PD Power bank

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Adding to the choir: I have the Anker 20k+ power-banks *and* have used them to keep cameras going for several hours shooting time-lapse sequences and some long astro sessions. I strap them to a tripod leg with velcro. They work and last far longer than even the grip batteries.

I don't think you need the higher capacity PD versions (87w) to power a camera, but of course that helps if you also use the bank to keep a laptop going. If using it mostly for camera use, the 45w PD versions are probably fine.

EDIT: I see some folk are talking about using the banks to charge batteries. I took the OP to mean to use the bank to run the camera. At any rate, it's certainly the latter that I'm doing. I charge my camera batteries in more efficient ways (AC or much larger power stations than the typical Anker bank).

Chris
 
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MotoPixel said:
Something to be aware of with regards to the ratings on these battery banks, the ratings you see in the advertisements are the rated capacity of the internal cells, NOT what the bank can deliver to devices that you're operating or charging. I've tested all the ones that I have, Anker, RAVPower and some others and most, fully charged, will deliver 60-75% of the rating of the actual cells used in the device. This is not at all surprising, but it is highly misleading to those not familiar electronics and battery systems. If you're trying to calculate how many times you can charge your devices or how long you can run one, you better derate by 60% or so...or do an actual test to be sure.

Unless Anker has changed, they do not publish their actual output capability after accounting for losses through their circuitry, though they do say in this attached graphic from their website that the rating is for the cells, not what you can expect to actually deliver to a device. In the case of RAVPower, the actual output rating is stated in the documentation that comes with the units that I have, but all the ads list the actual cell ratings, just like everyone else.

Note at the bottom of the graphic.

View attachment 58516

I have a load test module that I picked up when I started building DIY Lithium battery banks for my Truck Camper. The device allows me to set an adjustable load value, say 1.5A in the case of one of these types of modules, and it will monitor/record the total Mah or Wh until the output voltage reaches a cutoff voltage I set or until the battery bank shuts itself off. Very handy thing to have!

Cheers!
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If you want the highest efficiency, you might use the power bank to operate the camera directly (for those models that allow it and with the correct cable), although that can be awkward. You have the loss of efficiency only once. If you use the power bank to charge camera batteries, you have this loss of efficiency twice — when charging the camera batteries from the power bank and again when using the now charged batteries in camera.
 
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