Hi all. In my humble opinion, Power Bank is the most useful accessory for all owners of mobile devices, be it an iPhone or an Android phone, Apple Watch or Bluetooth headphones. Power Bank allows you to charge gadgets on the go, while on public transport, while traveling, in the deepest forest...
Therefore, I decided to compile an up-to-date selection of the best Power Banks. But first, just a little educational background.
Power bank consists of a plastic or metal body. Inside it are rechargeable batteries and a control chip. As a rule, a Power Bank is charged either from USB or from an electrical outlet. Any exotic charging methods should not be taken seriously. For example, Power Banks that charge from the sun are popular on sale. In practice, they charge very slowly this way.
Most important characteristic Power bank is a capacity. On the market you can most often find models of 5000, 10000, 20000 mAh. Which container to choose depends entirely on your needs. Based on the capacity of the Power Bank and the battery capacity of your gadget, you can calculate how many times the Power Bank will charge your gadget. Just consider the efficiency. In my calculations I focus on efficiency = 80-85%.
Pisen 20000. Capacity is our everything!
The most ordered PowerBank was a device from Pisen with a screen that displays the amount of remaining charge as a percentage. The declared capacity is 20,000 mAh, which is a lot (enough to charge the iPhone 7 Plus 6 times, no less). You can charge two devices at once via two USB outputs.
Accordingly, such a capacious Power Bank has a decent weight - 476 grams. Add wires and you have at least half a kilogram.
If you need a decent amount of charge when traveling, then the Power Bank from Pisen is a great choice.
Xiaomi 5000. Only 160 grams!
If you need the most portable solution, then you can take Xiaomi with a capacity of 5000 mAh. It is definitely enough to charge your phone or tablet once. This is what he was created for. It will fit perfectly into a handbag and will not strain the owner of this bag with its weight.
The advantage of Xiaomi Power Banks is their proven quality and stylish silver design. I've been using the same one for over a year and am very pleased.
Xiaomi Power Bank 2! Second version of the popular model
I have Xiaomi Power Bank 10000 version 1 and I am very happy with it. Charges very quickly - does not lose capacity while traveling. The second version should be no worse.
Power Bank version 2 has become thinner with the same capacity of 10,000 mAh. The designers rethought the power button - now it is not round, but a thin oval. Otherwise, this is still the same high-quality device from Xiaomi.
Power Bank USAMS! Minecraft lovers?
The next model has a very strange color. The surface seems to be pixelated. The manufacturer called it beautifully: Mosaic Texture Design. There are three types of colors to choose from.
USAMS weighs only 185 grams, but has a rather impressive capacity of 10,000 mAh. I can’t believe it, but in the comments everyone praises the work of this unusual-looking Power Bank.
Power Bank 2600 mAh
Perhaps the most compact option from the “Cheap and cheerful!” category. For $5 you will get a mini charger for about one charge of your smartphone. In principle, not the worst option for an emergency. 93 grams of weight will not weigh down any bag or pocket too much. But here's to charge modern models This Power Bank will not work as an entire iPad.
Have a great shopping everyone!
We have already found out a lot about portable Power bank, and now I would like to talk about cases when the Power bank does not charge the phone, what to do and what ways there are to solve this problem. Don’t think that this problem can only befall low-quality, cheap models. Even owners of famous “energy reserves” are not immune from device malfunctions.
In fact, many of us do not always correctly diagnose our gadgets. Perhaps it’s not the power bank that’s moping, but mobile device. Therefore, the first thing to do is to put another device (smartphone, tablet or e-book). Or connect the device to a fixed network and see if the energy is restored. If charging does not proceed, then we begin to deal with the power bank. For an iPhone, the most common cause of poor charging is a dirty port, so if you have owned the gadget for quite a long time, then you should start with cleaning.
At the second diagnostic stage, you should check the integrity USB cable. The presence of cracks and kinks should alert you. Try using a different cable. If the phone charges safely, then it will be enough to simply replace the damaged cable.
Problems with power supply external battery may be as follows:
- At first the battery is filling, but then it is interrupted;
- charging in progress So slow;
- The battery capacity of the phone is not fully replenished;
- The gadget is not charging at all.
Each specific case will have its own solution. Let's take a closer look at them.
