Thread: Power banks

I have a good 4500mAH unit that recharges from my solar panel but it only runs a light for one night, so I am looking for a bigger unit to run lights and charge phones etc.
Who has the juice on a 12-15000mAH or bigger unit?
I am running this set up at present
https://www.mightyape.co.nz/product/...vcSxoCQ-3w_wcB

Anker make probably the best power packs around.

I recently purchased this one Anker PowerCore+ 20100 USB-C/Type-C Ultra-High-Capacity Premium Portable Charger | eBay

Has some computer related features though that are probably not necessary for your use. Ton of capacity but it would be struggle to recharge fully using smaller solar panels. Maybe a look at your load would be useful.

The red shed so one that's 10500 mah for $30

You can get them from flybuys if you collect em too

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Originally Posted by ROKTOY

I have a good 4500mAH unit that recharges from my solar panel but it only runs a light for one night, so I am looking for a bigger unit to run lights and charge phones etc.
Who has the juice on a 12-15000mAH or bigger unit?
I am running this set up at present
https://www.mightyape.co.nz/product/...vcSxoCQ-3w_wcB

How many amps does your light draw? What sort of light is it?

Originally Posted by GWH

How many amps does your light draw? What sort of light is it?

I am running a Luminoodle that puts out 180 Lumens, and draws 2.5W (5V,0.5A)

edit to add, I have just realised my powerbank is only 3.7 volt output too so this may account for the faster than expected draining.

Originally Posted by zimmer

Anker make probably the best power packs around.

I recently purchased this one Anker PowerCore+ 20100 USB-C/Type-C Ultra-High-Capacity Premium Portable Charger | eBay

Has some computer related features though that are probably not necessary for your use. Ton of capacity but it would be struggle to recharge fully using smaller solar panels. Maybe a look at your load would be useful.

I'll look into these, If I can get two nights out of one charge and just top it up a bit from the solar panel I am happy. A full recharge wouldn't be likely unless it was a good clear sunny day., a dull day will only 1/2 charge the current powerbank.which is 4400mAH

My luminoodle will easily run for two nights off this, and charge a phone.

Get from Banggood.com

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can you recharge that with solar panel?

i've picked up one of these Ravpower 32,000mAh power banks, mainly to use on camping weekends with the kids but probably will use for drive in or fly in trips. like Anker it is one of the better known brands https://www.ravpower.com/32000mah-ex...2.0-black.html

i also have a Promate 15,600mAh power bank which has been used a lot on work and outdoors trips and would highly recommend. it is quite a bit smaller and covers at least a few days of lighting etc for hunting trips. got it from trademe a couple of years ago for about $80 and i see you can get it now from this shop a bit cheaper https://www.elive.co.nz/promate-1560...p?ref=pricespy

after hits and misses with solar panels i'd rather take in bigger capacity batteries than try to generate solar on the hill. depends on the length of trip

@ROKTOY i just read your post further up, I have a luminoodle too and with that Promate I get 3-5 nights out of it depending on how often the noodle gets turned off - which is quite often as i reckon it is way too bright and the light is way too 'white'

i picked up one of these from aliexpress and it is warm white which is far more pleasant, has a long lead to hang high and also has a switch so can just leave it plugged in to the power bank for a few days on end. i prefer to use this over the noodle for sitting around camp - not to mention it is also way cheaper...
https://www.aliexpress.com/snapshot/...Id=32751164933

Originally Posted by LOC

i've picked up one of these Ravpower 32,000mAh power banks, mainly to use on camping weekends with the kids but probably will use for drive in or fly in trips. like Anker it is one of the better known brands https://www.ravpower.com/32000mah-ex...2.0-black.html

i also have a Promate 15,600mAh power bank which has been used a lot on work and outdoors trips and would highly recommend. it is quite a bit smaller and covers at least a few days of lighting etc for hunting trips. got it from trademe a couple of years ago for about $80 and i see you can get it now from this shop a bit cheaper https://www.elive.co.nz/promate-1560...p?ref=pricespy

after hits and misses with solar panels i'd rather take in bigger capacity batteries than try to generate solar on the hill. depends on the length of trip

Yep, exactly my slant on it - for a few days trip take a large capacity PP, maximise load/light output efficiency if you haven't already. If carrying a solar panel treat it as a top up bonus only - if weather is overcast you cannot rely on them.

I run a 10w BP solar system for keeping my tractor battery trickle charged so have a very good feel for panel outputs on overcast days.

@LOC your Ravpower 32000maH unit looks a bloody good unit. Missed that one when I was looking.

The other reason I went for pricier was hopefully better quality batteries (and not fire bombs inside). Mine has Jap Panasonic.

Also some of the cheaper units have optimistic ratings. I also have a 6500maH unit bought as a result of a favourable review in an NZ gun mag. It is a POS. It will not charge an Apple device I think because the output volts drop too low - the Apple charges for about a minute then comes up with an incompatible charger message. This with the PP fully charged. It also has a self contained solar panel - absolutely useless as well.

For heading out into the sticks I would much rather pay a bit of a premium than buy a cheapie. Probabaly lots will now tell me how well their cheeapies have served them......

i repair allot of spotlights and robot duck decoys, the quality of some of the lithium ion and lithium polymer batteries is honestly scary, i've had a couple ignite on me while running lights or while on charge. personally i would go for name brand cells over cheap battteries anyday. when a lithium battery catches fire its like a magnesium flare, damned hard to extinguish too

@ROKTOY another very functional option that i also use and is a bit more flexible + better suited to fly camping is to get a Nitecore 18650 battery charger which holds a single battery and also has a usb output plug for charging gadgets/lights from the battery https://www.banggood.com/Nitecore-F1...l?rmmds=search

this is effectively the same as a power bank and you can just carry as many 18650 batteries as you need - buy them from @burtonator and each battery is 3500mAh (4x batteries holds the equivalent of a 14,000mAh power bank). i run a head torch that uses a single 18650 so carrying an extra battery doubles up as a spare for the torch

as a single battery is not that heavy it will hang off your luminoodle without becoming disconnected and you can put it in a ziplock bag for water protection if it is wet