Hi All! So this is my first time starting a new thread so I hope I'm doing this right. I couldn't really find a thread specifically for battery banks or battery backups so I thought I'd start one.
I was wondering what is everyone's method of backing up/recharging your battery for your cellphones? For me, the battery that comes with my phone is enough to get me through the day usually and I just charge it every night while I sleep. If I go on trips, I use the Rav Power 10000 mah battery bank. I find this a bit bulky but it works great and lasts many charges before I have to recharge again.
Everyone's taste and preferences are different so I'm seeing what other options are out there that may be lighter in weight. I'm thinking of getting their smaller one, the 5200 mah, and have this in my backpack or car for just in case.
Any mini reviews of what you have would be great :good:
Wow, cool gadgets, I need to get a bank for just-in-case emergencies. Thanks Currently i use a solar powered charger, which is really slow and somethings doesn't work as desired. Looks similar to this http://www.amazon.com/External-Univ...=8-4&keywords=solar+powered+cellphone+charger
Ive bought one at sunsky from china battery about 4000mah, but it was year before, now there is a better.
I used to have a bank that looked like a GBA SP, with foldable screens. In the screens were two solar panels, which charged the battery of, I think, about 2000mAh or something like that. The thing is now broken though. Still looking for a nice (affordable) replacement
Mine is Anker 5600
I use the Belkin 4000, size similar to a ext HDD and look nice, pocketable too
http://www.techhypermart.com/belkin-f8m160ak-portable-battery-pack-4000.html
Charger considerations
Hi,
I need advise for the following:
Charger A (Li-polymer battery) output : 5V, 1A
Charger B (Li-polymer battery) output : 5V, 500mA
Device input: 5V, 750mAH (Li-ion / Li-polymer)
When using Charger A, some people comment that it will limit the current of 750mAH for the device and the device's battery should be fine since both the charger and device are at 5V. However, some people comment that this will shorten the battery life of the device since it will perform a 'quick charge' using 1A.
When using Charger B, some people comment that the device will draw more current than it can deliver and causes it to heat up and reduces the charger's life. However, some people comment that Charger B will extend the battery life of the device since it performs a 'slow charge'.
I also read that USB pins on the charger denotes if the charger is a PC or a dedicated charger. If it is a PC, the device will limit the drawing current. If it is a dedicated charger, the device will draw more current to charge itself.
I am confused as to who is right and which charger should i be using.
Can someone enlighten me ?
Thank you very much.
bought this one from Ebay, has not yet arrived, therefore I cannot tell if its good or not.
but for its price its quite a good bet, 12000mAh for 33 bucks (on sale until tomorrow)
not able to post links, just type w ww. before the following
ebay.com/itm/12000mAh-External-Power-Bank-Battery-Charger-iPhone-3-4S-iPad-3-2-Blackberry-/280947027345
Zagg sparq 2.0 highly recommended
Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda premium
I recommend Anker 5600 is very good for that stuff.
Hi, I use choiix power fort 10Wh http://www.coolermaster-usa.com/product.php?product_id=3001 it have 2700mAh and it's small and looks very nice. It can give one full charge for my SGSIII
I went on a trip this year and searched for a good bank, and this showed up.
http://www.sayes.co/20-powerbank.html
I tried it and it was really good, it has lots of adapters and it's cheap =P
I was able to order a RavPower 5600mAh on sale a while back ago, that was posted on slickdeals. here. I am pretty happy with the performance of the little backup, it defiantly gets the job done. My only complaint is that the body gets scratched up easily.
I was comparing the Ravpower and the Anker 5600 and they both look exactly the same except that both are branded with their logos. So I'm wondering if they're from the same manufacturer. Going to have to do some more research. However my current Ravpower power bank I do have is working great and I love this thing for trips.
I'm also thinking of getting a solar one for my 3day emergency/bug out bag. Thanks for all the suggestions.
Green Ranger said:
I was comparing the Ravpower and the Anker 5600 and they both look exactly the same except that both are branded with their logos. So I'm wondering if they're from the same manufacturer. Going to have to do some more research. However my current Ravpower power bank I do have is working great and I love this thing for trips.
I'm also thinking of getting a solar one for my 3day emergency/bug out bag. Thanks for all the suggestions.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, can someone please let me know if they are the exact same manufactuers, except for the company logos on them? I am deciding between the two. Also, what do you guys think of their 2600maH stick version? Which manufactuer would you go for over the other and why? I am very interested.
I'm using a "Scosche SolBAT II Solar Powered Backup Battery and Charger" which I bought off Amazon for something ridiculous like $15 last year.
