back. Battery performance is rarely compromised. Instead the charge changes when the device gets bear the end, and the last few percent take longer to charge as it uses a trickle charge type effect.
All the main companies state this. I've have charged phones and watches etc overnight for years and never had an issue with battery performance within the time I've kept them; not for any of the modern devices in last few years.

I only use official chargers. And always leave my phone on a hard surface and not on bedding type material. They are never warm to touch in a morning.

mumsastudent · 09/12/2018 09:33

www.nwales-fireservice.org.uk/news/2017/9/electrical-safety-warning-following-two-phone-charger-fires-in-flintshire/ point is you are asleep & wont notice if something bursts into flame (goes away & pulls out chargers that are left plugged in & not attached to computer etc!)

EdWinchester · 09/12/2018 09:34

The unplugging of everything is ott.

But the phone charging, you’re right about. Having said that, we all charge ours overnight but I know you shouldn’t. We do have smoke detectors in every room though.

LizzieSiddal · 09/12/2018 09:34

I'm no expert but pretty shocked reading this thread TBH

Me too. You can’t argue with stupid, springs to mind.

SelpMeGod · 09/12/2018 09:39

Considering 95% of all households have a mobile phone and a lot of people use them for alarms - myself included, surely there would be house fires all the time.

Yes it is a risk but you have to consider it along with other factors. Lots of tumble dryer fires are due to them not being cleaned out of lint so it isn't just the ownership of it.

If you are worried, then charge them in the evenings. But lots of phones have a smart charge meaning they stop charging when the battery is full.

soulrider · 09/12/2018 09:41

Unless the fire service know about everyone who does leave things plugged in overnight without any fires occurring they have no idea of the risk.

Lemons1571 · 09/12/2018 09:43

*Are people aware that it's the lithium batteries that are the significant risk rather than the actual charger?

mikado1 · 09/12/2018 09:46

I think it's a plugged in charger that's not charging is the hazard dh constantly leaves his in so yanbu on that but it's fine once device attached.

Caprisunorange · 09/12/2018 09:46

Lizzie I’m actually confused at how aggressive and patronising you’re being. What posts do you think come from stupid people? There is a lot of misinformation on here about the risks of chargers which has been rightly clarified.

RestingBitchFaced · 09/12/2018 09:47

YANBU, everything is switched off at the plug here apart from fridge freezer and Sky tv. I don't leave chargers on overnight or when I'm out of the house. Also won't leave tumble dryer on if I'm not here. I often charge my phone in work.

Maybe I am being over-cautious but there's no harm in that surely.

My brothers house nearly went up in flames because of a dodgy toaster, that wasn't even in use malfunctioned, and the shop I worked in burnt down because of an electrical fault in one of the fridges. I will minimise risks where I can

Reallybadidea · 09/12/2018 09:52

How do you define "risky" though? Just saying something is the 4th biggest cause of house fires doesn't tell you much because there's no context. Does that mean that every time you charge your phone there's a 1 in a thousand chance that it will catch fire? Or 1 in a million? 1 in 10 million?

If you drive a car from the age of 18 to 68 then you have a 1 in 85 chance of dying in a RTA so how come we're not all taking the train?

MrsGollach · 09/12/2018 09:52

I don't think you are being unreasonable. I wouldn't mind if it was downstairs in an area where nobody sleeps however as there are not fire alarms within our bedrooms I don't allow it.

I've heard of poor people who have done that and the device starts smouldering and the smoke obviously kills them in their sleep. Then the fire starts.

RestingBitchFaced · 09/12/2018 09:55

Those of you that agree do you literally pull the plug out of the wall or have it switched off in the plug but plugged into the wall?

HarveySchlumpfenburger · 09/12/2018 09:59

We have found that when we tell people, they look for a risk factor. Oh, was it on a bed? Was it covered up? Propel find it really hard to accept that it was charging on a table with the original charger (the charger was fine) and there was no contributory reason.

It’s basically the real life version of what’s happening on this thread. And the last thread about making sure internal doors are closed at night. People are just trying to convince themselves it couldn’t happen to them.

sar302 · 09/12/2018 09:59

This reminds me of the Michael Macintyre sketch about going on holiday

"We unplug everything but the fridge. We trust the fridge."

LoveWasAccidental · 09/12/2018 10:04

We had a fire safety visit from the local fire service and they were very clear about no devices being charged at night. They had a stack of rather shocking photos to show what could happen when people did leave chargers unattended!

cancla · 09/12/2018 10:04

What makes you think it will be fine in daylight hours but suddenly burst into flames if you go to bed

What makes you unable to realise the raised risk because people are SLEEPING Hmm

soulrider · 09/12/2018 10:07

Is a fire more likely to take hold from a phone that is charging one foot from you on a bedside table whilst you are sleeping at night or a phone charging in the kitchen whilst you are taking a bath though?

TheWorldAsh · 09/12/2018 10:12

Right o'

So, modern devices don't suffer battery damage* when being left on charge once they reach 100% as the circuitry turns charging off. Secondly unless you use cheap knock off chargers they generally have protection circuitry. Finally, if your phone or charger is getting hot during the process then something is wrong with either the device or the charger.

I'd suggest that the following is a better idea:

Have plenty of working, regularly tested smoke alarms.
Have a plan, that you test, to escape in the case of a fire.
Male sure everyone in the house is aware of the plan and knows what to do if there is a fire.

Unplugging everything overnight is just placebo. You're not reducing risk by that much.

SushiMonster · 09/12/2018 10:14

As long as you don’t buy dodgy Chinese knock offs for a couple of quid, they aren’t a fire risk.

cancla · 09/12/2018 10:27

Is a fire more likely to take hold from a phone that is charging one foot from you on a bedside table whilst you are sleeping at night

No. It's not. But surely you are aware that if your charger is in front of you and starts to blacken and smoke you could take immediate action. If you are asleep it would be the smoke alert that woke you; once fire had taken hold. If you were lucky.

Not sure why you couldn't work that out without being told tbh.

cancla · 09/12/2018 10:30

OP we have a no charging at night rule. Plugs are switched off at night (DC's both have extensions with other appliances so we switch off at the main). DS is autistic and I remove his charger from his room at night.

I don't want my house to go up in flames while I am asleep. I am very aware of electrical safety and I have never used cheap chargers but turning off the switch at night as another level of protection isn't exactly difficult is it?

Original poster
RamblingRita · 09/12/2018 10:49

Just caught up with this.

Seems like a mixed response.

I do realise the risk is small. It's the consequences if the risk happens that are out of proportion to the small amount of time it takes me to unplug.

Never had an awareness of things catching on fire while plugged in but not in use until a relatives house fire. Luckily they were out but opened the front door to smoke and flames. The level of disruption to their lives and loss of unreplaceable items made unplugging for me a no brainer.

Sky box doesn't need to be reset nor does anything else. Just plug in, make a coffee in the time it takes to fire up.

I'll keep on after some PP stories. Thanks.

OP posts: