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  1. #1
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    Default Anker Battery Back

    Hey everybody,

    I am about a month out from from stepping off on a Nobo, and just received my Ankor battery pack. I am going to charge it up and give it a test run.

    My question is, after I am done playing around with it, should I leave it fully charged until my trip, or should I drain it to nothing, and charge it right before I leave?

  2. #2
    Registered User egilbe's Avatar
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    Doesnt matter

  3. #3
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    Lithium Ion batteries don't suffer from "charge memory" like NiCd or other rechargable battery technologies. The best thing for them is to operate them in a partial discharge to partial charge state - say drain to 30%, then charge to 80%. But only charging to 80% is impractical for most users. And real world, it's not going to matter a lot. The battery actually has capacity beyond what it charges up to and drains down to - the technology is such that manufacturers engineer the system to charge and discharge within a certain charge curve which is less than the true range of the battery. You'll likely charge it to 100% when you can, and probably never drain it completely (especially true as Li Ion have an internal cutout circuit when voltage falls below a certain level). Just use it a few times (charge the phone and recharge/run the pack down) prior to taking off to be sure it doesn't have any other flaws. Things like bad connectors are far more common problems than charge issues.
    "That's the thing about possum innards - they's just as good the second day." - Jed Clampett

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    Quote Originally Posted by 4eyedbuzzard View Post
    Lithium Ion batteries don't suffer from "charge memory" like NiCd or other rechargable battery technologies. The best thing for them is to operate them in a partial discharge to partial charge state - say drain to 30%, then charge to 80%. But only charging to 80% is impractical for most users. And real world, it's not going to matter a lot. The battery actually has capacity beyond what it charges up to and drains down to - the technology is such that manufacturers engineer the system to charge and discharge within a certain charge curve which is less than the true range of the battery. You'll likely charge it to 100% when you can, and probably never drain it completely (especially true as Li Ion have an internal cutout circuit when voltage falls below a certain level). Just use it a few times (charge the phone and recharge/run the pack down) prior to taking off to be sure it doesn't have any other flaws. Things like bad connectors are far more common problems than charge issues.
    Sounds good, thanks!

  5. #5

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    Leave it until the next trip, then top it back off.

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    I'm going against the tide. Use it . Can't hurt

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    Registered User Christoph's Avatar
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    I've had mine for a few years and it's still almost fully charged after sitting in the drawer. I'm going to take it with me again. It's a 10K Ankor and it lasted me a long time on the trail even helping out a few fellow hikers charging their phones. Just top it off and like said before, lithium batteries are pretty durable.
    - Trail name: Thumper

  8. #8
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    Even if your model allows it, Do Not charge a device while charging the battery pack- the battery will perform worse over time.
    On the trail, this means either having an outlet splitter or plug with USB ports, or waiting to charge all devices from the battery pack.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by 2EZ View Post
    Even if your model allows it, Do Not charge a device while charging the battery pack- the battery will perform worse over time.
    On the trail, this means either having an outlet splitter or plug with USB ports, or waiting to charge all devices from the battery pack.
    Didn't really think about that, but it makes sense. Thanks!

  10. #10
    Registered User Venchka's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 2EZ View Post
    Even if your model allows it, Do Not charge a device while charging the battery pack- the battery will perform worse over time.
    On the trail, this means either having an outlet splitter or plug with USB ports, or waiting to charge all devices from the battery pack.
    I just bought a pair of Honeycomb DASH10-2 batteries at Sam's Club. The batteries have 2 USB ports and the instructions say that 2 devices can be charged simultaneously.
    What proof do you have that charging 2 devices will degrade my batteries?
    Wayne


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  11. #11
    Registered User Venchka's Avatar
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    Oops. My bad.
    I won't charge the batteries and devices simultaneously. Sorry.
    Wayne


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  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by 2EZ View Post
    Even if your model allows it, Do Not charge a device while charging the battery pack- the battery will perform worse over time.
    On the trail, this means either having an outlet splitter or plug with USB ports, or waiting to charge all devices from the battery pack.
    I've never heard that to charge a device off the battery while the battery is charged itself would do any bad to the battery, and given that the electronics is designed properly I can't think of any technical reason.

