Method 4. External energy storage with a solar battery

Another interesting option. As daylight hours begin to increase, it is timely to discuss the benefits of solar energy storage. You'll see how to make a portable charger that can be charged from solar energy storage panels.

We have to:

• Lithium-ion energy storage 18650 format,
• Case from the same drives
• 5V 1A voltage boost module.
• Charge board for battery.
• Solar panel 5.5 V 160 mA (any size)
• Wiring for connection
• 2 diodes 1N4007 (others are possible)
• Velcro or double-sided tape for fixation
• Hot melt adhesive
• Resistor 47 Ohm
• Contacts for energy storage (thin steel plates)
• A pair of toggle switches

1. Let's study the basic circuit of an external battery.

The diagram shows 2 connecting wires of different colors. Red is connected to “+”, black to “-”.

1. It is not recommended to solder the contacts to the lithium-ion battery, so we will put terminals in the housing and secure them with hot glue.
2. The next task is to place the voltage increase module and charging board for the battery. To do this, we make holes for the USB input and USB output 5 V 1 A, a toggle switch and wiring to the solar panel.
3. We solder a resistor (resistance 47 Ohms) to the USB output, on the reverse side of the module that increases the voltage. This makes sense for charging an iPhone. The resistor will solve the problem with the very control signal that starts the charging process.
4. To make the panels easier to carry, you can attach the panel contacts using 2 small female-male contacts. Alternatively, you can connect the main body and panels using Velcro.
5. We place a diode between 1 contact of the panel and the energy storage charge board. The diode should be placed with the arrow pointing towards the charge board. This will prevent the solar panel from draining the storage battery.

IMPORTANT. The diode is placed in the direction FROM the solar panel TO the charge board.

How many charges will this Power Bank last? It all depends on the capacity of your battery and the capacity of the gadget. Remember that discharging lithium drives below 2.7 V is highly undesirable.

As for the charge of the device itself. In our case, we used solar panels with a total capacity of 160 mAh, and the battery capacity was 2600 mAh. Therefore, under the condition of direct rays, the battery will charge in 16.3 hours. Under normal conditions - about 20–25 hours. But don't let these numbers scare you. It will charge via miniUSB in 2-3 hours. Most likely, you will use the solar panel when traveling, hiking, or long trips.

Finally

Choose the method that suits you best and build your own portable battery. This thing will definitely come in handy on the road or while traveling. There are a lot of advantages of the device: it has a unique appearance, and also a way to get the power that will satisfy your needs. Using a portable battery, you can charge not only phones, but also tablets, wireless headphones and other small gadgets.

Once again, my phone died by lunchtime - a couple of hours on social networks, downloading new 400 MB podcasts using a 3G network, a few photos - and the battery gave up on me. Unfortunately, for many people this scenario becomes a reality every day. Sometimes, when talking with friends, I hear a squeak, and then the conversation is interrupted. They call back from the second number and say the sacramental: “The phone is dead.” The presence of chargers in the car or at the workplace is by no means a panacea. Some people are used to carrying chargers with them and in restaurants choose seats closer to the sockets. As my friend jokes, phones are corded again, but now we are tied to an electrical outlet.

One partial solution to this problem is to choose an external charger that you can carry in your bag and take on trips and hikes. The cost of such devices varies over a very wide range, the number of manufacturers is large, and one’s eyes are often overwhelmed by the variety of offers. This guide will focus on how to choose the right external charger, but before we get into that, let me dissuade you.

Energy consumption in modern smartphones - how to save energy

In the comments to the “Buyer’s Guide. Choosing a smartphone” I came across statements in which people claimed that the quoted operating time for certain devices differs from the real one. For example, the article says that the device easily works a full day, but the commentator has it running down by lunchtime. An attempt to understand this issue thoroughly showed that many people do not think that their smartphone already has all the tools to reduce power consumption and extend the operating time of the device without sacrificing performance. This point of view was also popular - having bought an expensive phone, I’m not going to configure it or use it less than one hundred percent, I want it to work for every penny. It is impossible to agree with such a view, since any technical device has operating modes and settings that are unnecessary for many consumers; turning them off does not in any way affect the comfort of use. I am sure that for people with such a position in life there is no need to buy an external battery, they will not have enough of it for a long time anyway. Marketing often replaces common sense - when you hear that people don't want to lower the processor frequency in their smartphone, you realize that they don't know or even realize that most of the time the processor runs at a very low frequency. High frequencies are needed for “heavy” computing tasks, for example, 3D graphics in games, and in this case the smartphone produces the maximum frequency automatically, otherwise applications will not work.

