What does it mean when your portable charger is blinking red

The LED indicators on most power banks have the same meaning, but some don’t; as a result, you need to read the manual to find out what they mean. While blinking red generally indicates that the power bank is charging, it might also indicate that the power bank is running low on battery power. Therefore, if it is plugged into a power source, you should realize that the cable or wall charger is faulty.

What do the LED indicators on a power bank mean?

Each LED on the power bank is responsible for informing you of its status. for instance, when you plug your power bank into a wall outlet to charge it, one of the LED lights will flicker, showing that it is receiving electricity.

While connected to a power source, the power bank’s LEDs indicate the amount of charge it has received so far.

• If the first light blinks, that signifies the battery is charging between 0 and 25 percent.
• If the second light blinks, it implies the battery is between 25% and 50% charged and charging.
• If the third light blinks, it implies the battery is between 50% and 75% charged and charging.
• If the fourth light blinks, it signifies the battery is between 75 and 100 percent charged, also charging.

Additionally, when all four LEDs are continuously illuminated, the power bank is fully charged and must be immediately unplugged from the power source. To avoid overcharging and overheating, power banks include built-in battery protection organizations. However, it is not suggested to leave the power bank connected to the power source for an extended period of time after it has been fully charged since this may cause damage.

Note that if all four LEDs begin to blink simultaneously, there is a problem with the power bank. In this case, it’s best to have the power bank looked at by a professional repair service or send it back to the seller for repair or replacement if it’s still under guarantee.

How can you tell how long it will take to charge a power bank if there are no LED indicators?

Although most power banks today feature LED indicators or LCDs, some cheap power banks still lack indicators. In this scenario, you’ll need to read the manual to discover how long it takes to charge the power bank.

How do you know when your portable charger is fully charged?

As we mentioned earlier, the power banks’ LED indicators are responsible for showing the battery’s status. When the power bank is switched on or connected to a power source for charging, the number of illuminated LEDs indicates the power bank’s charge level. Therefore, when all four LEDs are illuminated and not blinking, the item is fully charged and should be unplugged from the power supply.

Keep in mind that all LEDs will remain off when your portable charger is removed from a power source. So, to determine the battery charge level in this situation, press the Check button on the power bank. This button is often located on the side of the power bank.

It is worth noting that three lights indicate a minimum charge of 50%; two lights indicate that it is at least 25% charged, and one light indicates that the charger has 5% power remaining. Moreover, if all lights stay unlit after pressing the Check button, your unit has been fully discharged.

How do you know when your portable charger is fully charged if the LED indicators are not working at all?

If you have a basic understanding of electronics or a voltmeter, you can use it to determine the charge state of the power bank by monitoring the batteries’ terminal voltage. Standard power banks employ 18650 lithium-ion batteries, which should have a terminal voltage of 4.2 volts when fully charged.

Furthermore, if you do not have access to a voltmeter, you should read the power bank’s manual to discover the charging time. After that, discharge the battery and connect it to a wall outlet for the duration specified in the manual. This way, you can ensure that the power bank is charged to the maximum capacity.

How do you estimate the time required to charge a power bank?

To begin, you must know the capacity of your power bank. The capacity is often stated in mAh(milliampere-hours) on the power bank or manual included in the packaging. Next, find out how much output power can be supplied by the power supply and charger.

Let’s say your power bank has a 10000mAh capacity, and the charger can supply a current of 2 Amperes. Since 1000mA equals 1 Ampere, and ‘h’ stands for hours. So by using the formula given here, we can estimate that you can charge a 10000mAh power bank in five hours: 10000mAh = 10Ah – 10Ah/2A = 5 hours.

Keep in mind that some manufacturers of power banks exaggerate their devices’ capacity. As a result, the calculations are not accurate and are merely estimates. Another factor to consider is that the capacity of power banks reduces after 100 to 500 charge/discharges cycles. Thus, the charging time will substantially differ from what you calculated if you think you’re close to or have passed this number.

It’s worth noting that the quality of the power bank has a significant impact on the amount of capacity lost when it approaches 100 to 500. In most circumstances, a power bank will lose roughly 20% of its capacity after 500 charge cycles, while cheaper ones won’t survive even 100 cycles. Another factor that might shorten the life of a power bank is excessive heat, such as leaving it in a hot car.

Conclusion

Since power banks communicate with us solely through LEDs and screens, as a result, you should take them seriously, as they are not only telling us of the power banks’ charge level. Some power banks signal that they’re not charging by blinking red while they’re connected to a power source.