I bought it for hiking mostly as an emergency charger. I use a Huawei phone as a GPS out in the wilderness, and the GPS app (Androzic) is quite power intensive. I have also used the same device on an iPhone and an iPod touch. The Huawei phone will receive a full charge from this battery, but the iDevices will only go to around 75%.
The solar cell on the back of the battery isn't all that efficient and will take about two days to charge the internal battery, but having it there gives you more options should an emergency occur while in the wilderness. A half hour charging in full sunlight would provide enough power for a short call or a couple of texts to family or emergency services.
The device comes with suction cups and a small carabiner, so it can be stuck to the inside of your car window or clipped to the back of your rucksack. The device is lighter and smaller than the average smartphone and can be fully charged by USB in about three hours. Interestingly, the device has a LOT of bad reviews on Amazon, so maybe they simply sent me a good one.
I also have a very cheap and nasty handcrank USB charger from dealextreme which can be used to add a bit of juice to the solar battery pack at night or in cloudy weather or can directly charge the phone in an emergency. It's a little flimsy and takes a fair bit of cranking to get enough juice for even one call, but it weighs nothing, cost about $2 and is cheap insurance out in the boonies.
My list of power equipment for the phone/GPS and the iPod Touch for a multi-day walk are as follows:
Short Micro USB cable x 1
iPod USB cable x 1
Scosche SolBAT II battery/charger with alloy carabiner
DX hand crank battery charger
Total weight is less than 200 grams
nottellingeither said:
I'm using a "Scosche SolBAT II Solar Powered Backup Battery and Charger" which I bought off Amazon for something ridiculous like $15 last year.
I bought it for hiking mostly as an emergency charger. I use a Huawei phone as a GPS out in the wilderness, and the GPS app (Androzic) is quite power intensive. I have also used the same device on an iPhone and an iPod touch. The Huawei phone will receive a full charge from this battery, but the iDevices will only go to around 75%.
The solar cell on the back of the battery isn't all that efficient and will take about two days to charge the internal battery, but having it there gives you more options should an emergency occur while in the wilderness. A half hour charging in full sunlight would provide enough power for a short call or a couple of texts to family or emergency services.
The device comes with suction cups and a small carabiner, so it can be stuck to the inside of your car window or clipped to the back of your rucksack. The device is lighter and smaller than the average smartphone and can be fully charged by USB in about three hours. Interestingly, the device has a LOT of bad reviews on Amazon, so maybe they simply sent me a good one.
I also have a very cheap and nasty handcrank USB charger from dealextreme which can be used to add a bit of juice to the solar battery pack at night or in cloudy weather or can directly charge the phone in an emergency. It's a little flimsy and takes a fair bit of cranking to get enough juice for even one call, but it weighs nothing, cost about $2 and is cheap insurance out in the boonies.
My list of power equipment for the phone/GPS and the iPod Touch for a multi-day walk are as follows:
Short Micro USB cable x 1
iPod USB cable x 1
Scosche SolBAT II battery/charger with alloy carabiner
DX hand crank battery charger
Total weight is less than 200 grams
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Click to collapse
That is a nice list of equipment. How is the solar powered charger coming along?
tgmeyer said:
Yeah, can someone please let me know if they are the exact same manufactuers, except for the company logos on them? I am deciding between the two. Also, what do you guys think of their 2600maH stick version? Which manufactuer would you go for over the other and why? I am very interested.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Honestly i went with pricing. I assume if they look the same they are from the same vendors/manufactures but different brand/company. Reviews for both sound very good too. Ravpower had a promo going on a while back and i tend to see them pop up from time to time on slick deals. The stick might give you one charge but since it looks smaller than the rest, it may be the easiest and lightest to carry around. I say get a decent sized one. Anywhere between 5600mah to 10000mah so you can go through a few charges without needing to charge again.
I have a 6600 mAh(well, in my experience it's not true, more like 4-4.5k), but I rarely use it after I bought a tablet with a fullsized usb port in it.
solar charger
I was looking for a solar charger. I bougth one but it crashed in two days. Therefore I returned it and now I am waiting for another one. In the place I live there are few options
http://www.amazon.com/Anker-Portabl...?ie=UTF8&qid=1389368123&sr=8-6&keywords=anker
Anker 2nd Gen Astro2 9000mAh
Manufacturer Description
Charges the iPhone 4+ times and large-capacity phones like the Galaxy S4 almost three times. Total charge output of 3A among two charging ports. One Smart Port (5V / 2.4A max) offers truly maximum speed charges to ANY device, including the iPad or even the Samsung Galaxy Tab. One additional port charges Android smartphones at full speed.
High energy efficiency rate, 10% above previous generation Astros and many current standard alternatives, gives you up to an extra full charge for your smartphone. Sturdy construction and matte finish withstands bumps and drops. Grade A cells and premium chips ensure reliability.