Therefore, it is possible that you do not need an external battery, but should look into the power consumption on your smartphone (for tablets this is not so critical and important, although exactly the same rules apply there). And having already exhausted all the possibilities for extending the operating time using standard means, you should resort to an external battery.

In the next two videos, I provide tips on setting power consumption for Android as well as iOS. These tips are universal, you can apply them on different devices, but you should remember that not all settings and capabilities are available on all devices.

External battery - what types are there, what to look for

When buying an external battery, very often they choose the one that comes to hand, without paying attention to the technical details, which leads to disappointment in the future. I’ll try to talk about all the pitfalls and start with the obvious – the size of the device. Unfortunately, there are no miracles in the world, and the larger the battery capacity, the more space it takes up. You need to decide what you need the battery for - just for a smartphone or do you still plan to charge your tablet as well. Psychologically, we want to choose universal solutions and very often we buy into the fact that on the box we are promised to charge not only smartphones, but also tablets. Unfortunately, these promises very often turn out to be false or misleading. To charge modern tablets, you need a battery that delivers a current of 1A and also has a capacity of 12,000 to 16,000 mAh, which will allow you to charge the tablet at least half. Such a device will weigh about 350-400 grams or even more. Calling it compact is a bit of a stretch, although simpler external batteries with a capacity of 4000 mAh may not be small.

Size and weight are the first parameters that you need to pay attention to. For myself, I came to the conclusion that I only need an external battery for my smartphone; after all, to drain the battery on a tablet, you need a full daylight hours and continuous play. I admit honestly that I fail faster than the battery in a tablet, I just get tired of playing or watching movies so much. I also don’t go on hikes where I would have time to work on my tablet in the forest; there are always sockets and time to recharge the tablet. But it is possible that you have a different use case and then you need to look at a universal device or buy two different external batteries.

For my smartphone I need an external power source. Given my lifestyle, I was looking for a device that would allow me to charge a smartphone with a 1500-2100 mAh battery or so at least twice during the day. Since I was going to carry it both in my hands and in clothes, sometimes in a bag, the size of the device became a priority. In Hong Kong I bought a 6000 mAh battery under the name VTank, I was captivated by the size and metal case. One of the downsides is the weight of the device; it weighs down the pocket (about 250 grams).

I am sure that you will decide on the size and weight of the device on the terrain based on how you will carry it. Even in a lady's bag there is enough space for such a battery. But there is a little trick that is worth remembering - when you charge your smartphone, you will most likely want to use it. See how these two devices fit in your hands while charging (or imagine, if you can’t touch them).

Case materials are another parameter that is not very important, but from an aesthetic point of view it warms the soul of many. Metal or plastic case – what to choose? There are no special features here, you just need to remember that their reliability is approximately the same, but the metal one has more weight.

Battery capacity and current are two main parameters that will be important to you. There is no universal rule, but you need to select a battery with a capacity at least twice as large as the capacity of your smartphone battery (for a tablet, this rule does not apply for obvious reasons; they have record-breaking batteries). Currently, the most common batteries are with a capacity of 4,000 - 6,000 mAh, they are standard. There is no point in choosing batteries with a smaller capacity; their cost is not much lower, and there is almost no point in them.

When choosing Chinese batteries, there is a high risk of encountering a discrepancy between the declared parameters and the real ones. For example, they will tell you that the battery capacity is 12,000 mAh, but in fact it is only half. On the other hand, this deception is innocent, since they will not charge you any extra money for a “large” container. As a rule, the seller wants to please you and talks about a larger capacity in order to convince you that you made a good deal - you bought such a good battery for cheap.

There is no point in looking for batteries from unknown companies; there are many offers from different manufacturers on the market, prices are approximately the same (I’m not talking about retail, but rather about the Internet).

The optimal choice is a 6,000 mAh battery (this is the golden mean that will suit most people), or choosing a 12,000 mAh battery or higher. It should be taken into account that external batteries have a discharge current, depending on the design and manufacturer, it can vary greatly.

The internal batteries often use 3.7V batteries, while the output requires a voltage of 5V. The boost circuit is not ideal and eats up most of the capacity of the external battery, so when calculating how many times you can charge your phone, it is worth taking this parameter into account. Many external batteries with a capacity of 4,000 mAh can only supply 2,000 mAh, that is, one charge of a phone with a 1,500 - 2,000 mAh battery.

