Can a power bank work as a laptop battery alternative?

Question

So here's the thing. My laptops battery is almost dead and I'm planning to buy a new one. The problem is that where I live, the power shortage is a very normal issue.

I have a 15 inch basic laptop. I was just thinking, what if buy a 20000 maH power bank which supports my laptops power configuration and comes with the right charging pin for my laptop.

I use my laptop almost like a desktop so portability is not an issue. The real issue is power. So if there is no battery in my laptop and I plug-in that power bank, would it work as a laptop battery alternative.

And what about the back up. If a 20000 mAH power bank is tested to supply 16000 mAh power then the back up should be 12 hours because that is four times the 4400 mAh 6 cell battery provides, right?

Solution 1

It sounds like you are talking about the kind of thing that has USB power ports for charging cell phones and tablets. If that is the case, then no, you can't power a laptop with it. What you want is a UPS.

Also their power rating is usually expressed in terms of a single cell, so 16 Ah at 4 volts = 64 Wh. Laptop batteries normally tell the capacity of an individual cell and how many cells they have, so Your 6 cell 4400 mAh laptop battery holds 105.6 Wh.

A typical UPS has a 7 or 8 Ah 12V battery so it holds 84 Wh. Higher end ones have dual batteries for twice the capacity, and output mains power for your laptop charger to convert to whatever the laptop accepts.

Solution 2

Yes, The answer is positive. i have answered the question at "Is it possible to charge my MacBook Air from a powerbank?" The power bank capable to charge a laptop needs to supply not only the USB standard charging port but also (or only) a DC output port, or a build-in power inverter with an AC outlet.

Here i collect some power bank that can charge laptop:

1.Anker® Astro Pro2 Multi-Voltage Portable Charger – 20000mAh Multi-Voltage 5V 12V 16V 19V for iPad Air, Mini, iPhone, Samsung Galaxy, Note, HP, Dell, Acer, Asus, Toshiba Netbooks

2.RAVPower® Xtreme 3-Port Portable External Battery Charger with Multi-Voltage 23000mAh Multi-Voltage 9V/12V/16V/19V/20V – for Apple Macbook, UltraBook, Digital Cameras, Surface Tablets,Asus Tablets and more

3.Poweradd™ Pilot Pro Monster Capacity Multi-Voltage Portable Charger – 32000mAh Multi-Voltage 5V 9V 12V 16V 19V 20V for Tablet PC, Netbooks, Notebooks, Laptops, Smart Phones

4.BiXPower 153 Wh (42500mAh) Super High Capacity 12V & 19V External Rechargeable Battery Pack – BiXPower BP160 Made with high quality Panasonic Li-ion battery cells. Compact size can easily fit into a laptop/notebook carry bag

5.Energizer XP18000AB Universal Power Adapter with External Battery for Tablets/Laptops/Netbooks/Smartphones

Energizer XP18000AB Universal Power Adapter with External Battery for Tablets/Laptops/Netbooks/Smartphones

6.Qi-Infinity™ Powergrid External Battery Pack/High Capacity Power Bank charger – 34200mAh For Laptops, Notebooks, Netbooks, Tablets and Smart Phones

7.Lizone® Extra Pro Super Capacity Portable External Battery Charger 40000mAh For Apple Books, HP, IBM Lenovo, Tablets, Smartphones and more

8.Intocircuit® Power Castle PC26000 External Battery Pack/High Capacity Power Bank charger – 26000mAh 12 Connectors for Laptops, 10 Connectors for Phones and Tablets, AC Adapter Included

There are power banks available with various plug in connectors for laptops, but they cost around 15,000. I have seen one on ebay india, and the ad says that they’ve even sold 29 units. These are not marketed by laptop manufacturers so I am not sure what your laptop warranty status will be if you purchase one of these banks and use it charge your laptop. Most laptops charges through its adapter only. Powerbanks on the other hand have only usb 2 output interface. Replacing laptop batteries with Extra cell batteries available in the market can help. One desi jugaad is using a UPS to charge a lappy but it wont make it handy and portable.

Solution 3

If the power bank is designed for a laptop, then the suitability question doesnt arise, however, a cellphone powerbank is unlikely to work regardless of capacity as they arent designed to supply the required current

However, you will lose power switching from the power bank to mains and back unless your power bank supports pass through power since the power bank will connect via the same port used for mains power

Comments

[fixer1234]

This is an old question, but it isn't clear what you mean by a power bank, so this thread won't be helpful to others, or may mislead others if they misinterpret it. The answers are also a mixed bag due to different interpretations. Please describe the power bank (model, output voltage, how/where it connects to the laptop). Thanks.

[Mohi]

Can I use my "almost dead battery" for power supply while switching from power bank to mains? It still has enough juice left to provide at least 15 minutes' backup.

[Akash]

You could but a battery that provides only 15 min goes to 0 very fast

[Mohi]

I know, right! Thanks a lot for your quick response. Would you mind if I wait 24 hours to choose the best answer? I want to have others opinion as well.

[Akash]

sure.. not a prob

[Diego]

This is not the best answer, while UPS will do there are now low voltage (USB) batteries that can supply power to a laptop. Depending on particular battery technology they may be much better suited to frequent deep discharge than the UPS batteries.

[psusi]

@Diego, laptops can not take in power over their USB ports.. they supply power to them.