Power bank with crank (and solar panel)

Camping, trekking, hiking and more - vacationing in nature is relaxing and sometimes exciting. From relaxing on the beach to white water rafting, there are also a variety of activities. Most of them are there: smartphone, action cam and smartwatch. But the batteries in these devices also need electricity when they are out in nature. That's why I've put together a few interesting power banks for you. From the power bank with crank to the power bank with solar panel, flashlight and radio you will find a lot of offers. In the following you will find cheap and good to very good rated models.

A power bank with a crank as well as a solar panel, USB connection, radio and more - some offers are rated as good to very good by customers.

Chapter in this post:

1 smartphone charger with crank / crank generator
2 power bank with crank and more
3 power bank with solar panel and flashlight in the test
4 Which power bank with a crank or other feature do you recommend?
5 More power bank posts here in the blog
6 Similar posts

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Smartphone charger with crank / crank generator

Before I get to the power banks, i.e. the crank devices with their own power storage, I would like to introduce you to two products that direct the dynamo current through to charge the device battery. That means, you connect your iPhone or iPad, the Action Cam or another mobile device and crank to charge its battery. They are particularly suitable as equipment for emergencies or a power failure. The first hand crank is small and something for the backpack. The second model is more for cars, campers and at home (e.g. for a power failure).

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Of course, you have to take into account here that the power banks only bring a few percentage points to the battery level by cranking them. Therefore, they are more interesting for emergencies, such as a longer power failure or a multi-day or week-long excursion into flora and fauna and less suitable for everyday use and quick charging in the bus, train or at home. In addition, cranking the train could also cause one or the other irritated look.

Experienced and sporty hobbyists can, for example, connect the battery to their bicycle to build a dynamo with their own power storage or to be creative in another way to protect their own muscles. In addition to technical know-how, a good portion of creativity and ingenuity is required here. If the power fails at home for a longer period of time, the power bank can also be connected to the home trainer.

But there is sure to be a tutorial or two for this as well, which could serve as inspiration.

In general, there are a few things to look out for when buying:

Battery performance: this is an aspect that should never be neglected. It should be noted that power banks with a crank usually have a rather lower battery capacity than the regular ones. But here, too, there are models with 10.000 mAh.
The dimensions: Power banks with a crank, which are small and compact, are particularly suitable for outdoor adventures. So it is worth checking before buying whether there is still space for the power bank in your luggage.
The weight: a larger battery that provides more power always comes with more weight. The same applies to additional equipment such as radio and co.
Charging speed: Depending on the power bank, the charging speed can vary greatly. This mainly depends on how effective the crank is.
Other functions: Some power banks have other features, such as a solar panel, a flashlight or a combination of both. These can be of advantage, especially on longer excursions in nature.
Number of connections: Another important aspect is the number of connections, especially if you have other devices such as action cam and smartwatch with you outdoors in addition to your smartphone and have to charge them.

In addition, it is worthwhile not always to fully charge the technical equipment and rather to charge cell phones and co. In flight mode so that it goes faster.

Power bank with crank and more

A power bank with a crank, i.e. a crank generator with electricity storage, usually also has other options for charging. So you can charge the external battery via USB and partly via solar panel. On Amazon there are even multifunctional devices that, in addition to the dynamo crank and the use of solar energy, are also equipped with a flashlight and a radio - some with an alarm clock, recording function and, and, and. The complete overview of the Amazon offers with good customer ratings can be found with this link. Below are a few examples from simple designs to all-rounders.

Workingda Powerbank Solar Charger, 10000mAh External Battery Crank Generator with Dual USB ...

【Portable solar charger】 10000mAh solar cell charger provides your devices with enough power when ...
【New hand dynamo function】 Even in an emergency without electricity and solar, you can make a survival call through ...
【2 USB charging ports】 Thanks to the integrated DC5V / 1A-DC5V / 2.1A USB outputs, you can connect two digital devices ...

Odoland solar radio crank radio multifunction portable outdoor for emergencies with hand crank LED ...

Muse MH-07DS portable crank radio, world receiver with flashlight and solar charging function (dynamo, ...

The outdoor companion: small and compact 3 band world receiver (FM, MW, KW), independent of current.
Mobile Charger: Recharge your mobile phone anytime, anywhere - via a crank dynamo or solar panel.
LED flashlight: energy-saving flashlight, alarm signal light and emergency siren.

UNIQUEBELLA Solar Radio, Portable Emergency Radio with Crank, 8000mAh Rechargeable Dynamo...

A NECESSARY TOOL IN AN EMERGENCY - Built-in rechargeable battery with 2000 mAh AM / FM portable radio ...
POWERBANK - The solar crank radio with 2000MAh battery can be used as a power bank for mobile phone, pad and MP3, through ...
EASY TO CHARGE - The radio can be charged via USB cable, solar panel hand crank, AAA battery or hand crank ...

Retekess HR11S Solar Radio Dynamo, AM FM SW Crank Radio, Rechargeable World Receiver, with...

power_source_type;Solar powered

Power bank with solar panel and flashlight in the test

Almost a year ago I gave you these RAVPower RP-PB003 power bank with solar function. The external battery, equipped with a robust housing, offers up to 15.000 mAh, a charge indicator, the option of charging and drawing power via USB and a nice and bright flashlight. I can definitely recommend the accessories for camping, hiking, trekking and road trips. But patience is necessary: With this model, as well as with most other models, it takes up to 7 days to fully charge the battery via solar. In an emergency, however, a (half) day's charge is sufficient. Here is the test report: Test - RAVPower RP-PB003 power bank with solar panel and flashlight.

Direct sunlight is also ideal there, but of course this is not always the case. This can also extend the charging time. Thus, these power banks are more suitable as a replacement and not as a primary energy source when the actual power bank runs out of juice.

It is also a good idea to charge the power bank outside in direct sunlight and not inside through the glass pane. In order to fully charge a power bank with a solar panel, it would have to be in the sun for more than 24 hours.

However, there is usually a residual voltage in power banks that can also be used to make an emergency call. If you want to be independent of the weather conditions, you should rather use a power bank with a crank or, depending on the equipment, charge the power bank at home before departure.

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Which power bank with a crank or other feature do you recommend?

Which energy storage device would you not want to miss when traveling? Feel free to leave a comment and share with me and all other readers what will help you with charging the battery when you are out and about. Conventional power banks without special functions in the test can also be found here in the blog;)