Power FAQs
POWER BANK BASICS
How do I know which Power bank suits my device?
To know which Power bank suits your device there are a few criteria to be considered:
1. Capacity of the Power bank and the chargeable device
2. Input and output specifications
3. Safety features
1. Capacity:
For example if your phone battery is 1500 mAh and the battery is on 0% a Power bank with 2600 mAh can charge your phone one and a half time.
Charging times = (PB battery x 0.9 (battery loss is around 10%))/ phone’s battery capacity
If your phone battery is 3000mAh and is 0% now, a Power bank with 2600mAh will not be able to charge your phone to full because the phone battery capacity is higher than the Power bank. Charging times = around 80%
The charging time depends as well on the environment (temperature, general storing of the Power bank etc.)
Charging time is prolonged if the device is used during the charging process.
2. Output specification
1A-1.5A output is generally for smartphones, 1A-2.5A output is generally for tablets.
Normally mobiles have a 1A input, the same as our PB’s output
Some mobiles though have an input of 1.5A
Tablets (most 6 to 8.5 inch) have 1-2A input
Tablets (most 8.5 to 12 inch) have 2A – 2.5A input.
Majority of the tablets can accept 1A input however the charging will be slower if the tablets input is more than 1A.
3. Safety
Safety comes first. Choose only Power banks that have the following safety features:
Output over-current and over voltage protection
Input over-current and over voltage protection
High temperature shut down
Short-circuit protection
Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) protection
How do I know how big a smart device’s battery is?
The batteries of the smart devices vary on a large scale, depending on the brand, model, generation, extras etc.
Some of the most popular phones and tablets battery capacities are:
Model | Battery capacity (mAh) |
---|---|
Iphone 6s | 1810 |
Iphone 6s plus | 1810 |
Iphone 5s | 1560 |
Iphone 5c | 1510 |
Iphone 4 | 1432 |
Galaxy S6: S6 Edge | 2550 |
Galaxy S5 | 2800 |
Galaxy Note 4 | 3220 |
Galaxy Note 5 | 5000 |
Galaxy Tab S2 | 5870 – 6000 |
Ipad Air | 8820 |
Ipad Air2 | 7340 |
Ipad Pro | 10370 |
For exact details of a device please check the user manual or the manufacturer’s website.
How do Power banks work? TBD
CHARGING
Do the power banks come fully charged?
The power banks come 30% pre-charged. We cannot charge them more because there are strict international shipping regulations in place for these product that have a built in Li-Ion/ Li-polymer batteries.
How long do I need to charge the powerbank for the first time and subsequent times?
The charging time depends on:
1. The Power bank's capacity
2. Remaining power of Power bank
3. Power supply
For the first time (power banks are received with 30% charge) the charging time will be:
2600mAh = app. 2 hours
3000mAh = app. 2,5 hours
For the subsequent times (when PB battery is 0%):
2600mAh = app. 3 hours
3000mAh = app. 3,5 hours
EXAMPLE
Power bank: 2600mAh
Remaining battery: 0%
Power Supply/ Input: 1000mA plug (power supply can vary)
Calculation:
PB battery/ 0.8 x Power Supply = Time needed for charging
2600mAh/ 900mA = around 3 hours
Why is the Power Supply calculated with 80%?
Because an estimated 10-20% of power is consumed during charging/discharging process.
How many times can a powerbank charge my phone?
Similar formula applies to calculate number of times a power bank can charge a phone.
EXAMPLE:
Powerbank: 3000mAh (full at 90%)
Phone Battery: 1500mAh
Calculation: (3000mAh x 90% x 80%) / 1500mAh = approximately 1,5 times
Why 90%?
The battery is considered to be full at 90%.
Why is the Power Supply calculated with 80%?
Because an estimated 10 - 20% of power is consumed during charging/discharging process.
Is the Power bank going to charge my tablet?
The tablets input vary from 1A- 2.5A depending on the model.
Some tablets can accept a lower input of 1A, however the charging will be slower.
Can I charge the power bank via USB port?
Yes, the power bank can be charged via the wall plug and also via the USB port. Some computers/laptops have a so called dedicated charging port (DCP).
Charging via standard USB ports will extend the charging time.
Using your device while charging will also extend the charging time.