Another important point is the current the battery produces. To charge most smartphones, 0.5 A is enough; this is the minimum current in such devices. Often, charging tablets and a number of smartphones requires a current of 1 A, so you should pay close attention to this parameter. If the battery has several outputs, then the connected load can vary in the range of 1-3 A. In order to determine what charging current you need, look at the labeling of the charger from your tablet or smartphone.

Charging the battery is another non-obvious point that is not paid attention to, but in vain. By and large, all external batteries can be divided into two large classes - those that can only be charged from a computer’s USB connector, and those that can be charged from an AC mains. In the second case, use a standard miniUSB, microUSB connector or charger, which is included in the kit. There is no point in discussing the first type of device; they have almost disappeared and are of no interest.

The lack of charging from a regular network is a serious disadvantage, since in this case you will have to recharge the battery only from the computer and this will take much longer, and you will not be able to charge it to its full capacity (the USB port does not produce enough current). It is necessary that the external battery can be charged from a regular USB connector, but also be able to use regular sockets.

Device charging indicators - usually there are three, sometimes four LEDs on the case that indicate the battery charge. Unfortunately, they give a very rough idea of ​​how long the battery will last. In the case of a battery that has been used for about a year, you can completely forget about the last division; as a rule, the indicator begins to lie and there is no longer enough charge. There are external batteries with digital indicators, they are much clearer and more visual, but you will have to pay 20-30 percent more for them than for similar batteries without such displays. The addition is nice, but whether it’s worth the money is up to you to decide.

The number of USB connectors on the device is an additional parameter, but it is also worth taking into account. Many devices have two, and sometimes four or even five USB ports. This allows you to connect multiple devices to charge at once. In my opinion, two USB ports are enough, and even then, their simultaneous use is a very rare case. In my practice, this is rather an exception; I powered the devices of my colleagues this way a couple of times, but did not use it myself.

On/off button – should be recessed into the body to avoid accidental pressing in pockets and subsequent discharge of the battery. In most models, this parameter is not given any importance, which is sad.

I hope that by remembering what to look for, you will not get into trouble when choosing an external battery for your smartphone or tablet, although I have doubts about the second use case. But without recommendations on what to look for and how to buy such batteries, this guide would be incomplete.

Where and how to buy an external battery - prepare your sled in summer

Unfortunately, my work in selecting the ideal external battery is complicated by the fact that there are a huge number of them and it is impossible to describe everything. In your city, models from one manufacturer may be presented, and in the next one - completely different ones; there is no universal recipe.

Most of the batteries with a capacity of 4,000 mAh sold in Russia cost in the range from 2 to 3 thousand rubles, batteries with a capacity of 8,000 mAh cost from 3,500 rubles and above, sometimes reaching 5-6 thousand rubles. In my opinion, there is no point in buying such expensive batteries, since you are overpaying at least two or even three times the real cost of such devices. A reasonable purchase would be to order a battery from China or from websites that sell electronics, then its price with delivery will be significantly lower. We have a separate “Buyer’s Guide” on how to buy abroad.

To search for various models of external batteries, you can use the Focalprices website (follow the link to search results for such devices). Quite a wide selection of similar batteries on eBay. Or you can look at these batteries.

If for some reason you do not want to deal with delivery by mail, then you can look for batteries in Russian online stores; the offer is varied, but the prices are higher.

I hope that in this material I have described in detail all the pitfalls and principles of choosing external batteries. It is worth remembering that after a year of use, the battery capacity is reduced to 80 percent of the original rating. You should also treat batteries (both external and built into phones) as consumables. They should be replaced every few years; unfortunately, they do not last forever.

If any of the manufacturers of external batteries would like reviews of their devices to appear on our website, then write, we will be happy to test them.

P.S. I would like to express special gratitude to Daniil, who left a very succinct comment on the use of external batteries; much of this comment was included in the Guide.)

Choosing an external battery for your phone

Most users of modern smartphones are faced with the problem of quickly draining the battery of their smartphone. Very often the battery dies at very inopportune moments and even during a conversation. At this moment, there is no electrical outlet or power adapter at hand. The batteries of the overwhelming majority of phones on the market are capable of operating in autonomous mode for approximately 2-3 days. And this is if you only call and send messages. If you start watching videos on your phone, surfing the Internet, chatting with friends or playing games, the battery charge literally melts before your eyes. Modern phone models with powerful CPUs and huge displays will not last even a day in this mode. The obvious and fastest solution to the discharge problem is to buy an external battery for your phone. Such devices are often called power banks and can be used to charge smartphones, tablets, players, and laptops. Today we will talk about the features of choosing an external battery for your phone.

