Top 4 Solar-Powered Cell Phone Chargers
Wireless cell phone chargers would just be heavenly, wouldn’t they? I can’t think of how many times I’ve been stranded in the woods, city or elsewhere with no way to power my dying call. Good thing is that portable electric packs do exist. Even better news? They come in solar electricity varieties in addition to the charge-before-you-go kind. This technology could revolutionize telecommunications for emergency teams, such as rural firefighters fighting a forest fire.
Here are the best solar cell chargers and how they work:
#1 – Suntrica is the leading worldwide producer of portable charging devices. Suntrica’s products charge at 5V and many feature battery storage, making them quite a bit more versatile than any other listed here. The picture to the left is of the Suntrica SolarStrap, which clips onto a strap or backpack while not in use. It features a flip top that makes it “splash proof” and also comes with an AC adapter to charge from the wall before you leave home. It looks like the easiest to-go charger on the market.
Travel to foreign countries often? No worries, you’ll already have your adapters. And as for durability? It’s made for harsh outdoor use, with an emphasis on areas of the globe where electricity is at a premium.
#2 – This small device (4.7″ x 2.5″ x 1.4″ and only 5.8 ounces) fits nicely into a bag. At 3 volts nominal charging, the Classic can charge just about anything. The device uses a windmill pattern of three oval PV panels. The only flaw is that it doesn’t stand on its own. However, the Solio Classic comes with a suction cup to adhere to windows. The Classic can charge just about anything, although not every adapter is included in the packaging. Additional adapters are for sale at the Solio website and through some retailers.
The Magnesium Edition model boosts the PV panels to a production value of 9 watts (up from 6 in the Classic) but the charge rate stays at 3 volts. Both models feature an internal battery that can be charged from the wall or panels.
#3 – This device is a little more protected, as it has a clam shell form that flips open to reveal the panels inside. Like the Solio line, this product comes with a variety of adapters and is capable of powering just about any mobile electronic device. It’s a little smaller and weighs in at 3.5 ounces. The site claims that it will fit into your pocket. In direct sunlight, this little power pack will put out 6.58 V. That’s more than the Solio line. But Soldius1, however, has no internal battery and is meant as an in-call power supply, so to speak.
#4 – This site isn’t actually a manufacturer – it’s a retailer. I include it because there is a neat little product called a MicroSolar Pocket Charger. The small solar panels sits atop 4 AAA batteries and charges them as a backup battery for your mobile device. I’m not sure how universal it is, but it’s the smallest portable solar charger I could find. Think of it as not much larger than 4AAA batteries wide and long – incredibly tiny.
Most portable solar chargers are basically a small PV panel array tucked into a neat protective case, which you open to expose the panels when it’s time to use them. Panels are relatively fragile, so this is not the kind of thing you want in harm’s way. Many models come with universal adapters for a variety of brands of cell phones, and some even come with adapters for charging other small electronics, like iPods and Palm Pilots. The small panels on these mobile chargers do a good job in terms of charge time to call time, but almost all of them need direct sunlight. Often, the chargers come with a suction cup to stick the panels to a window.
To learn how devices like this are revolutionizing life for some third-world residents, click here.
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Posted on October 22nd in Solar Products by Craig.