Charging times
USB port | 2600 mAh Power bank | 3000 mAh Power bank |
---|---|---|
USB 1.0 (500mAh, 0,5A) | 6-6,5 hours | 7-7,5 hours |
USB 2.0 (500mAh, 0,5A) | 6-6,5 hours | 7-7,5 hours |
USB 3.0 (900mAh, 1.5A) | 3,5 hours | 4 - 4,5 hours |
DCP (1500mAh, 1,5A) | 2 - 2,5 hours | App. 2,5 hours |
Wall socket | App. 3 hours | App. 3,5 hours |
(Above are based on assumption that the power banks is empty)
How long does the power bank hold its charge once fully charged and not used?
Approximately between 3-6 months (on a temperature of 25°C).
FUNCIONALITY
Can the power bank impact negatively on the phone’s battery life?
The actual phone/tablet charger is in your phone/tablet. Whether the power comes from a normal charger or a power bank makes no difference.
Temperature dependence of discharge capacity
The Power banks functionality depends as well on the environment.
Below table shows how much charge can be transferred at different temperatures (assuming the power bank was charged full on 25°C).
Discharge temperature | Relative capacity |
---|---|
-10 °C | 50% |
0% °C | 80% |
25 °C | 100% |
40 °C | 80% |
CUSTOMER'S QUESTIONS
Can I get a working sample to test functionality?
Working samples can be sent from the UK Warehouse, however these shall be sent only in exceptional cases and not offered to leads/customers proactively.
Working samples are available only from ET and RF models.
The requests for these shall be sent in email containing the shipping address to Aftersales & Warehouse Deputy Supervisor (radek@flashbay.com) having Aftersales and Warehouse Assistant (dawid@flashbay.com) copied in.
What is the life cycle of a Power bank?
On average a Voltbay Power bank - if properly maintained - can be used for about 400 - 500 cycles.
One cycle means a charge and then discharge. If you don’t charge the power bank fully before discharging it is still counted as one cycle.
The life-cycle also depends on the power banks storing conditions.
What is the warranty period, and what does it cover?
The Warranty period is 2 years and can be applied for the power bank only, the cable is excluded.
What batteries are used for the power banks?
Grade ‘A’ Samsung Li-ion batteries are used for all models except the Card.
For the Card Li-polymer batteries are used.
What is the difference between 2600mAh and 3000mAh?
mAh (milliamper hour) refers to the storage of the power banks battery.
Does a higher capacity Power bank charge a phone faster than a low capacity Power bank?
No. The charge speed is determined by output current (1A for us) not the capacity. As the output current is the same for both high capacity (e.g. 3000 mAh) and lower capacity (e.g. 2600 mAh) they will charge the phone at the same rate. A higher capacity Power bank however will be able to provide more charge than the lower one.
Why do we sell only 25 or multiply?
Due to strict shipping regulations (of dangerous goods) we can supply only 25 or multiply of 25.
Can I take my Power bank on the plane?
Guidelines on this are not completely clear at the moment.
Power banks can not be carried at all in checked baggages. Some airlines allow for up to 2 PBs to be taken in the hand luggage. The Power banks must be marked with the relevant technical information (Flashbay Power banks are marked with mandatory compliance marks). If in doubt, please check with your airline beforehand.
Can the customer send Power banks individually to their clients?
Power banks are batteries, and batteries are dangerous goods. Customers shall be advised to contact their courier service if they want to send the Power banks individually. They will need to let the courier service know that our batteries are 9.62Wh.
What languages is the User Manual available in?
Every User Manual has information in 12 languages (the languages' of all Flashbay Ltd territories).
CR: Card User Manual
ET: Element User Manual
EG: Ergo User Manual
RF: Reflex User Manual
Incoterms and commodity code
The incoterms of the Power bank is DDP (Delivery Duty Paid) except for some remote locations outside Europe.
The tariff number/commodity code: 85076000
COMPLIANCE
Mandatory compliance marks
Electronic devices must comply with certain regulations and directives.
These are marked on the Power banks amongst other information:
RoHS (marks compliance with the EU directive of Restriction of Hazardous Substances)
CE (marks compliance with the directives and legislations of European Conformity)
FCC (marks compliance with electronics regulation of the US)
Wheelie bin (showing that the product shall not be disposed of in the normal waste stream)
Other information displayed on the products:
Model
Capacity (2600mAh or 3000mAH)
Logo
Input/Output (5V/1A for all models)
Country of origin