In retail stores and on virtual shelves on the Internet, users will find a huge number of models of external rechargeable batteries for smartphones, tablets and other mobile equipment. The price range is simply amazing. It’s no wonder that the average user gets lost in all this diversity and begins to compare power banks only by capacity and design. As a result, they choose the model of external battery that they like best visually.

And behind the appearance, buyers often do not see the technical characteristics of the device. This is completely unacceptable, because in the future, when using an external battery, you will be faced with the fact that the model simply does not suit your needs. Of course, you need to pay attention to design, but not in the first place. You need to choose a power bank according to the characteristics that are discussed below.

Capacity

One of the main characteristics of an external battery. When choosing a capacity, you can rely on one rule that was developed as a result of long-term use of a power bank. It is as follows. The capacity of the external battery should be twice the capacity of the phone battery. And you don’t need to think that the double capacity of the power bank will allow you to charge your phone’s battery 2 times on the road. What's the catch here?

The problem is that external batteries usually contain lithium batteries with a nominal voltage of 3.7 volts. Charging your phone battery requires approximately 5 volts. For this purpose, such devices have a voltage-increasing circuit. This results in capacity losses reaching the level of 30-50%. So, when buying an external battery, focus on a capacity twice as large as the gadget’s battery.

When you choose the capacity of an external battery, immediately decide which devices you will charge with its help. The most common options:

• The power bank charges the phone and some other gadgets with a low-capacity battery;
• An external battery is used to charge a phone, audio player, tablet, camera, etc.;
• Laptops and netbooks are charged, as well as other devices with large-capacity batteries.

If you will use an external battery only to charge your smartphone, buy a model with a capacity of 5000 to 7000 mAh. Modern phone models are mostly equipped with 1800-2500 mAh batteries. Therefore, the specified power bank will be enough for them for 2 full charges. External batteries with a capacity of up to 7000-8000 mAh are compact and weigh very little. Therefore, there will be no problems wearing them. Such devices fit into a jacket pocket and have a USB port with a charging current of 1 ampere. This is enough for a phone.

If you need to charge not only your phone, but also your tablet, then you should look towards universal external batteries with a capacity of 10,000 to 16,000 mAh.

It is important that such a power bank has 2 ports with different charging currents for a phone and a tablet. A smartphone and music player can be charged from the port at 1 ampere, and a tablet and camera at 2 amperes. The dimensions and weight of such universal external batteries are quite noticeable. But you can always find a place for them in a diplomat or a woman’s handbag.

If an external battery will be used to charge a netbook or full-size laptop, you should choose a model with a capacity of 15,000 to 20,000 mAh or even more. Moreover, the USB port must provide a charging current of 2 amperes or more. Otherwise, the capacious laptop battery will take an extremely long time to charge. Manufacturers often integrate external batteries for laptops into various external modules. This could be a docking station, an external keyboard, etc.

Charging current

• As for the main current requirements, they were named in the previous section. Let's summarize this information. In the list below you can see the charging current of the external battery port depending on the device being charged:
• Phone or player ─ 1 ampere;
• Tablet or camera – 2 amperes;

Laptop or netbook – 2 amperes or more.

Dimensions and weight

The dimensions and weight of an external battery are largely determined by the battery capacity. When increasing the battery capacity, additional elements (batteries) are added to it. In order for them to fit into the case, manufacturers have to increase the dimensions and weight of the device.

For this reason, you must immediately decide on the list of devices that you will charge from an external battery. That is, if you are only going to charge your phone, then there is no reason to buy a universal high-capacity power bank model.

additional characteristics

• In addition to the main characteristics, when choosing an external battery for your phone, you should take into account a number of the following parameters:
• aesthetics. The design of the device should be pleasant and appealing to the user. Here, as they say, “it depends on the taste and color...”;
• charging an external battery. Be sure to choose a battery that can be charged from an electrical outlet. The USB interface is also good, but a power connector for charging the device must be available. Otherwise, charging the external battery will take a very long time;
• indication. Inexpensive batteries have LED indicators that approximately indicate the state of charge. Much less often there is a liquid crystal display with a detailed description and accurate indication of the charge level. Such external batteries are much more expensive than the first option. But, if finances allow, then it is better to buy the second option;
• additional options. Manufacturers are trying to attract attention to their product and equip their power banks with additional “tricks” such as an alarm clock, a flashlight, a solar battery, etc.