A "shake" starts a charge or displays the remaining power level. The ultra-low power consumption (100, 000 shakes consumes less than 1%) Smart LED display, designed with 10 LEDs, balances accuracy and aesthetics.
Input: 5V / 1.2A; Use a 1.2A adapter for fastest charging time (8 hours).
Packaging
It’s simple and minimal which is a good thing. Also, the Packaging is recyclable for you ECO friendly people out there.
Specs
Package contents: Anker® 2nd Generation Astro2 External Battery, Micro USB cable, travel pouch, instruction manual.
It’s about the perfect size for a battery pack. Easily handled with one hand, not too thick.
Here are the output details for the two ports based upon the type of device you are trying to charge:
Type of product-----------------Smart Port------Universal Port
iPad IOS 5 and above----------2.4 Amps--------1.5 Amps
iPad below IOS 5----------------2.4 Amps--------N/A
iPhone IOS 5 and above-------1 Amp------------½ Amp
iPhone below IOS 5------------1 Amp------------N/A
Android Phones-----------------1.5 Amps--------1.5 Amps
Android Tablets-----------------2 Amps-----------2 Amps
Samsung Galaxy Tablets------2 Amps-----------N/A
Other cellphones---------------1.5 Amps--------1.5 Amps
Build Quality
It’s made of plastic but of a very good build. It has a two tone look of glossy black ends with the rest being a matte black. It’s seemless from the transition from the glossy to matte. There doesn’t seem to be any gaps between the pieces. All ports are at on end. It has a ring indicators with 10 “pies”. Each pie represents 10% charge of the battery pack. It’s a nice soft white light and not too birght that a lot of electronics suffer from.
It just has one Anker logo at the top and very minimalistic.
Testing/Performance
It has a Shake feature to activate charging. Simply plug in a device and give it a quick shake and the device and start charging. Now I know what you’re thinking; leaving it in your bag will discharge the battery for no reason if nothing is plugged in. That isn’t true, it has a super smart super low discharge even when left in a bag where accidental shakes will happen.
I decided to test this out. Leaving it my baby nieces rocker, it didn’t even discharge 1 pie (10%) when left over 18 hours in the rocker.
Using the following devices:
Nexus 5
Nexus 7 2013
S3
Ipad 4
Ipad 2
Sansa Clip Zip Mp3 player
All were able to be charged without a hitch. It is to note that the max output is 3 amps. So trying to charge two devices that require 2.1 amps is simply not possible at full speed. It would charge t but at a slow rate. It can charge a 2.1 and 1 amp device without a hiccup though.
Either port would be fine for any smartphone under the sun.
Using a Nexus 5 at 26%:
30 mins – 55%
1h 13 mins – 91%
1h 28 mins – 100%
It used 3 pies (30%) to go from 26% to 100%.
Conclusion
It’s a great battery pack that has a nice shake feature! One of the better sized battery packs that has a good capacity compared to its size. A must have all tech warriors on the go.
Note- I was supplied a sample for test and evaluation, and I promised that my review is fair and honest
Did you buy this or was it a gift from Anker for review?
This is a great device. I have the 13Ah charger, and it seriously holds a charge. I've never gotten it empty before because it'll charge my phone for a week. Looking forward to the next time I fly so I can use it.
Any chance you could actually test the output with a 12w ipad? I just got a new anker astro3, and it only charger at 2.1, not a 2.4amp
Easiest way to test it is to download "batterylife"(free) in cydia, or time charging the default charger compared to the anker.
Thank you! It is advertised everywhere as 2.4amp, but it seems like they do not have that feature!
I picked up this thin 10,000 mAh power bank last week at a kiosk in the Cherry Creek mall near my house. I was in the market for a small and powerful powerbank to keep my phone and tablet charged throughout the day and found this is a great solution. Here are my thoughts:
The Jumpr Slate comes extremely well packaged in this orange box. On the front is the usual branding it states that it is a 10,000 mAh powerbank with 2x 2.4A outputs. The packaging looks and feels solid.
On the back of the box are more details on what sets this powerbank apart from the pack like an industry leading 93% power transfer ratio, its light and sleek design at 6.7mm thick and only .77 lbs, and a badge showing that it meets worldwide safety standards (UN 38.3). There is also a list of devices that can be charged with the Jumpr Slate 10K.
The overall design of the Jumpr Slate is very nice. It is only about a half inch thick and the pattern on the top is simple yet provides a clean and industrial look, as well as providing a nice texture to grip onto.
The binder holes on the side make it easy to conveniently clip the Jumpr into a a notebook, and the thin design means it takes up very little space in a tablet case or briefcase. There is the EnerPlex branding in the corner but it is not over branded or too in your face.