Charging starts at first, but then stops
If you have a Chinese power bank, then it is quite expected that the declared capacity will not correspond to the actual one. In this case, for a device with a real capacity of 3000 mAh, it will be problematic to fully charge a smartphone with a 2200 mAh battery. What to do? Buy a portable battery with a capacity twice that of a smartphone.
Another reason that the power bank first charges the device and then stops may be hidden in the controller, which interrupts the power due to overheating or failure. It is possible that the premature completion of the process is due to a malfunction of the contacts, which at times simply come off. More specific information can only be obtained after an inspection at a service center.
Slow charging speed
Often users are faced with the need to charge their iPhone from a power bank only when it is turned off. The only inconvenience is that everyone would like to stay connected or continue to “dig” the Internet while recharging, rather than wait patiently for several hours. So the whole point of a portable battery is lost. So why do you have to turn off your phone? The problem is hidden in the very low charging speed, which does not cover or barely covers the rate of current energy consumption.
This may happen due to:
- defective controller;
- insufficient output current (if the power bank has a 1 A connector, and the smartphone requires 1.5 A, then the energy transfer rate will drop significantly);
- a cable that is too thin, reducing current and voltage (ideally, you should not use the universal wires included in the kit, but the original ones purchased in a specialized store);
- simultaneous connection of several devices to a battery with a small capacity.
Running “heavy” applications and viruses on the phone can interfere with full charging. Also, if the power bank does not charge your smartphone well, then it is worth calibrating the battery. To do this, you first need to completely discharge the batteries, and then charge them to 100% and do this 3 times. Both the power bank and the smartphone need to be calibrated. If the phone is more than 3 years old, then we must not forget about the natural process of capacity decline. Visually check the battery for bulges and swelling - this battery should not be used.
The smartphone cannot be charged to 100%
We partially touched on this problem in the previous sections.
Regardless of the reason, before visiting the service center, I recommend doing the following:
- check whether the smartphone is fully charged when the smartphone is turned off;
- carry out calibration using a fixed network.
It is quite possible that it is not the power bank that is not fully charging the smartphone, but that the program simply displays the charge level incorrectly. To check this you need to use additional devices, or compare with the process from a 220 V network.
The phone is not charging at all
The first thing you should pay attention to is the compatibility of the power bank and the smartphone model. If there is incompatibility, the power bank accumulates energy, works properly, the indicator blinks, but does not charge the connected device. To check, connect another smartphone and see if it charges. If it turns out that the power bank does not charge only your smartphone, then there is only one way out - buy another one, checking in advance about compatibility.
If earlier the energy transfer went smoothly, but suddenly the power bank stopped charging the phone, then there is definitely a malfunction or wear of one of the two batteries. The malfunction may be related to the cable, the condition of the connectors and the board. The reason may be a fall, improper operation, high humidity (oxidation of contacts), or the banal depletion of battery life.
The recommendations provided in this article should be taken as advice and not instructions. They will help you understand the problem and avoid unreasonable contact with service center, however, in case of a serious malfunction, specialists must solve the problem. Incompetent “treatment” of the device can lead to irreparable consequences.
Thank you for taking the time to read the article. I hope you were able to find the information you needed and don’t regret your time. Subscribe to updates and share the link with friends on social networks.
If you want to stay informed, I'm in instagram, where I post new articles that appear on the site.
See you again on my blog. Sincerely, Rostislav Kuzmin.
Battery mobile phone it swells due to the incorrect occurrence of a chemical reaction in it, which is accompanied by the release of gas and increased pressure. This causes the battery case to deform to one degree or another. Everything is clear here... But there are many reasons why the reaction began to proceed incorrectly.
Let's list the most common ones:
Manufacturing defects. It usually pops up during the first weeks of using a new phone.
Phone falling. If the phone (and the battery along with it) receives strong impacts, this can lead to swelling of the battery. Even if the phone is armor-piercing, still try not to drop it.
The battery has reached the end of its service life. It is difficult to say in advance what kind of life the battery has. He can live 3 years or 5 years. but if you have been using the battery for many years, then this reason is one of the most likely.
Incorrect battery charging.
Long-term contact closure.
Water ingress. This may also lead to battery failure.
Temperature test. If your phone has been used in harsh conditions (hot, cold), as well as sudden temperature changes, then there is a danger that the battery will swell.
Using a non-original charger. A charger purchased on the market may be of poor quality. Wrong charging mode - and here you have a swollen battery!
In the vast majority of cases, replacing the battery (with a new one, of course) will help.
