Ipad run from 'big' battery?

[Schwang Dang Doodle.]

Hi y'all, Schwangster here with a Q if I may.

I have a shed in my garden, without power, but can use my ipad to watch say two downloaded docs per evening in. I'd imagine tho over time this will put a strain on the battery, & as its not so young anymore, 2 docs per evening might even be pushing my luck as it is.

So I was wondering if I could run it from an external beefier battery? Then charge this thing during the day in the house.

Thanks for any help, SDDoodle.

 

[giradman]

Hi y'all, Schwangster here with a Q if I may.

I have a shed in my garden, without power, but can use my ipad to watch say two downloaded docs per evening in. I'd imagine tho over time this will put a strain on the battery, & as its not so young anymore, 2 docs per evening might even be pushing my luck as it is.

So I was wondering if I could run it from an external beefier battery? Then charge this thing during the day in the house.

Thanks for any help, SDDoodle.

Hi SDD - we need some more information: 1) Are these DL docs on your iPad or are you viewing them via Wi-Fi from your nearby home; 2) What iPad model do you own and what iPadOS is installed; and 3) Why are you concerned about putting 'strain on the battery'? There are plenty of battery charging options for an iPad (wife and I use several) - could make a few additional comments but please respond and I'm sure there will be assistance. Dave

 

[twerppoet]

You can use a battery pack. Just make sure it's a larger one that will charge iPads or laptops. The small ones for phones won't be enough. You'll want at least a 20,000 mAh pack. Anker is a respected brand. Make sure the USB port matches the charging cable of your iPad. Probably as USB-A to lightning cable.

You can find these online, like Amazon, or most stores that sell computers have them, though the selection will be more limited.

I have a 10,000 mAH blackweb power pack I picked up on a whim. It's actually good enough to power my 23.9 in iPad Pro for a few hours. I suggest the larger units because they aren't much more expensive, and will give you a comfortable margine of error.

 

[Schwang Dang Doodle.]

Hi SDD - we need some more information: 1) Are these DL docs on your iPad or are you viewing them via Wi-Fi from your nearby home; 2) What iPad model do you own and what iPadOS is installed; and 3) Why are you concerned about putting 'strain on the battery'? There are plenty of battery charging options for an iPad (wife and I use several) - could make a few additional comments but please respond and I'm sure there will be assistance. Dave

Hi there Dave giradman, sorry not too clear was I.

1) no wifi in my shed, much too far away from house.

2) iPad Air.. model A1566

3) only because it's about 9 yrs old, & I notice it's battery wears down quite fast: kindly given to me, person mentioned battery only so-so.

What I intend is just say download two 1 hour docos, off YouTube likely, then squirrel away in my den ( even no light, just a tiny logbuner & ipad ).

In winter I might need a couple more hours than 2. So some form of 4 hour battery capacity, would be perfect.

Thanks SDD

 

[Schwang Dang Doodle.]

You can use a battery pack. Just make sure it's a larger one that will charge iPads or laptops. The small ones for phones won't be enough. You'll want at least a 20,000 mAh pack. Anker is a respected brand. Make sure the USB port matches the charging cable of your iPad. Probably as USB-A to lightning cable.

You can find these online, like Amazon, or most stores that sell computers have them, though the selection will be more limited.

I have a 10,000 mAH blackweb power pack I picked up on a whim. It's actually good enough to power my 23.9 in iPad Pro for a few hours. I suggest the larger units because they aren't much more expensive, and will give you a comfortable margine of error.

Hiya twerppoet, you've come to my rescue.. again! Your knowledge is second to none. That sounds spot on to me. I will look into Anker & yes the ports were the thing I was concerned about, so will doublecheck these.

The bigger one.. does sound sensible.

Will report back. Much appreciated. Will scour about. Thanks SDD

 

[twerppoet]

Hiya twerppoet, you've come to my rescue.. again! Your knowledge is second to none. That sounds spot on to me. I will look into Anker & yes the ports were the thing I was concerned about, so will doublecheck these.

The bigger one.. does sound sensible.

Will report back. Much appreciated. Will scour about. Thanks SDD

No problem.

