What Are 5 Benefits Of A Solar Charger
1. Solar chargers are environmentally friendly and do not produce any harmful emissions or waste products, unlike fossil fuels such as coal and oil which contribute to global warming.2. You can use them in remote locations where there is no access to electricity grid power supply3. The solar charger will charge your cell phone battery even when you are on the move4. You dont have to worry about running out of batteries for your mobile phones5 .Solar chargers come with a variety of features that make them very convenient devices
Punkcase Solar Power Bank 20000mah: Best For Quick Charging
- Capacity: 20000mAh
- Wireless Charging: Yes
- Output/input: 2 USB A, 1 USB-C
PunkCase 20000mAh solar wireless power bank offers 18W Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 support. Along with that, it has an integrated smart IC. Hence your phone will be charged up to 80% quicker than regular chargers in only 30 minutes.
You can charge two devices simultaneously with one Micro USB and one USB output port. I will praise the sleek portable design with an ABS shell that resists shock and provides overheat protection.
Pros
How Much Does The Patriot Power Cell Cost
On the 4Patriots website, a single Patriot Power Cell costs $29.95 so about $40 all-in. With that said, you can save some money if you are buying for the whole family. The company also has a Patriot Power Cell 4 Pack which costs $99 . A lifetime access pass to the company’s Preparedness Digital Guidebooks is also included in the purchase of the 4 Pack of patriot power cells.
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The Best Portable Solar Battery Charger
Weve added the Eceen ECE-627 13W Solar Charger to the Competition section, since it seems to suffer from the same problems as a similar version that we previously tested and dismissed.
Unlike the finite energy stored in a battery pack, a USB solar charger offers a tiny power plant that can generate power for your phone and small electronics to keep them charged when the sun is outyou can even use one to recharge a power bank and save that energy for later. After spending more than 60 hours testing 12 models, were confident that the BigBlue 28W USB Solar Charger is the best portable solar charger for people who need to charge their gadgets and stay connected in an emergency or when theyre off the grid.
Our pick
This lightweight solar charger gives you the most usable power for the size. Plus, it has three output ports to charge more devices than the competition can at the same time.
Buying Options
*At the time of publishing, the price was $60.
If you cant get our pick, this model is about the same size and almost as powerful but equipped with fewer ports and panels.
Buying Options
*At the time of publishing, the price was $55.
Inadequate Wattage = Dead Weight
Want a backpacking solar charger which weighs under 12oz? Youll be hard pressed to find a setup which offers more than 5 watts of power.
As a general rule, you will need at least 10 watts in order to reliably charge phones and other small devices while backpacking. Anything less than 10 watts means it will take forever to charge a device even in ideal conditions!
Also note that some devices wont charge at low power. Nokia phones, for example, require 120mAh to start charging. If the low-watt solar panel cant produce this amount, then the phone wont charge at all.
In a nutshell?
An ultralight solar panel might not meet your power needs. Its better to carry a few more ounces for gear which actually works than lug around dead weight.
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Best Solar Power Bank
The BioLite SolarPanel 5+ has its own kickstand for orienting it on the ground for charging, and you can also use the kickstand to hang it if needed. But whats remarkable about the BioLites designand unique among consumer solar chargersis the small sundial that you can use to find the optimal angle for soaking up sunrays. The dirty little secret is that the angle of the panel can make a big difference in how much energy you accumulate, and all solar chargers should have a widget like BioLites sundial to help you zero in on the right angle.
Theres also a 2,200-mAh battery built in so the solar array can be storing electricity even when theres no gadget plugged in. Want to charge devices directly? Theres a USB port to connect your phone or other device. You only get 5 watts of charging power, though, which is just a fraction of what you get with a model like BigBlue. That said, you can step up to BioLites 10-watt solar charger, which includes a fold-out second solar panel and a larger 3,000-mAh battery.
Our Pick: Bigblue 28w Usb Solar Charger
*At the time of publishing, the price was $60.
The BigBlue 28W USB Solar Charger is the USB solar charger wed pack for a week in the woods or a month in Malawi. It produced the most power of the models we tested and offers several standout featuresan additional output port, a weatherproof port protector, and an expansive array of panels to catch every last ray of sunlight.
At the sunniest point of our tests, the BigBlue tied with the X-Dragon 20W SunPower Solar Charger for how much power it produced at any one instant, reaching about 10.7 watts. But over the course of the day, the BigBlue had the highest cumulative wattage: 48.8 watt-hours to the X-Dragons 43.7 watt-hours. That isnt a huge gainyou could barely charge an iPhone X battery halfway with the additional powerbut every watt matters if youre far from an outlet, and the extra power costs little more in size or price.
