Are portable chargers useful?

[vaporbird]

I've seen some devices that look like cigarette packs but inside you have a place to charge e-cig batteries. "Blu" has one such device (though I'm not a fan of blue cigs) I've also seen one for the 510 and 150 T (I have the latter of these two.)

1. Do the boxes work? Charging a battery using a battery seems... hard.
2. Who finds them useful? how do you use them?
3. Would a light smoker benefit in any way? (I'm thinking maybe keeping the battery closer to 100% might improve performance. In three weeks I've never smoked enough in a day to wear out a battery.)

I tend to get very curious about everything aspect of a thing works when I get in to it. Even if I don't "need" that aspect.

 

[swedishfish]

I have a pcc for my 510 and for my ego. I'm not overly impressed with either pcc to be honest. The pcc for the joye 510 is difficult to screw the batteries in and out. The pcc for my ego I got at LiteCig and never had luck with it. I purchased it for my Mom when she went in the hospital. I contacted LiteCigUSA a couple times and never heard back from them so I sort of forgot about it. I don't know about the 510 but for an ego, you'd probably do just as well purchasing an extra battery.

 

[JCForever]

When i first started vaping i got a 510 with a pcc (personal charging case) and in my opinion they are great i used to smoke a half pack to a pack a day. I carried around two batteries one was always in the pcc and it was perfect by the time one dies the other one is ready to go. I recommend that if your going to use a small e-cig like that then pick up a pcc.

 

[Maximillian]

Heyas Smokingbird,

My first kit (other than the cheap-but-not-inexpensive-crap-I-purchased-locally) was an ego starter kit with a pcc. I used the pcc once or twice to charge batteries, but I mostly just find it easier to keep a spare battery with me. The pcc served (not very well) as a carrying case for spare batts, cartos, juice, etc. until I got a better carrying case. Now I'm usefully employing it to display my collection of dust bunnies.


Maximillian the Vaguely Disreputable

 

[Big Screen D]

I have a pcc for my 510 and for my ego. I'm not overly impressed with either pcc to be honest. The pcc for the joye 510 is difficult to screw the batteries in and out. The pcc for my ego I got at LiteCig and never had luck with it. I purchased it for my Mom when she went in the hospital. I contacted LiteCigUSA a couple times and never heard back from them so I sort of forgot about it. I don't know about the 510 but for an ego, you'd probably do just as well purchasing an extra battery.

I bought the same one for my wifes 510 megas. Takes forever to charge the battery. Pretty much useless.

There may be some better ones out there, the ones from LiteCig are not so good.

Money can be better spent on additional batteries, and or chargers. We have 2 510 charges at home and one in each vehicle.

 

[dormouse]

Yes - for short 510 batteries I use the roomy PCC from NoSmokeVA.com ($29 - search for PCC and the $29 one is the PCC alone). Holds a LOT more than the metal 510 PCC. If you have long/mega/xl 510 batteries then you can only get the metal 510 mega PCC.

HOWEVER - I do not use the PCC to charge at work - too easy to screw up (like think you started it charging but didn't, or open the PCC to get something and forget to restart the charge). I have real charger cables at work for all of my models (one each). And I use the PCC when at places where it's my only option for charging.

And since I know I screw up sometimes I have multiple backups. I carry and use a second slim model w/ 2 280mah batteries (Vapor4Life and Volt manuals) AND I carry a 650mah charged Riva 510 battery.

What I also have - we had a hurricane coming up the east coast earlier this year and because we once lost power for 4 days (before I vaped thank goodness) I was worried about losing power so I bought an 11,000mah portable USB charger (by New Trent) and you can charge that for 7 hours (I managed to get 6.5 hours of charge into it before we lost power). It only puts out 1 amp so it won't run a PT but that's enough mA to charge up to 4 slim ecig batteries (need up to 250mA to charge each ) or 2 fat batteries like Ego/Riva (need 420mA each to charge). I put a 3-port USB hub on it (one I know transferred the power line too) and I can charge ecig batteries on that. I don't think it would last 4 days but I used it for 1.5 days while the power was out and it still have some charge in it. I also took it to a fiddle festival we were at all day and used it to charge my batteries in the car.

 

[Iffy]

[*]Do the boxes work? Charging a battery using a battery seems... hard.

In my experience, yes. But not for long.

[*]Who finds them useful? how do you use them?

Not I. I don't.

[*]Would a light smoker benefit in any way?

IMHO, best to carry an extra batt and/or use a cig plug adapter.

 

[vocr]

I really like the ego PCC for traveling, otherwise I don't use it.

 

[Off Topic]

Unless you are spending large amounts of time away from a power source I wouldn't bother. I have a pair of ego 650 passthrough(I can charge while I vape). I can plug them into my computers, car, phone charger.... pretty much anywhere I can stick a usb cable.

 

[Trilly]

I think it all depends on your curcumstances.

I got a pcc as part of my kit and I admit that I find it invaluable. If I'm on call and have to go out on an urgent job there is no guarantee that I will be near a power sorce to recharge or that I'll only be out a few hours, so for me the pcc has been a godsend. Personally I always carry 2 batts, 5 cartos and extra liquid along with my pcc and haven't had any problems yet.

 

[Vapoor eyes er]

When I first began researching PVs I decided to purchase a Mod with some fat batts. I had read that people weren't too impressed with the PCC. I carry an extra fat batt and with the 2 batts I have vaping time of 24 hrs vaping on Dual Coils- 48 hrs in single coils. I'm a guy and also didn't want to get stuck carrying all this paraphernalia with me. For the ladies maybe ok for their purse IMHO. For long trips I have a carrying case that I put in the trunk with a total of 4 fat batts and 2 mini batts and lots of juice, tips and cartos.

 

[mangoon]

I have an 808-d pcc i purchased from litecig. Im down to 2 working and 1 wonky batts so the pcc def helps me get through the work day. That being said if I had to do it all over again I would rather walk around with 2 650mah or better batts than a pcc.

 

[DaveP]

The PCC was good when batteries needed charging once an hour and a half and you wanted to be away from the house. Now that we have 650mah up to 1300mah eGo and Riva batts, my PCC hasn't been touched in a year or more.

A cigarette lighter -> USB charger adapter in your glove box is a good idea. You can charge batteries in your car all day if needed. Plus, you can use that source to charge ecig batts during a power outage.

 

[VapPornRules]

I think the perfect PCC hasn't been created yet. When it is I think it will be worthwhile.

Need the iPCC!