A Powerbank is a portable battery backup device that is designed to supply electrical power to charge small electrical devices. These include smartphones, wireless Bluetooth speakers, LED lights etc. There are Powerbanks that are even capable of charging laptops these days.

There are so many misconceptions and myths about powerbanks that this author can spend a whole day debunking. But we do not have all day.

How do powerbanks work?

A powerbank is essentially a battery with a circuit board that is designed to charge other devices. Every good powerbank should have a circuit board with a chip that can intelligently monitor the battery, ensure safe charging and modify or cut off power supply if need be.

Every powerbank that uses wired charging conforms to the USB 5V standard. The batteries inside a powerbank have a standard voltage of 3.7V. When a device is plugged to a powerbank, the current is stepped up from 3.7V to 4.2V - 5V. This stepped up current is then delivered to the device being charged.

Powerbank capacity

Due to this conversion of battery voltage from 3.7V to 5V, a good amount of electrical power is lost, mostly as heat. As a result, powerbanks cannot deliver their full advertised capacity. Powerbank manufacturers advertise the capacity of their batteries when it is stored at 3.7V. When checking a powerbank’s capacity, it could be written as 30,000mAh at 3.7V or 18,000mAh at 5V.

When 3.7V is converted to between 4.2 – 5V, the amount of current that the powerbank can deliver falls drastically. There is a very simple formula to convert this.

Actual capacity = Advertised capacity (mAh) x 3.7V x 0.8 ÷ 4.2V

For a 20,000mAh
Actual capacity = 20,000 x 3.7 x 0.8 ÷ 4.2V
Actual capacity = 59200 ÷ 4.2
Actual capacity = 14,000mAh approx.

If you cannot remember this formula, then always remember this. A powerbank can only deliver approximately two-thirds (2/3) of the advertised capacity. This means that a 5,000mAh would deliver approximately (5,000 x 2/3=) 3,400mAh. A 10,000mAh would give approximately (10,000 x 2/3 =) 6,700mAh. A 30,000mAh can give out 20,000mAh approximately.

How much charge can a powerbank actually give

Now that we have seen how powerbank capacity is being calculated, how much charge a powerbank gives out, especially to a phone is not an exact science. If a phone is used while being charged, work done could be equal to zero. If the phone was left alone or even switched off, then the powerbank would accurately charge its battery properly. The age of the powerbank and its charge capacity is also another factor to look at. Powerbanks tend to lose capacity as they age. A 2 year old, 20,000mAh powerbank may only have 10,000mAh left.

Do powerbanks destroy phone batteries?

Yes and no. A good powerbank has no negative effect on your battery. It should come with a good circuit board to ensure safe and quality charging. A bad powerbank on the other hand would destroy your battery. This is why it is important to buy powerbanks from reputable brands instead of cheap generic brands from roadside vendors.

How to choose a good powerbank

The first step is to always do research. A lot of people are too lazy these days to do research. Read reviews and learn to distinguish between real and paid reviews. Manufacturer’s brand name and reputation matter a lot here as well. Names like Anker, Aukey, Romoss, Xiaomi etc. should come to mind.

Check the powerbank’s specs (input, output, capacity etc.) as well. If a spec looks too good to be true, it probably is. Someone once showed me a 100,000mAh powerbank. I laughed it off and said it was a scam. The bigger the capacity, the heavier the powerbank. Always do your research before splashing your cash.

https://inquisitiveuniverse.com/2021/05/12/powerbanks/

Well-done

@atheistandproud, thanks. This is very informative.

Please guys I have an issue with mine.Anytime I charge my phone(or any phone) with it,it trips off after a couple of minutes the issue started this week...is there anything I can do to stop this??

Going to buy Power Bank

You deserve an award

tayo60:
Well-done

Thank you

Randerl:
@atheistandproud, thanks. This is very informative.

You're welcome

Mhimi007:
Please guys I have an issue with mine.Anytime I charge my phone(or any phone) with it,it trips off after a couple of minutes the issue started this week...is there anything I can do to stop this??

How old is the powerbank?

Roddwave:
Going to buy Power Bank

Lol

Very informative. Good job,,���

atheistandproud:

How old is the powerbank?

around a year

Nice tip

Mhimi007:
around a year

What brand?

atheistandproud:


What brand?

Voltron my cousin brought it from Malaysia it was workin well before

atheistandproud:
A Powerbank is a portable battery backup device that is designed to supply electrical power to charge small electrical devices. These include smartphones, wireless Bluetooth speakers, LED lights etc. There are Powerbanks that are even capable of charging laptops these days.

There are so many misconceptions and myths about powerbanks that this author can spend a whole day debunking. But we do not have all day.

How do powerbanks work?

A powerbank is essentially a battery with a circuit board that is designed to charge other devices. Every good powerbank should have a circuit board with a chip that can intelligently monitor the battery, ensure safe charging and modify or cut off power supply if need be.