 

[Schwang Dang Doodle.]

No problem.

Actually twerppoet Im a bit confused by these.

Ive seen both the 20k mah Anker ones ( £45 fairly costly), & medium quality 20k mah ones about £25 To £30. And all crappy ones Im steering clear of.

Ok so I see these have usb-A outputs. And other smaller usb-C "in" ports.

Similar to this photo.

So, does the ipad have a usb-A compatible lead? Im assuming my charger lead can be used, with its usb end ( a,b,c ? god knows) so I dont have to buy a separate lead. Is this correct? will this lead be compatible?

The other thing is.. what the principle is here. I understand its a powerbank, providing a beefier battery to power the ipad, &/ or, if the ipad is low on battery, it can be used to - recharge- it. So two functions. Afaict. I only need it for the first, as Im not roaming around, Im fixed in my shed, always.

But what happens when the power bank itself runs low? This is the thing I can't understand. If there was a charger coming with these mini monolith things.. I could get my head around the idea. But they don't. But some photos show them sitting in " docks" presumably themselves, charging.

So what is the principle idea with these?

Thanks, schwanger.

 

[twerppoet]

To use the power pack, you can use the same power cord that you use to charge your iPad now.

The unit in your picture would be charged using the IN ports. You could use the same power supply you charge the iPad with, but that might get awkward if you need to charge both at the same time.

Picking up another power supply is not a bad idea. You would have a spare for the iPad as well as one for the power pack. If the power supply is going to be backup for your iPad charger, you'll want one with a USB-A port. It should also supply at least 15 Watts, or say it is for the iPad on the package.

To charge the power pack you'll also need a USB-A to USB-mini or USB-C port. The two ports shown under IN. If you don't already have this unit you could look for one that will charge on a USB-A port.

I recommend the USB-A to USB-C cable as an option, since you are likely to run into this port eventually anyway. Most computers and devices are moving to it. Make sure the cable says it is for charging, and don't be fooled by the Thunderbolt cables that looke exactly the same. They are more expensive, and you don't need it for this purpose.

 

[Schwang Dang Doodle.]

To use the power pack, you can use the same power cord that you use to charge your iPad now.

The unit in your picture would be charged using the IN ports. You could use the same power supply you charge the iPad with, but that might get awkward if you need to charge both at the same time.

Picking up another power supply is not a bad idea. You would have a spare for the iPad as well as one for the power pack. If the power supply is going to be backup for your iPad charger, you'll want one with a USB-A port. It should also supply at least 15 Watts, or say it is for the iPad on the package.

To charge the power pack you'll also need a USB-A to USB-mini or USB-C port. The two ports shown under IN. If you don't already have this unit you could look for one that will charge on a USB-A port.

I recommend the USB-A to USB-C cable as an option, since you are likely to run into this port eventually anyway. Most computers and devices are moving to it. Make sure the cable says it is for charging, and don't be fooled by the Thunderbolt cables that looke exactly the same. They are more expensive, and you don't need it for this purpose.

Hi twerppoet.

When you say the unit in my pic 'would be charged using the IN port' this is the bit Im confused about. Ie. What on earth... goes into the IN port.

This can only surely imply one of two things: whatever gets plugged in here must be either 1) a plug from the mains, or 2) a plug from somewhere else.

If a mains lead... where are they? If something else... what?

Each of these 20k mah battery packs, regardless of price, is a single unit. £45 for a single unit. There is no mains lead, or any other cable, or another bit of hardware with it that I'd expect there to be... if... this thing needs " to be charged ". But I dont know if this thing "needs to be charged". All I can do is assume so, because it is a battery thing.

If I cannot understand this, Im far away from determining/ understanding what possible lead can connect a to b.. (or to c, if c is relevant).

Thanks, Schwanger.

 

[twerppoet]

The battery packs charge just like your iPad, using a power supply (charger) and cable. They rarely come with either. The assumption is that you will use the same charger and cable as your device.

In the case of an iPad with the Lightning port you need a different cable, but can use the same charger. Or you can buy another charger so that you can plug your iPad and power pack in at the same time.