The BigBlue stood out among the dozens of models we considered in part because it has two 2.4 A ports and one 1 A port so you can charge three devices simultaneously. Every other model we tested had just two ports. Plus, the ports on the BigBlue are the most protected from water and dust among all the models we tested, as theyre covered by both a cloth flap and a rubber cover. Thankfully the cover is connected by a small tether so you dont lose it.
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Our Analysis And Test Results
As one of the best solar panel’s on the market, the X-Dragon stood strong against the other panels we reviewed in its ability to convert sunlight into charges with its three mono-crystalline panels. The X-Dragon has a high-efficiency conversion rate, up to 25%, which means it catches more sunlight than other models. The X-Dragon automatically adjusts the current and voltage. This allows the device to deliver three amps per port, which was the most of the reviewed models, under direct sunlight. After testing dozens of models, our testers tried the X-Dragon, examined the great price, and deemed this model to be the Best Buy.
What Are The Best Solar Cell Phone Chargers
Solar cell phone chargers are a game-changer. They let you charge your phone anywhere you have sunlight.
Whether camping in the middle of the woods or stuck at home during a power outage, you can use solar cell phone chargers to charge your phone in many situations.
Solar cell phone chargers were once an expensive novelty. Today, theyre common and affordable. Keep reading to discover the best solar cell phone chargers you can buy today, including the top-rated solar cell phone chargers from todays best brands.
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Why Do I Need A Solar Phone Charger
The market for power banks is increasingly popular among people who are always afraid of their cell phones running out of battery. Solar phone chargers are gaining more and more ground within the industry because of their ease of use and their sustainable quality. They promote greater economic and energy savings since they do not depend on electrical networks.Solar phone chargers do not require any special maintenance beyond precautions, such as not exposing them to excessively cold temperatures. You can charge your battery virtually anywhere, anytime while walking, cycling, or performing other outdoor activities.Their sustainable character means that manufacturers often include extensive guarantees . In fact, the durability of the transformer can reach up to 25 years, even when it is subjected to consistent use.
Eceen 13w Solar Charger
Best For: Hikers who want a very cheap solar charger that works well enough in good weather
Specs:
- Cost: $ Buy Here
Review:
The ECEEN is one of the cheapest solar chargers you can get which is still lightweight enough for backpacking.
Considering how cheap this backpacking solar charger is, it surprisingly has a reliable auto-reset feature. Its also waterproof, durable, and easily straps to your pack.
Now for the bad. The ECEEN does charge in full sun but wont charge at all not even a trickle in low light. Its also unrealistic to expect to charge two devices at once. The 2amps is only for ideal conditions and even then it wont charge at a full 1amp per connection. Dont bother with this solar panel for backpacking trips in fall, spring, or which will take you through shady forests.
- Cost: $ Buy Here
The Voltaic Arc 10W solar charger seems fantastic at first glance. 10W is perfect if you only need to occasionally charge small devices when backpacking. The watts-per-ounce is good and its a nice compact size.
In clear skies and bright sun, the charging is actually very good. But, as soon as the weather gets a bit cloudy, the performance on the Arc 10W charger gets VERY slow.
I also dont like that the charging port is completely exposed. Youll need to be careful that it doesnt get wet or dirty. Theres also no pocket for holding your device while charging.
- Cost: S$ Buy Here
Review:
Note: This charger is not compatible with the iPod Pro.
- Cost: S$ Buy Here
Review:
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Solar Panel Accessories: Batteries And Charging Blocks
Weve stated earlier in the piece that you should use these solar panels with a backup battery or power bank we’re reiterating that here.
The real reason to use a solar charger is to help you cut the number of backup batteries youll need on a more extended trip or with multiple people to charge your electronics. That, in turn, helps cut back on the weight you need to carry into the wilderness.
Although you could hook your panel right up to your phone, when a cloud comes or sun angle changes, phones often interpret that as Im no longer plugged in. Even when the sun comes back, most phones cant recognize the charge connection has returned without a human plugging the cord back in. Batteries, in contrast, dont shut off the charge when they receive low input.
When it comes to choosing a backup battery, make sure its rugged enough to handle being tossed around and ideally has at least some water resistance rating. It should be big enough to provide enough power to fully charge your most important device and ideally two or three others, just in case you hike through a patch of rainy days.