Examples of external phone batteries

Below we will look at several examples of external batteries from various manufacturers.

The cost of this external battery will cost the buyer about 3 thousand rubles. The capacity of TP-LINK TL-PB10400 is 10400 mAh. This battery can be classified as universal.

There are 2 ports with charging current of 1 and 2 amperes. The body color is white and blue. Weight approximately 250 grams. An additional feature of the device is a flashlight. If the battery is fully charged, the flashlight will work for 6-7 hours.

The Remax Proda external battery can be classified as a top product. The battery has an impressive capacity of 30,000 mAh. We can say that this is one of the most capacious models on the power bank market.

The device has 2 USB interfaces with a charging current of 1 and 2 amperes. The case has a large display showing the battery charge level. There is a flashlight that works up to 15 hours with a fully charged power bank. The price of the device on the market is 3.5-4 thousand rubles.

The price of the GP GL301 model is 2.5-3 thousand rubles. According to the manufacturer, with this gadget you can charge your phone and tablet at the same time. The capacity of this external battery is 10400 mAh. This is enough for a couple of charges of an average tablet, phone or music player.

The main distinguishing feature of this device is the presence of a unique protection system. It monitors the temperature of the external battery and prevents overheating. The weight of this battery is only 260 grams, which allows you to easily carry the device in your pocket. The battery case is available in two colors: black and white.

High quality external battery. In the Hiper MP7500 model, the manufacturer was able to combine small dimensions, good capacity and fast charging of the phone. The cost of the battery ranges from 1.5 to 2.5 thousand rubles. The package includes all the necessary cables and adapters for various gadgets.

A bonus in the Hiper MP7500 is a card reader and a flashlight. This power bank can charge two phones at the same time. The device capacity is 7500 mAh, and the weight is about 200 grams. The LED charge indicator is designed in the form of a battery.

How many times have you suffered from your smartphone running out of power at the most inopportune moment? What if you need to make an urgent call or wait for an important message? It’s good if there is an outlet or computer nearby that you can quickly charge your device from. But what if they are not there? The solution is to use an external battery (power bank). The Internet project “Be Mobile” has collected tips that will help you choose the best option for you.

First, let’s define what an external battery is and what its advantages are. An external battery or Power Bank is a portable high-capacity lithium-ion battery that can be used to charge a variety of mobile devices: phones, smartphones, tablets or e-readers. This battery is capable of storing energy within itself for a long time. You can take it with you to work, school, on a business trip or while traveling.

The portable charger can be made in various form factors with a housing made of plastic, polycarbonate or metal. On sale you can find models in the form of boxes, bars, disks, cones and tubes in a variety of colors.

The Power Bank is charged from the electrical network or from any device with a USB output (for example, a computer or laptop).

All external batteries are equipped with one or more USB ports. Modern phones, smartphones or tablets can be charged using a USB cable, which in most cases is included with the device.

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The main parameter when choosing an external battery is energy capacity. Everything here is simple and clear. The larger the capacity, the more energy the device stores, and the more expensive it is. Capacity is measured in mAh - milliamp hours.

Currently on sale you can find portable chargers with a capacity ranging from several hundred milliamp hours to several tens of thousands. You can estimate the level of charge you will need based on the battery capacity of your smartphone or tablet.

For example, in an average smartphone the battery has a capacity of 2,000 mAh, in high-performance and expensive models - from 2,500 to 3,000 mAh. This means that a fully charged 5,000 mAh external battery will be enough for 2-2.5 charging cycles. A fully charged 10,000 mAh external battery will last for 4-5 cycles. If portable charging is necessary for your tablet, then you should choose from models with a larger capacity, for example, 20 or 30 thousand mAh.

Currently produced portable power sources use lithium-ion or lithium-polymer batteries. Depending on the type and design, the nominal battery output voltage may vary (3.7, 4.2, or 7.4 V), while the standard USB bus voltage is 5 VDC. Obviously, in this case, a battery with a capacity of 2000 mAh with a nominal voltage of 3.7 V, even under ideal conditions, will not work for even an hour and a half when powering an external load connected via a USB bus and consuming a current of 1 A. In addition, the amount of electricity that can be stored Batteries having the same capacity but different voltage will vary.