Every powerbank that uses wired charging conforms to the USB 5V standard. The batteries inside a powerbank have a standard voltage of 3.7V. When a device is plugged to a powerbank, the current is stepped up from 3.7V to 4.2V - 5V. This stepped up current is then delivered to the device being charged.

Powerbank capacity

Due to this conversion of battery voltage from 3.7V to 5V, a good amount of electrical power is lost, mostly as heat. As a result, powerbanks cannot deliver their full advertised capacity. Powerbank manufacturers advertise the capacity of their batteries when it is stored at 3.7V. When checking a powerbank’s capacity, it could be written as 30,000mAh at 3.7V or 18,000mAh at 5V.

When 3.7V is converted to between 4.2 – 5V, the amount of current that the powerbank can deliver falls drastically. There is a very simple formula to convert this.

Actual capacity = Advertised capacity (mAh) x 3.7V x 0.8 ÷ 4.2V

For a 20,000mAh
Actual capacity = 20,000 x 3.7 x 0.8 ÷ 4.2V
Actual capacity = 59200 ÷ 4.2
Actual capacity = 14,000mAh approx.

If you cannot remember this formula, then always remember this. A powerbank can only deliver approximately two-thirds (2/3) of the advertised capacity. This means that a 5,000mAh would deliver approximately (5,000 x 2/3=) 3,400mAh. A 10,000mAh would give approximately (10,000 x 2/3 =) 6,700mAh. A 30,000mAh can give out 20,000mAh approximately.

How much charge can a powerbank actually give

Now that we have seen how powerbank capacity is being calculated, how much charge a powerbank gives out, especially to a phone is not an exact science. If a phone is used while being charged, work done could be equal to zero. If the phone was left alone or even switched off, then the powerbank would accurately charge its battery properly. The age of the powerbank and its charge capacity is also another factor to look at. Powerbanks tend to lose capacity as they age. A 2 year old, 20,000mAh powerbank may only have 10,000mAh left.

Do powerbanks destroy phone batteries?

Yes and no. A good powerbank has no negative effect on your battery. It should come with a good circuit board to ensure safe and quality charging. A bad powerbank on the other hand would destroy your battery. This is why it is important to buy powerbanks from reputable brands instead of cheap generic brands from roadside vendors.

How to choose a good powerbank

The first step is to always do research. A lot of people are too lazy these days to do research. Read reviews and learn to distinguish between real and paid reviews. Manufacturer’s brand name and reputation matter a lot here as well. Names like Anker, Aukey, Romoss, Xiaomi etc. should come to mind.

Check the powerbank’s specs (input, output, capacity etc.) as well. If a spec looks too good to be true, it probably is. Someone once showed me a 100,000mAh powerbank. I laughed it off and said it was a scam. The bigger the capacity, the heavier the powerbank. Always do your research before splashing your cash.

https://inquisitiveuniverse.com/2021/05/12/powerbanks/

very good content but what do you know about Oraimo powerbank? I heard it's very durable

This is quite insightful, thanks for sharing OP, which would you suggest I purchase between New Age and Oraimo?

I don't know about MI, but I've been reading good reviews about the romoss powerbanks, and I'll be dropping my oraimo soon cause of the QC 3.0 fast charge spotted on the romoss.

Mhimi007:
Voltron my cousin brought it from Malaysia it was workin well before

Old age or a faulty charging board could be an issue.

Eyanbahose:
very good content but what do you know about Oraimo powerbank? I heard it's very durable

A friend had one, the 20,000mAh own which lasted for about a year and then began misbehaving.

So I won't want to pass judgement too quickly. Personally I wouldn't use either of the two.

It's either Xiaomi, Redmi or Romoss for me.

If my money plenty, Anker, Aukey or Baseus na I go upgrade to.

Hundjager:
This is quite insightful, thanks for sharing OP, which would you suggest I purchase between New Age and Oraimo?

I'll go with Oraimo sha

Just make sure you're getting an original.

atheistandproud:


I'll go with Oraimo sha

Just make sure you're getting an original.

oraimo and that romoss is strong. But Oraimo is more affordable

My friend's Oraimo power bank can charge my phone and his and still have like 9% remaining. It's 10,000 mah, my camon 12 air is about 4000 mah, his phone is 5000 mah so j think the storage and power it says it houses is quite fair.

atheistandproud:


Old age or a faulty charging board could be an issue.

faulty board...can it be fixed??

investigator007:
My friend's Oraimo power bank can charge my phone and his and still have like 9% remaining. It's 10,000 mah, my camon 12 air is about 4000 mah, his phone is 5000 mah so j think the storage and power it says it houses is quite fair.

Which phone is your friend using and for how long? Your own Camon 12 air is quite old now, it's battery capacity should no longer be 4000mah, same may be the case for your friend's.

