Is it possible to charge a laptop using an external battery? How to make an external battery from an old laptop

An article about laptop charging options.

Navigation

IN modern world working day, work office, maybe at home, in the country, in a cafe, in nature. This requires a laptop and Internet access. However, providing power to the laptop in the field is the first task.

To power your laptop you will need a portable external battery.
The external battery can be powered by a car generator adapter, a special adapter and a current converter.

Device power options

• using an external charger
• using a solar battery
• using a car inverter

Charging with solar batteries

The battery allows you to convert solar energy into electricity. Portable solar battery small-sized, convenient for hiking, traveling, outdoors. However, this is not enough powerful device.

Solar batteries for laptop

A solar battery with higher power has large sizes. This makes installation difficult.

Charging with an external battery

This device is portable. Capable of keeping the device operating for two hours. Has a lithium-ion battery.

External battery for laptop

Developers provide the market with a variety of models of external batteries, differing in capacity, size, design and configuration.

Advantages of an external battery

• no dependence on weather conditions, sun, rain, snow
• complete with special adapters for powering tablets, laptops, smartphones

Charging using a car inverter

Since there is no electrical outlets, an inverter will help you provide power to your laptop. Disadvantage: Recharging the laptop must occur with the car turned on as a power source.

Charging using a car inverter

The nuances of recharging from an external battery

For a laptop, it is advisable to use a battery with a capacity of 20,000 milliamps per hour.
It is advisable to have an output voltage switch: 12V, 16V or 19V. The battery must have a USB input for connecting a cable from a laptop.
Exactly, using these parameters, you can choose a laptop battery in the catalog of any online store.
The step-by-step process of recharging a laptop using a portable battery is no different from recharging a smartphone. We have already written about this on our website in the article listed at

Choose portable battery to power your laptop, you can go to the popular Aliexpress store website by following the link

Happy shopping, happy recharging!

Video: The simplest external battery for a laptop

It happens that you have to work with a laptop in places where there is no way to recharge it from the mains. For example, you urgently need to finish writing or drawing something, but the battery runs out. It was invented for such cases wonderful device: portable battery for gadgets itself different types. It's called briefly. Those users who come across this device for the first time often ask how to charge a laptop via power bank and how effective such charging will be.

General Features and Benefits

Thanks to good performance capacity of such a device, a laptop charged with a power bank can work three times longer than on its own battery. Of course, the computer will have to be constantly powered, but in conditions where it is impossible to connect to the network, this can be a real salvation.

The power bank is compact, it is indispensable in conditions long journey. Many power models are designed in such a way that they can be used to charge several gadgets at the same time. Each power is equipped with an indicator light that shows when it itself needs power.

Technique for charging a laptop using a power bank device

How to charge a laptop using a power bank? All gadgets, including a laptop computer, are charged from the power very simply.

The main thing is to pay attention to the battery capacity (most laptops have batteries with a capacity of up to 20,000 mAh), as well as the voltage (U) of the USB input port and current. Usually it is 19 Volts and 2 Amperes, no more.

Do not forget that before you start charging your laptop with a power bank, the device itself must be fully charged. There is nothing complicated about the connection itself. You just need to connect the portable battery to the computer you are charging via its USB port.

A little about the specifics of power banks and popular manufacturing companies

The power bank itself can be charged either from the network or from a computer connected to the network - depending on the situation. When giving preference to one or another portable charger, it is important to keep in mind that not all models will allow you to work with a laptop and charge it at the same time.

The most popular companies at the present stage are Xiaomi, Drobak, Power Plant. They produce universal power banks that can be used to charge any gadget, including laptop computers. Good believe will have a durable body and reliable protection from factors external environment. As a rule, the casings of devices with an increased degree of security are painted orange or red.

The capacity of a power bank that is suitable specifically for charging a laptop should be at least 20,000 mAh, or more. The higher the power capacity, the longer the laptop will work.

If you prefer compactness, you can purchase an inexpensive power bank Xiaomi Mi 2000 0. This power is remarkable in that you can work with a laptop while charging it at the same time. The capacity of Xiaomi Mi is fully consistent with the required indicators - 20,000 mAh, and its light weight, about 400 grams, will allow you to carry it with you.