On bottom panel there is a mini USB input to charge the Jumpr, and two 2.4A USB outputs. There is also a small button for turning the Jumpr on/off, and 4 LED indicator lights that display the amount of charge that the Jumpr has left.
To test out the Jumpr Slate 10K I let the battery in my Galaxy S4 run all the way down and I then used the Jumpr to recharge it. It took about the same amount of time as charging from a wall outlet, same with when I plugged in my GoPro. After charging both devices the indicator showed 50% battery life left on the Jumpr.... not bad.
PROS:
Charges devices as fast as outlet
Extremely thin and light
2 USB Outputs
CONS:
Will not charge laptop
Recharge time of about 10 hrs
Overall I love this thing and it has a permanent home in my computer bag. I also bring it with me to provide a backup charge to my GoPro when adventuring in the Colorado Rockies.
Overview
Quick summary - great little device really solid and well balanced with three output slots to charge two devices. The hugh 10,000mah it enough to keep several devices topped up for quite some time. Despite its capacity its not too heavy, mine weighed in at 246g / 8.7oz).
Unboxing
So in the box is the battery pack, a short black USB lead and the instructions. The battery pack has a really large capacity at 10k mah which is enough to charge a Galaxy S6 up a few times before itself requiring recharging. The battery pack is black plastic body with orange plastic trim on the top and bottom. There is three USB outputs all at the top of the unit.
Despite the capacity of the internal battery the weight of this doesnt feel too bad, weighing in at 246g which is really isnt that heavy and the slim profile means that it will slot into a jeans pocket no problem.
On the front are 4 little blue LEDs which light up to show the capacity. In theory each dot should be enough to deliver 2,500mah of juice so in theory each light of power should easily charge any modern smartphone, just for reference the capacity of my Galaxy S6 is 2550mah. On one side is a plastic button you can press to view the charge or turn the pack on when you want to start charging a device. Lumsing doesn't specify the rating of each, but the device's maximum power output is 16W. That means with three devices connected charging will be pretty slow, with just 5W available from each. Testing out each port with Ampre the average output for my Galaxy S6 was 1000ma, it charged my S6 fairly quickly (about 1 hour 30) from nearly empty so the device delivers a amount of power from each port when charging a single device.
Overall I really like this pack, its nice, solid and premium feeling, works well and having three output ports is always a plus and pretty handy with lots of devices being USB powered, thi feels like the main selling point for this device. I can see this being used by people away long long trips or away camping or hiking where there is no access to an outlet to keep your smart device topped up. I really like the slim design which means it can fit in a pocket nice and easily.
This is probblly the best battery pack I have seen so far
The battery pack is gold metal with plastic on the top and bottom, the feel of the device is really premium and solid feeling like it could take a good knock should you drop it. Despite the capacity of the internal battery the weight of this doesnt feel too bad, weighing in at 260g which is heavy but doesnt feel like much more than some of the smaller battery packs ive reviewed. The battery pack feels very well balanced and isnt heavy down one end or the other.
On the front are 4 LEDs which light up blue to show the capacity. In theory each dot should be enough to deliver 3,350mah of juice so in theory each light of power should easily charge any modern smartphone. On one side is a button you can press to view the charge or turn the pack on when you want to start charging a device. On the top is an LED for which lights when charging the pack, a micro USB input and importantly two USB output sockets, adding to this devices versatility - the ability to charge two devices at once. The max output in total across both ports is rated at 3A, the output from each port isnt listed and it isnt listed if one port supplies more power than the other. Testing out each port with Ampre the average output for my Galaxy S6 was 1200ma, it charged my S6 fairly quickly (about 1 hour 20) from nearly empty so the device delivers a good wack of power. The little micro usb lead supplied is a fair length, long enough not to have my phone right on top of the battery pack. Also a nice plus is that the supplied cable also works as a data cable, something that doesnt always happen with battery packs. Overall I really like this pack, its nice, solid and premium feeling, works well and having two output ports is always a plus. I can see this being used by people away long long trips or away camping or hiking where there is no access to an outlet to keep your smart device topped up. The weight and size means that this would fit nicely into a pocket or backpack no problemOverall I really like this pack, its nice, solid and premium feeling, works well and having two output ports is always a plus. I can see this being used by people away long long trips or away camping or hiking where there is no access to an outlet to keep your smart device topped up. The weight and size means that this would fit nicely into a pocket or backpack no problem.
Also if you are interested in purchasing any lumsing power bank, please let me know and I can give you a coupon code for a discount on your purchase.
Does the powerbank also charge itself quickly?
Would love a coupon code!