Camping Solar Power Buying Advice
Before you buy a portable solar panel for camping, it`s important to first address the following points.
- Your Devices What types of devices do you hope to charge with solar power? Tablets and smartphones have much different power requirements than mini fridges, air conditioners, winter tent heaters, and other large appliances.
- Power Output The higher the number of watts, the more electricity the solar panel is capable of generating. Most portable models generate anywhere from 5 watts up to 40 watts. Power output correlates directly with the type and number of devices you wish to charge.
- Number ofUsers More users typically means more devices to charge. A larger solarcharger with a higher power output is ideal for multiple people that plan touse the same solar setup while camping.
- Style of Camping Camping, backpacking, and boondocking all require different types of portable solar power. A small, lightweight charger is ideal for backpacking while a robust, more powerful system is best for RV boondocking.
- Trip Duration A portable solar charger without a battery pack works for short backpacking trips but a higher watt model with a portable power station does wonders for longer camping trips.
- Camping Location Solar power for camping is ideal in wide-open locations, yet most panels dont work as well in shade, such as dense woodland. Make sure your devices will get enough sun by considering your preferred camping terrain before making a purchase.
The 5 Best Solar Phone Chargers Of 2022
The struggle to keep your phone charged while out and about is real, especailly while on the road, during camping trips, backpacking, at festivals, or spending the day in the park. The good news is that there is now an easy charging solution – solar phone chargers.
These portable chargers allow us to take advantage of free and abundant solar power to ensure that well never be without a backup for charging all of our phones, no matter where we are.
There are virtually thousands of options for solar phone chargers available online. But dont worry, we did the hard work for you and scoured the internet for the best solar phone chargers in 2022.
*Note: This is an unbiased review: we have no financial ties with any of the companies mentioned, nor do we earn money from affiliate advertising. The content of this blog is based on research and information available at the time of writing.
Questions To Ask Potential Solar Panel Companies:
- How long have you been in the business?
- Can you provide me with references?
- How do you charge, and what does that include?
- What do your services include?
- When can this job get done?
- What happens when the cost exceeds the budget? What about changes to materials or labor pricing?
- What will I need to provide?
- Are there any important considerations or concerns you foresee with this project?
- Do you have state certification?
- Will you come to my home for a free onsite consultation?
- Are you able to repair an older system?
- Can you provide me with a layout to see where the panels will go and what they will look like?
- Can you give me any information on Ontario solar rebate programs?
Find solar energy contractors and solar panel installation companies in Richmond Hill, ON on Houzz.Software for Solar Energy Dealers
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Kasa Smart Plug Classic 15a Smart Home Wi
- Compact Design: Won’t block the other wall outlet allowing two Smart Plugs to be installed side by side
- Note: Requires a secured 2.4 GigaHertz Wi Fi network connection
- Control From Anywhere: Turn electronics on or off from anywhere with your smartphone using the Kasa app
- Kasa scenes & schedules: Schedule the Smart plug to automatically switch on and off when away or set a scene for controlling many devices with a single button
- Voice Control: Works with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and MicroSoft Cortana supported devices for a hands free experience
Most Innovative Design: Solight Design Qwnn Solar Lantern And Mobile Charger
Courtesy of Solight Design
Solar-powered phone chargers dont have to prioritize functionality over design at least not in the case of the QWNN solar lantern from pioneering solar light company Solight. Inspired by origami, this ingenious light design made from recyclable PET sailcloth takes the form of a beautiful half star shape that emits light, as well as being able to charge smart devices within two to four hours through its USB port. Whats more, it can be folded flat for ease of transportation.
Two small, 1.8-watt solar panels take up to ten hours to charge, but the built-in battery bank offers a remarkable 40 hours of continuous light in return. At nearly one pound, its not the lightest charger available but, by offering dual functionality, its guaranteed to have plenty of use on your next trip into the outdoors.
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How To Get The Most From Your Solar Charger
One of the wonderful things about solar power is how simple it can be. The only care and maintenance most solar panels require is keeping them relatively clean and free of dust. A damp cloth should do the trick most of the time.
To really max out your power output, you should angle the panels correctly. A good rule of thumb is that the panels angle, relative to flat ground, should be roughly the same as your latitude, with some minor seasonal adjustments. The farther you are from the polesand from summerthe steeper the angle. For example, the average angle in Winnipeg would be around 41.1 degrees, while in Key West it would be around 22.1 degrees. Even if you dont get the angle exactly right, approximating it could increase your power production by a noticeable amount. If you want to get the most juice, check sites such as Solarpaneltilt.com, or Solar Electricity Handbooks Solar Angle Calculator to figure out the best angle before you go, take a photo of the setup on your phone, and try your best to replicate it out in the wild. Pro tip: Use a hiking boot to prop up the panels.