If you need a more powerful device, there is Power Plant K2 50000 that suits everyone laptop computers and in conditions of long absence mains power supply may become simply irreplaceable.

Using a power bank is very simple - you just need to choose correct device, corresponding to the parameters of your laptop. When purchasing, also pay attention to appearance, manufacturer and price. If you select a power bank that matches the characteristics of your computer, it will always help you out when access to electrical network will be impossible.

How many times have you suffered from your smartphone running out of power at the most inopportune moment? And if you need to urgently call or wait important message? It’s good if there is an outlet or computer nearby that you can quickly charge your device from. But what if they are not there? The solution is to use an external battery (power bank). The Internet project “Be Mobile” has collected tips that will help you choose the best option for you.

First, let’s define what an external battery is and what its advantages are. An external battery or Power Bank is called a portable lithium-ion battery large capacity, from which you can charge a variety of mobile devices: phones, smartphones, tablets or e-books. This battery is capable long time keep energy within yourself. You can take it with you to work, school, on a business trip or while traveling.

The portable charger can be made in various form factors with a housing made of plastic, polycarbonate or metal. On sale you can find models in the form of boxes, bars, disks, cones and tubes in a variety of colors.

The Power Bank is charged from the electrical network or from any device with a USB output (for example, a computer or laptop).

All external batteries are equipped with one or more USB ports. Modern phones, smartphones or tablets can be charged using a USB cable, which in most cases is included with the device.

The main parameter when choosing an external battery is energy capacity. Everything here is simple and clear. The larger the capacity, the more energy the device stores, and the more expensive it is. Capacity is measured in mAh - milliamp hours.

Currently on sale you can find portable chargers with a capacity ranging from several hundred milliamp hours to several tens of thousands. You can estimate the level of charge you will need based on the battery capacity of your smartphone or tablet.

For example, in an average smartphone the battery has a capacity of 2,000 mAh, in high-end and expensive models- from 2,500 to 3,000 mAh. This means that a fully charged 5,000 mAh external battery will be enough for 2-2.5 charging cycles. A fully charged 10,000 mAh external battery will last for 4-5 cycles. If portable charging is necessary for your tablet, then you should choose from models with a larger capacity, for example, 20 or 30 thousand mAh.

Currently produced portable power supplies are equipped with lithium-ion or lithium polymer batteries. Depending on the type and design option, the nominal voltage at the battery output may be different (3.7, 4.2 or 7.4 V), while the standard bus voltage USB power supply is 5 V DC. Obviously, in this case, the battery has a capacity of 2000 mAh with a nominal voltage of 3.7 V, even in ideal conditions will not work for even an hour and a half when powering an external load connected via USB bus and consuming a current of 1 A. In addition, the amount of electricity that can be stored batteries, having the same capacity, but different voltage, will vary.

Tip 2: look at the current strength, it affects the charging speed

Another factor that affects the charging speed is the current strength. The more amperes, the faster speed charging. For phones and smartphones, this figure should be at least 1 ampere. Otherwise, the process itself will occur extremely slowly. For fully charged it will take 3 or 4 times longer than from the electrical network.

For tablets, devices with a current of 3 A or more are preferable. The ideal option is 4 A.

Tip 3: trust, but check, because the declared capacity does not always coincide with the real one

Another important point- actual capacity of Power Bank. The fact is that many manufacturers embellish the performance of their products. Of 50 portable models chargers who came to us for testing in last year, 46 had a capacity significantly less than stated. On average the difference was 25%.

For example, the manufacturer indicated that the external battery has a capacity of 10,000 mAh, but in reality it is 7,800 mAh. The difference is due to both the dishonesty of the developers and the improper storage of batteries during transportation and subsequent sale.

On real capacity Such an indicator as self-discharge also affects.

On average, external batteries with fully charged within two weeks they are discharged by 5%. This is worth considering if you do not use Power Bank for a long time. To activate electrolytic reactions, you should charge the device before use.

Keep in mind that the battery capacity will decrease over time. Our measurements show that with active use, a high-quality battery loses its capacity by 15% per year, the most cheap models - 35%.