Gptech:

Which phone is your friend using and for how long? Your own Camon 12 air is quite old now, it's battery capacity should no longer be 4000mah, same may be the case for your friend's.

Spot on

atheistandproud:
A Powerbank is a portable battery backup device that is designed to supply electrical power to charge small electrical devices. These include smartphones, wireless Bluetooth speakers, LED lights etc. There are Powerbanks that are even capable of charging laptops these days.

There are so many misconceptions and myths about powerbanks that this author can spend a whole day debunking. But we do not have all day.

How do powerbanks work?

A powerbank is essentially a battery with a circuit board that is designed to charge other devices. Every good powerbank should have a circuit board with a chip that can intelligently monitor the battery, ensure safe charging and modify or cut off power supply if need be.

Every powerbank that uses wired charging conforms to the USB 5V standard. The batteries inside a powerbank have a standard voltage of 3.7V. When a device is plugged to a powerbank, the current is stepped up from 3.7V to 4.2V - 5V. This stepped up current is then delivered to the device being charged.

Powerbank capacity

Due to this conversion of battery voltage from 3.7V to 5V, a good amount of electrical power is lost, mostly as heat. As a result, powerbanks cannot deliver their full advertised capacity. Powerbank manufacturers advertise the capacity of their batteries when it is stored at 3.7V. When checking a powerbank’s capacity, it could be written as 30,000mAh at 3.7V or 18,000mAh at 5V.

When 3.7V is converted to between 4.2 – 5V, the amount of current that the powerbank can deliver falls drastically. There is a very simple formula to convert this.

Actual capacity = Advertised capacity (mAh) x 3.7V x 0.8 ÷ 4.2V

For a 20,000mAh
Actual capacity = 20,000 x 3.7 x 0.8 ÷ 4.2V
Actual capacity = 59200 ÷ 4.2
Actual capacity = 14,000mAh approx.

If you cannot remember this formula, then always remember this. A powerbank can only deliver approximately two-thirds (2/3) of the advertised capacity. This means that a 5,000mAh would deliver approximately (5,000 x 2/3=) 3,400mAh. A 10,000mAh would give approximately (10,000 x 2/3 =) 6,700mAh. A 30,000mAh can give out 20,000mAh approximately.

How much charge can a powerbank actually give

Now that we have seen how powerbank capacity is being calculated, how much charge a powerbank gives out, especially to a phone is not an exact science. If a phone is used while being charged, work done could be equal to zero. If the phone was left alone or even switched off, then the powerbank would accurately charge its battery properly. The age of the powerbank and its charge capacity is also another factor to look at. Powerbanks tend to lose capacity as they age. A 2 year old, 20,000mAh powerbank may only have 10,000mAh left.

Do powerbanks destroy phone batteries?

Yes and no. A good powerbank has no negative effect on your battery. It should come with a good circuit board to ensure safe and quality charging. A bad powerbank on the other hand would destroy your battery. This is why it is important to buy powerbanks from reputable brands instead of cheap generic brands from roadside vendors.

How to choose a good powerbank

The first step is to always do research. A lot of people are too lazy these days to do research. Read reviews and learn to distinguish between real and paid reviews. Manufacturer’s brand name and reputation matter a lot here as well. Names like Anker, Aukey, Romoss, Xiaomi etc. should come to mind.

Check the powerbank’s specs (input, output, capacity etc.) as well. If a spec looks too good to be true, it probably is. Someone once showed me a 100,000mAh powerbank. I laughed it off and said it was a scam. The bigger the capacity, the heavier the powerbank. Always do your research before splashing your cash.

https://inquisitiveuniverse.com/2021/05/12/powerbanks/

You're a blessing to nairaland.

Mhimi007:
faulty board...can it be fixed??

Some skillful engineers/technicians may be able to fix it but i wouldn't count on it tho.

jizzison:

You're a blessing to nairaland.

Thank you boss.

atheistandproud:


A friend had one, the 20,000mAh own which lasted for about a year and then began misbehaving.

So I won't want to pass judgement too quickly. Personally I wouldn't use either of the two.

It's either Xiaomi, Redmi or Romoss for me.

If my money plenty, Anker, Aukey or Baseus na I go upgrade to.

alright.

Gptech:

Which phone is your friend using and for how long? Your own Camon 12 air is quite old now, it's battery capacity should no longer be 4000mah, same may be the case for your friend's.

what's your point please? The battery of the camon 12 air is still 4000 mah, neither has that of my friend changed and you know what hasn't changed too? The fact that the Oraimo powerbank still charges both our phones full .

investigator007:
what's your point please? The battery of the camon 12 air is still 4000 mah, neither has that of my friend changed and you know what hasn't changed too? The fact that the Oraimo powerbank still charges both our phones full .

No Battery remains at the same capacity after a year's worth of use. It must depreciate.