Is my new TQKA (alleged LiFePO4) 20,000mAh 5V 3.1A max OK? Is this normal?

Submariner Gold

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On arrival my Powerbank showed 89% charged.
I Initially then Charged it up to 100%
Once at 100% the TQKA read 5.05V with no load applied.

Connected TQKA to an iPhone6 Plus at 82% battery.
The volts dropped to 4.85V 0.67As

Trying the std. 5V 1.0A Apple charger, this too read 5.05V with no load.
When I connected the same iPhone 6 Plus at 82% battery.
It read 4.95V and 0.66A

Q is this going to run my 5V 1.0A Dashcamera? With say 4.85V and 0.67A?
Q. How low can the Voltage and Current go before my dashcam shuts off?
Q. Is a low voltage and or low current bad for dashcams ? Or do they just shut down.


I can’t try my dashcam until the long USB cable arrives so I am in the dark here.

I was just surprised, as the TQKA is suppossedly a 1.31A output powerpack; how come it didnt at least get close to 1.0A output on the iphone?

Note I have some doubts about this being a real LiFePO4 battery as it is not demarked on either the casing, packaging, manual or tech specs!
Its Only labelled as such on “the soon to disappear forever” .. Amazon sales blurb. It was also only £20 ?? ( albeit reduced from £37)
The manufacturer has not replied to 2 emails since Thursday requesting they confirm this is LiFEPO4 .

However It weighs 700g, and feels heavier than my similar sized Lion laptop battery. I think the ferous phosphate ones are heavier.

Normally I would suck it and see how it performs, but the total lack of support response makes me wonder what good would their 18 month guarrantee be??. Its now gone “unavailavle not shure if or when it will be available”
Or is it better, to return it, and order a RAVPower Lithium Polymer with a lifetime warranty?

Any advice much appreciated by a clueless novice battery owner. :)
 
Either your cable is substandard, or your measurement device is adding resistance and reducing the voltage, or more likely both.

Connect it directly with a good cable and you will probably get full power.
Same for when using the dashcam, long cables need to be good quality to avoid loosing too many volts.
 
Either your cable is substandard, or your measurement device is adding resistance and reducing the voltage, or more likely both.

Connect it directly with a good cable and you will probably get full power.
Same for when using the dashcam, long cables need to be good quality to avoid loosing too many volts.


Thanks I have ordered some decent cables, sadly no Monoprice ones the right length in the uk atm.
But I think the cables may be OK ?.
Just connected this cable set, and the iphone 1.0A charger to my iPad which is at 42% charge, and it read 4.95V and 0.96A.
Then connected same cable set to the TQKA ( itself at 98% ) and got 4.65V and 1.74A.
Do dashcams run if the viltage drops to 4.65Vs

Maybe charging iphone plus and ipad batteries is more taxing than just running a dashcam??
 
Do dashcams run if the viltage drops to 4.65Vs

depends on the camera, a camera with an internal battery is likely to be a bit more tolerant when it comes to voltage sag but it may still damage the internal battery over the longer term if the input voltage is insufficient
 
depends on the camera, a camera with an internal battery is likely to be a bit more tolerant when it comes to voltage sag but it may still damage the internal battery over the longer term if the input voltage is insufficient

Thanks my dashcam apparrently has a very small battery , no specs though.

Do RAv Power Power banks actually push 5V into dashcams. Maybe safer to swap it sooner than later.
Mind you I would feel stupid if they too chucked out 4.65V and it trans pired this really did have a LiFePO4 battery lol!
Think I will run it down and see if the output voltage stays or declines
Most of this was done with the Tqka at > 95% charge.
 
How are you measuring the voltage & amps?

Anything you add to the circuit in order to measure amps will affect how many volts and amps you get.
 
How are you measuring the voltage & amps?

Anything you add to the circuit in order to measure amps will affect how many volts and amps you get.

I am using a pretty cheap USB Meter.
0BD332AB-1155-402B-AACA-FE633CE96C97.jpeg

OK its not Fluke standards, but without the iphone connected i.e. no load it shows 5.03V and naturally 00.0 Amps . So what I would expect.

When I Connected the load of an iphone, load of circa 5V 1.0A. This is what I got.

As you can see charged by the Tqka, it drops to 4.91V and 0.53A. You can see the TQKA is at 99% charge.
And as its supposedly an output of 5V 3.1A max, I would have expected it to show nearer 5V and almost 1A.
For example if I connect my std. Apple 1.0A charger it shows 5.02V and 0.98A as I would expect.
Hence (with my ignorance of battery packs) my confusion, is this normal ?
I.e. should it drop so much ... is it faulty?
 
Btw the distributor has confirmed it LiFePO4 based, and sent this image
4CA1E0C6-815C-4A47-8039-A966BC071DB3.png
The battery pack does look like this, :) so either it is, or they are info full scale fraud.
 
Last edited:
I.e. should it drop so much ... is it faulty?
It is not ideal, but also not surprising, and the voltage you are seeing is within the USB specification so there is nothing wrong with it. If you were to swap it for another then I expect you will see the same thing.

The important thing is, will it work with your camera? Some super capacitor cameras will shut down with a fairly small drop in voltage so it depends a bit on the camera. I would hope the camera would continue to record until the voltage reaches the minimum for the USB specification, but I think that is unlikely. The only way you will find out is to try it with the real camera and real connecting cable.

Bit confusing:
Trying the std. 5V 1.0A Apple charger, this too read 5.05V with no load.
When I connected the same iPhone 6 Plus at 82% battery.
It read 4.95V and 0.66A
For example if I connect my std. Apple 1.0A charger it shows 5.02V and 0.98A as I would expect.
 
It is not ideal, but also not surprising, and the voltage you are seeing is within the USB specification so there is nothing wrong with it. If you were to swap it for another then I expect you will see the same thing.

The important thing is, will it work with your camera? Some super capacitor cameras will shut down with a fairly small drop in voltage so it depends a bit on the camera. I would hope the camera would continue to record until the voltage reaches the minimum for the USB specification, but I think that is unlikely. The only way you will find out is to try it with the real camera and real connecting cable.

Bit confusing:
Hi Nigel
Yes, I assume the USB standard is min. 4.4V to USB 2.0 and 4.45V for USB 3.
You are so right, in that what counts is will it run my camera!

My 4m USB cable just arrived, its got C wires of 20AWG so hopefully that will help, negate the distance OD is 4.18mm so quite chunky. Well the heaviest duty ones I could find.
Sadly my little meter only tests the USB A connection at the supply end. I am not sure if that would show what the camera was getting? Thats a Micro B plug so cant put it on that end :(

I just need to find an easy access earth point :-/
 
I have the same bank powering my A119 no problem for the last week or so, no problems.
It is very heavy which I took as a sort of confirmation that it is LiFePO4 as claimed.
I read some reviews where someone said the two USB output ports were different with their iPhone only charging off one of them (can't recall if inner or outer) so might be worth comparing the two ports to see if there is a difference or not?
 
I have the same bank powering my A119 no problem for the last week or so, no problems.
It is very heavy which I took as a sort of confirmation that it is LiFePO4 as claimed.
I read some reviews where someone said the two USB output ports were different with their iPhone only charging off one of them (can't recall if inner or outer) so might be worth comparing the two ports to see if there is a difference or not?

Mine are the same
Details in the TQKA thread.
 
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