To ask for help charging a power bank? So confused.

[Cellardoor7]

Sorry this is such a boring AIBU.

Bought a power bank from Amazon the other day to charge my phone, and having problems charging the bank itself. The power bank I bought is pictured in the first photo.

To charge the power bank, I’ve plugged it into my phone charger plug using the cable that came with the bank (see second photo).

The bank doesn’t seem to be charging at all. There is nothing on the bank power display to say it’s charging.

Am I charging it the right way? Or should I charge it using my iPhone charger cable, or another way entirely?

It sounds like you are still getting confused with regards to which end of the cable is used for charging from/to the powerbank

Is there a reason you didn't get one with built in cables to avoid this?

To charge the powerbank:
"Fat end" goes into wall plug (like how you would wall charge your phone) "thin end" goes into powerbank

To charge your phone:
"Fat end" goes into powerbank, "thin end" goes into phone

The fat end goes where the power SOURCE is. Your laptop charger shouldn't be needed at all.

The cable that came with it is ONLY for charging the power pack. It’s not for plugging into your phone.
Plug the thin end of it into the power pack and the fat end of it into a usb power socket. Then the power pack will charge.

You need a separate and different cable to connect the power pack to your phone. They don’t give that one to you when you buy the power pack.

If you have iPhone 11, get the cable you normally charge your phone with, but instead of plugging it into a wall socket, plug it into the power pack. There are clear diagrams in the picture I posted last time and on Amazon where you bought it.

Do I need to take [the old extension lead] to a electrics recycling place?

Yes. Of course.

It seems like you are making this FAR more complicated than it needs to be!

I have this power bank and the advice others have given you is correct. The small cable it came with is for charging the power bank. The ‘fat’ usb end goes into your plug and the smaller end into the power bank.
You need to use your charging cable for your phone.

Too late now but the ones with inbuilt cables are much less hassle!

I think the problem seems to be that OP only has one USB plug, which is for an iPhone, and uses a cable that's the same (small) at both ends. I don't iPhone but a lightning connector or whatever it's called I assume.

But the power pack needs a small USB (c) to charge it, can't be charged with a lightning connector cable.

Can you confirm please OP, what small connection ports / holes are there on your power pack. Take a photo if that's easier.

To add OP - when you charge your phone what cable do you use plugged into the plug?

Is it the same at both ends, and is it the same as the small end of the cable that came with the power pack?

If it is, just use that cable like you would if you were charging your phone.

Hi all, sorry for my very late reply! I’ve attached photos of my white phone charger cable and the black cable that came with the power pack. I use the thin end of the white phone charger cable to charge my phone. I put the bigger end of the phone charger cable in the charger plug.

Plug the larger end of the black cable into a plug and the small end into the power bank. That will charge it.

To charge your phone plug the bigger end of the white cable in the power bank.

Do it like this.
White cable plugs into the small slot on the right in your picture on the power pack. Then you charge your phone with the other end.

Black cable plugs into a usb wall plug, and then into your power pack to the middle slot only. You can only use the middle slot to charge up the power pack.

Diagram attached. Do it like this.

Thanks @Talipesmum! Unfortunately the bigger plug in the black cable is too big to fit into my USB charger (which is just one of the standard iPhone chargers). That’s the main thing I’m having a problem with. Does anyone have any thoughts on how I could get around that please?

Buy one of these to plug the black cable into. https://amzn.eu/d/00H1gFXi

You need to buy a plug which can be used with the usb cable. It sounds like you’ve only got one which fits a USB -C cable when you need one which fits a USB - A

Your posts are confusing me OP.

Charge the power bank like you would your phone. Exactly the same way. Pretend the power bank is your phone.

USB ends are all the same.

Hi all, thanks for your help with this. I’ve ordered a USB-C plug as suggested by @HighLadyofTheNightCourt .

In my experience, not all USB charger ends are the same. I’ve had an iPhone for years now and iPhone chargers are USB-C in my experience, and the ports in this power pack I’ve bought don’t fit an iPhone charger.

I think you already have a USB -C.

You need a USB -A

Argh sorry! I meant I need a USB- A, as the iPhone charger connection is USB-C. Thanks!

You don't need a new charger plug! To charge the power bank you just need a usb-c to usb-c cable. Much cheaper than buying a new charger plug.

Why cant you use the wire that came with the power bank. Surely you have a USB plug?

I've never seen charging a power bank made so complicated in my life.

I only have my iPhone charger plug, which as I’ve mentioned, doesn’t fit the power pack charger. Your comments aren’t very helpful, tbh - you seem to be either judging my situation or saying incorrect things like USB chargers are all the same, when they definitely aren’t. As a gamer, surely you’d know that?!

We've got loads of USB plugs in my house. Some take USB-A. Some take USB-C. If I'm not paying attention I end up with a cable and a plug that aren't compatible.

That's what I mean though. Charging plugs come with everything. You pick up one, see the little daft hole and think, 'i need the other type that seems to come with everything ' and go and get it.

I've never met a household with one solitary charging plug and that's it.

Alright I stand corrected. I hope you get it on the go soon.

A Laptop might be able to charge it in the meantime if you've got one..

Thanks for the laptop charger suggestion. I’ve tried this and mentioned it on here, and people on here said it wasn’t a good idea.

I think @gamerchick is suggesting that you charge the powerbank via your laptop, not via the laptop charger, if that makes sense?

So plug in and turn on your laptop as usual. Then use the black cable that came with the powerbank, and connect the larger end (which is a USB-A connection) into a USB-A port on the laptop, and then connect the smaller end (USB-C connection) into the powerbank. That should enable the powerbank to charge.

Oh i see, you weren't that clear tbh. It sounded like you were saying all USB charging bricks are the same, they aren't. And you often have to buy them separately these days. My portable chargers didn't come with them.