External Battery Pack Option
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Russ
Active Member
Johnknee --
No need for two battery packs when one will do, besides Mike can use the business. If you still have the collection of connectors that came with the XP18000, you may find one in there. If not, try Radio Shack. If all else fails, let me know and I can probably find one here for you. I think I have every connector known to man, plus a few that haven't been invented yet. I don't throw away connectors or adapters.
Take care,
Russ
No need for two battery packs when one will do, besides Mike can use the business. If you still have the collection of connectors that came with the XP18000, you may find one in there. If not, try Radio Shack. If all else fails, let me know and I can probably find one here for you. I think I have every connector known to man, plus a few that haven't been invented yet. I don't throw away connectors or adapters.
Take care,
Russ
Has anyone here tried one of these? Looks like a MikeGyver cable, but costs half and will take twice as long to arrive at your doorstep.
Wall Charger Cable for Microsoft Surface RT Surface Pro | eBay
even cheaper if you buy direct:
USD$12.00 - Wall Charger Cable for Microsoft Surface RT Surface Pro - lunashops online shop
Wall Charger Cable for Microsoft Surface RT Surface Pro | eBay
even cheaper if you buy direct:
USD$12.00 - Wall Charger Cable for Microsoft Surface RT Surface Pro - lunashops online shop
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cedric5555
New Member
Russ,
I have few questions what to ask you.
1) For Intocicuit, how long does it take to fully charge the Surface Pro (from 5-10% to 100%)?
2) How many times I can charge the Surface Pro? I know it has 26000mah and Surface Pro's battery is 5676mah.
Does it mean I can charge up my Surface Pro for 4 times with that Intocircuit battery?
3) Will it overheat if I charge and using Surface Pro at the same time?
4) Can I charge it and play games at the same time (can battery continue charge up during the use)?
5) XP18000A and the Intocircuit 26000 Power Castle which one is better(performance, quality, charging time)?
I really appreciate for your answers. As this is a over US$100 battery, I don't want made the wrong decision.
Thank you,
Alan
I have few questions what to ask you.
1) For Intocicuit, how long does it take to fully charge the Surface Pro (from 5-10% to 100%)?
2) How many times I can charge the Surface Pro? I know it has 26000mah and Surface Pro's battery is 5676mah.
Does it mean I can charge up my Surface Pro for 4 times with that Intocircuit battery?
3) Will it overheat if I charge and using Surface Pro at the same time?
4) Can I charge it and play games at the same time (can battery continue charge up during the use)?
5) XP18000A and the Intocircuit 26000 Power Castle which one is better(performance, quality, charging time)?
I really appreciate for your answers. As this is a over US$100 battery, I don't want made the wrong decision.
Thank you,
Alan
Russ
Active Member
Alan --
I will try to answer your questions as best I can, but the choice between the two will be largely driven by your intended usage. I bought the battery (later two) for my Ladyfriend to use on her flights from Atlanta to Shanghai. With a brief stopover in Tokyo, that is 18 hours of flying time. I first bought the XP18000A, then later bought the Intocircuit 26000, figuring that I would keep one for my own use. I don't have as much actual data as you would like, but maybe describing her usage will help.
My usage concept is that the battery is a backup source rather than a charging source. With the battery connected, the Pro will bypass its battery and draw all power from the external battery, so when the external battery is fully discharged, you still have the Pro with a full battery. That is how she begins the flight, with the battery connected. Her in-flight usage is a mixture: she does some work (Excel, etc.) and then watches movies. She brings back Chinese DVDs, and I load those onto 64G USB drives for her next trip. Her relative usage varies, and I have no idea what it is. She likes the XP18000 because it is smaller, lighter and "prettier" (Oh, ok.), but the 26000 will get her to Shanghai with the ability to work or watch for the whole trip. I bought a spare AC adapter for her to keep at her Shanghai condo, so she does not have to carry the adapter on her outbound trip. She then carries the adapter from her condo on her internal China travels, then leaves it there when she returns. She is a small Lady, so is sensitive to how much stuff she has to carry when flying.
So, to your questions:
1 - I don't know. I never tried it that way, because that was not my usage concept. Mike Lee at Mikegyver.com might be able to tell you. He has done a lot of testing on the Pro and the Intocircuit battery.
