Surface 3 Charging

[TPadden]

One battery pack that worked:
Anker 2nd Gen Astro3 12800mAh 3-Port 4A Portable Charger External Battery Power Bank with PowerIQ
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CEZBKTO/ Review coming... with minor caveats.

I'm not going to do the detailed testing you do but since I've used both the batteries: the Anker 2nd Gen Astro E5 16000mAh Portable External Battery works even better for my use. It is physically larger but doesn't heat up when charging and the charging rate seems to be quicker (higher mW).

http://www.amazon.com/Anker-16000mA...=8-1&keywords=Anker+2nd+Gen+Astro+E5+16000mAh

 

[GreyFox7]

I'm not going to do the detailed testing you do but since I've used both the batteries: the Anker 2nd Gen Astro E5 16000mAh Portable External Battery works even better for my use. It is physically larger but doesn't heat up when charging and the charging rate seems to be quicker (higher mW).

http://www.amazon.com/Anker-16000mA...=8-1&keywords=Anker+2nd+Gen+Astro+E5+16000mAh

and that was the caveat with the one I tested. While it says it's capable of 4A per port you only get about 2A while charging but if you add some load to the system it will ramp up to 2.3A and I was only using one port. wondering if I should try a Y cable

I very nearly bought both of the ones you have instead of the two I originally purchased but I thought Ah, 20,000mah and rugged ... D'Oh! they are on the way back and I just might get the 16000mah although still looking for something in a 20k class.

 

[Dmcgrath009]

And you say this why????? The sky isn't falling.

I've been using / charging phones and tablets for years using USB micro ports and have yet to have a port fail.

The sky is not falling.

I work for a cell phone company. I've seen hundreds that the port looks perfect and they no longer work. They fail without any liquid damage or physicly damage. And it happens with all of the manufacturers.

 

[netuser]

I'm not going to do the detailed testing you do but since I've used both the batteries: the Anker 2nd Gen Astro E5 16000mAh Portable External Battery works even better for my use. It is physically larger but doesn't heat up when charging and the charging rate seems to be quicker (higher mW).

http://www.amazon.com/Anker-16000mA...=8-1&keywords=Anker+2nd+Gen+Astro+E5+16000mAh

One issue with these is that the power button protrudes and apparently turns the unit on at the lightest touch.
Many reviewers have mentioned that if you put it your pocket or in bag, any movement that causes it to shift position and press against something will turn it and the lights on and will waste the battery.
When you open your bag later, you may find it unexpectedly partially drained or dead.

 

[netuser]

I see that Anker has battery packs up to 25600mAh on Amazon and I read that only about 70% of the charger's rated capacity is normally usable to recharge devices.
To recharge a fully drained Surface 3 back to 100%, what is the minimum sized battery pack that will work?
I'd like to know even though I may not need that much since I would normally only need a battery pack to top up the Surface between uses to make sure it gets through a full day and then plug into wall power at home to fully recharge overnight.

I want to be able to place both the Surface 3 and the battery back in a bag and keep it topped up between uses. To plug a battery back into the Surface while it is in a small bag, would require a cable that doesn't protrude out and runs parallel to the tablet. Instead of separating the OEM cable from the charger, I'm thinking of getting a cable like the ones in the link below, but I can't tell what's best or whether to get right angle or left angle.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_0_25?url=search-alias=mobile&field-keywords=micro+usb+cable+90+degree&sprefix=micro+usb+cable+90+degree,mobile,207&rh=n:2335752011,k:micro+usb+cable+90+degree

 

[TPadden]

The sky is not falling.

I work for a cell phone company. I've seen hundreds that the port looks perfect and they no longer work. They fail without any liquid damage or physicly damage. And it happens with all of the manufacturers.

Your experience doesn't mirror mine and if yours was accurate I'm sure there would be a revolt from all those millions of micro USB cell phone users, which hasn't happened. I still don't believe your anecdotal experience indicates the micro USB power port sky is falling .

The standard USB connectors were designed to be robust. Because USB is hot-pluggable, the connectors would be used more frequently, and perhaps with less care, than other connectors.

