You may have noticed that you lose your phone’s battery life much faster these days. With so many apps to download and all the pictures we take, it seems our phones are always dying. To keep up with this demand for power, portable chargers have become a necessity when going out in public or even just being mobile around town. Portable chargers come in a variety of different sizes and styles from small lipstick-sized devices to larger box-shaped versions which can charge multiple phones at once.
This blog post is about how they work and why you might need one.
Types of Portable Chargers
Portable chargers are basically an external battery with a cord. The different types of chargers are designed to fit all kinds of situations. First, you have your lipstick-sized portable charger. These devices are made for convenience because they can be taken anywhere and still pack a punch for the size. Some models will even give you one full charge for your phone, but it will depend on the model you get. So if you are out and about doing errands, this is great because you always have an extra source of power in case your battery dies.
Second, there are larger portable chargers that come in box-shaped devices. These can hold multiple types of cords so you can charge multiple devices at once. This is great for families or people who always have a lot of things to plugin.
Third, there are solar-powered portable chargers that are made with solar panels on top to capture sunlight. Then the power generated from the sun will be stored in the battery inside the device so you can use it to charge your phone or another device. These are great for people who spend a lot of time in the wilderness with no access to power.
Fourth, there are fast-charging portable chargers that can give you (for example) 50% battery life in only 20 minutes of charging, which is huge when compared to other models on the market. They are made to be especially useful for people who are constantly on the go.
Fifth, there are waterproof portable chargers which are created so you can take them with you in any environment even if it’s raining or near water (like at the beach). They’re typically good for up to 30 minutes under 1m of water, but some models can be submerged even deeper.
Sixth, there are power banks that can charge your phone in a matter of minutes. This is especially good for when you don’t have time to wait around for hours while your battery charges. Also, some models come with two output ports so you can charge multiple devices at once, or if one needs charging and one already has a full battery.
Lastly, there are solar and fast-charging power banks that can do both those things at once, or do one of those two things for added ease. They’re specifically designed to be lightweight and easy to carry around as well as quick and efficient. They also typically charge with solar energy, but not always.
Understanding Portable Chargers
To fully understand how portable chargers work you have to know about batteries, specifically the chemical make-up of them. First, there’s the cathode which is positively charged and made with elements like lithium. Then there are two types of anodes that are negatively charged: one is made with carbon (this is called graphite), and the other is made with metal (this is called an active material). When these two materials are combined, it forms a battery. The chemical reaction between them will cause electrons to flow through the device which can be used to power something like your phone or mp3 player.
Lithium can be found underground, in mineral ore, or underground aquifers. The most common process is a lithium brine process. Lithium-rich brine is found in underground aquifers. Then it’s drilled and pumped out into large evaporation ponds. After some time, enough water evaporates and the remaining liquid is ready to process. First, it’s filtered to remove any contaminants. Second, chemicals are used to separate the right products. Thirdly, any precipitated solids are removed. Lastly, the remaining liquid is treated to create lithium carbonate. Then filtered, dried, and is ready for sale.
Lithium material is rolled out into long very thin sheets. The long sheets are then placed on a polypropylene film to protect the lithium from contacting itself. The sheet can now be rollled up many times to create one battery cell. It’s then placed in a vacum oven to seal and compress the battery cell. The cells are then packed together to create the battery.
When Will You Need a Portable Charger
You may find yourself in a situation where you need a quick hassle-free charge, like in an airport. Having a portable charger might be your best bet so you can get the battery level on your phone back up to 100% before you get on the plane. Also, if you have multiple devices that need charging at once having more than one portable charger helps get all of them charged in half the time. So instead of searching for an available outlet, you can enjoy sitting at a table having a quick bite or having a cold beer or cocktail.
Top Ten Portable Chargers
1. Anker Portable Charger, PowerCore Slim 10000 Power Bank
2. 2-Pack Miady 10000mAh Dual USB Portable Charger
3. FOCHEW Wireless Portable Charger 30,800mAh 15W
4. Anker PowerCore 10000 Portable Charger
5. INIU Portable Charger
6. iWALK Small Portable Charger 4500mAh Ultra-Compact Power Bank
7. Ekrist Portable Charger Power Bank 25800mAh
8. T-CORE Power Bank 20000M
9. Portable Charger Power Bank 30,800mAh LCD Display Power Bank
10. Anker Portable Charger, PowerCore Essential 20000mAh Power Bank
Pros and Cons of Portable Chargers
The Pros are that they work very well, especially the ones with quick charge technology. The Cons are that they have a limited amount of times you can recharge them before their battery runs out, so it’s not wise to keep your phone plugged in to one for days at a time. The other thing is that newer phones from different brands use different types of battery technology, which means you may need to purchase more than one type of portable charger depending on what brand your phone is. Some people also feel as though they’re spending a lot for something that isn’t going to last very long before the next big model comes out. But once you find the one that works well with your phone it’ll definitely be worth it.