2 - Never tried that either, but you can pretty much do the math. It should charge it approx four times.
3 - No it will not overheat. I tried both batteries in a combined usage/charging mode, and there was no indication of overheating.
4 - Yes. The Pro will draw its power from the external battery, and the battery will use the input/output difference to charge itself. Heavy video usage will slow the charge rate, but I don't know how much.
5 - "Better" is like beauty, it's a personal thing. Most of the difference is between 18,000 and 26,000. The XP18000 is smaller and lighter (and, don't forget, prettier), but at a cost of 8000mah. She took the XP18000 on a trip to Dubai, because she didn't have that long, single-leg flight, but she will take the 26000 on her next China trip. Charging times are relative to the respective battery sizes. The Intocircuit adapter is 18.5V, 2 Amp. I think the XP18000 adapter is similar, but don't have it here.
I would do some more tests for you, but both of the batteries are at her house now. (Well, there went that part of the plan.)
I hope this helps. If you have any more questions, I will try to answer as best I can.
Regards,
Russ
cedric5555
New Member
Russ,
I really appreciate your information before. Thank you so much.
1)The most I concern is, if I play game on the Surface Pro, it last about 2-2.5 hours for battery life (HD video 3-3.5 hours). With the Intocircuit 26000 plugged in when playing game, is the Surface Pro going to draw the battery from the Introcircuit battery first instead of the internal battery? In other word, this Intocircuit or Xp18000A external battery can perform like you have a wall charger plugged in. Is it correct?
2)For a little math, lets say Introcircuit 26000 can charge up Surface Pro 4 times. Does it mean if I plug in Introcircuit into Surface Pro, I can continuously have it stay on for (2.5 hours x 4) which is about 10 hours non stop playing plus the original 2.5 hours? Totally I can have 12.5 hours non stop gaming with it connected, is that right?
I am planning to go for wild camping where I can only depends on external battery. If these battery works, I don't need to worry about looking for battery during the camp.
I guess only you are able to provide these kinds of similar test for this.
Thanks a million!!!
I really appreciate your information before. Thank you so much.
1)The most I concern is, if I play game on the Surface Pro, it last about 2-2.5 hours for battery life (HD video 3-3.5 hours). With the Intocircuit 26000 plugged in when playing game, is the Surface Pro going to draw the battery from the Introcircuit battery first instead of the internal battery? In other word, this Intocircuit or Xp18000A external battery can perform like you have a wall charger plugged in. Is it correct?
2)For a little math, lets say Introcircuit 26000 can charge up Surface Pro 4 times. Does it mean if I plug in Introcircuit into Surface Pro, I can continuously have it stay on for (2.5 hours x 4) which is about 10 hours non stop playing plus the original 2.5 hours? Totally I can have 12.5 hours non stop gaming with it connected, is that right?
I am planning to go for wild camping where I can only depends on external battery. If these battery works, I don't need to worry about looking for battery during the camp.
I guess only you are able to provide these kinds of similar test for this.
Thanks a million!!!
Russ
Active Member
Alan --
1 - Yes, the Pro treats the external battery like a wall socket and will draw power from it rather than using it's own battery, as long as power is available from the external, then will switch to its internal battery. I tested that concept with the XP18000A. I set the power settings to "Never/Never" when plugged in, so the Pro would not sleep as long as there was power available externally; then set some reasonable sleep time when it was running on its own battery. I hooked it up early in the evening, and just let it run. I had two or three open programs, but was not actively using them. When I went to bed, it was still running, and had not gone to sleep -- meaning it was using the setting for plugged in. When I got up the next morning, the Pro had gone to sleep due to inactivity, meaning that it switched to its own battery when the external was completely discharged. Not a very scientific test, but it told me what I wanted to know.
2 - "Totally I can have 12.5 hours non stop gaming with it connected, is that right?" -- Well, yeah, I guess you could, but you might need therapy afterward.
Enjoy your camping.
Take care,
Russ
cedric5555
New Member
Russ,
Thanks!!
Cambo,
As you said, it only can charge the Surface Pro less than two times? It suppose to have 26000mah and the battery inside the pro is 5676mah. Less than two chargers is unacceptable. As this battery cost about $120 to $200.
