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Hazdaz ,

I wouldn’t bother asking if it’s a 15 min charge for your phone. If you are there for 3 hours, then maybe consider asking.

RightHandOfIkaros ,

Plugging into any outlet that you do not own or have explicit permission to use is stealing electricity. People with Nissan Leafs used to do this to charge their cars.

Now, a phone charger takes so little electricity you could probably pay them a penny and you’d be overpaying, but stealing is stealing.

Just ask permission first.

mlk6450 ,

While I agree with the sentiment that it is technically stealing. No one should worry about charging their phone in public. Atleast in the region of the US I am located, it costs about 1-2 cents per year to charge your phone. So charging your phone for one sitting would be a miniscule amount of money. Just opening the door of the business and letting the conditioned air out would cost them more.

Obviously cars are an entirely different situation since one charge can be several if not tens of dollars.

EveryMuffinIsNowEncrypted ,
@EveryMuffinIsNowEncrypted@lemmy.blahaj.zone avatar

I agree completely. This is not as big of a deal as some people are making it. Charging a phone takes VASTLY more energy than a charging a car. Whoever complains about the former is being more than a bit ridiculous and really needs to rethink their priorities.

RightHandOfIkaros ,

While I agree with the sentiment that it is technically stealing. No one should worry about charging their phone in public

It is stealing. It doesnt matter if they’re stealing $0.00001 from someone, they’re still stealing from them. If they ask permission, or if the location has an outlet marked for public use, then its no longer stealing. I have seen charge stations in public, and while I personally would never use those due to my question of their security, people can use those too without stealing.

If a person’s phone battery often runs low when they are away from home, that’s what portable battery banks and car chargers are for. If their phone battery dies in the middle of the day, they can simply stop running a million apps in the background and maybe lower the brightness down from “puts the sun to shame” to something more reasonable. My phone battery lasts all day long, and usually I end the day with 30% battery remaining, and its an LG Wing. Not even a brand new phone and it has two screens.

zeppo ,
@zeppo@lemmy.world avatar

If you don’t have to reach or lean over someone, sure. Obviously if you do that would require saying ‘excuse me…’ or asking them to plug it in for you. An open outlet, anyway, is always fair game. If someone needs to use it after you start… they can say something.

scottywh ,

No… Never

TanknSpank ,

If it's a public place and you have legitimate business starting there for a while, I don't see any issue with it. Eg. Doctors waiting room and you have an appointment, restaurant and you're dining there, etc.

If it's someone's private home I'd ask first.

macrocephalic ,

Some places you’re not supposed to plug anything in unless it’s tested and tagged. Unlikely to be an issue in a public area, but if you’re somewhere that the power getting tripped would be a safety issue then best to ask first.

HeyThisIsntTheYMCA ,
@HeyThisIsntTheYMCA@lemmy.world avatar

Are you thinking of the ICU too?

Lazylazycat ,
@Lazylazycat@lemmy.world avatar

A business’s insurance might require all electronic devices to be tested before being plugged in though.

dustojnikhummer ,

Then those outlets shouldn’t be unlocked

Socialphilosopher ,

My preference would be to ask for permission.

T156 ,

Something small like that, you’re fine. They wouldn’t really care, or even notice the bill.

The problem comes if you either start unplugging devices to plug in your phone, or you plug in such a ridiculously large load that you start tripping breakers, but that comes more with space heater, or car charging territory.

Phones are perfectly fine, and in some places, like the library, that is what they’re meant for, to let people charge their phones or laptops while they work.

zumi ,

Not rude at all. I wouldn’t even ask for a phone charge.

Just don’t plug your giant bitcoin miner in.

Kolanaki ,
@Kolanaki@yiffit.net avatar

rolls huge server rack filled with GPUs into the doctor’s office

“Yo doc, mind if I plug in for a bit?”

Nfamwap ,

Well, seeing as you asked so nicely.

zumi ,

Going to need a little more power, do you have a 50Amp outlet in the back?

macrocephalic ,

There’s a street light outside my house, I swear I’m going to open the hatch and install a gpo if I ever get an electric car.

reclipse ,
@reclipse@lemdro.id avatar

I don’t think it’s that big of a deal specially if you are just charging your phone.

alexius ,

All the examples you gave sound like it’s not a problem just plugging it in 5 minutes or so. But if it makes you feel uncomfortable or self-conscious, a power bank might be the solution to your problems.

Pseu ,
@Pseu@kbin.social avatar

From a (US) financial perspective, a phone charger takes about 5 watts of electricity. At $0.010/kWh that's $0.0005/hr (or ¢0.05/hr) of charging. This is utterly negligible.

For reference, a worker at the federal minimum wage of $7.25/hr would be paid that much after 0.25 seconds of working. It's not even worth paying an employee to tell you to not plug in, which would probably take at least 15 seconds.

Naturally, some businesses may want to discourage people from loitering, but more often than not, they probably want your business (library, grocery store, coffee shop &c) or understand that reality happens.

Buddahriffic ,

It depends on the charger. Fast charging can pull around 20W (1 second of minimum wage worker time, so maybe worth it if they ask very quickly), and PD allows for wattages over 100W, which would cost 1 cent per hour or more, though you’d still leave on your own long before then because your device will be charged.

linearchaos ,
@linearchaos@lemmy.world avatar

In really high traffic places like poorly supported airports, it does tend to wear out the outlets which is a bit more money over time.

Realistically, most places can afford to provide charging facilities. I’m still carrying a battery pack with me though.

hiyaaaaa23 ,

Imho, it’s a bit like a water fountain. You wouldn’t ask before filling up your bottle. In both cases you as an individual are costing the business pennys.

The only place you mentioned that I personally wouldn’t do it is a store, but that’s mostly because to charge your phone you kinda have to sit by the outlet and I personally see stores as places of movement where hanging out is discouraged. You are supposed to buy something and leave.

But for doctors offices, you’re probably fine, and libraries you 100% all g.

ihavenopeopleskills ,
@ihavenopeopleskills@kbin.social avatar

Carry a power strip and you'll never have to worry. I learned that in the Marines.

zumi ,

This is the true LPT.

If you carry a small splitter, then you don’t have to try and find an empty outlet at airports and such. Unplug, split, Plug.

HeyThisIsntTheYMCA ,
@HeyThisIsntTheYMCA@lemmy.world avatar

Those little three way splitters the size of your thumb? Now you’ve made two friends and didn’t have to carry an entire surge protector.

zeppo ,
@zeppo@lemmy.world avatar

I picture a Marine with an ammo belt with a power strip tucked behind it

tallwookie ,
@tallwookie@lemmy.world avatar

depends on what it is and where you’re connecting it/who pays the power bill

ShoePaste , (edited )
@ShoePaste@lemmy.ml avatar

I’ve literally moved tables in doctors offices to plug my phone in and no one’s ever said anything. The library those outlets are yours. Charge away.

LinusWorks4Mo ,
@LinusWorks4Mo@kbin.social avatar

yeah me too, I always just move other people's furniture around and even shoosh the occasional pet away if my phone is in need, no one ever said anything either. they might look funny but that's probably bc my farts smell

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