Belkin Boost Charge Power Bank 2
- Capacity 10000mAh
- Ports provided USB-C, USB-A
If you havent heard of Belkin, youre probably new to the Apple ecosystem. Belkin has been producing wonderful products for Apple customers for over 30 years.
With this Belkin power bank, youre getting a certified product meant purely for iPhones. It supports all iPhones and offers fast charging capabilities as well. Moreover, you get a decent 10000mAh capacity for charging your iPhone.
There are two ports, with an 18W USB-C port for fast charging. If youve got a secondary device, theres a USB-A port that supports 12W of charging power. Moreover, it comes with a 2-year warranty and a USB-C to USB-C cable. Although, the latter wont be of much use to charge your iPhone.
Its a heavy power bank, though. If you wanted something lighter, Id recommend the other options on this list. Also, youll have to buy a USB-C to Lightning cable as it comes with a USB-C to USB-C cable.
Pros
Check out on: | Belkin
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How Does A Solar Phone Charger Work
A solar charger uses photons present in the sunlight to generate electrons in the solar cell materials. As a result, the electrical current will flow and charge a battery in the connected power bank.
The mechanism is very similar to any solar power system used for more extensive purposes, such as powering houses or even industrial installations. However, solar chargers for mobile phones are much more compact and built purposely to charge smaller devices.
In addition, solar battery chargers are generally DC devices without any AC power output . The parts composing this system are:
- Rechargeable battery
- Printed Circuit Board
You can expect a solar panel phone charger to have solar panels, rechargeable batteries, and electronic components to make everything work.
Solar panels come in different sizes and forms, depending on how much energy they are supposed to collect and store.
The most common solar cell materials used are silicon and monocrystalline.
Solar energy portable device charging a smart phone
Not all solar phone chargers have a built-in battery, which means you can only use them when receiving sunlight. It is better to get a model with a built-in battery, so you can store energy and use it when you need it, which can be at night, or when it is cloudy.
Although solar panel phone chargers can charge your mobile phone directly, you need to be careful. If you dont optimize the charging, you can ruin your phone battery.
It can include:
Q: How Much Solar Power Do I Need For A Camper
A: It depends on what you need to charge. If you are backpacking and just need to charge a cell phone and smartwatch or GPS, you can probably get away with a 5- or 10-watt panel. If you are car camping at the KOA and want to power larger devices, youll probably want a 50- to 200-watt panel depending on how much electronic junk you bring.
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What Is A Solar Cell Phone Charger
A solar cell phone charger is a device that uses sunlight as a source of energy. Typically, solar panels of various sizes, depending on the charger, collect the energy emanating from the sun and transform it into electricity.
The evident benefit of such a solar charger is that you can use it while hiking or camping. In addition, some solar chargers can be placed on the back of a backpack and will charge while you walk.
Typically, a solar charger can store energy to be used at a later time, for example, at night. Most solar chargers use photo-voltaic cells to convert solar energy into electricity.
In addition, solar cell phone chargers are lightweight, portable, and easy to use due to their engineered designs. Modern chargers have USB power sockets to connect a mobile phone and charge it, and in some cases, they have even more than one port.
How Long Does It Take To Charge The Delta 2 With The 400w Solar Panel
In my tests, it took around 3.5 hours to charge the Delta 2 from 0-100% with the 400W panel. I started charging it around 10 am, and it was done charging before 2 pm.
This test was done in late September in Sweden, in better conditions it could be slightly faster, and in worse conditions possibly slower.
Please leave a comment down below if you have any questions.
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Shopping Criteria For Solar Phone Chargers
Until we can develop cell phones with unlimited battery, we will always need external chargers to avoid running out. Nowadays, solar phone chargers are an efficient alternative that will get you out of trouble when youre traveling or performing outdoor activities. In order to choose the model that best fits your needs, we recommend that you pay close attention to the main criteria that we have detailed in the following section.
- Power and charging time
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Tips For Getting The Most Out Of A Solar Charger
We know, we know, we know, youve seen the pictures of solar chargers strapped to the front of backpacks, like theyre actually charging your devices while youre on the move. Thats the ideal, right? But its not necessarily the reality.
