Cable differences?

MrBaker89 · August 15, 2016

Hey guys,

Looking at getting one of these:

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/omnicharge-smart-compact-portable-power-bank-smartphone-powerbank#/

Stupid question Pre warning...

it only has EU / US plug options and I like in the UK.

My question is can I use this Powerbank and buy a us/eu cable for my S7 Edge and still charge it?

MrDrWho13 · August 15, 2016

Why not use the USB port on this rather than the mains socket if you're charging a phone?

Edit taking in the pre-warning:

Yes, you don't need an EU/US adapter since USB an international standard. If you're planning to use this just for your phone, get a standard USB power bank that is already on the market.

MrBaker89 · August 15, 2016

Just now, MrDrWho13 said:

Why not use the USB port on this rather than the mains socket if you're charging a phone?

My bad the phone was just an example.

I mean't to put laptop.

MrDrWho13 · August 15, 2016

Just now, MrBaker89 said:

My bad the phone was just an example.

I mean't to put laptop.

Ah ok, yeah you probably need a US/EU adapter (probably best to use the EU one). It should work.

mariushm · August 15, 2016

The device has usb ports on the side, so in theory you could buy a USB to microUSB (or whatever the phone has) and charge the phone directly from usb. It should be the most efficient method.

The charger that comes with the phone is most likely of the universal type, which means it will work wih 110v AC or 220v AC or any voltage in between, you can make sure by simply reading the label on the charger. You can buy a mains socket adapter to change the EU plug of your charger to UK version, or the other way around (probably you have UK charger, you can convert that to EU plug easily.

Charging this way would be less efficient, because this thing has to boost the low battery voltage all the way up to 110v or 220v AC and this is done with not so great efficiency (maybe 85-90%) and then the charger that comes with the phone has to take this high voltage and produce the 5v again with some loss, maybe only about 95% efficiency.

It would make sense to just take advantage of the fact that the USB ports on this thing already output the 5v the phone receives from the charger anyway, so just buy a usb cable that has the connector your phone has on one side (microUSB or mini usb or usb type c, can't be bothered to look up that phone).