Power on the Go

I have written about batteries and power banks before, which I use when traveling, primarily in the car or when staying somewhere for an extended period. However, this post is specifically about my power management during trips on flights and trains, which can also be applied to other situations.

Flights seem to be the most constrained environments in terms of rules, regulations, space, weight, etc. I have optimized for that, and this should also work in other environments. However, let’s begin by writing down my requirements.

Requirements

1. It should have a small footprint and should fit in a pouch that can go into my backpack
2. Ability to travel on airplanes, considered safe by them
3. Ability to carry them on motorbikes
4. I should be able to charge both my laptops, phone, and other devices on the go at both 240V and 120V.
5. It should have extra juice to charge my 57Wh notebook at least once.
6. Backward compatibility to charge my other devices

Standard

I have settled on USB-C Power Delivery. It’s also, by default, backward compatible with regular USB power, which is 5V and up to 2W. Ideally, the charger should be world travel capable or at least should work at both 110V and 220V,

GAN Charger

For the charger, I have opted for the Amazon Basics FAST GaN charger, 65W. It has three ports. They support various power profiles (taken from the device). I have used most profiles.

• USB-C1
  • 3.3–11V ⎓ 5A → 55W Max (PPS)
  • 5V ⎓ 3A → 15W
  • 9V ⎓ 3A → 27W
  • 12V ⎓ 3A → 36W
  • 15V ⎓ 3A → 45W
  • 20V ⎓ 3.25A → 65W Max
• USB-C2
  • 5V ⎓ 3A → 15W
  • 9V ⎓ 2A → 18W
  • 12V ⎓ 1.5A → 18W Max
• USB-A
  • 5V ⎓ 3A → 15W
  • 9V ⎓ 2A → 18W
  • 12V ⎓ 1.5A → 18W Max
  • 4.5V ⎓ 5A → 22.5W (likely Huawei SCP)
  • 5V ⎓ 4.5A → 22.5W (likely QC3.0 extension)
• Combined Output Modes
  • USB-C1 + USB-A: 45W + 18W = 63W Max
  • USB-C1 + USB-C2: 45W + 18W = 63W Max
  • USB-A + USB-C2: 5V ⎓ 3A = 15W Total
  • USB-C1 + USB-C2 + USB-A: 45W + 15W = 60W Max

I like that it has various output power profiles; it takes an input voltage of 100V to 240V @ 50/60Hz. It’s lightweight and has foldable pins. It is very travel-friendly and has enough power. The price is affordable, around Rs 1,500.

Combined output power lacks a bit. Even though it has three ports, practically only two are usable at a time. Sometimes, 65W combined power is not enough. I would upgrade to 100W power once it becomes affordable; currently, it’s double the price.

Power Bank

At this point, I wanted the largest power bank that an airline would be allowed safely on board, which is around 20,000 Milli Amps or below 100 watt-hours capacity. I found one – Amazon Basics power bank (Model: ABPB20W3),,which is priced decently at Rs. 3,000 for a 70W capacity. It has three ports, and together, they can deliver up to 130W at a time.

• OUTPUTS
  • USB-C1
    • 5V⎓3A
    • 9V⎓3A
    • 12V⎓3A
    • 15V⎓3A
    • 20V⎓5A (100W Max)
  • USB-C2
    • 5V⎓3A
    • 9V⎓3A
    • 12V⎓2.5A (30W Max)
  • USB-A
    • 4.5V⎓5A
    • 5V⎓4.5A
    • 5V⎓3A
    • 9V⎓2A
    • 12V⎓1.5A (22.5W Max)
• INPUT
  • USB-C1
    • 5V⎓3A
    • 9V⎓3A
    • 12V⎓3A
    • 15V⎓3A
    • 20V⎓3A (60W Max)

So it has enough power output to charge a laptop and a phone at the same. I have tried charging my ThinkPad and phone at the same time. Also most airlines allow more than one 20K MiliAmps power bank. They might make your back pack heavy but sometimes carrying two of them makes sense.

Cables

I wanted a 100W C to C PD cable to charge laptops and other powerful gadgets in the future. So I got one from Ambrane India. I have been using it for a while now. It can deliver power (I have tested up to 65W) and it’s long (1.5M). It feels very sturdy and durable. I have been using it for a year now.

I also got a very short 6-in-1 Nylon Braided Multi-Charging Cable by Efillooc. It’s my keychain. It’s sturdy, strong, short, and can deliver up to 60W PD (I can charge my Laptop). It supports USB A and MicroUSB. It can also transfer data at speeds of up to 480 Mbps via USB 2.0. It’s the Swiss knife of power cables.

I also received a 100W C to C PD cable for free with the power bank. It works with my Laptop. I pack it with the kit.

USB-C Barrel Jacks

I carry a USB-C to Barrel Jack that fits my LC230. It converts to the required Voltage (& power) by LC230. And it’s been beneficial while traveling. That way, I don’t have to carry an additional power supply if I am carrying an LC230.

Other Devices

I also have a USB-based charger for AAA/AA batteries from IKEA, called Vinninge. It’s slow but works. It can charge two NiiMH/NiCD batteries. I carry it only when its required.

Future

The kit is perfect. With this setup, I can charge and power up almost all the devices that I have. But I still have odd 9V and 12V devices that I sometimes carry. I am trying to get a USB-C to barrel jack extension that can deliver the exact voltages.

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