What to do to prevent your phone battery from swelling
1. Recharge the battery before it is completely discharged.
Usually the phones themselves indicate the need to recharge, showing the corresponding on the displays. this is especially true for devices that operate for a long time.
2. Do not forget that the phone is left on charge, connected to the mains, and monitor the charging process. Any unnecessary overcharging can cause the battery to swell.
3. Do not break the seal of the phone battery; make sure that it is not subject to shocks, falls, or deformations. Otherwise, the user of the “pipe” will also experience swelling of the battery.
4. Do not recharge your mobile phone for five minutes unless necessary, connecting it to the power supply at every convenient moment. Short-term recharging will do nothing but damage the battery and cause it to go out of normal operating mode.
5. Do not carry the battery in a pocket where there are other metal objects, dust, etc. Shorted contacts of a telephone battery lead to overheating of the battery, its subsequent swelling, and boiling of the electrolyte.
What to do if the battery is swollen:
Do not use it and, if possible, dispose of it in special places.
This is a review of a Power Bank with a nice design and appearance, as well as two USB outputs for charging devices. For those interested - under cat.
It all started with the fact that my phone is eating up the battery terribly. I decided to buy a Power Bank within 500 rubles and the choice fell on this. I liked the design, the amount of mAh, which actually does not correspond to the characteristics, and two USB outputs.
I waited 66 days. Here's what came in the kit:
Set:
Power Bank
Set of nozzles
USB cable with native output
I've been using this thing for 3 months now, I'm absolutely satisfied with everything. I carry it with me in my briefcase, it’s very compact. It’s also an indispensable thing when traveling, I traveled by train, charged it everywhere, and was a great saver.
Types of attachments: Mini-USB, Nokia connector, old Samsung connector, Micro-USB, Apple-like, and another unknown to me, maybe for Motorola, I don’t know.
So, tests:
I charge this Power Bank once a week and every day I charge my phone a little bit, about 20%. Enough for a week. I did tests to see how many “machs” there really are, completely discharged the tablet, the tablet’s battery is 4000 mAh, connected the Power Bank and waited. As a result, the Power Bank was depleted by 55%, resulting in somewhere around ~2200 mAh. Of course they do not correspond to the label, which says 5000 mAh. But this volume is enough for me, I have no complaints.
I also didn’t like the USB cable that came in the kit, and I didn’t like the attachments either. After 2-3 weeks of use, the phone was charging from time to time, it turns out there are problems in the cable and in the attachments, apparently the contact is bad, you have to charge at a certain angle. Therefore, all these cables and attachments are thrown into the trash and it is better to use a native USB cable. By the way, the charging time also depends. On the native one it charges much faster.
Outputs: 
We have 2 outputs for charging devices and one input for charging the Power Bank itself. I charge from Computer USB, charges fully in 5 hours. One output is 1 Amp, the other is 500 milliamps. I always charge with the first exit, everything is fine. In 10 minutes the phone charges 5-7%, considering that I charged it with the original cable and the battery capacity of the phone is 1550 mAh.
Internals: 
There are also 3 LEDs showing the capacity of the Power Bank. If 3 are on, then 100%, if two are on, then the charge is approximately 70%, when one is on, approximately 30-20%.
Advantages and disadvantages:
Nice design
+ Two USB output
+ Compact
- The capacity does not match the specified characteristics
- Bad cable and attachments included
Result:
The thing is good, I personally really liked it. Helps in situations where you need to recharge your devices. It’s generally an irreplaceable thing when traveling, but the battery capacity is still small, but it’s enough to charge the phone a couple of times. Thanks to its compact size, you can put it anywhere, even in your pocket.
I recommend buying it, it's an excellent product.
29.02.2016
What should you do if your smartphone/phone battery suddenly “swells”?!
Ideal mechanisms capable of working without wear have not yet been invented. Therefore, a couple of months after purchasing a smartphone, you notice that it begins to “discharge” more and more often, the device cannot withstand the usual loads and constantly asks with a flashing icon: “Please connect the power source!” But often a smartphone battery brings other “surprises”. One of them is battery swelling
By what signs can you understand that the battery is swollen?
The back cover began to constantly “fly off” and “hunch over”.
The battery charge lasts literally for several hours.
Frequent charging (several times a day) has become a vital necessity.
The gadget began to reboot, turn on and off by itself.