If the intocircuit is like that, the XP18000 may even worse(only little more than a single recharge).
Thanks,
Thanks!!
Cambo,
As you said, it only can charge the Surface Pro less than two times? It suppose to have 26000mah and the battery inside the pro is 5676mah. Less than two chargers is unacceptable. As this battery cost about $120 to $200.
If the intocircuit is like that, the XP18000 may even worse(only little more than a single recharge).
Thanks,
cedric5555
New Member
Russ,
Thanks!!
Cambo,
As you said, it only can charge the Surface Pro less than two times? It suppose to have 26000mah and the battery inside the pro is 5676mah. Less than two chargers is unacceptable. As this battery cost about $120 to $200.
If the intocircuit is like that, the XP18000 may even worse(only little more than a single recharge).
Thanks,
Thanks!!
Cambo,
As you said, it only can charge the Surface Pro less than two times? It suppose to have 26000mah and the battery inside the pro is 5676mah. Less than two chargers is unacceptable. As this battery cost about $120 to $200.
If the intocircuit is like that, the XP18000 may even worse(only little more than a single recharge).
Thanks,
cedric5555
New Member
Alan --
1 - Yes, the Pro treats the external battery like a wall socket and will draw power from it rather than using it's own battery, as long as power is available from the external, then will switch to its internal battery. I tested that concept with the XP18000A. I set the power settings to "Never/Never" when plugged in, so the Pro would not sleep as long as there was power available externally; then set some reasonable sleep time when it was running on its own battery. I hooked it up early in the evening, and just let it run. I had two or three open programs, but was not actively using them. When I went to bed, it was still running, and had not gone to sleep -- meaning it was using the setting for plugged in. When I got up the next morning, the Pro had gone to sleep due to inactivity, meaning that it switched to its own battery when the external was completely discharged. Not a very scientific test, but it told me what I wanted to know.
2 - "Totally I can have 12.5 hours non stop gaming with it connected, is that right?" -- Well, yeah, I guess you could, but you might need therapy afterward.
Enjoy your camping.
Take care,
Russ
Russ,
According to your test, you said you started in the early evening which is around 6pm or 7pm. When you woke up the next morning, the pro is still running. I would assume 7am or 8am. So this test is about 14 hours long. Pro can run for 4 hours and XP18000 suppose to provide 3 times fully charge which is 12 (4 hours x 3) so total you should have 16 hours. When you woke up and it is still running. That means the XP18000 is really doing its job. Do you remember how many percentage of battery left when you woke up?
For introcircuit, as per Cambo, it can only provide less than two fully charges. I would assume the introcircuit is not functioning as well as XP18000even it has bigger mah capacity.
I am confusing now choosing between Xp18000 and Intocircuit then. #_#
I will wait for you to get back the Introcircuit from your friend and did another test before I make my decision.
Since my camp will be the end of August, I can wait for it. I don't want to make the wrong decision.
Again, thanks for the help and info from both of you and Cambo.
^_^
Wayne Orwig
Active Member
1) If an external battery/power is attached, it will run the Surface AND charge the Surface from the external battery at the same time. The internal Surface battery will head toward 100% as the external power is consumed. The only exception would be if the external battery was not able to keep up with the >3 amp that the Surface pulls while operating and charging. But you do not want an external power device that can't keep up. You get into a lot of issues. The Intocircuit 26000 will keep up with it.
2) Sorry but your math is off. The Intocircuit is a single huge 26000maHr cell. About 4 volts. The Surface is TWO cells at what(?) 5600maHr.
So the Intocircuit is about 104 watt hours. the Surface is maybe about 44.8 watt hours (?). Don't forget to add in the power supply inefficiencies, and you are looking at maybe 2 full recharges.
The XP18000 is smaller so also surely a single cell. At 4 volts, that is 72 watt hours. Or about 1.5 charges.
(I don't have the actual Surface battery numbers in front of me. Those are a guess. And 3.8 volt cell voltages are probably more reasonable for the math, but the results are the same.)
A car battery is generally well over 300 watt hours BTW, if you can get to a car.
Then there is the bigger issue. 12.5 hours of gaming while camping!
mg:
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