Portable batteries are those devices without which it is difficult to imagine the owner of a smartphone. Honestly, I don’t understand my friends who still haven’t made them. Sometimes it happens that you jump out of the house without a backpack, hoping to recharge an almost dead smartphone, but the person has neither a charger nor a power bank. Many people are also confused by the fact that it takes a very long time to charge them: you leave the “jar” overnight, and by the morning it is only half filled. Perhaps someone is frightened by the news about an exploding power bank: this happens too. And the choice is so great that it makes your eyes wide open. However, portable charging is a real must-have, and today we will tell you everything you need to know about these devices.
We tell you everything you wanted to know about power banks
How to choose a power bank
A portable battery is the same device as a smartphone or tablet. You don’t buy no-name gadgets for yourself, preferring to first study the information and consult with knowledgeable people so as not to waste money? The same goes for accessories.
First of all, look for a power bank by manufacturer
Despite the belief that the brand name indicated on the case does not play any role (after all, all equipment is made in China), there is a difference. And it lies in the fact that a well-known manufacturer indicates the actual battery capacity . More than once I have come across power banks that indicate a five-digit mAh capacity, but the smartphone actually charges only a couple of times. Why is this happening?
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Problems with power bank
Power banks charge your smartphones as many times as the special formula shows
With the capacity of the power bank, everything is also not so simple. Conscientious manufacturers indicate the actual battery capacity. You should not think that it is the number of full charges . It depends on many factors and is calculated using a formula.
Real Capacity * Conversion Rate * Battery Health / Battery Capacity = Number of Full Charges.
Let's figure out what this means and where to get the numbers. The actual capacity is the one indicated on the packaging.
- The conversion rate is the remaining power after heating and internal energy consumption. We take approximately the number 0.8.
- Battery health is a real indicator of the battery's current capacity. Capacity decreases very quickly. We take 0.8, which is quite consistent with the performance of my smartphone (80% of the remaining capacity).
- The battery capacity is the one specified in your smartphone by default. For me it is 1821 mAh.
After all the calculations, we get 3.5 - this means that I can charge my smartphone so many times, and not 5, as it might seem. Keep in mind that power banks lose capacity , just like smartphones and other devices with batteries.
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What to look for when choosing
Powerbank for 3 devices.
When choosing a portable battery for charging electronic devices, the following parameters are taken into account:
- battery capacity (determines charging capabilities);
- type of power sources (affects weight and battery life);
- configuration and dimensions of the case (determine the method of carrying);
- number and type of ports for switching external equipment;
- speed of recovery of power bank capacity;
- additional functions.
Battery Type
Lithium-ion devices have high energy consumption and low self-discharge.
The design of the batteries does not allow mechanical damage and violation of charging conditions. The devices do not allow deep discharge and charging with high voltage; during long-term storage, the elements lose their characteristics.
Lithium polymer cells have increased capacity and an extended operating temperature range.
The disadvantage of the products is increased sensitivity to overheating; if the temperature rises, the battery may catch fire. Electronic controllers are used to prevent fire.
Capacity
The capacity of the batteries built into the power bank allows you to evaluate the capabilities of the equipment. Before purchasing a power source, you need to determine what the power bank is for.
If the product is used to periodically charge a smartphone, then a capacity of up to 10,000 mAh is sufficient.
Devices for maintaining the operation of a tablet computer or laptop have a capacity of up to 50,000 mAh. As the capacity increases, the weight and size of the battery increases:
- Equipment with a capacity of up to 10,000 mAh is designed to restore the battery level of mobile phones and smartphones. The advantage of the products is their size and weight. The device can be carried in an outerwear pocket or a woman's handbag. When switching, you should compare the capacity of the external unit and the parameters of the battery being charged. To ensure performance and reduce the risk of overheating, the battery capacity of the power bank should exceed the capacity of the phone battery by 250-300%.
- To service the batteries of entry-level smartphones or tablet computers equipped with power supplies with a capacity of 3000-4000 mAh, power banks with a capacity increased to 20,000 mAh are used. The equipment is not intended to be carried in pockets, since the weight reaches 450-500 g. The devices are stored in bags, some of the devices are equipped with standard carrying cases.
- To charge the laptop battery, an external power source with a capacity of more than 25,000 mAh is required. An example of such equipment is the Power Bank K2, manufactured by Powerplant. The equipment is equipped with a metal protective casing that provides additional cooling of the components. Due to the installation of high-capacity batteries, the weight of the device has reached 1.2 kg; a special container is required for carrying.
Current strength
Power bank devices are divided into 3 categories:
- Storage devices that provide current in a circuit up to 1 A. Chargers are designed to restore the battery capacity of standard cell phones. A power bank with similar parameters is rare.
- Charging units designed for a current of 1.5-2.0 A. The design of the equipment is intended for servicing power supplies for smartphones and small tablets.
- Products that support current in the output circuit from 2 to 4 A. Due to the increased power, the batteries of tablet computers or several smartphones are charged simultaneously. Please note that electronic equipment uses charging current limiters in its design. Some units are equipped with mechanical switches to adjust the charging current parameters.
Charging method
To restore the capacity of a portable battery, 4 methods are used:
- Using a cable connected to the USB connector of a household computer or laptop. The disadvantage of this method is the reduced current in the charging circuit (design limitation), which leads to an increase in battery recovery time.
