In normal circumstances, the voltage of a typical power bank is not enough to cause death.
However, when a short circuit occurs it could exceed the amount of electricity it is supposed to discharge and the surge could stop a person’s, heart. There could be a million and one reasons why a surge would occur. But one of them could be the build quality of the product.
Back in 2017, a tragedy happened in Malaysia, The life of a 19-years-old life was taken away from him after he slept with his headphones in while charging via a power bank. (None of the media has revealed what particular brand of the power bank).
The boy was charging his mobile device with his earpiece on, the mother tried to wake her son up but failed to do so.
The boy was found with burned injuries on his shoulder and laid motionless on his bed.
Since the occurrence of the tragic case. The Malaysian Consumers Association has been urging consumers to practise caution with such devices.
How dangerous can power banks get?
Doctors believed that 12 volts of electricity have a very low chance of causing death but a short circuit typically carries a high current. Normally power banks have an output of 2 over Ampere but a short circuit can easily exceed 50 times the amount!!
Nowadays we have fast supercharging power banks that can release even more power.
Think twice before charging a mobile device near your body.
Now I no longer feel safe charging my devices in my handbag.