Suggestions for Power Banks please

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I have one - bought several years ago - a Cheero 20000 mAh which has been used many time and is truly a godsend in a power cut.

I want to give one to a friend who was away from mains electricity for several weeks earlier this year when up in the Highlands - yes he could charge up his phone in his van but that meant he had to be driving the beast so the van battery didn't go flat .

He should not have to spend as long again 'off grid' but a decent Power bank would be a good idea for him .

He uses an iPhone [ shouldn't really matter what he uses ] and occasionally has to tether it to his iPad.

Any suggestions as to make etc would be a BIG help - I'm not technically minded
 
I've had a few of these over the years and found the Anker range to be the best.
 
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TBH, if he's going to be van based, I'd get a dual battery system for the van and use a leisure battery (IIRC they can cope with deep discharge/charge cycling better than "normal" car batteries) as a power bank.
 
normally he's not away in the van for more than a couple of nights and usually has access to a mains supply then.

This year was somewhat different - he was in an area he knows but the expected mains supply wasn't available due to the lockdown

I'll take a look at the Anker stuff - thanks for the suggestion
 
The next power bank i'll be getting will likely be an XTAR PB2S. Its basically a battery charger that doubles as a power bank. So you can bring along a few extra charged batteries if you are going to be away for a while. You can use up to 21700 size which can each have up to 5ah.
The PB2s uses a USB-C as input or output and USB-A as output only & it also has QC charging protocol for fast charging.
 
Thanks all - will now cogitate
 
Rapscallion said:
The next power bank i'll be getting will likely be an XTAR PB2S. Its basically a battery charger that doubles as a power bank. So you can bring along a few extra charged batteries if you are going to be away for a while. You can use up to 21700 size which can each have up to 5ah.
The PB2s uses a USB-C as input or output and USB-A as output only & it also has QC charging protocol for fast charging.
Click to expand...
Does it use the charged batteries to power the powerbank?
 
90% of all the people I know who use powerbanks use Ankers. It's the brand that everybody recommends. I have a couple of low capacity ones and they work really well. Ravpower are also making a name for themselves as a poor man's Anker :)

If you just want to charge an iPhone/iPad then a 20k Anker will cost about 30 quid on Amazon and provide 2 - 3 charges.

I bought this for a trip but the wireless charging is fiddly and honestly, I wish I'd just bought this instead :)

ETA: Just read the review of the XTAR above - looks a very nice piece of kit.
 
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The latest iPhones support fast charging via their Apple A1720 power adapter. Looking at its power label, it says it supports 5v 3A or 9v 2A. So this is the spec you'll want to match with your power bank.

I bought this one when it was on special offer, something like £14.
www.currys.co.uk

GOJI G6P20PD20 20,000 mAh Portable Power Bank - Black

Compatible with smartphones & tablets; 20100 mAh; Charges up to 3 devices at once; Includes USB-A to USB-C cable
www.currys.co.uk www.currys.co.uk
I can recommend this, it is solidly built and stores lots of energy. I've had trouble finding power banks that would charge my Oculus Quest while playing (5v 3A), this one does the job very nicely, extending Quest playtime from 2 hours to 6-8 hours. Also works nicely as counterweight for the front-heavy headset. Only downside is that its battery status LED is hard to read.

The XTAR looks like a great idea. It can go on forever with a bag full replacement batteries (stored Li-on batteries carefully). Although the PB2S 5v output is a bit on the low side by today's standard. I'm sure later iterations can improve on it.


edit:
Just saw this, seems a good deal for 20,000mAh, ugreen are not bad, similar to Anker, they are a high quality Chinese manufacturer:

Ugreen 20000mAh Wireless & Wired Power Bank / USB C 18W PD - £19.79 With Code - Sold By Ugreen Group Limited UK / Fulfilled by Amazon | hotukdeals

www.hotukdeals.com www.hotukdeals.com
5v 3A on all ports, 9v 2A available on USB-C port as well. There is also wireless charging in a pinch if you forgot the cable.
 
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If he wants a bank capable of starting his vehicle then I have this one. I used it last year when our Toyota stood for weeks in different locations.
(we were moving house).For the power it is small.

it also doubles as a phone charger etc.

NOCO Boost Plus GB40 1000 Amp 12-Volt UltraSafe Portable Lithium Jump Starter, Car Battery Booster Pack, And Jump Leads For Up To 6-Liter Gasoline And 3-Liter Diesel Engines: Amazon.co.uk: Car & Motorbike

NOCO Boost Plus GB40 1000 Amp 12-Volt UltraSafe Portable Lithium Jump Starter, Car Battery Booster Pack, And Jump Leads For Up To 6-Liter Gasoline And 3-Liter Diesel Engines: Amazon.co.uk: Car & Motorbike
www.amazon.co.uk
 
That's a very good choice. I have been very happy with mine.
 
We thought it looked suitable . It should cope with everything he needs when away for a few days in the van.

Mine is no longer used that way [ I've had it for a good few years - 6? ]- but as I'm no longer doing the travelling between Scotland and Ireland as I was , it's now always charged up , used from time to time but really kept for use in Electricity outages
 
I bought a PNY 10400 a couple of years ago on a 3 week trip to a third world country where there were often power cuts (but not for long). The power bank charged my iPhone 6S from less than 10% to full four times.

I’ve not really tested it as much with my 11 Pro.
 
Get a hubi , the best little solar setup I've ever had
 
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