Since it is a power pack, the only thing IN can mean is power in, for charging the device. The pack shown offers two kinds of ports. One is USB Mini, the other is USB-C. Some packs, like mine, use the same port for both charging and powering your device. This is more common than the one you showed. At least here in the US. I've never seen a dedicated charge port before, nor one using a USB-Mini port. Must be an Android thing.

If in doubt, I recommend you go to a nearby store that sells them, and get some help. Bring your iPad so they can be sure you get what you need.

 

[Schwang Dang Doodle.]

The battery packs charge just like your iPad, using a power supply (charger) and cable. They rarely come with either. The assumption is that you will use the same charger and cable as your device.

In the case of an iPad with the Lightning port you need a different cable, but can use the same charger. Or you can buy another charger so that you can plug your iPad and power pack in at the same time.

Since it is a power pack, the only thing IN can mean is power in, for charging the device. The pack shown offers two kinds of ports. One is USB Mini, the other is USB-C. Some packs, like mine, use the same port for both charging and powering your device. This is more common than the one you showed. At least here in the US. I've never seen a dedicated charge port before, nor one using a USB-Mini port. Must be an Android thing.

If in doubt, I recommend you go to a nearby store that sells them, and get some help. Bring your iPad so they can be sure you get what you need.

Hi twerppoet. I just don't have any such store fir 15O miles.. going in somewhere isn't feasable.

Ok so I get that it does, indeed then, need charging. Why on earth a thing that needs charging, doesn't come with a charger, or a cable to charge it... is utterly baffling. Every other thing you buy, that inherrantly needs charging, comes with a charger plus invariably a cable between.

It sort of gives me the impression then, coming on its own like this, that its an 'indefinite' battery. But unless its a tiny nuclear reactor... it can't be. So is it designed to be charged, by something totally non- specific to it? That's also baffling, as always the match between charger, & charged thing, is imperative.

So I use the ipad charge plug, & use whatever usb (a b or c I have no idea as I cannot read the impossibly small writing on it) find another cable, with a different end to the ipad one (I think a lightning), so some form of usb to usb cable.... then plug it into the mains?

Then another baffling thing: how do you know when it's charged?! There's no light on these things.

Utterly bewildering.

 

[Schwang Dang Doodle.]

What is the ipad cable that goes into the ipad charger called?

I mean I think its a usb. But there are then different bloody usb types, a b c lord only knows.

So to charge this battery in my photo, with the ipad air stuff I have, I need a usb something cable to go in the ipad charger.... the other end... what though? It has an IN which looks small, & another port below it (should one assume this is another IN who knows).

Thanks if anyone kwows. Schwanger

 

[giradman]

What is the ipad cable that goes into the ipad charger called?

I mean I think its a usb. But there are then different bloody usb types, a b c lord only knows.

So to charge this battery in my photo, with the ipad air stuff I have, I need a usb something cable to go in the ipad charger.... the other end... what though? It has an IN which looks small, & another port below it (should one assume this is another IN who knows).

Thanks if anyone kwows. Schwanger

Hi again SDD - looks like TP has been taking care of your needs in his usual excellent manner. My wife and I have been using battery packs since our first iPads in 2011 - in fact, my second iPad was an Air 2. Battery packs evolve constantly adding newer features, esp. connections and charging rates. Currently I have 3 battery packs, but the 2 Ankers are shown below - one is 4 years old and has a MicroUSB input for charging (it's a smaller unit that I've taken 'on the road' at least pre-COVID); the outputs are USB connections - the other end of the cable would depend on the attached device, i.e. a lightning connector for your Air 2 and a USB-C connector for my current iPad Pro.

The second Anker power pack is newer and larger (20,000 mAh) and has a PD (power delivery) USB-C connector which is used for charging but can also provide output, i.e. bi-directional and a USB output connection. Although cables often come w/ these battery packs, chargers do not, so as TP states you simply have to match the ends of your cables with the input/outputs of your battery pack and the chargers that you now own which are connected to AC.

