Samsung’s decision to recall the Galaxy Note 7 due to faulty battery has primarily taken in order to put consumer safety first. Obviously, this measure has major implications for the company, as well as carriers and retailers that have been selling the smartphone.
Samsung took the decision to recall Galaxy Note 7 smartphones, after 35 cases of exploding batteries out of 2 million sold Note 7 units have been recorded. The batteries reportedly exploded while charging and blame cannot be placed on third party chargers, since reports have said that Samsung original chargers were used.
JerryRigEverything posted a video on YouTube in which he conducts a teardown of the Galaxy Note 7 battery and shows why the unit can potentially explode. The video also shows the battery catching fire in a controlled environment.
Samsung Galaxy Note 7 comes with a rechargeable lithium ion battery, the same that’s found in most electronics, tablets, laptops and smartphones available on the market. They come with three lithium failsafe components, like the original charger and cable that are specifically designed for the smartphone at hand.
The problem could be with the protection circuit at the top of the battery
The charging port is also a failsafe as it can protect the phone and battery from incorrect electrical flow and faulty charger. The last resort is the battery which has its own failsafe built in. The protection circuit at the top of the battery controls the flow of electricity and the temperature of the lithium, while making sure the battery doesn’t overcharge and cause the lithium to heat up.
Images of exploded Note 7 units offer a clue as to which failsafe didn’t manage to do its job and protect the battery. Apparently, there are no burn marks near the charging port or where it connects to the motherboard. But there is scorching where the battery sits, which means that the connections are good but the battery itself isn’t behaving properly.
The battery could contain small metal impurities that would cause the battery to overcharge and catch fire. The video shows that the problem could indeed be with the circuit board at the top of the battery, the phone starts charging and the regulator doesn’t do its job which causes the battery to enter into a thermal runway and the voltage regulator is unable to stop the chain reaction.
Galaxy Note 7 owners should definitely take advantage of the recall in order to get a safe device for everyday use.
