Li-Polymer Power Banks

Posted by Paul on 29. June 2015

I am in to this profession since the dawn of my childhood, a passionate writer but now I get some buck too.. I welcome all the beginners and the old hands to come and join us..

Africa! Is a lovely country, a tropical haven, beautiful scenery, warm empathetic people, colourful rich culture, abundant natural resources and the list goes on and on. Like every other continent my beloved Africa has its fair or challenges or should I say has “more” than its fair share of challenges. Regrettably most notable challenges we face over here is .. yes you guessed right ‘Energy’.

Power is a commodity in such limited supply that people are willing to go the lengths to ensure a constant supply of power. That not withstanding, Africa is not behind the technological hype. Name it and I can assure you every latest gadget is here. A walk down the street and you will see all the known brands and latest devices displayed in shops.

With all these devices comes the issue of charging. What is the use of owning a pricey device if it’s off half the day. Along came the Power Banks, you probably know what a Power Bank is or might have seen someone using one. They come in different colours, shapes and sizes, next time you see someone at the bus stop with a cable disappearing somewhere into their purse or pocket you can bet they’re withdrawing from an electrical bank.

9. What is lithium-ion 18650 Power Bank and what is Li-Polymer Power Bank?
10. What is the difference between 18650 and Li-Polymer Power Banks?
11. What is the common mAh use in 18650?
12. What is the common REAL CAPACITY in an 18650 Power Bank on the market?
13. What’s the different between branded Power Bank and generic Power Bank?
14. Is it true branded Power Bank won’t explode and generic Power Bank will explode?

• The difference is the different kind of internal electrolytes used internally. Lithium-ion batteries use liquid electrolyte, and lithium polymer batteries use solid or gel polymers.

• 18650 size and dimension are fixed. Li-Polymer size and dimension are flexible.
• 18650 produce more heat. Li-Polymer is much safer
• 18650 are cheaper. Li-Polymer is more expensive
• 18650 have higher self-discharge rate.Li-Polymer has a very low self-discharge rate
• 18650 battery durability will drop faster.  Li-Polymer battery capacity are more durable
• Additionally, there are many recycled batteries out there, Thus, selecting a brand with a good reputation is important for consumer safety.

• The common mAh use in 18650 is around 1300mAh to 2200mAh.

• Power Bank using 1pcs 18650 is 1200mAh – 2600mAh
• Power Bank using 2pcs 18650 is 2500mAh – 4400mAh
• Power Bank using 3pcs 18650 is 3750mAh – 6600mAh
• Power Bank using 4pcs 18650 is 5200mAh – 8800mAh
• Power Bank using 5pcs 18650 is 6500mAh –11000mAh
• Power Bank using 6pcs 18650 is 7800mAh –13200mAh
• Power Bank using 7pcs 18650 (no info)
• Power Bank using 8pcs 18650 is 10400mAh –14400mAh

• Branded Power Bank mostly sell in REAL CAPACITY. Generic Power Bank mostly sells in MARKING CAPACITY. That’s the reason why you will never see any branded Power Bank (standard size) have anything as high as 30000mAh – 50000mAh. That’s also the reason why a good 12000-13000mAh Power Bank is able to charge more or about the same as the market 30000-50000mAh Power Bank

• This is not all that true as both Power Banks can explode depending on the situation. Being it, a branded Power Bank or generic Power Bank. The branded ones may tend to be more durable because the companies have their reputation to protect unlike the unbranded generic types.

• The thought alone can burn a hole in your pocket. Wouldn’t it therefore be nice to have an alternative source of that “Xtra” power to fall back on during such times? This is where Power Banks come in, but, what exactly is a Power Bank and how can you tell if you are buying the right Power Bank for your devices?