iPod portable power banks and iPod Classics

[ambientdaw]

I am looking to get an external charger for my iPod Classic. It seems the newest ones specifically do NOT work with iPods. This for example https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00M30B4IW/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?smid=A294P4X9EWVXLJ&psc=1

Does anyone have and use one that works? I am needing to be setup for emergencies where there is no electricity. I want to pair a power bank with a solar charger like this https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B012YUJJM8/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A294P4X9EWVXLJ&psc=1

thoughts?

 

[ApolloBoy]

I have an Anker power bank that I bought last year, it works just fine with my Classic but you have to push the power indicator button on it to get it charging.

 

[ambientdaw]

thanks! I will try to find what last years' model was...

 

[ApolloBoy]

The one I bought was the Anker Powercore 13000 which is still being made.

 

[butterburger cookybutter]

I am looking to get an external charger for my iPod Classic.

Every iPod contains a battery charger circuit. You are looking for a power supply, or "power bank".

It seems the newest ones specifically do NOT work with iPods. for example Anker Astro E7

Better said: 'Anker Astro E7 does not work with ANY sensible consumer of bus power.'; rather than "specifically not iPod". Look at this nonsense which Anker blows:

'Universal Compatibility' 'Optimized charging for any device.' 'Compatible with USB-charged devices except for the iPod nano, iPod Classic, HP TouchPad, Dell Venue 11 Pro, Asus tablets and some GPS and Bluetooth devices.'

Why is that Anker Ultra-High Capacity Power Bank not compatible with iPod? I suspect: because its target consumer is a power gobbler, and it automatically shuts-off after a short duration of perceived inactivity. Probably: its incompatibility has nothing to do with GPS & Bluetooth (iPhones are GPS and Bluetooth devices!), and it has nothing to do with iPod.

Modern featurephones are power gobblers: they contain batteries more capacious than an iPod battery, and they draw more power through a USB cable than do iPods. A modern featurephone might draw constant two amperes of current lasting a couple hours, then reduce to steady 100 mA while idle, after its battery is charged. Contrast this with my iPod, which draws a high of 600–800 mA when it spins-up its hard disc, but otherwise draws around 250 mA while charging. (Mine is a thin model; I expect a thicker iPod, holding bigger battery, to suck more power.) Anker Astro E7 is designed to supply up to three ampere (nominal 15 watt!) through a single receptacle. My iPod sucks one tenth that much, as it charges its battery.

If my guess is correct (Anker claims incompatibility due to chosen threshold/margin too high for iPod), then it might work with your iPod only during short sessions: it might supply power to your iPod lasting one or two minutes, then it times-out, goes to sleep. You would need to repeatedly wake Anker bank, and your iPod would eventually fully charge its battery, after one or two hundred sessions. It might stay awake if other things are simultaneously connected: a "USB reading light", or Bluetooth headset, or a cellphone, et cetera examples.

"I can't stand it. I've gone stand-by. iPod's draw is too petty! I'm an ANKER BANK!! I won't power iPod! I'm a JERK!!!"

 

[BrettApple]

Hmm, I have a recently purchased PowerCore 20100 that I got when I went to Colorado a week ago. And I have an iPod classic (purcahsed 2014) and an 80GB iPod Video (5.5G Circa 2006/7). I just may try this and see what happens. It charges my Apple Watch just fine and supplies it with power all night, but I do have to tap the on button whereas my iPhone and BlackBerry draw enough power to wake it up by itself.

 

[ApolloBoy]

If my guess is correct (Anker claims incompatibility due to chosen threshold/margin too high for iPod), then it might work with your iPod only during short sessions: it might supply power to your iPod lasting one or two minutes, then it times-out, goes to sleep. You would need to repeatedly wake Anker bank, and your iPod would eventually fully charge its battery, after one or two hundred sessions.

I just whipped out my Powercore 13000 and connected my iPod classic to it with nothing else. After hitting the indicator button to get it charging, it's still going almost 15 minutes later.

EDIT: About an hour later and the iPod's fully charged.

 

[sowhat68]

For what it's worth I have an Anker PowerCore 20100 and also PowerCore 13000.

Neither one of these send a charge to my 6th gen iPod Classic even after pushing the charge indicator button on the power bank

I wonder if you need to use a particular type of cord? The one I used will charge when plugged into the wall...

 

[rgarjr]

For what it's worth I have an Anker PowerCore 20100 and also PowerCore 13000.

Neither one of these send a charge to my 6th gen iPod Classic even after pushing the charge indicator button on the power bank

I wonder if you need to use a particular type of cord? The one I used will charge when plugged into the wall...

I have the Anker 20100 and it doesn’t seem to charge my Classic 7g. It does however charge my iPod Video 5G and the iPod Mini.

 

[ambientdaw]

Anyone else having success with a certain power pack?

 

[HNTD]

Anyone else having success with a certain power pack?

For what it’s worth, I use a LENMAR PowerPort Wave6600...bought it about 6 years ago. Works like a dream with my 80gb iPod Classic (which I bought in 2007). I don’t know if this LENMAR model is still sold anywhere, but it powers my old iPod and my much-newer iPad Pro quickly (iPod fully charged in about 15-20 minutes).

 

[butterburger cookybutter]

For what it's worth, I got to test Anker PowerCore 20100 A1271 with iPods Mini A1051 and Video A1136 (2005 "fifth generation", thin "30GB"). This power pack (Anker PowerCore 20100 A1271) supplies both iPods, like one should expect of a regulated power supply. It Just Works, sans 'pushing the charge indicator button'.

For what it's worth I have an Anker PowerCore 20100 and also PowerCore 13000.

Neither one of these send a charge to my 6th gen iPod Classic even after pushing the charge indicator button on the power bank

I wonder if you need to use a particular type of cord?

Manually waking the Anker bank, 'hitting the indicator button to get it charging', is not documented functionality. No, you do not need to acquire yet another cord. Unfortunately, your two PowerCores are not right for your use case. You can try adding a burden load, that might "get it rolling".

thoughts?

Good news to Anker loyalists: almost one year ago (around July 2018), Anker introduced 'trickle' mode. This is a fundamental feature, inherent to power banks which use a "hard on/off" slider switch. Unlike the "Universal Optimized PowerIQ VoltageBoost" marketroid nonsense, Anker's 'trickle' mode should remain engaged until either its battery is drained flat or intentionally disengaged by operator.

These following Anker banks feature 'trickle' mode, so should Just Work with iPods Nano and Classic (sixth and seventh generations). Anker did not add their disclaimer «except for the iPod nano, iPod Classic, HP TouchPad, Dell Venue 11 Pro, Asus tablets and some GPS and Bluetooth devices.» to descriptions of these products.

• PowerCore Lite 10000mAh A1232
• PowerCore 10000 Redux A1234
• PowerCore 10000 PD A1235
• PowerCore 15000 Redux A1242
• PowerCore Lite 20000 A1269

2019-07-29 addition:
I do not like, endorse, recommend, nor promote, Anker or its wares. I feel dirty here, like an advertiser, referring to these products. But knowing that my list is incomplete, I feel compelled to supplement it.

Also these following Anker banks feature 'trickle-charging mode', so should Just Work with iPods Classic.

• PowerCore Slim 10000 A1229
• PowerCore Slim 10000 PD A1231
• PowerCore 10000 PD Redux A1239
• PowerCore 20000 Redux A1262