Thesedays, several brands are promoting their Smartphones with the fast charging feature. And, users are getting hyped over it without knowing what is fast charging and how it works.
Note: The terms Fast Charging & Quick Charging are the same.
Also, check out How Wireless Charging works.
A few years back, phone usage was very low. Therefore, we had normal batteries that would require less time to charge.
But, our Smart Phones kept improving as the manufacturers added new features and powerful components. So, to handle those powerful components, they also had to increase the battery capacity.
This is where the charging felt slow. Therefore, they introduced Fast Charging. Here we will explain What is Fast Charging, and How it works. We will answer all the Queries & clear all the myths regarding Fast Charging.
Table of Contents
What is Fast Charging? & How Fast Charging Works?
In 2013, Qualcomm developed a Battery Charging Protocol called Quick Charge (QC).
Also, check out the Types of USBs.
Quick Charge 1.0:
The first version of Quick Charge was able to handle a voltage of upto 6.3 V. It had Automatic Power Source Detection. For the devices that support Quick Charge 1.0, the company provided a Charger of 5V & 2 Amp. i.e.= 10 Watt.
Quick Charge 2.0:
Introduced in the year 2014, Quick Charge 2.0 had two variants. Class A and Class B.
Class A Quick Charge can support Voltage upto 5V, 9V, and 12V (Depending on the Battery). Class B Quick Charge can support upto 5V, 9V, 12V, and 20V.
You will get Chargers of various types like
5 V x 2 Amps = 10 Watt
9 V x 2 Amps = 10 Watt
12V x 1.67 Amps = 18 Watt
New features were introduced along with Quick Charge 2.0, like the High Voltage Dedicated Charging Port & Dual Charge.
Quick Charge 3.0:
Quick Charge 3.0 was introduced in 2016. It would support voltage from 3.6 V to 20 V.
However, a huge change was made here.
Suppose you are using the previous version (QC 2.0) charger. It offered a charger of 5V x 2Amp and 9V x 2Amp. So, if the voltage was anywhere between 6-9, it would drop to 5V.
But, it will be stable in Quick Charge 3.0. You will get efficient charging with Quick Charge 3.0.
They also introduced Battery Saver Technology with this version.
Quick Charge 4.0:
Quick Charge 4.0 was introduced in 2017 and supported upto 100 Watts of power. They also added several features like Dual Charge++, Improved Battery Saver Technology, Intelligent Thermal Balancing, INOV 3.0, HVDCP++, USB PD Compatibility, and Advanced Safety Features.
Quick Charge 5.0:
Quick Charge 5.0 was launched in 2020 but isn’t used yet. It will support more than 100 W Charging Power and can charge 100% in just 15 minutes.
Most Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
Here, we will be answering the Most Asked Queries, and Breaking some Myths.
Why Fast Charging is Slow after 50%?
You might have noticed that the Battery gets charged faster upto 50%, and takes more time to charge the remaining half. Why is that?
Because a Battery accepts more power when it is empty. However, after it is charged to 50%, the Battery accepts less power. Moreover, you will notice that the battery is getting charged very slowly from 80-99%.
Therefore, mobile companies always advertise their fast chargers with 50% charging.
Ex: 50% in 30 mins, 70% in 30 mins, etc.
Should we use the same brand Chargers?
Nowadays you can see brands promoting their chargers with fancy names like Turbo Charger, Ultra Fast Charger, Vooc, Warp, etc. They are nothing more than marketing terms.
So, you don’t have to look at the Charger Name. Instead, pick the Charger whose Specs (Volts, Amps, Watts) are matching with your mobile phone’s battery.
You can buy any certified charger to charge the Phone.
Ex: Qualcomm Quick Charge 2.0 Certified, etc.
Does Fast Charging Affect Battery Life?
One of the most common questions regarding Quick Charging is Does Fast Charging Affect Battery Life?
Modern batteries are able to withstand the voltage. The battery accepts only the power it wants. So, Fast Charging won’t affect the Battery Life. However, if you use the wrong chargers, you won’t get the same charging speeds.
Does Your Phone Charge Faster on Low Power Mode?
The answer is quite complicated. Normally, there are several applications and services running in the background. These applications consume power from the battery.
But, when you turn on the Low Power Mode, all the applications running in the background are stopped. So, the battery is consumed less.
Therefore, when you charge the Phone in Low Power Mode, it is charged Faster as the battery is draining slower.
Does your Phone Charge Faster on Airplane Mode?
Yes. As we have explained above. Airplane Mode cancels all networks. So, your mobile phone will drain less battery. Therefore, you will experience faster charging.
Does Fast Charge work on all Phones?
No. Your Mobile Phone must support Fast Charging. It doesn’t work on all phones. Even if you bought a Fast Charger, it will charge your phone at a normal speed.
Does using Power Banks Reduce Battery Life?
Some people think that using Power Banks for their Fast Charging Mobile Phones will damage the Battery. Because the Power Bank charges slower than an Electric Powered Charger. But that’s not the case. You can use Slow Chargers for Fast Charging Mobiles as well. That does not affect the battery life.
Is Wireless Charging Faster?
No. Wireless Charging is 50% slower than Wired Charing.
Read more on How Wireless Charging Works.
Conclusion:
Fast Charging works the same for other devices as well. Here, we took the example of Smartphones to make the concept easy to understand. You can use any certified brand charger to charge your mobile. It will not damage the battery. All you need to do is match the Charger Specs with your Mobile Phone’s Battery. So, we hope you understand What is Fast Charging and How it Works.