Quick Look: Ugreen Nexode 300W Power Bank

[VSG]

Ugreen has a new line of Nexode power banks supporting fast charging internally as well as fast charging of multiple devices together. The Nexode 300W power bank also distinguishes itself by using LiFePO4 batteries, allowing for vastly increased charge cycles while still retaining its battery capacity.

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[Combatus]

Just be careful taking this on flights. Had a similar one confiscated a while back. Some countries are okay. Taiwan definitely wasn’t. Gutted!

 

[GreiverBlade]

Just be careful taking this on flights. Had a similar one confiscated a while back. Some countries are okay. Taiwan definitely wasn’t. Gutted!

usually company have a 20k mAh limit sometime 27k max (basically up to 100Wh), indeed no way something above that limit would be allowed, but it's most of the time, if not all the time, written in the airline company warnings.

i have a 40k mAh but i gave it to my parents to transport it via car to Spain (where they live in retirement) all my other PBs are 15k to 20k mAh



impressive PB furthermore if using LiFePO4 instead of the usual chemistry

 

[csendesmark]

usually company have a 20k mAh limit sometime 27k max (basically up to 100Wh), indeed no way something above that limit would be allowed

True
You need a special allowance from the company to carry anything above that.
Be safe, batteries are potentially dangerous especially on an airplane.
This is why you should only bring your laptops tablets phones in your pocket or carry on baggage.

 

[VSG]

Just be careful taking this on flights. Had a similar one confiscated a while back. Some countries are okay. Taiwan definitely wasn’t. Gutted!

I don't think any flight is okay with the larger power bank, I've mentioned as much in the article. The smaller one is fine, I've used it on a trip to Taiwan itself.

 

[Chaitanya]

Just be careful taking this on flights. Had a similar one confiscated a while back. Some countries are okay. Taiwan definitely wasn’t. Gutted!

Here in India carrying more than 2 batteries in cabin bag isnt allowed on flights and you have to check in rest of your spare batteries. In case of power banks there is a hard limit on 100Wh or 27000mAh anything above that will be confiscated. Also to add to confusion some airlines follow those guildlines set by avaiation ministry while some are stricter and dont allow power banks of any capacity at all on flights and some even ban carrying dry cells as well.

 

[Jism]

It's because there's a risk of self ignite, thermal run-away and setting stuff on fire. The stuff that comes out when venting is toxic, and recycled in a airplane. You can't just kill the fire with water, lithium battery's are dangerous.

Same goes out for storing or charging them - never put it near flammable stuff in the case the thing self ignites.

E-bikes is another thing too; esp the cheap china ones tend to catch on fire straight in the living room. Always store in a place where fire, can't really grasp on anything else such as a basement.

 

[Chrispy_]

The 48,000 mAh rating is lower than I expected for the physical size - I have an old Anker 20000mAh bank that's 158 x 74 x 19 mm and five of them taped together is still smaller overall, weighs less, and would be 100,000 mAh. Not only is that >2x the capacity in a smaller lighter package, it's also five complete plastic housings, control boards, and a whopping 16 USB ports, so it could be a lot smaller if it was redesigned, rather than just five 20,000 mAh banks crudely taped together!

Anker 325 Power Bank (PowerCore 20K)

Ultra-High Cell Capacity: The massive 20,000mAh cell capacity provides more than 5 charges for iPhone XS, almost 5 full charges for Samsung Galaxy S10, mor

www.anker.com

I guess the LiFePO4 technology focuses on number of cycles rather than power density, or perhaps it's that delivering 300W requires a whole bunch of extra stuff like internal heatsinks and converter componentry? I'm a little surprised that it's large for its capacity since Ugreen were one of the first brands pushing extra-compact GaN chargers and I especially like them because they make some of the very few decent-quality, compact USB chargers that have folding UK 3-pin plugs. If you're a fellow brit and envious of all the ultra-compact folding-prong adapters that they get in the US, you probably want to check out Ugreen for these little beauties:

Regardless, these massive power banks are are great for throwing into a bag on a camping trip - going off-grid is just about the only real reason I'd have for needing one, but that's why I have a 20000mAh one to charge phone, lights, GPS units etc. Change my requirements to the requirements of a family camping trip and the 20000mAh I have would be way too little.

 

[Combatus]

I don't think any flight is okay with the larger power bank, I've mentioned as much in the article. The smaller one is fine, I've used it on a trip to Taiwan itself.

Depends on the airline and country. 50,000mah is usually okay in the cabin with US and european operators, but Taiwan seemed to have particularly strict policies that seem to have a low limit on the total capacity you carry. so if you had three 20,000mah batteries they'd confiscate one and zero tolerance for anything in your suitcase which makes sense. Just makes it very difficult if you're needing to power equipment especially laptops and cameras away from the mains for extended periods.

Here in India carrying more than 2 batteries in cabin bag isnt allowed on flights and you have to check in rest of your spare batteries. In case of power banks there is a hard limit on 100Wh or 27000mAh anything above that will be confiscated. Also to add to confusion some airlines follow those guildlines set by avaiation ministry while some are stricter and dont allow power banks of any capacity at all on flights and some even ban carrying dry cells as well.

Yep, it definitely varies a lot. It's a shame they don't have a policy of proving the things are discharged and reading 0%. Surely that would eliminate nearly all the risk.

 

[Chrispy_]

It's a shame they don't have a policy of proving the things are discharged and reading 0%. Surely that would eliminate nearly all the risk.

A "discharged" Lithium battery showing 0% state of charge still has at least 20% of it's total energy and is plenty capable of starting a difficult-to-extinguish fire.

A 0% charged Lithium battery is still at about 2.7-3.0V (down from a nominal 3.7V), or closer to 2.0V in the case of the LiFePO4 chemistry in this Ugreen power bank. However, if it's ever discharged beyond that, the cells in the battery start their kamikaze journey to of reacting their anode layer and electrolyte layer into a spiky carpet of jagged lithium micro-knives that are growing their way towards the cathode for a nice hot and smoky short-circuit. Even if the battery seems fine but has had some low-voltage discharges in the past) the risk of a short circuit from being flexed, bent, or squashed slightly goes up exponentially since the anode is now covered in sharp lithium micro-knives that can shred what's left of the electrolyte layer or even puncture through layers entirely.

Here you go, some lithium dendrites that shouldn't be in your battery, but could be if it's ever gone flat and stayed flat for a while:

TL;DR a Lithium battery that is showing as almost empty is still a significant fire hazard if mistreated, because it's at risk of growing pointy things that could puncture its internal layers, and has at least 20% of it's charge remaining to get punctured layers to a nice combustible temperature.

 

[Chaitanya]

Yep, it definitely varies a lot. It's a shame they don't have a policy of proving the things are discharged and reading 0%. Surely that would eliminate nearly all the risk.

Previously rules here did force(I had to show batteries were charged at security counter of multiple airports) the users to prove Li-Ion batteries they were carrying werent discharged and that they were stored safely such that terminals werent at risk of shorting out. That 100Wh limit was in place even then so nothing changed in that regard but in last 4-5 years these new rules came into effect which put hard limit on how many battteries were allowed to in hand luggage(only came to know about it thanks a friend who had his NiMH batteries confiscated at airport) forcing people to just carry all their batteries in checked in luggage.

 

[zatarcz]

Only 153,6Wh capacity? Lol.