power banks and water – Power Bank Facts

Many people bring their power banks when going camping, fishing, or hiking for a few days. Naturally, being in open terrain means that your banks can get damp or wet, and when that happens, it can be vital to know if the power banks you have with you on your trip are waterproof or not. While the lithium-ion batteries in power banks are sealed, most power bank models are not resistant to water if they are exposed to it for too long. The power bank's open USB ports are especially vulnerable to damp or wet conditions, as they can both corrode and let in water. Keep reading this article to learn how to protect your power banks from getting damaged by water and if there actually are power banks that are 100% waterproof. Can Power Banks Get Damaged by Water? While most power banks have both sealed casings and sealed lithium-ion batteries inside of them, they can still get damaged by water if they are completely submerged and water happens to have gotten in via the bank's USB ports. The ports are really the most vulnerable parts of a power bank when it comes to damp or wet conditions, as they are literal openings that lead inside of the power bank. Not only can they get corroded in damp or wet environments, but they can also let in water if you've happened to drop your power bank into it. Corroded USB ports can short-circuit and transfer the wrong amount of voltage to your device and can hence decrease the charging efficiency, or, in the worst case, even damage your device by applying the wrong voltage. Pro Tip: In order to fix your corroded USB port, apply a few drops of electronic cleaner with a toothpick or cotton ear bud onto the port and carefully take off the corrosion. Now, a little corrosion isn't the worst thing in the world and can often be fixed. If on, the other hand, you've dropped a power bank in water and it has managed to make its way via the open ports and into the power bank, where the lithium-ion battery or batteries are found, then that can cause damage to the power bank itself. For one thing, as water is such a good conductor of electricity, lithium-ion battery cells that have been compromised by water can simply lose all of their charge; meaning that the battery will drain and basically go dead. For another thing, both battery cells and other electrical components inside of the power bank can get severely damaged by water, often to a point of no return, meaning that your power bank will never be able to recharge itself or charge other devices again! So if water has gotten into your power bank, it's absolutely vital that you try to get it out again, as fast as you possibly can! Pro Tip: Do not turn on your power bank or try to charge any devices with it while it's wet! This can be seriously dangerous to yourself and highly damaging to any device you attempt to charge! How to Fix a Wet Power Bank? There are several ways of quickly drying a wet power bank to try to make it work again. I have tried all of the below-listed methods several times and they all work...sometimes! To be honest with you, I'd say there's a 50% chance that you get your wet power bank working again, not much more than that! Because no matter how fast you react and try to dry it, sometimes, the water damage will just be too great and the power bank will be lost. But instead of giving up right away and getting yourself a new power bank, you should always try to dry and save the one that got wet! Here are a few proven methods to do just that: Tab the power bank on your hand with the USB ports facing down in order to force out some of the waterDry the outside of your power bank with kitchen paper towelsUse a hair dryer in order to evaporate some of the water more quicklyPlace it in a warm temperatured room so that most of the rest of the water can slowly evaporatePut your power bank into a bowl of rice (which is a water absorbent grain) for 12-24h And that's all I've got! Depending on the amount of water that's gotten into the power bank, you may test several or all of the above-mentioned methods in order to get it dry again. The rice trick is definitely the most effective method, but also one that craves a lot of time. The rice has the ability to really sponge up the water in the electronic device and has worked wonders for me on more than one occasion! But again, these tricks won't always work, and sometimes, you just have to let your wet power bank die and go get yourself a new one! How to Keep Power Banks from Getting Wet? Keeping power banks in dry and cool environments is always recommended, but not always possible when you are outdoors. So, if you are out camping or hiking in the rain or on a kayak trip on a river, you can either use a waterproof outdoor power bank or buy a protective case or bag in order to keep your charger from getting wet. When it comes to protective cases, I can recommend the WIWU Travel Cable Organizer Bag, which is a 100% waterproof electronics accessories bag that will not only hold your power bank but also your phone, credit cards, ID, charging cables, money, etc. It's a really compact and thin bag (dimensions: 8.3x5.3x2.3inches) that won't take up much space in your kayak, tent, or backpack. I really like having such a bag that can hold all of my important electronics in one place with me on my fishing and camping trips. You know where everything is and you know that it's well protected and dry! You can check ou the WIWU Travel Cable Organizer Bag on Amazon here Then there are waterproof power banks as well, which will be covered in the next section, so keep reading if you want to get my best recommendations on those. What Is the Best Waterproof Power Bank on the Market? The Durecopow 20,000mAh Solar Power Bank is a very reliable and 100% waterproof portable outdoor charger that is perfectly suited for any camping, fishing, or hiking adventure! This awesome power bank combines several really powerful features that all come in really handy during your trip: Dimensions: 5.5 x 2.9 x 0.7 inchesWeight: 8.8oz (really lightweight for a 20,000 mAh bank!)Connector type: Micro USBBoth shock-resistant , dustproof, and waterproof (moist and rain)Features a carabiner and a compass2 bright LED flashlightsHighly efficient solar panel 1000+ recharge lifecycles12 months warranty So no matter how moist the air or how much it rains during your camping or hiking trip, this power bank won't let you down! Take a closer look at the Durecowpow 20,000mAh Solar Power Bank on Amazon here Related Articles Why Are Power Banks Heavy?What Is a Credit Card Power Bank?What Is a USB-C Power Bank?