Likewise, choose a battery or power bank with through charging capability that is chargeable via a USB and ideally a micro-USB cable. These cables are easy to find, work with solar chargers, and are inexpensive.
Is Solar Power Good For The Environment
The whole world is starting to look at solar power as a more viable way to power our lives. Thats because its environmental footprint is less than most other forms of power generation.
While some have criticized both the energy cost of making solar cells and the use of certain materials in their production, its becoming clear that solar panels produce more energy than is used to create them.
In fact, solar panels have been more efficient than other forms of electricity since at least 2013. They last up to 20 or more years in the field, and most, if not all, components of solar panels are recyclable.
With that said, regularly used portable solar power chargers probably wont last 20 or more years without seeing significant failure. Its tough to tell because they largely havent been in use for that long. Still, when compared to using disposable batteries, youll get far more life out of the solar chargers, and their use will pay back the amount of energy used to create them. We recommend recycling your solar chargers at the end of life and anticipate that they may last for up to 10 years with regular use.
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The best solar panel for you will depend on whether you are camping, backpacking, or base camping. It will also depend on the size of your group a you may find one of these portable, foldable, solar chagrers to suit your needs better.
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The Best Solar Phone Chargers At A Glance:
- BigBlue 28W – best solar phone charger overall
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Anker 21w Solar Phone Charger
Anker’s lightweight and compact solar cell phone charger. Image source:
Price: $59.49 Buy Now
Pros: Ankers solar phone charger is able to charge two devices at once using its three high efficiency SunPower solar panels. It is compact and lightweight, making this portable charger easy to hook onto your backpack while on a hike.
Cons: According to customer reviews, this charger is not compatible with all smartphones and some reviews report the charger doesnt work at all, so beware of the low chances that youll get a defunct charger. Ankers charger does not come with a battery pack, so your phone must be directly plugged into it to charge.
Compatibility: iPhone and Andriod cell phones, tablets, and other 5-volt USB devices
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Power Output And Efficiency
Every device is designed with a different size battery Watt-hours is one way to measure charging capacity and will give you the best estimate of how much or how many times the charger can charge your device.
Generally, devices that are physically larger in size with higher energy demands have larger batteries, and thus require higher watt chargers to expedite charging, Mazumder said. Experts told us to compare a solar charger’s wattage to your devices charger when shopping.
If it says works best with a charger thats rated at 27W and higher, then go look for the 27W-and-higher charger, said Brad Saunders, chairman of the nonprofit USB-IF, in our guide to portable chargers. However, Mazumder said low-wattage solar chargers may still power larger devices, just at a slower rate than higher-wattage solar chargers.
As a rule of thumb, Gordon explained, a typical phone can charge at 5W, but most modern phones contain fast charging capabilities up to 18W. And if youre charging two devices at once, youll need enough wattage for both. Gordon also suggested checking a solar panels efficiency rating when shopping however, efficiency ratings are not always listed. He said the higher the percentage, the more solar energy you can convert into charging power, and noted that anything above 20-percent efficiency is ideal.
Blavor Solar Power Bank
Blavors Solar Power Bank is another budget-friendly option. At under $30, the Blavor Solar Power Bank offers incredible value. Like the BioLite option above, the Blavor Solar Power Bank also comes with a large battery: the 10,000 mAh battery can charge your smartphone several times over before needing to be recharged. The main drawback of the Blavor Solar Power Bank is the weak capacity of the solar cells on top. It can complement the electricity thats already stored within your power bank, although it takes a long time to charge the battery using just sunlight. Nevertheless, the Blavor Solar Power Bank has Qi wireless charging, two USB ports, and a waterproof rating, among other surprising perks at this price range.
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Who Should Use A Solar Charger
Anyone who needs to charge a device while on the go. Whether youre hiking, camping or just out and about in your car, solar chargers are an excellent way to keep all of your devices charged up without having to worry about finding an outlet. You can also use them as emergency power sources during natural disasters when electricity is down for days at a time.
Biolite Solar Panel 5+
BioLites Solar Panel 5+ has a kickstand something we dont see with all other solar chargers on this list. The kickstand makes it easy to point the panel towards the sun for maximum absorption. Other solar panel chargers are designed to be laid on the ground or hung from something, so the kickstand makes a difference. One of the biggest advantages of the BioLite SolarPanel 5+, however, is the built-in 2,200mAh battery. The solar panel transfers unused electricity to this battery for later use. You can leave the solar panel out all day, then charge your devices at night.
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