For a solar charger to produce optimal power while hiking, youd have to be hiking primarily northbound in the northern hemisphere and primarily southbound in the southern hemisphere all day, in direct sunlight, and without any shadows from trees or clouds. Youll meet these conditions in desert or snowfield hiking.
Youd also want to shift them east to west across your pack with the suns movement or find a trail that slowly moves from west to east to orient the panels throughout the day properly. Then you might also have to keep your back arched at a certain angle to maintain the best angle orientation throughout the day.
Bottom line youre not going to get a lot of solar power from a solar charger while carrying your solar panel on your pack . However, during the daytime in camp, theyre great. You can lay them on the ground, and theyll produce energy, but angling them to the sun without movement will net you far more energy.
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Iniu Megapower 225w Superfast Charging Speeds
- Capacity 20000mAh
- Ports provided USB-C, Micro USB
This product from INIU is one of the more futuristic-looking options available today. It comes with an LED display on the body for the battery percentage and has an overall decent build quality.
One of the biggest advantages of this battery bank for iPhone is that it can charge up to three devices simultaneously. This is largely because the power bank has an excellent 20000mAh battery capacity. Furthermore, it charges iPhones extremely fast, thanks to the 22.5W power output.
For the tech-savvy people here, the power bank uses PD3.0 and QC4.0 technologies for fast-charging purposes. The best part? You get a 3-year limited warranty on this beauty!
Its quite a bulky and heavy power bank, though. You wont be able to carry this around for long on casual outings or when youre traveling light.
Pros
- Ports USB-C, Lightning, Micro USB
The issue with most power banks is that you have to carry multiple cables based on your requirement. With the TG90, you no longer have to.
This slim, albeit bulky, power bank comes with in-built Lightning and Type-C cables for more convenience during emergencies. Besides, its Apple MFi-certified, perfect for all your Apple devices.
The instructions on the user manual arent great, though. It might take time to understand how the power bank works initially.
Pros
This Survival4future 50000mah Powerbank Is Very Poor 1 Star
Survival4Future 50,000mAh wireless PowerbankFirst:I brought this power bank as a backup power supply for on road trips, I ordered it as my wife was going away in 5 weeks and it didn’t arrive via post until the day after she left.Second:it was advertised as Wireless charger for iPhone that supports wireless charging and it starts charging and turns off after a short period of time. so I gather it needs to be plugged into power to use this function.Third:It was advertised the device could charge an iPhone 13 up to 10X of a single recharge of the 50.000mHa internal battery’s, well I recharged my 1Phone 13 once, and my wife’s Spare Oppo 1 time and it had 1 blue led of power left Forth:Spoke to the company they blamed courier that i didn’t get tracking details and sent another unit. arriving 5 weeks later, I complained about their claims of how good it is and how i disagreed with it all and was NOT happy and so they would send another unit. and that too never arrived.
Purchasedin
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Apple Magsafe Battery Pack Editors Choice
- Capacity 1460mAh
- Ports Lightning, USB
After introducing MagSafe technology, Apple has completely redefined its ecosystem. Now, youll find multiple accessories for your phone that work on magnetic charging. With the Apple MagSafe Battery Pack, you get one of the best battery banks for your iPhone.
The power bank comes with a magnet that can easily attach to any of your MagSafe cases. Moreover, its compatible with all the latest iPhones , thanks to its compatibility with a Lightning cable and USB-C power adapters.
You can use the battery pack with a 20W power adapter for fast charging. Theres also a 15W wireless charging option with the Lightning cable. It also provides certain ease of use, with no need for switching it on or off. Furthermore, the charging doesnt interfere with your wallet case either.
The only major issue with this battery pack is that its quite expensive.
Pros
Why Should I Get A Solar Powered Phone Charger
It is a great idea for people who love to travel. They can charge their phones anywhere, even on the beach or at the top of the mountain. No matter where you are, you will be able to charge your phone with solar energy.
In addition to being great for people who are always on the move, a solar phone case is also a good idea for anyone who enjoys camping and hiking. While it is always nice to get outdoors and away from technology, sometimes you simply need to have access to your phone. Having a solar phone charger makes it so wherever you are, as long as there is light, you will be able to access your phone and do whatever it is you need to. Solar phone chargers are also a great option for people who live in areas where electricity is not always accessible or reliable. Solar phone chargers are relatively inexpensive and can help provide people with access to their smartphones wherever they might be.
Utilizing solar energy will also cut down on your electricity bill. It is a good thing that you can charge your phone without paying your electric bill. So it is a great benefit for you as well as your wallet. When it comes to environmental awareness and saving money, solar powered phone cases are some of the best products you can try.
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