The device serves you for more than 2 years.
IMPORTANT! It is traditionally believed that a battery lasts 2-3 years (its lifespan is designed for this period). After this, it begins to lose capacity, “swell” and become the cause of “glitches” in your device.
What happens if you don’t replace the battery in time?
Many users, after discovering a malfunction and swelling, say: “Well, okay! It will still work, I’ll buy a new battery a little later!” At first, the battery will serve as before: require charging, constantly fail. If you forget to buy a battery for your phone, then one day you will take the gadget for repair (or throw it in the trash). The fact is that the battery contains dangerous substances that can “flood” the device and cause colossal damage to it.
INTERESTING! A failed battery is dangerous not only for the gadget. There are messages on forums about “domestic explosions” of the product (and this is already dangerous for the life of the owner of the device, his family members and other people). The reason for the explosion is simple: gases accumulate inside the battery over time. When there are too many of them, the product explodes. Therefore, do not store swollen batteries at home!
For what reasons does the battery swell?
There are several key reasons why you will have to go to a service center.
Manufacturing defects. Often found among “Chinese” batteries. Manufacturer defects are discovered within the first two weeks of use of the gadget. If you have recently purchased a device and “suspect” the battery to be defective, contact the sales center (the store where you bought the equipment). Bring with you the warranty card, purchase receipt and other documents that were given to you at the service center.
Phone falling. A strong impact with the ground is one of the main causes of malfunction. A phone battery can fail even if the case is in perfect condition.
Incorrect charging. If you constantly put the device on charge, then abruptly pulled it out, the battery life was used up.
Contact with water or moisture. We are not talking about those situations when your device fell into a bowl of water/lake/river/puddle. Here the cause of the malfunction is visible and understandable. Often moisture “sneaks in” unnoticed: if you use the device outdoors in damp weather, if you place it next to sources of moisture, and for other reasons.
Impact of temperatures. There is no need to place the device on a radiator, dry it with a hairdryer or under a fire flame. Due to the effects of temperature, it is not only the battery that fails: the contacts become faulty and materials melt. You should not use the device at low temperatures.
"Bad" charging. A non-original charger is a serious reason for battery failure. If you are going to buy a battery for your phone to replace the old one, and it quickly fails: it will be “drained” by a low-quality charger.
Incorrect use. Do not carry the battery in a bag, pocket or purse containing metal objects. This leads to rapid equipment failure. Shorted battery contacts cause it to overheat. This is followed by severe swelling, after which the electrolyte boils.
Lifetime. If you use the device for more than 2 years, the battery begins to “limp” due to old age. Someone decides to buy a battery, while others rely on purchasing a new gadget.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW! Look at the manufacturer " old battery", remember her specifications. There have been cases when the “new” battery did not match the technical and functional characteristics of the device, which is why it quickly failed.
How to extend the life of a swollen battery? Is it possible to do this?
Keep the number of “recharges” to a minimum (this often requires simply turning off Wi-Fi, location tracking, and “background” tasks).
Remove and inspect the battery. If it has an aluminum case, note that there is a special window on top under the sensor-controller board. If you lift it slightly, the gases will “come out” and the battery will become flatter.
Lithium-ion batteries should not be thrown away in the same place as regular trash! Even after working for a long time, they pose a danger to the environment. Therefore, take the faulty battery to special collection and recycling points for batteries.
When will you have to go to the store and buy a new battery?
The phone can work without connecting to the network for several minutes (or hours).
The device does not accept a charge, i.e. “does not charge” (but the charger works with other gadgets).
Sooner or later, but you will have to go for new battery. To extend the battery life, there are simple recommendations:
Only charge the battery when it is at 0%. It is advisable to set aside time for the gadget to charge to 100%.
Protect the device from external influences, moisture, falls from great heights and other problems.
Use high quality and original charging device, suitable for your phone/smartphone/tablet model.
Try to “load” your gadget as little as possible. Avoid always-on “tracking” mode wireless network and other “battery-eating” little things.
Check the battery condition from time to time. For example, create a reminder to “disassemble” the gadget once every 3 months or six months to assess the condition and performance of the battery.
The rules will help you extend your battery life. Statistics say that battery failure occurs in 80% of devices that are more than 3 years old. So you have a reason to disassemble the device right now and check the battery condition. It is possible that in a couple of months you will need to go to the store for a new battery.