To control the charge level, almost all Power Banks use LED indicators. And some external batteries are equipped with LED displays that show the exact state of charge in percentage.

Tip 5: choose a power bank with multiple USB ports to simultaneously charge your friends’ smartphones

Some models portable chargers have several USB ports to connect two, three or even more at once mobile devices. This option is suitable for simultaneous recharging, for example, when you go on a trip with friends. It's convenient. You can all charge your phones, smartphones and even tablets together.

You often ask us where you can be guaranteed to buy a high-quality external battery cheaply. We cannot give a definite answer. Of course, the reliability of purchasing in a large Russian online store or in retail network higher, but the prices are higher there. It is worth remembering that little-known Chinese sellers have a peculiarity: they can deceive. Their external batteries are much cheaper than their branded counterparts; they often indicate a capacity 2 or 3 times higher than the real one. Too much low price could be a trap. Although branded Power Banks in such stores can be fakes.

Compact

If you need compactness, you can pay attention to ergonomic models, for example, Anker Astro E1. This battery will not take up much space in your bag or pocket.

Universal

The ideal option would be batteries with a capacity of about 10,000 mAh. This is approximately three times more than the battery modern smartphone, which means that even taking into account the loss of energy during charging, it will be enough to fully restore the gadget’s charge several times. A high-quality example of such a power bank is the Anker PowerCore 10400 mAh model.

Another option for a high-quality external battery with universal functionality is the Aukey PB-N42 10,000 mAh.

Supports fast and wireless charging

If universal options is not your option, then you should pay attention to models with additional functions. For example, a power bank with fast charging support will be able to charge compatible gadgets much faster than usual. If the battery is capable of delivering a consistently high current (about 2A), then even without fast charging support, your gadgets will charge stably and relatively quickly.

Among the ones we recommend is the Baseus Wireless Charge Power Bank 8000 mAh external battery. Its main feature is the presence wireless charging Qi standard. That is, to charge a smartphone, you don’t need to connect a wire to it, just put it on an external battery and that’s it. Charging started. In addition to wireless charging with a current of 1A, the device supports wired USB connection two compatible devices, while the output current to the USB connectors is 2A.

A good option for iPhone is the Zikko PowerBag 6000 mAh external battery. The main difference from popular external Xiaomi batteries- This MFI certification, that is, the battery is compatible with all Apple devices. Device supports fast charging- the output current to the USB connectors is 2.4 A. In order to monitor the battery capacity, there are special LED indicators at the end. A nice bonus is that the smartphone is connected to the battery using the included Lightning cable.

With record capacity

If you need a strategic boost of power, check out the HyperJuice 26,000mAh AC Battery Pack. This giant can quickly charge absolutely any device, including a tablet, other portable equipment and even a laptop. There are 2 USB output connectors here. One provides a maximum charge of 3A at a voltage of 5W, and the other provides a current of 2.4A. A nice bonus is the ability to provide 220W power to any electrical appliances with a power consumption of up to 100W. You can connect a laptop, a flashlight, and even a blender to this battery.

The HyperJuice AC Battery Pack case is made of aluminum alloy, which perfectly protects the device from external mechanical influences.

We hope that our tips will help you buy a truly high-quality external battery and charge your phone, smartphone, laptop or e-reader without any problems.

I describe my personal experience Powering the laptop from external batteries. Getting ready to move to live in nature, I was puzzled by solving the problem of powering my laptop from a battery. Having rummaged through the forums, I didn’t find anything simple and accessible. Everyone suggested either a homemade adapter for power supply from a car generator, which is very difficult to assemble. Or ready-made solutions, such as auto adapters for laptops and current converters 12 volts to 220 volts, to use regular block power supply for laptop. But all these adapters cost money, and I didn’t have the opportunity to buy something ready-made.

Here's how I got out of the situation. The laptop is powered by 19 volts, I took and purchased 3 batteries from UPS at 6 volts 4.5A. I connected them in series and got 19 volts. I cut off the wire from the power supply, the one from the unit to the laptop and connected it to the batteries, observing the plus or minus. Next, I took the battery out of the laptop and connected the power cord. I turned it on and the laptop started working.

