Top 5 Common Mistakes When Choosing Power Banks

For anyone who is planning to buy a custom power bank, may it be for personal use or as custom corporate gifts, it is important to avoid the common mistakes committed when purchasing a portable charger. Here are some of them:

Mistake No. 1 - Not checking the compatibility of the power bank to the device it is intended for.  Power banks can be essentially universal. This means that it can be used with mobile phones, tablets, among others. However, even if they can be used with any kinds of devices, they too also have their limitations. This is because not all power banks are ideal for all devices.

What this means is that there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all kind of power bank. And this is what others do not understand. They tend to buy the first power bank that they like without even considering the devices that the portable charger will be used for.

When checking for compatibility, the most important thing that should be checked is the voltage. For example, if a phone uses 5 volts when charging, the power bank should also have the same voltage. Another factor that has to be considered is if the available ports of the power bank fit the devices that the user has.

Mistake No .2 - Under capacity. Under capacity happens when the amount of power that the power bank could store is way lesser than the needed energy. This is actually related to compatibility issues between power banks and devices. However, since it is the most overlooked factor when choosing a power bank, it deserves a spot in the top five.

The problem with power banks that have way less power than the device it should charge is that it will never be enough to fully charge the device. In fact, it might even reverse the charging - the power bank gets the energy charge from the phone instead of the other way around.

Mistake No. 3 - Design over usefulness. A lot of people tend to give more weight on the design, the shape, and the color of power banks instead of focusing on how it would function. Yes, design can be a factor when choosing the next gadget to purchase, but it should never be the priority. Always research for the ideal specifications needed and make sure that the decision-making is anchored on this information.

Mistake No. 4 - Going for much cheaper brands. Gadgets and devices rely on the latest available technology in order to ensure optimal performance. And, “latest technology” does not come cheap. This is something that most people do not really believe in. Instead, they tend to sacrifice quality just to be able to save some money.

Mistake No. 5 - Unreliability of supplier. In this day and age where purchases can be done through both traditional and online stores, it can be quite a challenge to be able to spot reliable suppliers. Some people tend to just buy from anywhere without scrutinizing the credibility of the supplier. Always go for stores that have been tried by people you know or those that have outstanding testimonials from real people.

How a Power Bank Works

Power banks have already become a necessity. If it is not one yet, it will not be long before it becomes a basic need in every person’s day-to-day activities.

Unfortunately, not so many people really understand how it works and most sellers do not really take time to explain their basic functions. It is because of this that many people tend to buy sub-standard phone chargers or choose incompatible power banks for their devices.

Understanding how a power bank works will help would-be buyers get the right kind of power bank for them may it be for personal use or for custom promotional products.

The most basic fact about these gadgets that people overlook is the fact that like mobile phones they also come in different specifications. They can have varying battery capacity which starts at around 1,000 mAh and can go as high as 20,000 mAh. The battery capacity tells how long it can be used and how many devices it can charge.

Because of their varying battery capacity, they are not compatible to all kinds of devices. Ideally, if a person has a mobile phone that has around 4,000 mAh, getting a power bank that has a lesser power capacity will be useless. Well, the power bank might still be used to charge the phone but it will never be able to fully charge the device. This means that a power bank cannot efficiently charge all kinds of devices. Thus, it is important to make sure that both the power bank and the device are compatible in term of power capacity.

Their charging function is also dependent on their output current value, or the amount of electricity they can give off, which is either around 1A or 2A. This indicates the rate at which a power bank can charge a device.

Power banks also need to recharged. Yes, they are meant to charge other devices but as they too have their own battery storage, they also need to be charged every now and then. There are also power banks that could be charged through solar power but the charging might be a little bit slower. How fast or slow a power bank can be charged depends on its input current which could also be around 1A or 2A.

They can come in various sizes. In most cases, the bigger the power bank is the bigger battery it has, thus the bigger its electrical capacity. Most power banks use Lithium-Ion batteries which are much affordable but has lower mAh capacity. There are also those that use Lithium-Polymer batteries which tend to be larger than the Li-ion.

Lastly, they can be personalized according to the user's preference. Custom phone chargers are becoming more and more popular. The core part of the power bank is the batteries and they are enclosed in protective casing. The casing can be fashioned into different shapes and could also be printed on for more customization.