Can I use a regular charger for a PD power bank?

#1

I’m considering buying an Anker PowerCore 10000 PD Redux, but it has USB PD input and I don’t have any USB PD chargers. Will it work fine with chargers that provide lower current e.g. 5V=1A or will it damadge the charger? Does USB PD standard require to be charged with USB PD compatible charger or is it compatible with lower current chargers as well?

#2

The charger you want to use would take forever to fully charge that batterypack. It requires a PD charger which has an output of 18 watts, the one you have barely outputs 5 watts. You can use it without damage, but you will be complaining it takes too long or something is wrong withthe pack because of how ling it takes

#3

I’ve read that current below required can cause damage to the charging device. Why it;s not the case here? Just want to understand how it works.

#4

Generally speaking, if the electrical current is below what is required it will cause zero damge. It will give you something called a trickle charge, it charges slower but is better for the battery. If the electrical current is to much however it will surpass what the circuits are capable of processing which will almost always result in overloading which could cause just a little over heating if you are only slightly over current, but if you are too much over it could quite possibly explode a single or multiple circuits and in bad cases even the battery will explode.

#5

You’d have better luck using a kettle to make a cup of tea! lol

In the same way household elec is not enough to boil a kettle, a STANDARD charger isn’t good enough for a pd powerbank.

Simply you need a decent fast charge brick for pd, at least 2.1

However, when you say standard you mean for a Samsung Galaxy S8/9/10 or note 8/9, or Sony zx and newer, or the Huawei pro charger or similar… Then they’d be fine.

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#6

What about the other way around? Could I charge a non USB PD device (e.g. a smartphone) with a USB PD power bank? Or do both devices have to support USB PD to not cause issues?

#7

If your phone doesn’t have fast charge, I don’t think you’ll benefit from a pd charger.

It’ll charge ok, but just normal speed, like when plugged into the wall.

So if you have an older iPhone or few year old android, it’ll charge fine, but slowly, so no point in getting a PD charger.

Does that make sense?

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#8

Yes, thanks a lot for clearing that up!