Power Banks

Power Bank

We've all been in situations where we need to make an important phone call & our mobile device has a low battery. A Portable Power Bank becomes handy during times like these, especially when there is no power source nearby.

The Type-C port has been around for some time now, & the majority of Android flagship smart phones nowadays offer the USB-C port. Subsequently powerbanks with Type C ports have grown in popularity as a standard for charging Android devices & even laptops.

How to decide on the capacity of the power bank to buy?

Your device battery will determine how much capacity you will need in a  power bank. The actual capacity of a power bank is approximately two-thirds of the capacity that is indicated due to energy loss and voltage conversion. The majority of available power banks have efficiency between 60%-70%. As a result, the rated output capacity of a power bank with 10,000 mAh is actually between 6,000mAh and 7,000 mAh. So if your device has a 3300 mAh battery then 7000/3300 = 2.1 times is the approximate number of times this power bank will charge your device.

Given how power hungry devices are today, any power bank with less than 10,000 mAh battery will be insufficient. You'll need a power bank with more than 10,000 mAh, if you want to charge standard phones & larger mAh for devices like tablets & laptops. A power bank with at least 10,000 mAh can charge a phone up to two to three times and a tablet up to 1 time without needing to be recharged.

Why Would I need a Type C Enabled Power Bank ?

Nowadays, most devices being launched are with USB-C ports. Infact global standards are enforcing brands to move completely to Type C as a universal charging standard. There are power banks for laptops that charge faster through USB-C because of Power Delivery. USB-C now easily accommodates power of upto 100 watts and 20 volts, while USB-A could only support up to 2.5 watts and 5 volts. Compared to standard USB, USB-PD via Type C can charge smart phones and tablets up to 70% faster. The wattage of the USB Type-C PD power bank ranges from 7.5W to 100W and can be automatically adjusted to match the connected devices via standard USB Type-C ports. Moreover, UltraProlink offers a high-end, high-power battery bank for laptops, the 100W & 120W Juice-Up series power bank.

Is it safe to use a power bank for my laptop?

As long as the power bank you are using is BIS compliant & from a reliable brand there is no harm is using one for your laptop. Do remember to buy a power bank with adequate battery power ( see the formula for calculation above) and it must have a power delivery -PD Type C output to support the latest laptops that power up on Type C PD. Some brands even support older laptops with DC connectors like UltraProlink Juice-Up 120 ( 120W / 24000mAh)

How much capacity power bank do airlines allow?   

Hand baggage is the only way to carry rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. Power banks get restricted to a rating of 100 watt hours (Wh) per battery. One can also bring two larger (up to 160 Wh) spare batteries with approval from the airline.

Watt-hours are the number of watts the power bank can supply each hour. Watt-hours are equal to (capacity) divided by (nominal voltage). The normal voltage for power banks is 3.8V; thus, 38Wh is the capacity of a 10000mAh power bank. 100Wh has 26315mAh (3.8V) capacity.

What is the highest battery capacity available?   

If you intend to travel for an extended period, power banks with an extremely high capacity are a must. Power banks between 25000 and 50000 mAh can charge larger devices like laptops and digital cameras as well as give your mobile phone multiple full charges. The ones which range amongst 24000-27000 are more than sufficient for laptops & phones as they are very portable yet powerful.

With a 24000mAh (88.8Wh) battery capacity and an efficiency of over 65%, UltraProlink has premium multi-functional power banks. The company also provides another multi-function power bank for laptops that have a 26800mAh battery, PD 100W output and is much more powerful. The power banks offered are extremely light & portable.