In search of a convenient power source, an overview of an external 6000mAh battery

Introduction

A baling-rating system is introduced in our institute, thanks to this, whether you like it or not, but for a good assessment it is necessary to attend pairs of 146%. Therefore, every day, the problem of changing Nokia x6 became more acute, the lack of applications and strong browser lags on every second page only accelerated the process. And so, three months ago I purchased a Samsung Galaxy R with a Tegra 2 chip, in the first days I practically did not let the device out of my hands, and quickly discharged the battery to write off the excessive interest in the device. Time passed, interest gradually subsided, and eventually settled at a certain level, but alas, the battery charge was not always enough to go home listening to music. In this regard, the search began for sources of additional energy.
Carefully, under the cut 5MB photographic materials.

Part 1. Possible solutions

1. Second battery

A copy of the SGS native battery.
I think every photo or video lover often takes a second battery with him, so that the “Battery low” sign doesn't spoil his favorite activity. For this, most of the batteries from photo and video equipment are made in durable plastic cases, but back to smartphones.
Pros:
small size and weight;
replacement rate;
dimensions and appearance of the device are unchanged.
Minuses:
the need to alternately charge each battery;
in some devices, battery replacement is hampered by design features;
the need to restart the device;
battery vulnerability to mechanical damage.
Putting together the pros and cons, we get a light and compact source of additional electricity for your device. In just a minute, you can change the dead battery live twin. We pay for this in a very uncomfortable way of charging, because every day you need two full batteries. There is also the possibility of a short circuit or mechanical damage when carried in a pocket.
Upd. A convenient option is to buy a charging station for your type of battery.
Price from $ 5-10.

2. High-capacity battery or “miracle case”

High-capacity battery and back cover for galaxy s.
On some phone models, you can purchase either a standard battery that has grown a couple of times and a new case for it, or a case in which a battery is already installed.
Pros:
the operation time of the device increases significantly;
There are no problems with charging.
Minuses:
device thickness is increased by 2 times;
similar sets are not issued to each device.

Hybrid case and battery for iphone.
As a result, you get a chubby device that can not fit in every pocket, and the management with one hand will become less effective. If it doesn’t bother you at all - feel free to buy it, it will stand for a day.
Price from $ 10-20.

3. External batteries

Universal external battery.
These batteries most often have a usb output and a lot of adapters, and given that usb cables are sold even in kiosks allied, you can solder charging for any device that accepts 5 volts. We are able to charge almost all models of players and phones, as well as power for the arduino and other microcontrollers. But that's not all, I do not exclude the use of a battery with c usb speakers, flashlights, fans, refrigerators based on the peltier element and other nonsense.
Also, a solar battery is built into every second battery, which can sometimes help you.
The price strongly depends on the capacity, from $ 20-30 for a 6000mAh battery.

4. Solar panels, dynamos, compact windmills, etc.

8 watt wind turbine, 3.5 watt solar panel, dynamo.
This category of goods for the amateur is in itself extremely unstable - the sun is not always bright, the wind is not always strong, and the arm gets tired to twist.
Pros:
electricity from almost nothing;
harmless to the environment.
Minuses:
low efficiency;
high price;
special conditions are required.
Alas, even the solar panels can not be discharged into the daily lives of citizens. At the moment, it is more devices for hobbies than functional devices.
Prices:
Dynamo cars from $ 5.
Solar panels (6V 800mA) from $ 20.
Compact windmills from $ 50.

Part 2. External battery 6000 mAh

Continuation of the introduction

At the next lecture, it was decided that portable usb charging is needed for the phone. With the words “everything ingenious is simple”, it was decided to sequentially connect four AA nickel-metal hydride batteries and connect them to usb through a resistance of 6 ohms since we needed a current of 800mA. Of course, there was no question of any protection against short circuits, and we also decided not to think about how to switch off the charger, suggesting that if it is possible to charge the phone harmlessly from a usb board of any year, then from the usb board it’s not like does not depend.
Upon arrival home, everything fell into place, a system of protection was installed in less and less recently produced lithium-ion batteries, which interrupted charging itself. In addition, it was reported that these batteries do not like to change the charging voltage, and therefore had to abandon the solar panels and dynamos, as add-ons for this system.
By evening, a completely sensible idea appeared - if a student came up with a simple working solution for 4 hours, then using this technology with 100% probability, it is not the first year that production has been going on in China. So it turned out, a week later a 6000 mAh battery was ordered . The parcel arrived in Zelenograd 4 weeks after the payment.

