What is the electrical reason some devices like mobile phones require a working battery even during times when they are plugged into a wall?

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If the battery fails on a mobile phone, why is it unusable even when it’s plugged in to the wall?
There are many older electrical gadgets that can work with either batteries or being plugged in. Take an old fashioned alarm clock or stereo. If there’s no batteries in it, and you plug it into the wall it will work. If you unplug it, it won’t work unless there are good batteries in it that are charged. So why can’t a mobile phone work when plugged into the wall when the battery has failed?

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Anonymous 0 Comments

Depends on a unique design. A car battery is one example. Electricity is actually in spikes. During periods of no current flow, the alternator needs current from the battery to maintain fields. An alternator cannot charge a battery when the battery does not exist; to provide power between electrical spikes.

Some electronics work just fine without a battery – only on a charger. Other chargers provide too little current. To slowly recharge that battery. The recharger cannot provide enough power on its own to power semiconductors.

That is only two of maybe ten different reasons why electronics can or cannot operate without or without a battery. Every design must be discussed uniquely.

Just to be clear (to disspel disinformation). No battery does surge protection. That urban myth is promoted by scammers who sell magic hardware at inflated prices to the most technically naive.

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