Attention - if you power the laptop from batteries, then its own battery must be removed, otherwise the laptop will burn out. I'll explain why. Standard block The power supply provides a certain current, for example 4A, and its battery consumes all these 4A. And if you power it from external batteries, then the battery of the laptop itself will charge everything that is given to it, and external batteries can produce tens of Amperes. With such a charging current, the hardware of the laptop simply cannot withstand it and the built-in power supply of the laptop will burn out.

In order to not only power, but also charge the laptop from external batteries, you need to install a resistor that will limit charging current. For example, if your laptop is powered by 19 volts 4A, then you need to install a 4A resistor. But I know that this option also causes some difficulties, since you need to find the right resistor. There is an even simpler option: instead of a current-limiting resistor, you just need to install a car light bulb with the required number of Amperes.

For example, if your laptop consumes 4 amps, then you need to install a 4 amp light bulb. It will work like a resistor, that is, passing only 4 amperes through itself, while it itself will consume the same amount. Yes, with this scheme, the electricity consumption from external batteries will be 2 times greater, but this will allow you to charge the internal battery of the laptop.

And so, look at the picture, in the first image the laptop is powered directly from 3 6-volt batteries. With this scheme, you must remove the internal battery, otherwise it will burn out. indoor unit laptop power supply.

In Figure “2” the laptop is powered and charged through a resistor. Turning on a resistor or light bulb will not only power, but also charge the built-up laptop battery.

All the above methods I tested it on my Acer netbook, and it still works, I’m writing this article from it. Please note that for power supply I use 3 6.4 volt batteries, this is when serial connection gives 19 volts. There are also laptops that are powered by 12…..16 volts. These laptops can be powered directly from 12 volts (auto battery), just remember to remove the internal battery. If you want to charge your laptop, then charge it through a resistor or a light bulb.

Another way to power a laptop if the laptop battery is dead

Power supply of the laptop from 12 volts, from the battery

The laptop's original battery failed, or rather it worked, but the charge lasted for about 20 minutes at most. And one fine day our electricity was cut off for 2 days, and I needed to correspond on the Internet. And I decided not to wait until the electricity was turned on, and to disassemble the built-in battery of the laptop, it was of no use anyway. There were 4 elements inside, the battery says 14.8 volts, which means each element is 3.7 volts.

Inside there are 2 main wires that are soldered to the ends of the element assembly, and several wires that are soldered between the elements. We need those 2 thick wires. which are on the sides of the element assembly. These wires are plus and minus for power, I connected a 12-volt battery to them and that’s it, we insert the empty battery case into its place and turn on the laptop, everything works.

By the way, depending on the model, the laptop may swear at the power supply and write that the battery is low, but don’t worry, this is because an ordinary car mobile battery gives 12 volts, not 14 volts, which is why the laptop thinks that its battery is low, but it does not turn off and works normally until the battery is actually discharged.

This option is only suitable for 11.1 or 14.8 volt batteries. But these are emergency options, and it is better to use devices designed for this.

An external mobile battery or power bank for a laptop can become the best option to increase the operating time of your laptop computer.

At medium capacity built-in batteries 3000–6000 mAh, the average duration of use of the gadget does not exceed 3–5 hours.

A good power bank will increase this time by at least three times, allowing you to work on your laptop even when complete absence electricity for several days.

In order to figure out which model is best to purchase today, you should consider several important factors, starting from capacity, ending with functionality and price.

Types of power banks

A modern power bank is universal battery, suitable for several types of devices at once.

In fact, if you have a suitable adapter, you can charge any gadget from a power bank - from mobile watch and player to tablet and laptop.

For ease of use, the array with batteries is enclosed in a housing with one or several outputs (USB and microUSB).

Different models of external batteries are different the following parameters:

• power ranging from 1000–50000 mAh;
• number of connectors;
• presence of a charge indicator;
• type of battery (lithium-ion or lithium-polymer). From regular batteries they are distinguished by a long service life and maximum energy intensity;
• size and weight, which usually depend on power;
• design;
• device manufacturer.

Standard model external source power supply is a small rectangle resembling an mp3 player or portable hard drive.

They are charged from the network (using a regular charger), from the USB connector of a PC, and even from the laptop whose resource they will be used to increase.

