Can a power bank be frequently used to charge the smart lock under non-emergency circumstances?
In daily life and online, we often see statements saying that when a smart lock runs out of power, a power bank can be used for emergency charging.
So, can a power bank be used to charge the smart lock regularly under non‑emergency conditions? In fact, many users frequently charge their smart locks with a power bank. However, many others believe that power banks should only be used for emergency charging, not as a routine charging method.
Regarding this controversial question, we have consulted professionals specializing in batteries to provide a clear answer.
In fact, there are two main points of controversy. Many people believe that charging a smart lock with a power bank for a long time may cause:
❶ Battery aging and reduced capacity
❷ Battery explosion
Regarding this issue, the specialist told us that it is completely safe to charge a smart lock with a power bank.
Although the lithium battery in a smart lock is rechargeable, it will still age over time.
Lithium battery aging is generally affected by the number of charge-discharge cycles—that is, the number of times the battery completes a full 100% discharge and charge process.
The capacity of a lithium battery gradually decreases and ages slowly as the number of charge-discharge cycles increases.
Take a 4000mAh lithium battery as an example. A full charge can power the lock normally for about 40 days before recharging is needed. Under such conditions, the battery will gradually age and lose capacity after approximately 30 to 40 charge-discharge cycles.
However, due to differences in the raw material ratios of lithium batteries, their typical service life is about 1 to 2 years.
As for the risk of lithium battery explosion, the specialist stated that under normal circumstances, lithium batteries do not explode unless subjected to external forces such as impact, compression, or puncture.
From the above analysis, it can be seen that theoretically, there is no problem with using a power bank to charge the lithium battery of a smart lock. In actual use, however, many external factors may affect the battery and shorten its service life or cause damage.
In fact, the Chinese industry standard GA374-2019 Electronic Anti-theft Locks specifies requirements for the battery capacity of smart locks: when powered by batteries, the battery capacity shall ensure that the electronic anti-theft lock can be normally opened and closed more than 3,000 times continuously.
Therefore, under normal circumstances, the battery capacity of smart locks is relatively stable and will not be easily affected. However, if the battery ages rapidly or its capacity drops sharply, consumers should promptly contact the manufacturer or dealer for battery replacement.
At the same time, dealers should also provide consumers with proper knowledge popularization. Although the popularity of smart locks has increased in recent years, many consumers are still unfamiliar with them. When communicating with users, dealers must educate them on relevant safety knowledge and guide them to use smart locks correctly.