I’ve Dropped My Power Bank – What Should I Do?!

Here at RAVPower, we get asked questions about many a dropped power bank. People often ask how to work out if their device is working – and what to do if their power bank isn’t working.

For some people, dropping their power bank doesn’t mean much. They’re happy to carry on with their day! Unfortunately, sometimes the power bank just can’t withstand the drop. This is only getting more prevalent as power banks become more and more popular. The market for power bank was valued at a whopping 6.84 billion USD in 2017; it has only risen since. So, that’s a lot of people who might have accidents or experience a dropped power bank that’s beyond their control!

If you’ve dropped your charging device and are worried that your power bank isn’t working – stop! We can help. Read on to find out more about what to do if you’ve dropped your power bank.

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Is it Ever Okay to Use a Dropped Power Bank?

Should I Worry My Power Bank Might Be Broken?

General Signs Your Power Bank Isn’t Working

How Can I Check that My Power Bank is Working After I’ve Dropped it?

Which Rugged/Drop Proof Chargers Do RAVPower Recommend?

Any Final Advice?

RAVPower Support Information

Is it Ever Okay to Use a Dropped Power Bank?

It’s early on a Monday morning. You’re rushing about trying to get out the house on time. You go to grab your power bank to shove it into your bag – there’s only so long a smart phone will last, of course – and the worst happens!

You drop your power bank.

Tentatively picking it up again, you shove it into your bag anyway. There’s not a lot you can do in such a rush, and it’ll probably be fine. Won’t it?

Well… yes.

Let’s face it, unless something has gone really wrong and your power bank is clearly damaged, you’re probably ok to keep using it. If you’ve bought your power bank from a legitimate source, essentially a company that puts its power banks through drop tests, it should survive the occasional drop and knock. Often this relates to being dropped from a height of under 1M – we go into more detail about what to do with your dropped power bank from this height later on.

Should I Worry My Power Bank Might Be Broken?

Dropped From a Height of Under 1 Meter

Most power banks are drop tested to heights of under 1 meter. This is true for your RAVPower power bank and means that, generally, a drop onto carpet or a soft surface shouldn’t be something you need to worry about. Think of it in the same way as dropping your phone. Usually, a small drop like throwing it onto your bed or it falling off your bed shouldn’t cause lasting damage.

Any hard knock where the external cover is damaged or the power bank seems to be working abnormally need to be checked out.

Dropped From a Height of Over 1 Meter

If your dropped power bank fell from over 1 meter, you should be very careful when using it. This is above the height that power banks are tested to and so no guarantees of safety can be made. You should use common sense; if your power bank has external damage or seems to be working abnormally, you should get it checked out.

General Signs Your Power Bank Isn’t Working

You should replace your power bank if it has been dropped and the following issues are present if:

• The external shell is damaged or cracked
• There is a difference in the temperature, or the power bank is heating up abnormally whilst charging
• The LED lights are flashing abnormally

If you are experiencing any of these issues with a dropped power bank, please stop using it immediately and seek to replace it. We also recommend that you look into how to recycle old electrical goods!

How Can I Check that My Power Bank is Working After I’ve Dropped it?

If you’re not sure whether it’s your power bank that’s stopped working or your cable/device, you can follow these simple steps:?

1. Charge your phone with a totally different charger and cable. If it still charges well, you can…
2. Unplug and re-plug the original charging cable from your power bank, then plug your device in to see if charging begins. If it doesn’t, you should…
3. Replace the charging cable. As one recent commenter found, this is a simple check to find out if it’s your power bank that’s damaged or not!

If these quick checks don’t result in a fully charged phone, your power bank is likely damaged.

Which Rugged/Drop Proof Chargers Do RAVPower Recommend?

Whilst they might not have intricate screens like phones and laptops, power banks can be vulnerable. As delicate charging technology, they aren’t created to be dropped heavily from a height. In fact, creating power banks like this would make them incredibly heavy and bulky and impractical to carry about day-to-day. But at RAVPower, power banks are all drop tested from a height of around a meter. This means they are durable for day-to-day living and expected to survive short drops onto soft surfaces.

However, at RAVPower we do have hardier power banks that are for people who want to use them outdoors. You can learn more about our best outdoor camping technology here.

Any Final Advice?

Just like you wouldn’t drop your iPhone, your power bank is made up of intricate connections. By dropping it, you can easily disrupt these. So really, our ultimate advice is to be careful with your power bank!

However, accidents happen. You will almost definitely be able to tell if a drop has damaged your power bank. By following the steps above and checking for any abnormalities, you can use common sense to establish if your power bank has been broken.

Finally: if you power bank has been broken or damaged, please stop using it immediately.

RAVPower Support Information

If you need further information about your power bank, check out these blog posts:

Power Bank Maintenance: What To Do When A Power Bank Stops Working

Is It Safe To Leave A Phone Connected Or Is It Overcharging?

Do Xray or 3D Airport Scanners Damage Batteries?

If you think your RAVPower power bank isn’t working, you can email support@ravpower.com to speak to a dedicated customer service representative.