Flash chargers

[Vapo Marx]

I'm sure you've seen these advertised all over the web. They're basically fat batteries with USB connectors and they're intended for recharging smart phones and the like. Here's one of the few listings I could find that includes some actual specs:

Rakuten.com - GPCT 2600mAh Mobile Power Bank Portable for iPhone iPod MP3 GPS All Smart Phones-Silver

While it wouldn't be wise to try to power an atomizer directly off one of these, I think this could be just the thing for recharging smaller e-cig batteries on the go - kind of like a PCC without the second "C."

(To address the inevitable "why not just buy a mod?" question, some of us just prefer the look and feel of the smaller battery models).

 

[GPSTrucker]

I have one, called a Juice Bar, and it works great for recharging cell phones so I don't see why one couldn't use it to charge an eGo sized battery.

 

[vicflo]

i have a few different ones. i use them to charge my phones, portable speakers, ecig batts, etc. when im travelling or out fishing.

a 2600mah power bank will probably charge a 1300mah battery 1.5 times due to actual charging capacity and loss.

Amazon.com: Anker Astro E5 15000mAh Portable Ultra-high Density External Battery Charger for iPhone 5 (Lightning adapter not included), 4S, 4, iPad 4, 3, 2, Mini, iPods; Samsung Galaxy S4, S3, S2, Note 2; Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1, Note 8, Tab 2; HTC
Anker is a pretty well known brand in the powerbank genre. Its one of the few that can actually charge my tablets as it has a true 2A output along with a 1A output for other stuff. Then again its a lot more expensive.

 

[dormouse]

Yes I own one w/ 11,000 mAh (takes 7 hours to charge fully) and I use it with a small USB hub to charge 2 ecig batteries at a time. BUT you need to KNOW what output amperage is of your portable charger is, as well as how many amps each of your charging cables expects coming in. Most ecig cables expect at least 500mA input on the USB and use some or all of that to charge.

I think my portable charger only has 1 amp output (1000mA) so I definitely can use 2 USB ecig battery chargers on it. I am not an electrician - I do not know if I could charge more ecig batteries at once if the cables only OUTPUT 200mA to the battery. I don't want to take a chance of frying the humongous 11,000 Amp portable. Similarly, I would not use a passthrough on it unless it was the kind of passthrough that just charges a battery as you use it.

I have used my portable charger to keep my ecig batteries charged when camping or on long drives (when hubby has the car lighter occupied with GPS and other stuff). And it was great when we lost power at home for nearly 3 days.

Oh crap I have been here 10 minutes and already I want to spend money haha. Look - this 11,000 Amp portable charger costs $20 less than mine and puts out 4.4A and has 3 USB outputs (not 1 like mine)!!! I am in love...
Amazon.com: Helix Power Bank - Charge 3 USB Devices at One Time - 11000mAh External Portable Backup Battery and Charger for iPad/Tablets, E-readers, Netbooks, Digital Cameras, Smartphones, and Other USB Powered Devices - High Output USB for Samsung G


(sorry is I have some mA and mAh mixups in that - been a while)

 

[Vapo Marx]

Eleven thousand amps? That thing could power a factory!

Yes, I know you meant milliamps (mA) and not amps (A).

The mAh rating reflects the total charge capacity of the battery, not its instantaneous output capability. In the case of using the charger with iPhones, etc., the current required of it is presumably low enough that it's of no concern. The reason I linked that particular battery is because it actually gives an output spec: 800mA. My battery chargers draw 500mA or less, so it would probably work well for me.

 

[vicflo]

yet another thread that caused me to order something i dont need from fasttech. $12.88 JIB L5800 "5800mAh" USB Portable External Backup Battery Power Bank with LED Illumination - black / real capacity 4400mAh / 1*USB port / with adapters at FastTech - Worldwide Free Shipping

ill just review it or something.

 

[bhswmc01]

Oh crap I have been here 10 minutes and already I want to spend money haha. Look - this 11,000 Amp portable charger costs $20 less than mine and puts out 4.4A and has 3 USB outputs (not 1 like mine)!!! I am in love...
Amazon.com: Helix Power Bank - Charge 3 USB Devices at One Time - 11000mAh External Portable Backup Battery and Charger for iPad/Tablets, E-readers, Netbooks, Digital Cameras, Smartphones, and Other USB Powered Devices - High Output USB for Samsung G


(sorry is I have some mA and mAh mixups in that - been a while)

Ooooh - mama likey - we're going on a 4-night camping trip in a few weeks, and I'm having a bit of an anxiety attack about running out of batteries...don't want to rely on the car battery or chasing friends' generators when they turn them on.

 

[Vapo Marx]

Cool. I'm glad I started this thread.

I do not know if I could charge more ecig batteries at once if the cables only OUTPUT 200mA to the battery.

Well, since the voltage regulator and charger management circuitry in the USB charger consumes a little power of its own, the actual current draw is going to be somewhere between the input and output current specs. For instance, the charger for my Halo G6 batteries is labeled input: 5V, 500mA, output: 5V, 150mA. Does it actually draw 500mA while charging a battery? Probably not, but if I make sure I always have at least 500mA available to power it, I won't run into trouble.

 

[Coastal Cowboy]

Ooooh - mama likey - we're going on a 4-night camping trip in a few weeks, and I'm having a bit of an anxiety attack about running out of batteries...don't want to rely on the car battery or chasing friends' generators when they turn them on.

Camping trips are why God made power inverters.

Duralast/130 Watt slim power inverter (PI-130W) | Power Inverter | AutoZone.com

I have one of those and a 3000w inverter that's big enough to run a home A/C system after hurricanes.

 

[Vapo Marx]

But if her requirement is to charge e-cig batteries, why convert 12VDC to 120VAC only to convert it again to 5VDC? Using a cigarette lighter USB adaptor in the car would be a little more direct.

Of course, if she has 120VAC devices she wants to power, it would make perfect sense. Most of those inverters put out a pretty dirty waveform, though, which may or may not matter depending on what you're using it for.

 

[bhswmc01]

Camping trips are why God made power inverters.

Duralast/130 Watt slim power inverter (PI-130W) | Power Inverter | AutoZone.com

I have one of those and a 3000w inverter that's big enough to run a home A/C system after hurricanes.

We have one of those, but I'm worried about it running the car battery down too low. Also, the car gets pretty hot inside - can't leave the windows down because it'll get broken into.

 

[BadLar]

This is what I use for camping trips - 36000 mAh battery, built in 700w inverter, 3 receptacles, one USB port for a pass-thru, cig lighter plug that I can plug a second inverter into - some of my chargers don't like the waveform from the built in inverter. I know it is a little overkill for ecigs, but I also use it to charge RC Heli batteries.

 

[bruiser]

Welcome back dormouse, haven't seen you post in a long time.