Super Fast Charging Powerbank!

[cluelessgenius]

sorry for the bait. but i do need help actually.

 

im looking for a powerbank that charges the fastest way possible. i dont actually care for the power it delivers to hooked up devices assuming its gonna at least the standard 5V1A at a minimum.

 

im talking about the time it takes the powerbank to charge itself up from the wall.

 

 

the actually story/usecase for those interested:

Spoiler

im building a smart mirror and have a pi hooked up to a monitor. first thought was connecting the pi to constant power plug in to wall and the monitor to the wall cables that are bound to the light switch.

 

turns out every form of power output in my bathrrom it bound to the light switch. duhh.

 

so since boot time is a bitch and constanly killing the pi by hard power off isnt that healthy on the sd card anyway....

 

....im now gonig to run the pi off a powerbank and have that hooked up to the wall.

 

meaning i need a powerbank that will charge enough power in the shorter times across the day when the light is on than the pi can draw in the times the light is off.

 

as originally planned im running a pi 3b+ right now with windows iot. but if it should turn out that its not low energy enough i thouhgt about switching to a pi zero and do the software as a local website 

 

[wojtepanik]

xiaomi powerbanks can deliver current and charge itself up at the same time, those powerbanks are great

[cluelessgenius]

Just now, wojtepanik said:

xiaomi powerbanks can deliver current and charge itself up at the same time, those powerbanks are great

well i assumed most of them can cant they. the question is how fast are they charging themselves up.

[porina]

The charge rate varies with capacity. To have more effective charging in a given time, you could look towards bigger capacity storage devices, but if they're power banks, also look at what their charge rate is themselves. They might already be limited to USB-like levels. Some kind of dedicated charger would be needed.

[cluelessgenius]

12 minutes ago, porina said:

The charge rate varies with capacity. To have more effective charging in a given time, you could look towards bigger capacity storage devices, but if they're power banks, also look at what their charge rate is themselves. They might already be limited to USB-like levels. Some kind of dedicated charger would be needed.

right. thanks. althouhgt i was hoping for more specific recommendations?

[paddy-stone]

What about something like a power bank that uses high capacity batteries like the 18650s? I have seen them, but don't have actual recommendations or anything. Anyway, so the thinking is that if/when the batteries stop working, instead of having to wait for recharge, just slip in some more 18650s.

[paddy-stone]

Saw this one  https://www.amazon.co.uk/Docooler-Compartments-Battery-External-Intelligent-Black/dp/B076KKNMF1/

 

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B076KF3X2T

[WereCatf]

4 minutes ago, paddy-stone said:

What about something like a power bank that uses high capacity batteries like the 18650s? I have seen them, but don't have actual recommendations or anything. Anyway, so the thinking is that if/when the batteries stop working, instead of having to wait for recharge, just slip in some more 18650s.

Most of them do use 18650's, but the cells have been spot-welded together, so it's not possible to just "slip in some more", plus you'd still have to resolder the positive and negative wires as well. Only the ones that have literally been designed for DIY use non-welded cells, but that makes them a lot bigger. Also, carrying around a bunch of 18650's and prying the powerbank open just to swap the ones inside is hardly a particularly clever idea. I mean, you have to change them all in one go as they're wired in parallel, so you could just as well just carry two powerbanks with you and get the same results with less hassle!

[WereCatf]

56 minutes ago, cluelessgenius said:

im looking for a powerbank that charges the fastest way possible.

Look for a powerbank that supports charging of itself via Quickcharge 3.0 or USB-PD. Just the fact that it supports QC3.0 and/or USB-PD doesn't mean the powerbank itself can be charged that fast, so gotta pay attention when reading the specs. QC3.0 allows for charging-power of 18W.

[cluelessgenius]

30 minutes ago, paddy-stone said:

What about something like a power bank that uses high capacity batteries like the 18650s? I have seen them, but don't have actual recommendations or anything. Anyway, so the thinking is that if/when the batteries stop working, instead of having to wait for recharge, just slip in some more 18650s.

doesnt work for me. 1. its gonna be behind a a mirror and not very accessable and swapping them would still mean restart it just introduces more hassle not less.