NOW, your iPad Air 2 came out in 2014 and from your comments the battery may be dying - there are ways to check the 'battery health', i.e. the amount of charge the iPad battery can hold vs the charge when made (simple percent ratio) - if you want to go into that issue, then let us know. Dave

P.S. the dotted lights on the first pic indicated the level of charge of the battery; the second unit also has light dots - looking back at your battery pic, what are the '4 dots' on the far right?

.

 

[twerppoet]

Ok, lets see if we can simplify this a bit.

We'll specify a power pack with at least 20,000 mAH, at least one USB-A port for powering the iPad, and a USB-C port for charging the power pack. The vast majority of power packs that are usable for larger devices have USB-C as an option to charge. More ports are fine, good even.

Drawing 1: This is what you currently have.

Drawing 2: You need absolutely nothing new to plug the power pack into the device. You have it all, except the power pack specified above. You might want a second Lighting to USB-A cable, so you don't have to unplug it from the iPad's charger every time you go out to the shed.

Drawing 3: Option 1: You can use your current iPad power supply to charge the power pack. You'll need a USB-A to USB-C cable to do this. There a few power packs that can use a Lightning port to charge, but they are mostly for iPhones with less than 20,000 mAH capacity. If you hunt down one of these and use it you won't need a new cable, but I don't recommend it for reasons I'll mention later.

Drawing 3: Option 2: You get a new power supply with a USB-C port and a USB-C to USB-C cable to charge the power pack. It needs to be at least 15W. Bigger will charge the device faster, up to a point.

I recommend the 2nd option for several reasons.

1. A second power supply will let you charge your iPad and power pack at the same time.
2. Both the USB-C power supply and USB-C to USB-C cable will likely come in handy down the road when/if you upgrade your iPad, or purchase other, newer devices. (but not the iPhone, yet).
3. With the addition of a Lightning to USB-C cable, you can use the second power supply as a backup for the iPad.

None of these cables need to be expensive. $10 to $15 dollars is about right. An ok power supply should run around $25 to $50 dollars. Much cheaper and you risk getting less safe knockoffs. More expensive is a waste of money for your purposes.

Keep in mind I'm leaving out a lot of options that might be the perfect fit, but this should be good enough.

 

[Schwang Dang Doodle.]

Hi giradma

Hi again SDD - looks like TP has been taking care of your needs in his usual excellent manner. My wife and I have been using battery packs since our first iPads in 2011 - in fact, my second iPad was an Air 2. Battery packs evolve constantly adding newer features, esp. connections and charging rates. Currently I have 3 battery packs, but the 2 Ankers are shown below - one is 4 years old and has a MicroUSB input for charging (it's a smaller unit that I've taken 'on the road' at least pre-COVID); the outputs are USB connections - the other end of the cable would depend on the attached device, i.e. a lightning connector for your Air 2 and a USB-C connector for my current iPad Pro.

The second Anker power pack is newer and larger (20,000 mAh) and has a PD (power delivery) USB-C connector which is used for charging but can also provide output, i.e. bi-directional and a USB output connection. Although cables often come w/ these battery packs, chargers do not, so as TP states you simply have to match the ends of your cables with the input/outputs of your battery pack and the chargers that you now own which are connected to AC.

NOW, your iPad Air 2 came out in 2014 and from your comments the battery may be dying - there are ways to check the 'battery health', i.e. the amount of charge the iPad battery can hold vs the charge when made (simple percent ratio) - if you want to go into that issue, then let us know. Dave

P.S. the dotted lights on the first pic indicated the level of charge of the battery; the second unit also has light dots - looking back at your battery pic, what are the '4 dots' on the far right?

.
View attachment 96206View attachment 96207

Hi giradman. Very grateful for this advice/ info. That's made things clearer thanks. So it's really a Q then of what usb plug/ port the ipad charger has.. versus what the powerbank has. Now I understand more of how the charging process works. These packs must be fairly 'robust' to be able to be used with all manner of Co's chargers.. & to power various devices. How this 'range' works is unusual, but lessens the likelihood if I buy one, thst it won't be compatible at both 'ends' of its function.

As your photo does show one with an accompanying cable, I'll scour places for similar: it makes much more sense I buy one with a cable. If I can find.

Thanks alot, SDDoodle