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Charging our devices as we sleep feels like a harmless routine. For one young Samsung smartphone owner, however, that habit almost turned heated.

Last week, a 13-year-old North Texas girl plugged her Samsung Galaxy S4 in for its nightly juice-up before hitting the sack, only to be awoken by the smell of something burning hours later. When she got up and searched around for the source of the stench, she realized that she had wedged her charging phone under her pillow. And not only was the backside of the pillow scorched, but the phone was fried into an unrecognizable slab of plastic and melted components.

?We have a reasonable expectation that the products we buy are going to be safe,? the girl?s father said. He told FOX that he suspects that the phone overheated, causing the battery to swell and start a fire.

The battery in the Galaxy phone was an aftermarket replacement, something a Samsung representative told FOX could have been part of the problem. The other issue, according to Samsung, was that the phone was being smothered by a pillow, restricting airflow while charging. This is something the manufacturer warns against in the device?s instruction materials.

Despite these miscues by the young Galaxy owner, Samsung told FOX and Yahoo Tech that the company will replace the phone, the pillow, and the mattress involved in the accident.

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As usual the culprit is a cheap, third-party battery. There needs to be much better regulation of batteries, as this sort of thing has become far too common.

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As usual the culprit is a cheap, third-party battery. There needs to be much better regulation of batteries, as this sort of thing has become far too common.

that may very well have played a small part in it but the fact that the phone was on the charger and being smothered under the pillow even the stock battery would have probably caught fire

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that may very well have played a small part in it but the fact that the phone was on the charger and being smothered under the pillow even the stock battery would have probably caught fire

Actually, I suspect not. Phones don't need much in the way of airflow and there isn't usually much heat generated once a phone has charged if it isn't actively running anything. We've seen numerous cases of third-party batteries catching fire under normal circumstances, so that would seem like the most probable cause.

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Actually, I suspect not. Phones don't need much in the way of airflow and there isn't usually much heat generated once a phone has charged if it isn't actively running anything. We've seen numerous cases of third-party batteries catching fire under normal circumstances, so that would seem like the most probable cause.

 

So of all the times for it to melt, it conveniently only happens when she has it under the pillow?  I believe it must had something to do with it, coupled with the fact it was also charging.

 

Samsung shouldn't have had to pay for anything if she was using a crappy aftermarket battery, however I'm sure they don't want the "heated" publicity.

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Actually, I suspect not. Phones don't need much in the way of airflow and there isn't usually much heat generated once a phone has charged if it isn't actively running anything. We've seen numerous cases of third-party batteries catching fire under normal circumstances, so that would seem like the most probable cause.

 

Actually, during charging the battery gets very hot and needs a way to dissipate the heat. this by having it's surfaces exposed to air. 

 

a pillow would theoretically cause an original battery to catch fire as well, except for one little thing. original batteries has fuses and cut off circuits that unofficial ones don't as well as better charging circuits. Basically the original battery would shut off the phone and stop the charging. 

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Actually, during charging the battery gets very hot and needs a way to dissipate the heat. this by having it's surfaces exposed to air.

My Samsung phone doesn't get hot while charging. It only gets hot when running apps / games.

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always buy the original phone battery, not some knockoff Chinese crap.

 

Like those $6 (including shipping) batteries you see on eBay that barely hold a charge and get hot?  Yeah, avoid those.

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Let me get this straight, she didn't follow the instructions by using a cheap aftermarket battery and restricted airflow around the device yet Samsung are replacing the pillows, mattress and phone. Yet a similar incident where the user of a GS3 had followed the instructions and used an official battery and didn't restrict the airflow couldn't get a replacement without signing an NDA about it!!!!

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My Samsung phone doesn't get hot while charging. It only gets hot when running apps / games.

 

You don't charge it under a pillow though do you ?  and then it depend on wether you use a 1 or 2A charger. 

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?We have a reasonable expectation that the products we buy are going to be safe,? the girl?s father said. He told FOX that he suspects that the phone overheated, causing the battery to swell and start a fire.

 

So sleeping with the phone, while recharging, under a pillow is safe? That father is an idiot; cell phones get hot and during recharging it can get hot as well; that, combined with the lack of airflow and the materials of the pillow..well you get it. Hope she does't get brain cancer or some other crap because of those bad habits...oh i forgot, there isn't a direct relation between cancer and prolonged use of cell phones.  :rofl:

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Silly people, you really think she intended on it charging under the pillow? Will always be wondering why people can't play a scenario in their head to see the possible  steps before an event to explain how it got there.

 

On that note: girls own fault.

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always buy the original phone battery, not some knockoff Chinese crap.

 

Always assuming you can even find a genuine battery...  Most of the ones that claim to be on places like Amazon etc, aren't.  I need a new one for my Note 2, but I'm buggered if I can find one I actually trust is genuine...

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Always assuming you can even find a genuine battery...  Most of the ones that claim to be on places like Amazon etc, aren't.  I need a new one for my Note 2, but I'm buggered if I can find one I actually trust is genuine...

I don't know if this will satisfy you but here it is:

 

Official Samsung Galaxy Note 2 Battery - EB595675LUCSTD

 

30 Day Money Back Guarantee

 

http://ie.mobilefun.com/36362-official-samsung-galaxy-note-2-battery-eb595675lucstd-Reviews.htm

 

Genuine samsung battery

this was a genuine samsung battery which is a rarity. And it was at a good price. Totally recommend buying from Mobile Fun.
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I think all the lithium batteries are made by a few of the same companies.

 

Lithium cells perhaps. The batteries themselves are made by many companies and include the different cell types along with the requires charging and lancing circuits and safety cutouts. As well as hard packaging for those that use/require it.

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