Tip 2: look at the current strength, it affects the charging speed

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Another factor that affects the charging speed is the current strength. The higher the amps, the faster the charging speed. For phones and smartphones, this figure should be at least 1 ampere. Otherwise, the process itself will occur extremely slowly. To fully charge, it will take 3 or 4 times longer than from the mains.

For tablets, devices with a current of 3 A or more are preferable. The ideal option is 4 A.

Tip 3: trust, but check, because the declared capacity does not always coincide with the real one

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Another important point is the actual capacity of the Power Bank. The fact is that many manufacturers embellish the performance of their products. Of the 50 models of portable chargers that we tested over the past year, 46 had a capacity significantly less than stated. On average the difference was 25%.

For example, the manufacturer indicated that the external battery has a capacity of 10,000 mAh, but in reality it is 7,800 mAh. The difference is due to both the dishonesty of the developers and the improper storage of batteries during transportation and subsequent sale.

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The actual capacity is also affected by such an indicator as self-discharge.

On average, external batteries with a full charge are discharged by 5% within two weeks. This is worth considering if you do not use Power Bank for a long time. To activate electrolytic reactions, you should charge the device before use.

Keep in mind that the battery capacity will decrease over time. Our measurements show that with active use, a high-quality battery loses its capacity by 15% per year, the cheapest models - 35%.

To monitor the charge level, almost all Power Banks use LED indicators. And some external batteries are equipped with LED displays that show the exact state of charge in percentage.

Tip 5: choose a power bank with multiple USB ports to simultaneously charge your friends’ smartphones

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Some models of portable chargers have several USB ports for connecting two, three or even more mobile devices at once. This option is suitable for simultaneous recharging, for example, when you go on a trip with friends. It's comfortable. You can all charge your phones, smartphones and even tablets together.

You often ask us where you can be guaranteed to buy a high-quality external battery cheaply. We cannot give a definite answer. Of course, the reliability of purchasing from a large Russian online store or retail chain is higher, but the prices there are also higher. It is worth remembering that little-known Chinese sellers have a peculiarity: they can deceive. Their external batteries are much cheaper than their branded counterparts; they often indicate a capacity 2 or 3 times higher than the real one. Prices that are too low can be a trap. Although branded Power Banks in such stores can be fakes.

Compact

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If you need compactness, you can pay attention to ergonomic models, for example, Anker Astro E1. This battery will not take up much space in your bag or pocket.

Universal

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The ideal option would be batteries with a capacity of about 10,000 mAh. This is approximately three times more than the battery of a modern smartphone, which means that even taking into account the loss of energy during charging, it will be enough to fully restore the gadget’s charge several times. A high-quality example of such a power bank is the Anker PowerCore 10400 mAh model.

Another option for a high-quality external battery with universal functionality is the Aukey PB-N42 10,000 mAh.

Supports fast and wireless charging

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If universal options are not your option, then you should pay attention to models with additional functions. For example, a power bank with fast charging support will be able to charge compatible gadgets much faster than usual. If the battery is capable of delivering a consistently high current (about 2A), then even without fast charging support, your gadgets will charge stably and relatively quickly.

Among the ones we recommend is the Baseus Wireless Charge Power Bank 8000 mAh external battery. Its main feature is the presence of Qi wireless charging. That is, to charge a smartphone, you don’t need to connect a wire to it, just put it on an external battery and that’s it. Charging started. In addition to wireless charging with a current of 1A, the device supports a wired USB connection of two compatible devices, while the output current to the USB connectors is 2A.

A good option for iPhone is the Zikko PowerBag 6000 mAh external battery. The main difference from popular Xiaomi external batteries is MFI certification, which means the battery is compatible with all Apple devices. The device supports fast charging - the output current to the USB connectors is 2.4 A. In order to monitor the battery capacity, there are special LED indicators at the end. A nice bonus is that the smartphone is connected to the battery using the included Lightning cable.

With record capacity

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If you need a strategic boost of power, check out the HyperJuice 26,000mAh AC Battery Pack. This giant can quickly charge absolutely any device, including a tablet, other portable equipment and even a laptop. There are 2 USB output connectors here. One provides a maximum charging power of 3A at a voltage of 5W, and the other provides a current of 2.4A. A nice bonus is the ability to provide 220W power to any electrical appliances with a power consumption of up to 100W. You can connect a laptop, a flashlight, and even a blender to this battery.

