FAQ

Our most common question is:

Is the power bank going to combust and burn me and my family to death in the middle of the night, leaving me to spitefully haunt my neighbors and friends for all eternity, or could it burn my bed or my house down? Will it cause a fire?

Short Answer: No. They don't get hot enough. This is like charging from a power bank that's in your bag or purse.

Medium Length Answer: No. It's VERY uncommon for a power bank to over heat, let alone to the point of combustion. Charging from a battery just doesn't have the same level of "juice" as charging directly from the outlet. 

Long Answer: No. First, the power bank is a removable 10,000 mAh battery pack; it is not sewn into the pillow. This is like putting your power bank into a purse to charge your phone. However, use your power bank as it is intended - to recharge your mobile phone or other USB powered mobile device. Lastly, this is designed to make charging from a power bank easy when traveling, or other times when you might normally need a power bank (car trips, camping, hospital stays); we're not saying this should replace charging from an outlet. 

Newer smartphones in particular have heat regulating features that counteract warming when charging. Outlets have more juice than a power bank (think direct current vs a battery). In order to be unsafe, the power bank would need to reach 129 degrees Fahrenheit.

Other best practices for using a power bank, according to Electrical Safety First:

• Do keep away from heat sources and liquids - direct sunlight, humidity or water.
• Do only use connecting cables provided with the battery pack and your mobile device.
• Do supervise children using battery packs.
• Don’t expose to extreme temperatures of hot or cold.  For example, do not leave it in a parked car where it could get very cold in winter or very hot in summer.
• Don’t leave a battery on prolonged charge when not in use.
• Don’t store battery packs where they may short-circuit by conductive material - such as in your pocket or bag with coins or keys.
• Don’t drop or roughly handle battery packs. They are robust but not indestructible.
• Don't cover when charging. Charge in a well-ventilated environment. It's easy to leave your PhoneSpud unzipped or sticking out of your PhoneSpud when charging at length.
• Don't charge battery packs overnight or whilst you are out of the house. Most portable battery packs do not support charging and discharging at the same time.
• Don’t dismantle or attempt to repair faulty battery packs.
• In the event of a cell leaking, don't allow the liquid to come into contact with the skin or eyes. If contact has been made, wash the affected area with water and seek medical advice.

Most power banks and bars use lithium-Ion chemistry batteries that will naturally get warm due to high currents flowing during charge and discharge cycles.  It is normal for them to feel warm to touch, but if they are too hot to handle, do not use and seek advice from the manufacturer (www.electricalsafetyfirst.org).

NOW IT IS POSSIBLE, if there is a damaged component causing a short circuit in the cell, resulting in a rapid increase of charge, for a power bank to swell, overheat and combust. However, that has nothing to do with our product, because if that's gonna happen, it doesn't matter where your power bank is at the time.

 Where do you ship from?

PhoneSpuds ship out of Redondo Beach, CA where our fulfillment center is located.

Where are PhoneSpuds manufactured?

Our manufacturing partner is in China. 

Why are you working with a Chinese manufacturer?

We chose our manufacturer:

- because it is the best place to have this product manufactured

- because our retail mentor knows them and has been working with them for many years

- because we needed a manufacturer who could support global distribution

- because we needed a manufacturer that could do everything in-house making the process a lot more affordable for start-up companies like ours. Everything from the stuffing of the pillows to the packaging can be done in one facility, unlike US-based manufacturers. Manufacturing this in the US would be a logistical challenge AND cost prohibitive at this time

- because we don't make business decisions based on uneducated and misinformed cultural bias

Where is your company headquartered?

PhoneSpuds is based out of Cedar Rapids, IA. Founders, Kim & Chris Diamond, have roots in Baltimore, MD, Washington, D.C., and Colorado Springs, CO.

Are they machine washable?

It's best to spot cleaning your PhoneSpud unless your child puked all over it or something (that would require a deep clean).

If you need to wash it in a washing machine, just remove the vinyl window piece (it's attached with velcro). You will then be able to wash it on cold and gentle cycles to get it all cleaned up.

More questions? Ask the Spud Specialists, hello@phonespuds.com