Does anyone know what portable backup chargers are dual voltage? I will be plugging them into outlets in Europe and not a computer. I'm not sure how to know if this chargers will work plug into a wall in europe. Stuff similar to this:
Nothing online says if it's dual voltage or if it can recharge itself while plugged into a wall. Has anyone re-charged their portage battery via the wall in europe and not usb to a PC? If so what brand of charger are you using?
Thanks
We use a Mophie, on the advice of two daughters who were working for separate cell phone companies. Worked fine, charged from the wall with an adapter.
First, dual voltage refers to a device that runs off either one of two voltage, one twice the other, like 115V and 230V. They do this with a switch that puts the electircal elements in series or parallel.
Electronic power supplies that say 100V to 240V AC accept the full range of voltage, not just two voltages. They work by electronically limiting the voltage to, say, 5V and rectify it to DC. USB power supplies are of this type, and that is what you use to charge a portable power supply. Any USB charger should work, as long as it accepts the voltage you're on (and I think all do), although the output of the USB charger should be at least 2 amp or it will charge slowly.
Caution: the Anker Power-Core you showed, does not say it comes with a USB charger. You might have to provide your own. Most cell phone chargers, of which we all have several, put out about only 1 amp. You'll need a stronger one.
Robert,
You might also have a look at these excellent battery packs.....
http://www.jackery.com/products/
They have a variety of models, capacities and size to suit just about any need.
Regarding your comment about "dual voltage", that doesn't apply to the battery pack but rather to the Charger for the battery pack. Most USB chargers these days are multi-voltage as Lee mentioned, operating on a range of voltages from 100-240 VAC.
In order to charge the battery pack I linked above, you could use something like this....
You'd also need a USB-Micro USB cable to connect the charger to the battery pack. With the battery pack I linked, a suitable charging cable is included. For use in Europe, you would also need Plug Adaptors appropriate for the areas you're travelling in.
That's the exact portable power backup I used and the only thing you need is an adapter for the plug that comes with the charger. I used my phone charger to charge this up. Easy peasy. Worked fine on my iPhone 6.
You may want to consider getting a battery that is more rectangular in shape. That circular lipstick shaped model looks like trouble to me. Very hard to keep it in place on top of a table especially if you are on a train or plain;)
I didn't have any problem using mine with European voltage. If you've switched to doing about everything with a smart phone, a backup charger can come in real handy late in the afternoon on a day when you've used your device a lot (photos, maps, calendar, GPS).
My one lesson learned from my last trip is I want to bring a wall charger with two USB plug ins, so at night I can charge both my device and backup charger at the same time. That way I don't have to remember to check progress and change them over when I'm settled for the night. Maybe it's just me, but I woke up in the morning more than once having charged my phone but not my backup charger.
I have a portable battery made by Amazon from their Amazon Basics line. It is awesome! It will charge an iPhone 5 times on one charge and I used it last fall in France with no problem. I just used my iPhone wall plug with an adaptor.