The HyperJuice AC Battery Pack case is made of aluminum alloy, which perfectly protects the device from external mechanical influences.

We hope that our tips will help you buy a truly high-quality external battery and charge your phone, smartphone, laptop or e-reader without any problems.

Don't know how to choose an external battery for phone? Everything is extremely simple, but requires basic attention. How to make a wise choice will be discussed below.

Problems and methods for resolving them

Why is an external charger so popular today, since the power of standard lithium energy sources used in the same mobile phones is growing every year? We should not forget the fact that all models, without exception (or with rare “Chinese” exceptions), are positioned as smartphones.

As sales dynamics show, push-button phones if they are in the hands of users, they are rather used as backup, so as not to be “promptly” damaged during operation by the expensive iPhone.

Or, previously popular “push-button” devices are used as a status solution, but despite this, their popularity has practically disappeared.

The same smartphones that are used today differ significantly from their predecessors (compare at least the models of 2009 and 2016); in terms of their performance, modern developments are head and shoulders above their “grandfathers” in all respects.

This is the whole problem, with the increase in functionality, the performance of the phone itself, the diagonal of the sensor, on most of them the standard battery charge lasts for a maximum of 1-2 days of normal use.

And you must admit that if you use your mobile phone intensively, the likelihood of the battery draining at the most inopportune time is very high.

All that remains is to protect yourself by purchasing an additional power source for your mobile phone, which you can carry with you on the road without fear of stopping due to the low battery charge of your only means of communication with the outside world.

All reviews of phones with long-lasting batteries are here

Where and when is an external battery useful?

A universal external battery that can be useful virtually anywhere.

For example, the following situations can be noted:

• A trip to the village or to nature in order to ensure your own relaxation. Of course, it is best to take a push-button phone with you, the charge of which will certainly last for a long time (well, at least, with reasonable use, for 4-6 days). But what if it’s not there? The smartphone, as mentioned above, will die after the first day of use, and the vacationer will be left without communication. In this case, an additional charging unit will save the situation.
• When you are traveling to work, especially when it comes to large cities. When riding in the subway, in order to keep yourself busy, you want to play, or watch a video on a mobile device, listen to music, and this in itself leads to a faster discharge of the smartphone. In addition, you can’t always be sure that you managed to charge it in a hurry, so that the remaining 10% of the charge will not be enough for the road. Naturally, if you have an external charger with you, the problem will be solved.
• Finally, the most common situation is when you forgot your charger for stationary use at home. Or don’t wear it on principle, relying on the “immortality” of the smartphone in any situation. You just risk spending a lot of time at work, school, or looking for a way to recharge (and if you don’t plug two wires into an outlet, no one will give it to you). An external charging unit will also help in this situation.

See a detailed review of a phone with a record capacity

What is Power Bank - a few terms

So, what is an external battery, or as the device is commonly called in progressive Europe, a Power Bank? According to information from the developers of such a unique device, this is a kind of set of batteries (ordinary batteries), placed in a special case, with outputs for USB.

Interestingly, this connector is universal, since you can easily purchase a set of adapters, and this way you can charge any modern mobile device.

You should be careful with older models and brands of phones, since it is not always possible to find the optimal connector for them.

The device is enclosed in a housing (plastic for cheaper models, aluminum for more expensive ones), characterized by increased strength and resistance to shocks and deformations.

Do not forget that real batteries are used for mobile devices (for example, for the same Samsung smartphones), which, if not properly supervised by the owner, can explode.

Depending on the selected model of external charger, indicators such as quality and class of batteries used may differ.

Fundamental differences are also noted in the style and concept itself, taking into account that each developer tries to “stand out” among competitors and offer the market only an original technical device.

Recently, in the market segment, impressive elements have appeared in comparison with conventional ones, which allow you to simultaneously charge several devices connected to them.

However, no matter how menacing the unit may look, its purpose remains the same - charging for smartphones and other mobile devices.

Wireless charging from LG - see detailed features and specifications

Next, it is proposed to review the most “relevant” aspects of choosing a unit in order to simply understand what is the best approach to purchasing and how this will affect the future performance of the device.

The analysis is proposed to be carried out on specific performance indicators that can be characterized as very important for the user.

Charger from Nokia - see review here

Which device capacity to choose?