Package and Delivery

The package did not include a box, instead of it was used the case that came in the kit, it is true and the money will save and nature benefits.
Inside there are 5 adapters, a self-twisting cord for connecting the battery and adapters. It is also a tricky Chinese wire with which you can both charge the battery from usb and discharge it by plugging into the usb connector female or simultaneously charging the device and an external battery through one usb connector. Bonus attached bag for storing wires.
When you take the battery in your hands for the first time, you immediately acknowledge that it was made conscientiously, there are two reasons for that - it is cold and heavy, from the plastic parts there is only a power button and three LEDs. Apparently, the case is made of aluminum alloy, at least the magnet does not stick to it.

Battery

At the end of the device, all the elements necessary for communication with the outside world are collected. From left to right, three LEDs that display the charge level have “sticks” from 0 to 30%, from 30 to 70%, and from 70 to 100%. The power button, after pressing which, the device will wait for the consumer for 10 seconds, if it is not connected, the battery will turn off. Next is the connector for charging and usb output.
When buying, I was expecting 500mA usb charging (description of the lot), it saddened me a lot, since my native charge was 800mA, and HTC was not charging the first day for 1A. But fortunately on the metal case there is an inscription DC output: 5,0-5.5V 1000mA.
In order to dispel doubts about the capacity of the battery, it was completely disassembled, looking ahead, inside there is a 6000mAh battery with a nominal voltage of 3.7V.

Body content

Inside is the battery itself and the control board. The battery is neatly plastered with polyurethane foam, there is a guaranteed gap of 1 mm between the walls, the thickness of the case is also at least 1 mm. The control board is rigidly fixed on the guides, a distance of 10 mm between it and the battery. All these measures, in my opinion, will save the battery from minor drops.

The battery has the serial number, date of manufacture, capacity and voltage. The battery consists of two smaller batteries connected in parallel and in order not to break them in order to see if there is an identical inscription on the second one (I wanted to see a battery at 7V and 6Ah) that the first meter was measured with a multimeter.

Measurements of the voltage on the battery terminals on the left and on the usb output on the right .
Also, the battery has built-in overload protection on the usb output. In case of short circuit, the device will turn off, so that you remember that you can not do this, it will not turn on until it is charged.

Charging efficiency

When listening to music with the display off, the charging speed is not inferior to stationary counterparts that are powered from the outlet.
With the included dynamic backlighting and Internet digging, charging is approximately 40% slower than from the network.
Well, if you twisted the brightness to maximum, listen to music, download from the torrent, and at the same time play GTA 3, only 40% of the energy gets into the phone's battery.
One full charge of an external battery lasts for a working week of reasonable use, or for 20 hours of continuous work at the peak of the phone’s capabilities.

Experience of use

The advantage of this type of battery is that there is no need to keep it connected all the time, it needs to be done when it is convenient for you, because on average you need to charge the battery by 25-50%, this is quite enough not to save the charge. After all, it is not necessary to return home with a 100% battery charge.
If there is a lecture or a seminar, the device is peacefully charging right on the desk, it is very convenient. It happens that you have to recharge on the go, then the phone goes to the bag or jeans pocket, the battery is put in another pocket, the usb goes along with the belt, while it does not take up space in the pockets and hangs down without surrounding people this design.

Conclusion

Problems with the battery were completely resolved, without having to change the phone case, as is the case with an additional battery, you do not have to put an additional battery for charging every day, one charge at the weekend is enough. I am very pleased, in the near future I plan to process the case with sealant, thereby making full protection class IP67. In the summer, the battery will fully reveal its potential at picnics and long cycle walks, and by that time I will begin to develop the arduin.