POWER BANKS EXPLAINED
Battery Capacity
What this tells us is that a Power Bank with a capacity of either 1800 or 2000 mAh is capable of FULLY charging iPhones but will only partially charging other Smartphones on the market.
NOTE: Small capacity Power Banks can still charge Tablets, but you need to understand that they will only “top them up” and will generally do this slower than the charger the tablet came with (refer to Charging Rates below).
Charging Rates / Timing
Most Smartphones have a maximum charging rate of 1 Amp (1A) whilst most tablets maximum charging rate is 2.1 Amps (2.1A).
The following explains the rate of charging for different Power Banks to Devices:
- Power Bank with a 1A Output
* Tablets will charge at about 60-70% of their charging potential
- Power Bank with a 2.1A Output
* Smartphones will charge at 100% of their charging potential
* Tablets will charge at about 100% of their charging potential
The time it takes to charge your device is all but impossible to estimate as it depends on all of the following factors, among others:
- The make and model of the device
- The charging potential – refer above
- The condition of the battery in your device. Batteries in good condition charge faster than those devices with degraded batteries.
Batteries condition can be degraded by :
* the number of charging cycles it has been through
* the amount of discharge prior to charging (constant “top-up” charging can degrade your battery)
* The ambient temperature of the device and the Power Bank
Dual Output Power Banks
These Power Banks allow user to charge up to two devices at the same time. However the output of each port can vary from Power bank to Power Bank
Type 1 (split output)
- Total output of 2.1A
- But can only deliver 1A to either port
Type 2 (shared output):
- Total output of 2.1A
- Can deliver 1A to both ports at the same time
- Can deliver up to 2.1A to a single port as long as the other is not in use
- How the output is shared depends on the devices connected
Type 3 (dedicated output):
- Total output of 3.1A split
- Delivers 1A to Port 1
- Delivers 2.1A to Port 2
- The ports are generally labelled to indicate which is which
Choosing the Correct Power Bank
This is based on the type of user. The following is a guide only but may help you during the selling process.
Heavy User
Heavy users use their smartphone and or tablet constantly; these users are looking for Power Banks that charge fast and provide a long life.
Features: Dual ports, Max charging rate per port (2.1A), High battery capacity.
Medium User
Most people fall into this category. They are moderate, everyday users who are looking for multi-functional, portable Power Banks, able to charge multiple devices.
Features: Dual or single port. Max charging rate per port (1A), Average battery capacity enough to charge smartphone and some tablets.
Light User
These users only use their smartphone for basics. They are looking for just a basic/ emergency charge.
Features: Single port. Max. charging rate (1A). Basic battery capacity.
Battery Types
Lithium-Ion vs Lithium-Polymer
There are two types of batteries commonly used in portable devices: Lithium Ion and Lithium Polymer.
The difference in the battery is that Lithium Polymer battery holds its lithium-salt electrolyte in a solid polymer composite, whilst a Lithium Ion battery keeps the electrolyte
in an organic solvent. A Lithium Polymer battery tends to be more stable, thinner and lighter than a Lithium Ion battery. It can also be formed into almost any shape.