Portable Power Bank USB-C & MacBook Air 13" 2014

[Autolykos]

Hello, All,

I bought an AL450 USB-C Power Bank Essential back-up battery to charge my laptop while I am on the go. The power bank was advertised as a battery which can charge MacBooks. I have a MacBook Air 13" 2014. When I took it out of its paper box, I read that it can charge "only latest laptops with USB-C".
Is there any way that this power bank can be used to charge my Mac Air 13"? Without making damage to my Mac.
Thanks very much for any useful answer or suggestions on this matter.

Autolykos

 

[chscag]

You can probably use the charger for your MacBook Air with an adapter. The charger is not going to damage your MacBook Air in any event, however, without an adapter it's not going to work. Probably best to return it for a refund and purchase the correct portable battery pack for your MacBook Air 13".

Also, your post was moved here to the correct forum. The lounge is for off topic posts and "other" discussions.

 

[pm-r]

And that's even IF they can even find a usb-c female to usb 3.0 male adapter. Usually they're made for going the other way, but I guess there might be one if one looks long and hard enough.



- Patrick
======

 

[Autolykos]

And that's even IF they can even find a usb-c female to usb 3.0 male adapter. Usually they're made for going the other way, but I guess there might be one if one looks long and hard enough.

- Patrick
======

Found these:
http://www.apple.com/shop/product/MJ1M2AM/A/usb-c-to-usb-adapter
http://www.ebay.com/itm/USB-C-Femal...-1-Type-C-to-USB3-0-Type-A-Card-/121834567696

 

[Autolykos]

Usb 3

Also, can the Mac take energy through its USB 3 port?
(I apologize in advance for the stupidity this question eventually conveys.)

Autolykos

 

[pm-r]

Found these:
http://www.apple.com/shop/product/MJ1M2AM/A/usb-c-to-usb-adapter
http://www.ebay.com/itm/USB-C-Femal...-1-Type-C-to-USB3-0-Type-A-Card-/121834567696

The ebay one might work, but no way with the Apple one, it has the wrong gender ends does it not from what you have to connect to???

 

[Autolykos]

The ebay one might work, but no way with the Apple one, it has the wrong gender ends does it not from what you have to connect to???

Yes, you are right, the Apple one is the other way round.

 

[pm-r]

Also, can the Mac take energy through its USB 3 port?
(I apologize in advance for the stupidity this question eventually conveys.)

Autolykos

Theoretically they should to keep the USB standards, but why bother when a quick google shows I can purchase many good USB 3.0 compatible ready 12000mAh External Battery Packs for a fraction of the price of the one you got.

I'd say, send it back and save all the hassles, power unknowns and I'd also say excessive price gouging…




- Patrick
======

 

[chscag]

@Autolykos:

Take our advice and send it back for a refund and purchase the correct battery pack as I recommended in my first reply. As Patrick noted above, you can buy the battery pack from almost anywhere. I see them all the time at my local electronic shop here in Texas.

 

[Autolykos]

@Autolykos:

Take our advice and send it back for a refund and purchase the correct battery pack as I recommended in my first reply. As Patrick noted above, you can buy the battery pack from almost anywhere. I see them all the time at my local electronic shop here in Texas.

I might not be able to get a refund because I bought the charger in a shop, not on the internet, which means I may not be allowed to cancel the deal.

 

[pm-r]

I might not be able to get a refund because I bought the charger in a shop, not on the internet, which means I may not be allowed to cancel the deal.

I don't know what the difference is but it may depend on where you live I guess, and I don't know where that is, and you don't know until you ask.

Bottom line as always, do some research and checking before purchasing.




- Patrick
======

 

[Autolykos]

I don't know what the difference is but it may depend on where you live I guess, and I don't know where that is, and you don't know until you ask.

Bottom line as always, do some research and checking before purchasing.

- Patrick
======

I eventually took your advice and took back the power bank to the shop (iStyle, the official Apple dealer here, in Hungary), where I received a total refund. They also told me that they did not know of any battery pack that can charge Macs (except for this one which can only charge the MacBook Retina equipped with USB-C). It eventually became clear for me that they were so much willing to take the item back without a word because this power bank was not actually compatible with my Mac Air 13". So they were nice, after all.
I've actually done a lot of research into external battery packs, finding about 3 or 4 models that have the capability to charge Macintosh notebooks, and the AL450 USB-C Power Bank was one of them. However, it escaped my notice that it only charges MacBook Retina. I inquired at Xtorm and Gecko Support team, where I was informed that this power bank was designed to charge Macbooks through USB C, and if my Mac does not have a USB C input, I can not use this model to charge it.
Googling a bit, I found some solutions to the problem of charging a MacBook from an exterinal battery, but the price of those models that are capable of charging a laptop, begin from well above 100 USD. Even the cheapest option, Chugplug, is 130 USD. There does exist an alternative solution, though: "harmonizing" a usb male and a MagSafe plug via soldering... But that is not for me.

Autolykos

 

[pm-r]

I eventually took your advice and took back the power bank to the shop (iStyle, the official Apple dealer here, in Hungary),

Great. It sounds like you have a reputable Mac shop there you can use and support in the future.

And you can thank Apple for the excessive expense for the external battery packs thanks to their patents and legal hounds!!

BTW: Does you MB Air provide close to the tested longevity?
http://www.everymac.com/systems/app...ook-air-mid-2013-real-world-battery-life.html

I don't know much about the ChugPlug External Battery Pack, but it sure has a low price, almost too low…???
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IIZOYFG/?tag=macforums0e4-20




- Patrick
======

 

[Autolykos]

Great. It sounds like you have a reputable Mac shop there you can use and support in the future.

And you can thank Apple for the excessive expense for the external battery packs thanks to their patents and legal hounds!!


BTW: Does you MB Air provide close to the tested longevity?
http://www.everymac.com/systems/app...ook-air-mid-2013-real-world-battery-life.html

I don't know much about the ChugPlug External Battery Pack, but it sure has a low price, almost too low…???
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IIZOYFG/?tag=macforums0e4-20

- Patrick
======

Well, the Apple-guy turned out to be wrong in saying that there are no external batteries for the Mac 13" 2014. I just found the MAXOAK 36,000mAh: http://technicallywell.com/maxoak-36000mah-macbook-power-bank-review (Note the statement by the end: "newer MacBooks that use USB-C charging are not supported at this time.") Also: http://www.1kindphotography.com/201...-power-bank-apple-laptop-macbook-pro-air.html (Statement at the end again: "Unfortunately, it is not compatible with Macbooks using USB Type-C connectors or 17" MacBooks.") It is not cheap (136 USD, or a bit cheaper: 126 USD), but as my Mac will soon pass its 2nd year, such a "beast of a battery pack" will come in handy when the built-in battery begins to age... As for battery health, I have Battery Bar and CoconutBattery. Here's a screenshot of the latter: http://jmp.sh/AsuBmZb

Generally speaking of Apple's money-wringing policy, I don't really mind it - not that I have a lot of money! (I have little, in fact) - as far as Apple keeps the ultra-high quality of what they manufacture. It is this "money-wringing" attitude of Apple is what makes it feasible for them to produce so excellent hardware. I know these sentences will evoke responses but anyone who has switched on to Apple after Windows (and in my case, from Linux, too) must agree that Mac is, to put it mildly, "a different experience" in computing.
Thanks for the tips, and for the answers.

 

[pm-r]

Good find on those external battery packs and actually considering their capacity/price compared to most good replacement batteries, they don't seem to be over priced, especially seeing that they are several times the normal battery capacity, and provide additional features as well.




- Patrick
======