USB Power Bank

Dino

Dino

Well-Known Member
Joined
27 Apr 2009
Messages
1,068
Location
Ireland
Visit site
Hi,
I've noticed that I'm using a lot of USB powered devices on my boat lately, Iphone, Ipad, camera, speaker, etc. I'm thinking of buying a large capacity USB power bank for charging these devices. My idea is to leave it plugged in while the boat is in the marina and plugged into shore power. Then when I am cruising I will have a good mobile option that I can use for all charging. For example, I can use it at the covered helm position for my devices.
Has anyone got a similar set up and can you recommend a power bank. I was thinking of 20,000mah +.

Thanks.
 
Just wondering if it might be more cost-effective to add another battery to your house battery bank, if you have space. You will obviously get a lot more than 20Ah and the extra capacity will be available for all other uses as well?

Richard
 
Surely all you need is a few USB charging sockets powered by the boat's 12v supply. Far simpler and easier than managing the state of a separate battery, and doesn't require frequent marina visits.

If you do insist on having a separate battery just for USB stuff, be aware that cheaper ones often lie flagrantly about their capacity.

Pete
 
prv said:
Surely all you need is a few USB charging sockets powered by the boat's 12v supply. Far simpler and easier than managing the state of a separate battery, and doesn't require frequent marina visits.

If you do insist on having a separate battery just for USB stuff, be aware that cheaper ones often lie flagrantly about their capacity.

Pete
Click to expand...

+1

I have just installed a double USB socket (like the old 12v cigarette lighter jobbies) which gives me around a quarter of a million mAh from my domestic bank. Why would you do anything else?
 
prv said:
Surely all you need is a few USB charging sockets powered by the boat's 12v supply. Far simpler and easier than managing the state of a separate battery, and doesn't require frequent marina visits.

If you do insist on having a separate battery just for USB stuff, be aware that cheaper ones often lie flagrantly about their capacity.

Pete
Click to expand...

+1 too, with a warning to be wary of cheap Ebay sockets an to buy a volt/ammeter to check what's going on, something cheap will do for that, such as :

https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_...usb+vol.TRS0&_nkw=usb+voltage+tester&_sacat=0
 
Yes, maybe I should just go with sockets. The only issue is I have a mixed 24V and 12V system. Engines and domestics are 24V and there's a 24to12V transformer set up to run some 12V items. I may have to run an extra 12V circuit to the aft cabin and that would cover everything.
Thanks.
 
prv said:
Surely all you need is a few USB charging sockets powered by the boat's 12v supply. Far simpler and easier than managing the state of a separate battery, and doesn't require frequent marina visits.

If you do insist on having a separate battery just for USB stuff, be aware that cheaper ones often lie flagrantly about their capacity.
Click to expand...

+ another.

Even a large USB power pack is only about 1Ah, even if the vendor's claims are accurate. That's about one fiftieth of the power available from a typical lead-acid boat battery. Use the big fella.
 
prv said:
Surely all you need is a few USB charging sockets powered by the boat's 12v supply. Far simpler and easier than managing the state of a separate battery, and doesn't require frequent marina visits.
Click to expand...
I'd agree. I think USB Power packs have a role, but probably not if you can mains charge a 12V. If you were on a small boat with limited charging ability (Outboard maybe), then I can see a role for it. If you have no mains power then being able to chuck it in your bag/pocket and take it home and charge it and bring it back would be good.

Some things to be aware of. You will almost certainly not find one that can be charged and charge at the same time. That might sound daft but if you are short on sockets being able to feed the charger from one socket and output to 2 or more may be helpful.
prv said:
If you do insist on having a separate battery just for USB stuff, be aware that cheaper ones often lie flagrantly about their capacity.
Click to expand...
They certainly do! I'm working on some WiFi electronics to work from a floating mark. I though USB Battery Pack with Solar Panel would do the job nicely. Firstly its won solar panel doesn't seem to charge it at all and secondly it was sold as 30Ah, but I knew it was likely 20Ah as it was listed elsewhere as such. It went for a swim and has been replaced by a 2.5Ah 3.7V LiIon battery which seems to last about 10% less! I suspect some of these devices are not strictly lieing, but they don't priovide all the info you need. Inside them is a LiIon battery so either 3.7 or 7,2V, either way it needs coverted to 5V for USB. So the battery could be 10000mAh, but at 3.7V, then lifting the volts to 5V, resulting in a reduction in effective output. In my case the 5V is then converted back down to 3.3V so I might as well have been running a heater!
dherraghty said:
Yes, maybe I should just go with sockets. The only issue is I have a mixed 24V and 12V system. Engines and domestics are 24V and there's a 24to12V transformer set up to run some 12V items. I may have to run an extra 12V circuit to the aft cabin and that would cover everything.
Thanks.
Click to expand...
You can get 24V USB sockets. Trucks use 24V, so its not a hugely unusual request. They mostly seem to be sold as cigarette lighter chargers - but study them closely - most are not plugin things (which are rubbish) - they replace the cigarette lighter.
I a week where we are probably all a bit more twitched about fire safety - worth checking what you are buying with these.

If I was thinking power pack for take it home charging - I might be tempted by something that could start an engine. Something like this: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/K16-16800...627669?hash=item3f68a5ac55:g:mV0AAOSwIgNXrTwP at least it could start your engine if you are stuck (obviously if your engine is 24V that might not work!)
 
We dealt with this recently by putting a relatively old 12v battery in a locker with a 60w solar panel connected. All the usb stuff, the torqeedo battery and the rechargeable drill battery get charged off that. It means when the house bank is lowish then we don't put extra strain on it, the battery is surplus so if it dies we don't care and the kids can charge up their stuff whenever they like. Total cost was £70. It's also kind of cool to make our own "petrol" for the outboard, I hated carrying a petrol can onboard and it would always run out at the wrong time. We're off grid 24/7 and at anchor two months on the year so it's important that we manage leccy. Kids have mini DVD players and absolutely no ipads, phones, etc, they get to charge them up once a day and get about an hour a day, the spread of ios/android usb devices is pernicious and given the chance they would be on a phone or an ipad half the day - not on our boat!
 
USB Power bank is a good idea as a simple instalation to existing wiring and was something I was considering. Anyway, to cut a long story short I decided to add a partial rewire to my refit and had instlled USB outlets in forecabin, navigators berth, aft cabin and a twin, IP rated point in the cockpit. It is just so convenient to have them at bunks and in the cockpit.
 
those powerbanks are great to take with you if you're out and about and can't plug your device in. Maybe useful if you daysail but better to do it properly and wire in 2 or 3 USB ports.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Other threads that may be of interest

W
Battery suicide
Replies
17
Views
580
Refueler
Refueler
D
Galvanic Isolator location
Replies
5
Views
314
Alex_Blackwood
Alex_Blackwood
Skipper Felice
Optimisation of the battery charger infrastructure
Replies
1
Views
152
PaulRainbow
PaulRainbow

Share this page

Top