    Carrying a charger with dual or triple USB ports is very good advice though. I've seen hikers fighting for wall outlets in hotspots.

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    I charge a LG3 from a ankor,. If I use the short cord, that comes with battery pack, the phone will tell me to use the LG cord for better charging? Anyone know why? It still charges the phone either way.

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    Dont know specifically for LG phones, but several phone companies try to push a proprietary quickcharge mode that asks for and depends on a higher power output from the charger.
    This can be done either by much higher voltage (obviousely only working with very specific chargers), or by eliminating as much of resistance in the circuit as possible.
    Obviousely your LG is measuring the resistance of the cable and by this detecting if you're using the short LG cable, or any other longer/thinner cable.

    I doubt that there is a tiny microchip in the cable - but still this could be fact, too.
    But given the sad fact that the whole phone business is a world of cheat and treat, it might be a simple resistor in the plug and by failing to detect this, LG is pushing you to use the original cable - and if you've lost the original, pushing you to buy a new LG cable for some more $.

    In general, its good practice to use a short and thick high end USB cable.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Leo L. View Post
    I've never heard that to charge a device off the battery while the battery is charged itself would do any bad to the battery, and given that the electronics is designed properly I can't think of any technical reason.

    Carrying a charger with dual or triple USB ports is very good advice though. I've seen hikers fighting for wall outlets in hotspots.

    Anker website says don't do it... just says very bad for battery lifespan. Vague, right? Under FAQ's for the chargers.
    I couldn't come come up with a technical reason last year, and my battery would charge a device while charging. I used it that way for months of daily use. Now that battery will lose charge and will charge my devices less times than when new, and I've now gotten a new portable charger.
    This time I will be following the manufacturer's advice, and would recommend others to do the same.

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    Scratching my head...
    If it is known to be bad for the stuff, why make it possible? Because its a sales feature only?

    OTOH, this remembers me of the fact that my Varta powerbank (reportedly one of the best products we can buy here) doesn't support charge-while-being-charged.
    And, after owning it for two years now (and not having used it many times), it has suffered a noticeable capacity drop, an estimated 10-15%.

  17. #17
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    The quick charge mode Leo speaks of is a smart mode - In the first few seconds of connecting a charger the phone decides thru a resistive bridge network hidden at the manufactures included charger. I have posted the diagram here in the past. The phone looks to see the data wires shorted, the correct volts/amps for power charging, and resistance. If the phone doesn't see the three things all correct it flags the user with a beep and message and selects the slower 6-8 hour charge instead of the two.

    This all goes back to knock off chargers coming from China that would damage the Iphone and/or catching fire. Samsung and Iphone took notice and made the changes. Iphone chargers are superior and the look alike "cheaper" chargers were poor.

    I worked very hard to make a 4-7oz (stripped down) Solar Panel that delivered more than an amp for direct charging and discovered the phones not agreeing with the power from the panel and not selecting the smart mode. My thought was to take a long lunch on the trail at a sunny spot and recharge my needs while having a sandwich. for the moment I charge the Anker Battery (IC3) at lunch and later charge the phone... Sometimes the smart mode kicks in, I will do more testing this year.

    If you are really into this stuff CLICK HERE and please don't remind me about a green tunnel.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Wise Old Owl View Post
    ...and please don't remind me about a green tunnel.
    Thanks for the update, and if you succeed in producing a reasonable solar chargeing solution: I'm not in the Green Tunnel and would be eager to charge by the desert sun.

  19. #19
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    Hi Leo - and yes that's the Link on how to build one and get the parts. - I was working on a similar venture but did not rise to posting a good solution like this guy did on UL. I am going to order those USB connections he recommends as there is a circuit behind it, that may provide the answer.

    I also purchased the latest Anker Solar to test in the back yard and although its a pound it works very well with Anker Batteries. I have a digital in line meter and this is exceeding my expectations.

    CLICK HERE
    Dogs are excellent judges of character, this fact goes a long way toward explaining why some people don't like being around them.

    Woo

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    Quote Originally Posted by Wise Old Owl View Post
    Hi Leo - and yes that's the Link on how to build one and get the parts...
    CLICK HERE
    Exciting! Sounds really interesting.

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