How does wireless charging works? Advantages| disadvantages

Wireless charging is an old concept which gain more popularity in the last 10 years. Now, more and more companies are trying to archive wireless charging facilities in their devices like smartphone.

Today, their are many wireless charging technologies that are used with the aimed to remove cables from laptops and smartphones to home appliances and other machines.

What is the wireless charging ?

Wireless charging refers to the transfer of power from base station (wireless charger) to your device without any cable. Wireless charging looks like wire free charging but not. The only difference is that earlier you have to plug the charger in your device. But now, you just have to put the device on to the charging pad.

Wireless charging uses electromagnetic induction to transfer electricity to portable device. Wireless charging pad can be of any shape or size like car dashboard.

Now, even you can charge your phone using another phone. Yes, reverse charging is possible in some of the Samsung smartphones which allow you to charge your another smartphone, smart watch or ipods which supports wireless charging.

Concept of wireless charging

The concept of wireless charging was originally introduce in late 19s when Nikola Tesla demonstrates that two magnetic fields can transfer their energy through the air when they interfere with each other.

How does the wireless charging works ?

Wireless charging works on the basis of inductive charging. Under which, energy is transfer from the charging pad to receiver using electromagnetic induction. The charging pad uses an inductive coil to create an electromagnetic field which the receiver coil at the back of the phone or any other device receives and convert it into direct current, which able the phone to get charge.

You needs to perfectly aligned the device on the charger, in order to charge it properly.

Step by step - working of wireless charging

1. Wireless charging comprises of transmitter (a base station) and a receiver (inside the object or device you want to charge)
2. In a transmitter or base station, their is a inductive coil or a loop of coiled wire around the magnet.
3. When the current is going through these coiled wire, it creates a electromagnetic field.
4. Similar type of coil is also present in the device and connected to the battery.
5. When the electromagnetic field of the base station interfere with the receivers coil, current get transfer to the device which able the battery to get charge.

Does wireless charging heat up phone ?

Yes, many phones and charger get slightly heat up when wireless charging takes place. But, you might notice your phone heating up when it is plugged in too.

And even know you can use wireless charger with internal cooling fan, keep your phone away from overheating.

Is wireless charging fast ?

No, wireless charging is not fast as compared to wired charging. But with the fast wireless charging 2.0 standard by samsung you can charge close to what you get when plug in your phone.

Fast wireless charging 2.0 offers you 10-12w wireless charging in samsung galaxy S10 series, but as compared to samsung wired charging which provides 15w of charging speed it is slow.

Is wireless charging harmful to health ?

Wireless chargers emit electromagnetic fields (EMF) which has been shown harmful for health. But, because the range of the wireless charging is vey less, it doesn't effect or doesn't effect much to our health.

Wireless charging standards 

One of the main standard of wireless charging is Qi (pronounced as "chee") . Qi defines wireless power transfer upto the distance of 4cm using inductive charging, developed by the Wireless Power Consortium.

Many mobile companies are working with this standard are :- Samsung, Google, Motorola, Apple, LG, Nokia, Blackberry, Huawei, Sony and Xiaomi .

Their is not only Qi standard, powermat is the another wireless charging standard. But, the science behind the standard is the same.

Even if the science behind Qi and powermat standard are the same, your Qi enabled phone won't be able to get charged from powermat base and vice versa. Because the signals send and receive are different. Except, Samsung galaxy smartphone that supports both Qi and powermat standard.

Advantages of wireless charging

• Easy to connect and disconnect.
• Multiple devices can be charged.
• Reduces the amount of wires.
• Safer way to transfer power.
• Less strain on your charging port.

Disadvantages of wireless charging 

• Wireless charging doesn't means you can charge you phone from anywhere.
• Slow as compared to wired charging.
• Signal losses during transmission. Only 40-60% of power is transmitted.
• Not available in all the devices.
• Costly as compared to normal charger.

Can we use wireless charging and wired charging together ?

No, it will not charge your phone faster. The device will be charged but only through the wired charger. Even if device started charging with wireless charger firstly and later wired charger is connected, it will only charge through the wired charger.

How you can use wireless charging ?

In order to use wireless charging technology, you need a device that supports wireless charging like smartphone that supports wireless charging and a compatible wireless charger according to the standard that your smartphone supports like Qi standard or powermat.

Phones that supports wireless charging :-

• Samsung galaxy S10, S10+, S9, S9+, S8, S8+
• Samsung note 9, 10
• Apple iPhone 8, 10, 11
• Motorola Z series
• Google pixel 3, XL
• Nexus 5, 6, 7

How reverse charging works ?

Reverse wireless charging or powershare mainly uses in some of the smartphones. It is used to transfer some power of the phone to another devices wirelessly. It works on the principal of electromagnetic induction as normal wireless charging works. You need to properly aligned the device in order to charge it properly.

This types of charging is slow as compared to normal wireless charging. You can use reverse charging to charge devices like :- smartphone,smart watch, ipods, etc that supports wireless charging.

Smartphone that supports reverse wireless charging :-

• Samsung galaxy S10, S10+, S10e
• Samsung galaxy fold
• Huawei p30 pro

Conclusion

I hope you will like this article and now you know what is wireless charging, how does it works, reverse wireless charging, and how you can use it.