2. also id prefer closed powerbanks you know since its a bathroom and all. i mean it doesnt get all that humid in there but still. 

also arent those only used for their high output / not capacity

 

23 minutes ago, WereCatf said:

Look for a powerbank that supports charging of itself via Quickcharge 3.0 or USB-PD. Just the fact that it supports QC3.0 and/or USB-PD doesn't mean the powerbank itself can be charged that fast, so gotta pay attention when reading the specs. QC3.0 allows for charging-power of 18W.

very informative. thanks. but again you dont happen to have any specific recommendations do you?

[WereCatf]

2 minutes ago, cluelessgenius said:

very informative. thanks. but again you dont happen to have any specific recommendations do you?

No, sorry.

[paddy-stone]

1 hour ago, cluelessgenius said:

doesnt work for me. 1. its gonna be behind a a mirror and not very accessable and swapping them would still mean restart it just introduces more hassle not less.

2. also id prefer closed powerbanks you know since its a bathroom and all. i mean it doesnt get all that humid in there but still. 

also arent those only used for their high output / not capacity

 

very informative. thanks. but again you dont happen to have any specific recommendations do you?

No problem.

 

1. Won't you have the same problem with any powerbank then? or you mean you'll have the actual powerbank behind the mirror and a lead connected to charge it?  if the latter, then this can do the same the powerbank will charge with a lead same as other powerbanks, just that with this one the capacity is pretty good, and if needed/wanted can change out the batteries for fully charged ones so almost instant charge.

2. It IS a closed powerbank, the picture is just showing you the batteries in the compartment.

 

Anyway, no problem, just trying to help and thought that the almost instant "charge" by changing the batteries might be useful, plus it can be charged while in situ same as other power banks if required. Gonna pick one up for myself as I need a new 18650 charger anyway, and having the ability to use it as a powerbank is also useful to me.

[cluelessgenius]

12 minutes ago, paddy-stone said:

No problem.

 

1. Won't you have the same problem with any powerbank then? or you mean you'll have the actual powerbank behind the mirror and a lead connected to charge it?  if the latter, then this can do the same the powerbank will charge with a lead same as other powerbanks, just that with this one the capacity is pretty good, and if needed/wanted can change out the batteries for fully charged ones so almost instant charge.

2. It IS a closed powerbank, the picture is just showing you the batteries in the compartment.

 

Anyway, no problem, just trying to help and thought that the almost instant "charge" by changing the batteries might be useful, plus it can be charged while in situ same as other power banks if required. Gonna pick one up for myself as I need a new 18650 charger anyway, and having the ability to use it as a powerbank is also useful to me.

well maybe it works but also i dont see why this would be better to normal powerbanks since i would leave them in there anyway.

so there is power out of the wall behind the mirror bound to the light switch 

so the mirror basically is a closed compartment/frame with the actual mirror acting as a lid. i really would like not having to fiddle with it at all. just throw every in there, mount it, and have it running. 

the powerbank capacity would determine how long i could leave the lights off for without needing to restart and the charge speed would determine for period of time i could leave it until i would need to leave the light on just to recharge the powerbank. 

seeing charging times of 7,5 hours thought makes me anxious. 

 

[Faisal A]

You could use super capacitors. 

[IgorM]

On 3/18/2019 at 9:25 AM, cluelessgenius said:

sorry for the bait. but i do need help actually.

 

im looking for a powerbank that charges the fastest way possible. i dont actually care for the power it delivers to hooked up devices assuming its gonna at least the standard 5V1A at a minimum.

 

im talking about the time it takes the powerbank to charge itself up from the wall.

 

 

the actually story/usecase for those interested:

  Hide contents

im building a smart mirror and have a pi hooked up to a monitor. first thought was connecting the pi to constant power plug in to wall and the monitor to the wall cables that are bound to the light switch.

 

turns out every form of power output in my bathrrom it bound to the light switch. duhh.

 

so since boot time is a bitch and constanly killing the pi by hard power off isnt that healthy on the sd card anyway....

 

....im now gonig to run the pi off a powerbank and have that hooked up to the wall.

 

meaning i need a powerbank that will charge enough power in the shorter times across the day when the light is on than the pi can draw in the times the light is off.

 

as originally planned im running a pi 3b+ right now with windows iot. but if it should turn out that its not low energy enough i thouhgt about switching to a pi zero and do the software as a local website 

 

take a look 

 

[kidroc666]

just buyu any powerbank that supports usb c fast charge 3.0 and your good