Framework-style power bank

Is anyone selling a Framework-style power bank? I have a power bank that’s served me well for years but it’s not fully charging any more. I’m probably going to have to throw it away because I doubt I’ll be able to repair it. I’d love to have a Framework-style power bank where I could replace the battery, and possibly upgrade the power circuits.

1 Like

Not specifically designed for it (or supported by mfg) but I really like my sharge storm2 - you can see a teardown here (https://youtu.be/MWEFiAiD0Wg?si=TFmH-iCDXuW8vlxl). This pack is built around 8 18650 cells which should be really easy to get, though rebuilding the pack would need some soldering. When these cells start going I’m planning to tear it down and attempt to rebuild the pack.

Sharge also has a “slim” version of the pack with 4 cells instead of 8. Note max output of the large bank is 100w, and the slim bank has a max output of 130w (though obviously lower capacity).

Edit: 130w not 140w on the slim.

2 Likes

Looks good, how do you feel about the size and weight for traveling?

It probably really depends on your use case :smiley:

I do flights and car trips where I pack it, but I also take a “tech bag” which has a laptop, steam deck, Nintendo switch, etc. for the whole family’s tech needs which ends up being heavy. It’s only 600g tho which is 30% lighter than the steam deck and maybe 2.5x the weight of my phone. The majority of the weight is the cells so I don’t think you’ll get a much better energy/weight ratio from another power bank.

The bank could be more compact though (you can see there is air/empty space inside, but most of that space would have to be reclaimed by replacing the cells with a custom lipo battery shape, which would make it less repairable I think? Still, it fits nicely in my backpack besides cables, chargers, etc… (Switching to all multi port GaN chargers definitely saved a lot of bag space).

Looks like sharge also has a 6 cell variant now (sharge 170) too which could be a good middle ground.

1 Like

I agree with you, a Framework-style power bank would be awesome. I hate the idea of throwing away a perfectly good device just because the battery is worn out. I think it’s a waste of resources and money. A power bank that lets you swap out the battery and upgrade the power circuits would be much more sustainable and customizable. I wonder if Framework has any plans to make such a product in the future. I would definitely buy one if they did. It would be a great addition to their modular laptop and phone concept.

I bought many modular power banks where you install 18650 manually and you just do a charge discharge cycle to calibrate the battery % indicator. Unfortunately most of them broke down first before battery degradation.