Power banks have quickly become must-have accessories for anyone who needs charging power on the go. Breakthroughs in technology and miniaturization have made power banks more convenient and more powerful than ever before, and as people do more work on the go, including smartphone use and laptop use, power banks have emerged as necessities that no one can do without.
While power banks are at their core pretty easy to use – plug your phone, laptop, headlamp, or portable fan into one of the power bank’s USB outlets and let the power bank go to work – you can get more functionality out of your power bank if you know how to charge it properly.
This blog will teach you more about power banks and how to properly charge them.
How Do I Know When the Power Bank is Completely Charged?
Knowing when your portable charger is completely charged is typically pretty simple. Most power banks will have a small line of LED light indicators – probably four of them. When being used, the number of LED lights that are lit will indicate how much of a charge the power bank has left – four lights mean a full charge while one light means that about 25 percent of the battery is left.
When you plug your power bank in to charge it, the lights will indicate how much of a charge the unit has received. Two lit LED lights and a third blinking LED light mean the power bank has a 50 percent charge and is on its way to reaching a 75 percent charge. All four LED lights lit will mean the power bank has a full 100 percent charge.
What Kinds of Devices Can an AUKEY Power Bank Charge?
An AUKEY battery pack will charge almost any device you throw at it. Does your device receive its charge from a USB cable? If so, you can plug it into your AUKEY power bank to receive a charge. Some of the electronic items you can charge with an AUKEY power bank include:
- Cell phones
- Smartphones
- Laptop computers
- Tablets
- Smartwatches
- Flashlights and headlamps
- Portable speakers and wireless headphones
- Camping lanterns
- Small portable fans
- UV light water purifiers
- Portable electronic readers
- Bike lights
- Outdoor party lights
- Holiday lights
- And more
How Should I Use My Power Bank for the First Time?
Using your power bank for the first time could not be any easier – assuming it has some charge, simply remove it from the box, unwrap any packaging, plug in the device or devices that you want to charge, and let the charging begin. You do not need to fully charge your power bank before its first use, and it is not necessary to fully deplete the battery first before charging it.
How Do I Charge My Phone Faster?
Do you want to charge your phone faster? The best way to charge your phone faster is to ensure that the portable battery charger you are using to charge it with has a USB-C charging port. USB-C charging paired with a high-quality cable and high-quality power bank will get your phone charged the fastest.
Other tips for charging your phone more quickly include turning your phone off while charging it or at least not using it or switching the phone to airplane mode while it is plugged in and charging. Further, ensuring your phone is in an environment where the temperature is optima will help speed the charging – in general, phones charge much more slowly when the ambient air temperature is below about 40 degrees F and above about 110 degrees F. In very cold or very hot weather the phone may not charge at all.
What Battery Size Should I Buy?
What size power bank battery you should buy depends on what items you are charging and how many charges you need to perform in between charging the bank itself. Some devices, like wireless headphones, have tiny batteries that take little power to charge. Other devices, like laptops, require more. You will need to perform some simple math: If the device you are charging has, for example, a 3,600 mAh battery, then a 5,000 mAh power bank will charge it about one and a half times.
Top Portable Batteries from AUKEY
AUKEY has a wide range of portable batteries. These include both traditional wired as well as wireless power banks. AUKEY also sells a portable solar-charged power bank that has AC outputs and a 12-volt outlet plus plenty of USB-A and USB-C output ports. To learn more, visit AUKEY’s website.
FAQs
To charge, plug the supplied cable into the input port on the battery pack. Attach the other end, usually a standard USB, into a wall charger or other power source. Battery pack input ranges from 1Amp up to 2.4Amps. Put simply, the bigger the input number, the faster it will recharge.
What is the correct way to charge a power bank? ›
Your power bank should have come with a USB cord and wall adapter. Plug the larger end of the USB cord into the wall adapter. Then, plug the smaller end into your power adapter. Leave the power bank to charge.
Should I charge my power bank to 100%? ›
Much like a phone, laptop, or any other piece of tech with an in-built battery, you should avoid charging your power bank to 100% of its capacity.