- Using a power adapter connected to a 220 V AC household outlet. To restore devices with a capacity of 4-5 thousand mAh, it is allowed to use standard units from cell phones (supporting charging current within 1 A). When charging products with a capacity of more than 5 thousand mAh, it is necessary to use special adapters designed for a current of 2-2.5 A.
- Using a built-in solar battery (located on the front of the unit casing). The method is only suitable for compensating part of the energy expended; complete restoration of the battery using photocells is difficult.
- From the vehicle's on-board network, a special charging unit is used for switching. The plug is connected to the connector of an additional socket or cigarette lighter socket, the process of restoring capacity is identical to charging from a household network.
The design of the equipment provides control indicators that display the progress of the charging procedure. The electronic controller automatically regulates the charging current; when the standard battery capacity is reached, the power is turned off.
If accelerated battery discharge is observed (when using a standard load), then 3-4 training cycles are performed to restore normal operating parameters.
Ports
Basic versions of the power bank use 1 USB standard connector designed for connecting external devices. Depending on the power of the device, the plug is designed for a current of 1 or 2 A.
Some models use 2 or 3 USB ports, allowing you to connect several devices simultaneously. When using synchronous switching, the current in the circuit increases, which leads to accelerated discharge of the external unit.
There is equipment with a USB Type C connector designed for connecting mobile equipment. Devices with increased capacity are equipped with round plugs (for connecting laptops).
Some powerbank modifications come with a set of adapters for charging laptop computers from various manufacturers.
An additional micro USB connector, provided on all external batteries, is designed to connect a power adapter.
Other options
Additional functions and characteristics of external batteries:
- presence of a module for wireless charging;
- installation of auxiliary elements (for example, wearing brackets or small LED lights);
- case dimensions and weight of the charging unit.
When purchasing an external power supply, the manufacturer is an important criterion. Equipment assembled by factories of large companies is distinguished by the use of high-quality batteries and electronic components. Small manufacturers use simplified components and claim inflated specifications. It is not recommended to purchase such products; the money saved will be spent on repairs or modifications to the device.
Fake Xiaomi power bank
Xiaomi portable batteries are great, but only if you get the original one. This is a popular accessory that is often counterfeited. Sometimes you come across illiquid goods even on popular Internet sites - you must agree, you definitely don’t expect to find a fake from such large sellers.
Xiaomi power banks are so popular that they are counterfeited. be careful
However, even if you get one, nothing should happen to the smartphone: fakes usually underestimate the capacity, and sometimes even the conventional 10,000 mAh will be less. And still, do not skimp and check the goods upon receipt. The packaging itself and the quality of workmanship, as well as strange noises inside the gadget, will let you know that it is a fake.
realme 10 000mAh Dart Charge 30W
The new realme product will also be of interest to users of Oppo and OnePlus smartphones, because the brands’ proprietary fast charging is based on the same technology. Only the name changes - Dart Charge, VOOC or Warp Charge. In this case, we are talking about a version of the standard with an output power of 30 W, although for models of previous seasons it may be limited to twenty watts. For convenience, we will leave an explanatory table from the manufacturer’s website:
The power bank has two ports: full-size USB-A and symmetrical USB-C. Realme fast charging works on any of them, and compatibility with Quick Charge and Power Delivery is also stated. The capacity is 10,000 mAh, the body has a carbon fiber texture. The model is available in bright yellow with black realme lettering or in a calmer black version with a yellow logo.
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Power banks with wireless charging
Wireless charging in a power bank is a great solution
The only thing better than a power bank is a power bank with wireless charging . I have criticized this method more than once, but sometimes it is really convenient. For example, when there is only one wire, but there are several devices. And if you are still using a smartphone without Qi, then be sure to read our article on how to add wireless charging to any smartphone. In any case, buying such a device is an excellent solution for all occasions.
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Main functions
The mobile power supply is designed to solve the following problems:
- replenishing the energy of mobile devices when it is not possible to connect to the network;
- ensuring mobility during hikes, travel, business trips, presentations;
- some models have additional functions: flashlight, smartphone stand, speaker, etc.
The use of Powerbank is not limited to low-power devices. 20,000 mAh models are suitable for charging laptops and can power a multimedia projector during a business presentation.
Power bank with Type-C
Be sure to pay attention to the number of connectors in the portable charger. The more, the better - you can connect several devices at once . It’s also important to check them right away: there are instances in which the sockets are just “for show” - you insert USB into them, but nothing happens. Pay attention to the Type-C connector - its presence is necessary in modern “banks”, because many devices have already switched to it.
The Type-C connector is sometimes designed only to charge the most portable battery
Please note that in some models the Type-C connector may be specifically for charging the portable battery itself, and not for charging the connected device. In the spring, we made the same mistake when we were choosing a power bank as a gift for a colleague, thinking that the Type-C connector would allow us to charge devices.
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Possible uses of Power Bank
Often we critically need additional charge on long hikes in nature, fishing trips or recreation.
But, besides this, we may need additional, when exactly will we need the help of this “pocket” charger. There are such remote settlements where, in the winter season, the repair team cannot reach quickly. In this case, a powerful power bank will provide charge to your mobile gadget for a long time.
Don't think that Power Banks are only for mobile phones. It can be used to recharge any equipment that consumes little energy and has a USB output. This could be a small fan or a portable Wi-Fi router.
