Have a look around you and just count in your head: how many power sockets do you see? How many chargers and battery-based devices do you own? All the wireless technology including phones, electric razors and toothbrushes, headphones, and cordless vacuum cleaners – just to name a few – most contain a lithium-ion battery (LIB).

In our previous blog we touched on the safety issues around LIBs. In addition to the potential safety risks linked to LIBs the heap of disposed batteries and electrical waste is growing fast. The BrightCharger technology prevents overcharging and this way helps to prolong battery-life and decrease the amount of wasted LIBs. In the long term, BrightCharger also helps to save energy by and idle losses of chargers!

Let’s imagine a day, just like any other, but with BrightCharger technology…

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It’s 7:15 AM.

Your phone vibrates on the nightstand next to your bed while playing a little tune that is the least annoying of the alarm sounds you could find. You unplug your phone from the charger and squint at the bright screen. The battery bar at the top corner is at 95-100 %. It’s right in the ideal range of charging level at which the BrightCharger algorithm inside the phone charger cut the power off not to overcharge the battery.

With your previous phones you were happy to see the battery at 100 % every morning but started noticing how the charge started decreasing at a faster rate every day. You had to learn the problems of overcharging your phone the hard way as the battery-life shortened way faster than you (or your wallet) could anticipate. Now you feel satisfied thinking about the automatic charger that protects your phone’s battery without you needing to move a finger. This simple and effortless solution has been especially helpful for your partner, who doesn’t pay much attention to such details.

You get out of bed, leaving the BrightCharger plugged in the wall. You know that it has automatically cut off the power so that it won’t warm up or catch on fire while you’re away. It’s not long ago that you remember reading news about batteries in chargeable devices exploding or chargers causing fire hazards. You don’t have much time to worry, it’s already 7:30 and you’re about to be late!

You get up and tip-toe to the bathroom as fast as you can, not to wake up your sleeping partner, who has the luxury of staying in bed an hour longer than you. Opening the mirror cabinet you see the electric toothbrush has been forgotten in its charging dock overnight. You groan. The brush is old and its battery is getting weaker every day, and letting it sit in the dock all night isn’t helping the cause.

You brush your teeth wondering whether it was time to get a newer model with a dock that has brighter technology as the buzzing of your electric brush grows weaker and weaker with every passing second. Sigh.

After a mediocre brush you wolf down some breakfast. Checking the time from your smartwatch you notice that it’s almost out of battery, but you’ll have no time to recharge it now – it’s almost 8:00 AM and you really got to run now!

Quickly, you remove your wireless headphones from the BrightCharger USB hub and grab the laptop to shove them in your backpack. Luckily you notice the BrightCharger Grid adapter next to it. It’s from your workplace and should be at your office, not at home! You shove the adapter in with the laptop’s charger.

While heading at the hallway you realize your partner’s tablet has been charging overnight with its regular old dummy charger. You unplug the device and are about to leave but a high-pitch electric buzz draws your attention. It’s the old charger which still has electricity running through it. You remove the charger from the socket outlet. You notice how warm it feels to the touch… No wonder chargers like these have caused fires. Making a note to yourself to advise your dummy of a partner about dummy chargers you head to the hallway.

After putting on all the gear and throwing your backpack on your back, you grab your bicycle’s battery. It has a low charge since you have felt unsafe charging it inside because of the news of e-bike batteries catching on fire. Ever since your office got some BrightCharger Grid adapters you have been planning to get one for yourself. This charge should be enough for assisting you on your way to work where you’ll be able to recharge the battery safely. Heading outside you make yourself a mental note to finally order a couple of smart grid adapters for you and your partner.

On your way to work you pass a construction site where they are building new housing units. You eye the billboard featuring the modern ecofriendly buildings expected to be completed next year. Will there be smart technology implemented in the new houses? Noticing how your bike already struggles trying to assist you uphill with its drained battery you wish your home included smarter solutions. For example, with the overcharge preventing technology integrated directly to the power socket you wouldn’t have to worry all that much. It would be such an effortless way to ensure safety and give you a peace of mind.

Downhill, you feel the refreshing morning breeze on your face. It boosts your mood somewhat but you can’t help but dream about all the possibilities of a brighter future…

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BrightCharger® technology:

BrightCharger’s patented chip-based technology is designed to be integrated into chargers and outlets, enabling power cut off once the device battery is optimally charged. The technology is available to be licensed by device brand owners, manufacturers and distributors.

Benefits:

  • Enables green values in charging – Longer battery lifespan decreases battery, device waste and the use of limited natural resources for new Li-ion batteries.
  • Prevents charger idle losses
  • Maximizes safety – No battery/charger explosions and fires (carefree and safe charging)
  • Universal overcharge protection – Cutting off unnecessary power after charging is completed saves batteries, energy and nature
  • Improves customer experience – Longer device use time between charging sessions (BrightCharger technology maintains maximum capacity of battery longer)