8 Facts About Power Banks That Users Should Know Before Buying One

Last Updated on 2022-11-05 , 12:40 pm

I believe almost everyone will have known what a power bank is, right? It’s simply a portable power source you can bring around with you the entire day, just in case your phone battery die on you, you can use your power bank to charge your phone on the go.

If you’re looking to buy a power bank, either because you’re sick and tired of your phone dying on you halfway through your day or you are looking to replace your old power bank, read this article first before you make any choices.

Here are 8 facts about power banks that you probably did not know.

Majority of the power banks in the market are actually made in China
If you’re not a fan of China’s products then you’ll be in for a big disappointment if you’re looking to get a power bank for your phone. Majority of the power banks available on the market together are all made in China, and it’s usually pretty hard to get a power bank that’s made anywhere else, not to mention the price.

Power bank can be charged in three ways
We know the first two – charging via computer USB port or the power outlet, but did you know that you can actually charge a power bank with another power bank? Not sure why you’d want to but yes, it’s possible.

Why does charging the same power bank takes different durations to reach full charge?
The charging method might remain the same, but factors like power flow, temperature and environment plays a factor in charging times as well.

How long does it take to fully-charged a power bank
It depends on the real capacity of the power bank. The larger the real capacity, the longer the charging time required. Different charging methods may result in different charging times – Charging with the original charger will be faster than charging with your computer’s USB port.

A power bank with a 12,000mAh real capacity is able to charge a 1,500mAh capacity phone for 8 times
That’s not true. Charging is not as simple as transferring from one to another (think pouring water into the flask, the amount you pour is the amount in the glass) but power banks doesn’t work that way. You will also have to take into accounts factors like phone battery health, conversion rate and phone capacity.

18650 power bank and Li-Polymer power bank
The common type of power banks we usually get are 18650 and the better ones will be the Li-Polymer types. In terms of size, heat production, self-discharge of battery and overall battery durability, the Li-Polymer power banks proved superior. Of course, because they’re better, they’re also much pricier than the 18650 power banks.

Difference between a well-known power bank (a.k.a. branded) and a generic one
The branded power banks usually sell in real capacity while generic ones sell in marking capacity. That’s why a good 12,000-13,000mAh power bank is usually able to perform as well, if not better, than the market 30,000-50,000mAh power bank.

A power bank can explode during use – especially for generic power banks
No matter whether the power bank is the generic or branded type, there’s a chance for explosion. However, chances for explosion of both generic and branded power banks are close to 0%.