The very first thing you should know about an external battery when purchasing it is the capacity indicator. What should be expected in this situation is that the best unit is the one that has the maximum capacity, and this is often related to the number of batteries installed in it. The capacity indicator is set in milliamp-hours (abbreviated mAh).

Also, the number of batteries significantly affects the final weight, even the dimensions of the device itself. The larger the capacity, the more energy such a battery can deliver to your mobile device.

But not everything is so simple, I would like to pay attention to one important point.

One clear example can be given with batteries created at an official factory and at a local Chinese production.

True, this applies more to computer equipment, but official models have original factory-powered batteries. Logically, if you take a battery with increased power, it must certainly be heavier.

In fact, if you choose a cheap Chinese battery made in China (supposedly with increased power!), its weight is half that of the original one, and it holds a charge about 2-3 times less.

Therefore, you should not trust colorful stickers; it is best to check such batteries, at least by weight, or by performance indicators based on the condition of the phone.

What elements are in an external battery?

As the technical documentation shows (and as you can verify from your own experience), external batteries are equipped with Li-on elements (as an alternative to Li-pol), which are currently positioned as the most proven energy sources relevant for recharging a mobile device. The first type is usually understood as lithium-ion cells, the second - lithium-polymer.

Among their advantages, the following can be highlighted in a nutshell:

• A sufficiently low level of self-discharge rate, which will allow you to use the device for a long time without the need to additionally recharge the battery itself;
• The maximum possible specific energy intensity is another important selection criterion that should be made in favor of lithium cells;
• High performance characteristics, thanks to which the process of use will be as pleasant as possible for the potential user.

By the way, it is worth noting that the record capacity for such devices today is approximately 25,000 mAh, there are a significant number of options for what and how to charge such an external battery.

Criteria for choosing a battery for smartphones

As a separate point, I would like to highlight the issue of choosing a specific model based on the capacity indicator. For example, if your smartphone has a rechargeable battery with a capacity of 2500 mAh, the optimal solution for charging it would be an external cell with a capacity of 3000-3500 mAh. There is no point in taking less; you can try more, but it will be clearly unnecessary.

For example, to fully charge the same tablet We can recommend using an external battery with a capacity of about 5000 mAh or even more, depending on the screen resolution, diagonal, and other performance indicators. This is really the best option, given that models that are too “capacious” are also too “expensive”; they simply will not pay for themselves.

How many times can you charge a mobile device?

Still, I would like to analyze the issue of using high-capacity external elements to charge conventional smartphones. Let's imagine a situation: your phone has a battery capacity of 2500 mAh, and the charger has 10,000 mAh.

At first, you may be happy about the possibility that such a capacity will be enough for as many as 4 (!) full charges, but in practice everything looks completely different.

The approximate number of charges will vary within three, and the reason for this factor is extremely simple. First of all, the minimum self-discharge of the battery is relevant, and an external battery is actually no different from a regular one, just in its location outside the phone and with a larger capacity.

Over time, the capacity indicators, just like when using conventional batteries, will deteriorate.

How long do smartphones with batteries up to 2800 mAh last?

It is worth noting such an indicator as the voltage, which in external type batteries is set at approximately 3.7 V, which, let’s say, may also depend on the overall charge level at the current time.

Therefore, the value can change either up or down. If we talk about the Power Bank, its voltage is 5.0 V, provided that there is some circuit inside that helps increase the voltage to the required value.

This circuit also has its own efficiency indicator, which differs for each manufacturer. To ensure the most reliable and full charge of your mobile device, when choosing, you should add another 30% to the capacity of your battery.

Appearance, body

There are no specific preferences regarding the appearance of devices; “design” is an individual choice for everyone. I just wanted to note the advantages of choosing devices housed in aluminum cases, which, as practice shows, are more resistant to mechanical and other types of impact.

The bottom line is that during the operation of the product, situations will arise in which it is subject to damage during prolonged wear, often inaccurately, to various impacts and deformations.

If the case is plastic, the likelihood of it being damaged remains extremely high, which will ultimately force the owner to go to the store very soon to get a replacement.

Among others, aluminum, of course, although a fairly soft metal, will protect the structure from possible deformations and will not allow plaque to form on the surface.

As you can see, choosing an external battery is quite simple and does not require decisive action or much thought from the buyer. But if the choice is made correctly, you can forget about the sudden discharge of your mobile device for a long time, at least until the battery becomes completely unusable.

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