Should I fully drain my power bank before charging? ›
No, you do not need to fully drain your power bank before charging it. In fact, entirely draining the power bank is not recommended because it can damage the battery and shorten its overall life. You can charge it at any time, but it is best to charge it before it is fully depleted to help extend the battery's life.
How long should you charge a power bank for? ›
What is the average charging time for a power bank? The average charging time of a power bank depends on the capacity of the power bank and the charger used. Typically it takes 3 to 8 hours.
What is the best percentage to charge a power bank? ›
Charging your power bank to 100% will shorten its lifespan and reduce its capacity. Not to mention, it's just a waste of electricity! So next time you're about to top off your power bank, think twice and stop at 80%. Your power bank will thank you for it.
Is it OK to overcharge power bank? ›
So, if you would like to form the most use out of your power bank, don't keep it obstructed in longer than it must. Because the lifetime of your power bank are decreasing day when day if you overcharge it, eventually the lifetime are low enough, or there'll be enough damage done in to finally kill it off.
Do power banks lose charge when not in use? ›
Self-discharge rates vary from 2% to 10% per month, depending on power bank quality and capacity. Hence, if you don't use your power bank for a while, it may lose a lot of its energy and need to be recharged. Store the power bank with a partial charge, 50% to 80%, in a cool, dry area to reduce self-discharge.
How often should you charge an unused power bank? ›
Discharge and recharge the power bank at least once every 3-4 months. 2. Place your power bank in a well-ventilated and dry place that is away from moisture and high temperatures.
What is the fastest way to charge a power bank? ›
Tip #1: Use a Wall Port When Possible
To get the fastest charging possible, you must provide the power bank with optimal energy output. A wall outlet will provide the most voltage of any conventional power source.
Battery Care or Recharging
It's also important to consider how often you're charging your device. Remember, the internal battery will degrade slightly each time you recharge it. For this reason, power banks will last longer if you charge them weekly or monthly rather than daily.
Is it OK to use power bank everyday? ›
Using your power bank regularly is fine, as long as you charge your power bank once it's drained. This way you can prolong the service life of your power bank. This portable charger needs to be used on a regular basis so the battery will not discharge.
Can I use my phone while charging on power bank? ›
As far as your phone is concerned, the power bank acts just like a USB charger. You may use your phone when charging with USB or with a power bank.
What is the best size power bank? ›
For laptops and power banks, you should choose a power bank with at least a 20,000mAh capacity. Tablet batteries have a capacity between 6000mAh (iPad Mini) and 11,000mAh (iPad Pro). The average is 8000mAh, which also goes for laptops.
How do you charge a power bank for the first time? ›
To charge, plug the supplied cable into the input port on the battery pack. Attach the other end, usually a standard USB, into a wall charger or other power source. Battery pack input ranges from 1Amp up to 2.4Amps. Put simply, the bigger the input number, the faster it will recharge.
What is the best way to charge a portable power station? ›
Charging a portable power station via an AC wall outlet is one of the most common methods. Most power stations come with an AC adapter that allows you to plug it into a standard wall outlet. Simply connect the adapter to the input port of the power station and plug it into the wall outlet.
Do you charge power bank in the input or output? ›
Input on the other hand refers to charging the power bank itself. Similar to speed limitations on output charging, the input charging speed is dependent on the type of wall charger used. A standard wall charger that provides a 2A output would recharge the power bank twice as fast as one with only 1A.
How do you charge a new power bank first? ›
How Do I Charge My Power Bank for the First Time? All you need to do is connect a compatible USB charging cable to one end and the other end to a power source (such as a wall plug or laptop). For you to properly charge your power bank for the first time, do not overcharge them in any way.
Can a power bank be over charged? ›
When a power bank is overcharged, the battery cells can become damaged and degrade. This can lead to a decrease in the battery's capacity and an increase in the amount of time it takes to charge the power bank. In some cases, overcharging can also cause the battery to leak, overheat, or catch fire, although quite rare.
