Mophie Juice Pack Air

Rather an old thread now but thought it worth adding my experience for the benefit of others who find this thread by search, as I just did. The penny has only just dropped for me about how to use these things.

I have both Original Juice Pack (1800mAh) and Juice Pack Air (1200mAh). (The phone is 1200mAh)

I did several experiments where I connected a full juice pack to a fully discharged iPhone 3Gs. I was expecting the Air to just recharge the phone to 100%, and the Original to do it with one or two blue stars still lit on the back. In practice the Air will take the iPhone up to 60% and the Original to 100%, at which point the Juice Packs are fully discharged.

As this thread implies, and the Mophie site states (but I didn't understand the implication when I first read it), the process of transferring charge from the Juice Pack to the iPhone is only about 60% efficient. ie you lose about 40% of the capacity of the JuicePack by using them as chargers.

Much better (as stated in this thread) to charge the Juice Pack and phone fully, let the phone use up the Juice Pack's battery before it uses it's own. That way you get to use the full combined capacity of the iPhone and Juice Pack, 1200+1200=2400 for the Air, or 1200+1800=3000 for the Original.

If you use the Juice pack as a charger (ie only switch on the Air or plug in the Original when phone is flat), you will only get 1200+0.6x1200=1920 from the Air, or 1200+0.6x1800=2280 from the Original.

You don't want to use the Mophie as a recharger. Rather, use it as the primary battery first. If you kill that in a day (like I do at work) then the phone rolls over to the internal battery. With frequent use, you should be able to have your phone last long enough until you get home for you to back it up. Besides, you want to backup your phone at least once a day in order to keep your settings. If you have to get your phone replaced, you'll be able to get everything back right away.

The Juicepack air will recharge your iPhone to 100%, but I have not tried it with a completely depleted iPhone. I have been using the Juicepack when the iPhone was at around 70-80%, and I have also used it as primary battery until depleted.

Ok, I tried it with my phone at 20%, and I was using the phone after I installed the juicepack. It charged to 80% before the juicepack ran out of juice.

I also tried it without using the phone. It got all the way to 100%.

So I guess using the juicepack while charging drains it faster (makes sense), since the battery is the same size as the iPhone itself, it makes sense that it can't charge it to 100% AND also feed it while its being used.

I have found that putting my fully charged iPhone inside a fully charged juicepack is the best way to go. I run out of juice around 2pm, which gets me through the rest of the day on the internal battery. I am using mostly 3G internet surfing, so I am hoping the novelty wears off and I can start getting through the whole day on a single charge... 🙂

Daiikun wrote:
You don't want to use the Mophie as a recharger. Rather, use it as the primary battery first. If you kill that in a day (like I do at work) then the phone rolls over to the internal battery. With frequent use, you should be able to have your phone last long enough until you get home for you to back it up. Besides, you want to backup your phone at least once a day in order to keep your settings. If you have to get your phone replaced, you'll be able to get everything back right away.

You back up your iPhone every day? How much do your settings change in one day?

I'll try because I can only get 50% recharge and that is not using the phone. I took one back to the Apple Store but don't get any more from it. I'm keeping it because it is all I need. But it ain't right.

This must be the case with NO vehicle in site use.

Anytime I enter vehicle or house, it's attached and charging.
I'll bring charging block & cord, and use outlet at the bar at times, or
just leave it in vehicle charging. My ports are live with vehicle off.

For walkers & bikers, I'd start looking for solar gear.

Sounds about average...the 1200 Ma battery is basically the same as the iPhone itself. so with a full battery and dead iPhone the rough 60% would be about normal

docs44 wrote:

You back up your iPhone every day? How much do your settings change in one day?

You mean you don't install a new app daily? 🙂

Phil

I plug my phone in every day just to back it up. I don't change settings at all, but I'm paranoid that something could happen. Thus, I play it safe.