As far as the micro connectors go: The newer micro-USB receptacles are designed for up to 10,000 cycles of insertion and removal between the receptacle and plug, compared to 1,500 for the standard USB and 5,000 for the mini-USB receptacle. To accomplish this, a locking device was added and the leaf-spring was moved from the jack to the plug, so that the most-stressed part is on the cable side of the connection. This change was made so that the connector on the less expensive cable would bear the most wear instead of the more expensive micro-USB device.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB

 

[TPadden]

One issue with these is that the power button protrudes and apparently turns the unit on at the lightest touch.
Many reviewers have mentioned that if you put it your pocket or in bag, any movement that causes it to shift position and press against something will turn it and the lights on and will waste the battery.
When you open your bag later, you may find it unexpectedly partially drained or dead.

Those LED lights won't remain on for more than 30 seconds when the power button is hit and nothing is connected; even so the LED's draw minimal current and it would take weeks/ months to drain .......

2000 5 star reviews, additional 300 4 star, out of 2500 is more than good enough for something I buy. Your mileage may vary......

http://www.amazon.com/Anker-16000mA...ll_formats&filterByStar=positive&pageNumber=1

 

[netuser]

Those LED lights won't remain on for more than 30 seconds when the power button is hit and nothing is connected; even so the LED's draw minimal current and it would take weeks to drain .......

It's not just LED indicator lights. Isn't there a flashlight that can be tripped and then drain the battery much faster? Multiple Amazon reviewers have pointed this out as an issue.
Having the button get pressed while in a backpack could also turn it off and make it stop charging the device in the bag.

 

[Dmcgrath009]

Your experience doesn't mirror mine and if yours was accurate I'm sure there would be a revolt from all those millions of micro USB cell phone users, which hasn't happened. I still don't believe your anecdotal experience indicates the micro USB power port sky is falling .




The standard USB connectors were designed to be robust. Because USB is hot-pluggable, the connectors would be used more frequently, and perhaps with less care, than other connectors.

As far as the micro connectors go: The newer micro-USB receptacles are designed for up to 10,000 cycles of insertion and removal between the receptacle and plug, compared to 1,500 for the standard USB and 5,000 for the mini-USB receptacle. To accomplish this, a locking device was added and the leaf-spring was moved from the jack to the plug, so that the most-stressed part is on the cable side of the connection. This change was made so that the connector on the less expensive cable would bear the most wear instead of the more expensive micro-USB device.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB

OK so don't be careful with yours ... Ill be careful with mine and you can swing yours around by the cord.

Would you like me to edit the wikipedia page so it agrees with me ? ... That is saying what its designed to do I'm telling you what actually happens and whether you want to listen to me or not do not attempt to discredit what I am saying because I actuall have real world experience with this not just reading a wilapedia page.

Just giving a bit of advise because in my experience they are not the most robust port and just because there has been no micro USB revolt doesn't mean that that it doesn't happen.

 

[TPadden]

OK so don't be careful with yours ... Ill be careful with mine and you can swing yours around by the cord.......

Hey I followed your advice: ...... my wife has a black eye, my dog grabbed my surface in flight and broke a tooth, I broke a light and a mirror ...... but the USB held and still charges.

 

[TPadden]

It's not just LED indicator lights. Isn't there a flashlight that can be tripped and then drain the battery much faster? Multiple Amazon reviewers have pointed this out as an issue.
Having the button get pressed while in a backpack could also turn it off and make it stop charging the device in the bag.

Ok, ok, I give up. Point made. You guys are correct: it's impossible to have over 2,500 customers without any complaints be it battery or port.

 

[netuser]

This is an issue that would affect me since I plan to use it in a bag and carry the bag around a lot. If you plan to only use it on a desk and never pack it in travel bag with other items, then it is a non-issue for you.

"One big flaw is the fact that the on off button is reversed. IOW, to turn on the unit, one must press the on/off button for a brief period of time. To turn it off, one must keep pressing the button for quite a longer time. End result, the unit turns on at the lightest touch, and stays on without your knowledge, thus the lamp, if undetected, discharges the unit. Even if you touch the button with the phone, or any other surface, just briefly, the unit will turn on. Annoying, at the very least when you do catch it, and this is often when handling. To real frustrating when undetected and has consumed the power in your unit. If you think that one has to be a moron for this to happen, then do not carry in a back pack, or any other area, where the on/off button may accidently touch any other surface. Be ready to carry flat, and do not move for the duration of your hike, travel, etc.?"