Smartphone woes highlight dangers of modern batteries

Think you have problems?

You could be the CEO of Samsung Electronics.

The South Korean company has halted entirely production of its best smartphone, the Galaxy Note 7, after a number of battery fires were reported in the phones, as well as fires in the supposedly safe replacement phones sent to consumers.

Originally, Samsung said phones sold in China were safe because their batteries came from a different supplier, but regulators there have recalled all 191,000 units sold in that country.

The company will provide a full refund of the original price or replace Note 7s with any other Samsung models and refund the difference, as well as a $45 voucher.

If you own one, turn it off and contact your service provider for a refund or replacement.

Lithium polymer batteries like those that power the Samsung phones are key to much of the miracle technology we enjoy today, from smartphones and smart watches to drones, "hover boards" and electric cars.

Their secret is the ability to pack a lot of power into a small, light package, providing the long "talk time" for smart phones and longer range for electric cars that consumers demand.

But abuse those batteries through improper discharge and recharge, or inflicting physical damage, and they can burst into flames.

That's why airlines want to know whether you're carrying on or checking lithium batteries in your luggage -- a fire while airborne could be catastrophic.

However you use your li-poly batteries, make sure you use the recommended charger, follow directions and don't subject the battery to damaging conditions.