EuroV5 wrote:Next month I’m cycling from London to Rome and still haven’t got my bike set how I’d like it. I want to keep my iPhone X, Garmin 820 and GoPro batteries charged while I’m cycling. I have a Shimano hub 6V- 3W. I bought a PowerBUG and connected it to my Dynamo but doesn’t seem to charge my phone up just stays the same level of charge (I tried on a 30 mile ride). I’m now looking at the Busch and Müller USB werk or the E-werk.. Would anyone recommend these or another brand maybe??
I will have a anker 10000 mAh power pack with me also
Oh dear, OP, you're experiencing the best and worst of this forum!
To try to answer your question....
The first thing is to assess your energy needs. Obviously less use requires less power.I don't know the powerbug and I have no idea what kind of juice go-pro batteries need.
I'd suggest that your first step is to charge your powerbank fully and see how many times you can charge each item you will be using. That will give you a baseline for making choices on the road.
Secondly, get out and try to charge your powerbank, preferably in "touring mode" so that your practise is as realistic as possible. This will give you an idea of what you can expect to provide on a daily basis.
Thirdly, check out your garmin connected directly. I tried a garmin once and it would not co-operate with my dynohub.
It might not be a bad idea to pick up a cheap meter to check what the output actually is. Also, not a bad idea to check your connections!
My experience:
I use a cycle2charge unit. Relatively cheap, simple and discreet.
I use it to charge a powerbank and from that charge a phone, kindle, ipod (hardly used), tablet (hardly used) and rechargeable batteries for headlamps/bike lights etc. Typically, near the end of the day I'll plug out my powerbank and connect my Wahoo directly. This charges the Wahoo back up to 80-90% for the following day.
On slow sections or lots of stopping or starting I'll plug the powerbank out. I have no scientific basis for this, other than I reckon the charging kicking in and out can't be the best for the powerbank.
I have 26 inch wheels and will generate a constant charge from about 13kph.
Typically I'll carry 2 powerbanks, one 5k and one 10k. I like the redundancy of 2 and it means that I can charge from one while charging up the other when needs must. (On longer tours I also carry a solar panel - but I tend to stop a lot!)
On a 3 week tour from NL to Ireland and back, I left with my 2 banks full and only used my dynohub for charging for the whole 3 weeks. No problem.
Having said that it depends on where you will be staying and your touring style. A long, leisurely lunch will give ample time to recharge a powerbank. But that may not be your style. Some campsites and hostels are more charging friendly than others. Worst case scenario, you can always pick up an extra powerbank en route.
A recent poster, TyreLady had an issue charging her iphone on a long trip. It stopped taking a charge from her dynohub. It would charge from a wall and other items charged from the hub, I believe. Maybe pm her to see if she can throw some light. In any case, the general wisdom is not to connect delicate devices directly.
Finally, there is also the practicality to consider. In fine weather my powerbank sits in a pocket at the side of my handlebar bag with a very short cable to the charger. In less fine weather, I can place the powerbank inside the barbag. In very wet weather I do not connect. When I leave the bike, barbag and powerbank come with me. All that remains on the bike is something the size and shape of a big bell.
In any case, that's a hell of a trip you're about to set off on! Enjoy!
