Why nearly every Aussie is charging their mobile wrong

Most Aussies miss a vital step when charging mobiles and other devices, causing a growing number of fires, claims data shows.

It’s the simplest thing to do – but most Aussies are actually charging their mobile phones and other devices with lithium-ion batteries wrong.

And our poor and often dangerous recharging practices have been the catalyst for a growing number of Aussie house fires, alarming insurance claims data has revealed.

The research from Allianz also revealed the battery powered devices most commonly behind house fires.

It showed a range of common household items, including mobile phones, caused more fires than e-scooters and e-bikes, which have been in the spotlight recently due to some high profile house fires.

“It’s a myth that if you don’t own an e-scooter you don’t have to worry,” said Chris Wood, Allianz emerging risk manager.

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Charging a mobile phone in bed can be risky.

Mr Wood pointed to mobile phones as an increasing cause of house fires due to their owners not realising the correct way they should be charged.

“The common theme is that people are charging them in bed. You’re not supposed to charge them on top of flammable items, but people will charge them under doonas and pillows,” he said.

“Mobiles will heat as they are charged and will heat further if they are getting updates. Imagine that in a bed with added body heat and the electric blanket on.

“You get a situation where mum and dad wake up their teenager with their bed on fire.”

Allianz claims data showed mobile phones were the battery operated devices causing the most fires behind power and garden tools and battery cell devices like torches.

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Mobile phone users frequently charge their devices with the wrong cables.

Power and garden tools accounted for 38 per cent of fires caused by lithium-ion devices while mobile phones were behind 12 per cent. Devices with battery cells, like flashlights and torches, were behind 31 per cent of battery fires.

E-scooters and e-bikes were behind 11 per cent of fires and remote-control toys and hobby devices such as drones and kids’ ride-on cars caused 8 per cent of fires.

There was a total $16.1 million in insurance claims due to lithium battery-related incidents in 2024, Allianz revealed.

Mr Wood said the key mistakes Aussies were making when charging their mobiles and power tools was leaving them plugged in after the batteries were replenished.

It was also common for Aussies to charge their devices with cords and chargers meant for different devices.

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Mr Wood said tradies frequently abused electric batteries and then charged them in places where fires could easily start.

“Another theme is that people do the charging when they are asleep. They’re also asleep when something catches alight and it’s often the neighbours who alert them to what’s going on.

“With mobiles, you’d be surprised. People fall asleep with their mobiles in bed and (the phones) get tossed around.

“Our investigators have photos of this, beds half-burned because the phone was under flammable material and got hot.

“Another common thing that happens is that people charge their phones on the ground. They come back from gym and throw their clothes onto the phone, and then you’ve got heat and moisture.

“It’s not just the device. It’s also the cord and charger. People mix batteries and chargers and that’s not how they’re intended to be used.”

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Batteries were catching up with wiring faults as the most common cause of house fires.

Mr Wood said mixing chargers and devices was particularly dangerous for power and garden tools.

Users often bought new batteries or chargers online, either through cheap retailers or platforms like Facebook Marketplace, without realising these didn’t match their devices.

“They want to avoid paying $100 or more for a new battery and they see something cheap online that on face value seems it will fit but there’s no quality control and people don’t know the history.

“It’s better to buy a reputable brand from a known retailer.”

Some devices were also frequent targets of abuse. “We find especially tradie tools can be roughly handled. Tradies use them to hammer items in and that’s definitely not how they should be used.

“Those tools are often charged in garages where there are no smoke detectors. They are just left to charge for not just days, but months. Garages will often have additional fuel lying around like junk or petrol for the mower and it can set alight easily.”

HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF

> Avoid charging items in a space that doesn’t have a smoke detector.

> Avoid charging devices while sleeping.

> Disconnect or stop charging devices once they are fully charged.

> Ensure devices are attended or in sight while they are charging.

> Discard old chargers and cords, especially if wiring has begun to fray.

Originally published as Why nearly every Aussie is charging their mobile wrong