Features of choosing a battery

The main factors when choosing mobile external batteries are size, capacity and manufacturer.

The next most important point is the design of the device and its durability.

If the device will be used to charge several devices, you should pay attention to its functionality - the presence of a charge indicator and several inputs.

Characteristics

The main characteristic device, which is worth paying attention to is the name of the manufacturer.

Popular brands in this segment have become PowerPlant, Drobak and Xiaomi, producing powerful batteries, which are suitable for any type of mobile electronics, including laptops.

Little-known manufacturers are not as reliable, and their stated battery capacity may actually be lower.

The next point is the degree of protection of the external battery from dust, moisture and shock.

And, if the impact resistance is not the best important characteristic, then preventing liquid and dust particles from getting inside can be called an important option.

All functional models of well-known brands have such protection - not to such an extent that you can dive with them, but enough to be in a room with high humidity.

Fully protected, including from falling, option external battery Usually identifiable by the orange or dark red body design.

Another quite important characteristic of the device is its capacity. The larger it is, the longer the laptop will work without recharging from the mains.

Batteries with minimal capacity are not suitable for use to extend the charge of a laptop.

To do this, you should choose models with 20,000–30,000 mAh or more.

A capacity of 20 thousand mAh is already enough to increase the operating time of an average laptop PC by 3 times, 30 thousand is enough for a fivefold increase.

Although, if mobility plays the main role, you should pay attention to devices with a capacity of no more than 10,000 mAh - they are also quite productive, weigh no more than 200-300 g and fit in the pocket of a laptop bag.

Advice: don't chase after large capacity, looking for batteries with 40-50 thousand mAh capacity - most often these are fakes with lower parameters.

Additional parameter What requires attention from female and youth users is the design of the device.

Often such equipment is not just made in the usual discreet color, but can have an original and eye-catching appearance.

When choosing a case material - plastic or metal - it is worth noting that modern plastic is often not much inferior in strength to aluminum.

Moreover, many new models of portable chargers are encased in a polymer shell, having no less wear resistance.

At the same time, they are more pleasant to the touch than metal options.

Functionality

Functionality various models may differ noticeably. For example, some power banks are capable of charging no more than one laptop at a time.

With the help of others, you can increase the operating time of your laptop PC, tablet, smartphone, or several laptops at the same time.

If the number of charging connectors reaches 3 or even 4, additional device For example, a small USB lamp can be used for connection.

The connectors differ in current strength, which determines the charging time. For a tablet or smartphone, a 1 or 2 A USB port is sufficient.

The laptop may require a 3.2A connector that can charge its main battery faster.

Additional benefit the device may become digital indicator, which shows how many percent of the charge is left.

Whereas the complete set of built-in LED lamp will also ensure the use of a power bank as a temporary source of lighting, and one that lasts much longer than even conventional hand-held flashlights.

Compatibility of models produced in the last few years may not be considered. All of them are suitable for charging any gadget.

Moreover, some power banks They are supplied with adapter cords designed for most connector options - from USB and microUSB to inputs for various laptop models.

Advice: When charging a laptop, the second battery must be connected to the power supply. Because if you connect them to a USB connector, the battery will not charge the laptop computer, but, on the contrary, will be recharged from it.

The most powerful

The most powerful of all consumer-trusted portable chargers is the PowerPlant K2 50000.

This battery can replace the batteries of ten laptops and 15 medium-sized tablets at once.

The complete set of adapters allows you to use it specifically for charging. laptop computers.

Security options include protection from short circuit, and from spontaneous discharge, and from overheating.

Technical Parameters:

• capacity: 50000 mAh;
• adapters included: to Toshiba laptops, Sony, Acer, Samsung, Dell, Lenovo and HP;
• price: from 12,000 rub.

The best solar powered option

A good option for a power bank for a laptop would be the KS-303 model, which can be charged not only from the electrical network, but also from the sun.

This will increase the already decent battery capacity of 20,000 mAh, sufficient for many hours of operation of the laptop.

Among additional features devices - protection of connectors from moisture and rubberized housing.

Gadget characteristics:

• capacity: 20000 mAh;
• peculiarities: solar battery at 220 mA;
• cost: from 3000 rub.