Does any one have any practical experience of these emergency phone chargers and the like?

I am looking to use mine for two purposes: recharge my smart phone and to recharge my Garmin Forerunner GPS watch when I am away on a running/camping trip and may well be without my car and thus a cigarette lighter socket.

On ebay, they seem to vary greatly in price. Obviously I don't want to buy a piece of junk, but I also don';t want to shell out a load of money for an item which as a general rule won't get much use.

Something like this seem be idea:http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5000mAh-2-USB-pocket-Power-pack-Charger-External-battery-Apple-ipad-iphone-/170804718296 as it can be charged up from USB (guess that might be quite slow?).

http://www.proporta.com/F02/PPF02P05.php?t_id=5287&t_mode=des

Those are good and there are companies out there who do exactly the same, with a different sticker for a lot less money.

I'd say it's bad, but if a company will put all their manufacturing out in China, they kind of deserve what they get.

I 2nd proporta's charger. A great bit of kit with adapters to charge most tech.

This does it for my Blackberry curve and Playbook - 12 amps worth. Recharges off of mains, laptop, ciggy lighter, intelligent sensing-shuts down when charge complete, on/off switch.

http://www.amazon.co...6390454&sr=8-10

I also supplement this with a solar source (With integrated li-po battery) :-

http://www.amazon.co...33&sr=8-1-fkmr1

Both easily fit in a jacket pocket with room to spare.

Alternatively, cheaper and even samller, I emergency re-charge my ancient maid-of-all-work siemens C35 with a alkaline PP7 battery in a holder which plugs direct to the Siemens connection socket. That reminds me, must get a new PP7. Doesn't look like they are still available.

Nick

Edited 7 May, 201214 yr by Clunkclick

I too have a TeckNet 392 (12Ah).

The only thing I would say against it is that is doesn't come with a lead to charge it from the car.

TeckNet... that's the company that make the not-a-proporta-honest...

This one is used by swmbo:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/TeckNet%C2%AE-Dual-Port-Universal-Ericsson-Blackberry/dp/B000UH46YY/ref=pd_bxgy_ce_img_c/275-7698619-3129107

I think I might go for the TeckNet - thanks guys. Can the unit be charged by USB, or does it just charge via the mains charger and the round connector rather than USB (for a sneaky charge top up in the office / cigarette lighter USB adapter)?

Deal extreme have hand crank versions.

I've just bought a Veho Pebble - http://www.veho-uk.com/main/shop_detail.aspx?article=124 - which looks pretty similar to the OP's ebay link (5000mah). I originally bought a spare battery for my N900 but it wasn't an OEM and has never worked properly (reporting full charge only to die five minutes later) and then gave up entirely. The Pebble seems to do the job well, though won't work with my Nokia USB lead, so I need to carry its own lead (plus micro-usb adapter). Charges fast from the few times I've tried it, though you can hear the discharge from the unit (unless I just have particularly sensitive hearing). The unit recharges from USB using the same lead, but without the adapter.

I think I might go for the TeckNet - thanks guys. Can the unit be charged by USB, or does it just charge via the mains charger and the round connector rather than USB (for a sneaky charge top up in the office / cigarette lighter USB adapter)?

One I got swmbo can be USB charged, but it's obviously very slow.

It can put 2 * 1A out, or 1 * 2A IIRC, but basically your USB charge is 500mA only, so figure on it taking a while.

It's enough for 7 chrages of the phone she has (nothing special) so, as long as you've access to a mains to USB adapter or a higher power USB port then you should be fine. Failing that get a decent powered USB hub in the office

I've got one of these..

TeckNet 7000mah, can change iphone, ipad etc etc. Use it when walking etc. Love it.

and for 25 quid, who can complain...?!

Al.

I've got one of these..

TeckNet 7000mah, can change iphone, ipad etc etc. Use it when walking etc. Love it.

and for 25 quid, who can complain...?!

Al.

Proporta, although as I said before, if they will make it in a country with well known IP Protection issues, then they kind of deserve what they get.

Just a word of advice & from experience.

I bought a New Trent backup charger from Amazon about 18 months ago, which was returned PDQ, because when I charged it up and then went to use it, it started to get very hot and then started to smell of smoke/burning at which point it was dumped in a sealed container and unceremoniously dumped outside in the garden in case it caught fire,

When I went to it in the morning, it was dead and cold. I wouldn't put it back on charge or trust it again. So it was returned. I'd never trust another one again.

I've got a PowerMonkey Explorer, which I bought for £50, it has a solar panel & mains charger, they say it will charge a Iphone twice off of one charge, however it takes a good 12+ hours to charge off of the mains & even longer via the stupid solar panel. That's £50 wasted.

So don't bother with a Power Monkey either they're just a crap. Best thing buy several batteries, charge them & take them with you, less hassle.