Solar Battery Charger For Phone

Anker 24w Portable Solar Charger

Price: $80Best features: Flexibility

Most solar chargers use the same kind of solar panels like the ones that go on your roof, made of the element silicon. The Anker Portable Solar Charger does something different and has solar cells made of copper indium gallium selenide, or CIGS. These are a type of thin-film solar panel that is physically flexible, meaning you can bend the panel itself without breaking it. This added flexibility makes the Anker charger a good option for more rugged trips if youre worried about damage to your gear. Importantly, the charger needs to be in direct sunlight and connected to your phone to charge, as there is no connected battery pack. However, you can always buy a separate one and charge it up for power when the sun is not out. Ankers product still has enough power to be effective, and it can support charging three different devices at once.

Price range: $99 $599, depending on sizeBest feature: Integrated kickstand

Charging Your Mobile Phone

with solar power works in one of two ways:

• With this type of arrangement, the capacity of the battery will determine the number of times you can recharge your phone before you need to use the solar panel again.

• Internal Li-ion batteries are an excellent lightweight, high capacity option, but it may be useful to have removable AA/AAA batteries if you can use these for other devices.

• The power of the solar panel will determine how quickly the internal battery is charged. The speed at which your phone is charged from the batteries will not change.

• Beware, many chargers do not have a blocking diode to stop power draining back from the phone into the battery. You should always monitor charging and disconnect your phone from an empty battery.

As USB ports have become increasingly prevalent as a means of charging in recent years, more solar panels have come onto the market with a USB connection. Examples include the MMP USB charger , MMP and Sunlinq panels, and the Powerfilm USB charger.

Text is copyright Select Solar Ltd. No part of this text may be reproduced or copied without written permission from Select Solar Ltd.

• Tel: 01708 223 733

Best Solar Phone Charger For Hiking

Portability is the most important factor when shopping for a solar phone charger for hiking. Look for a charger thats lightweight and which you can hang from the back of your backpack to charge your phone on the go.

It should be foldable so you can easily pack it in your bag when you dont need it.

High output is not super important since youll be in the sun for hours. A 5W-21W solar charger is enough to charge one or two phones at the same time.

Recommended Reading: Iphone Xr Battery Replacement Cost

Multiple Device Charging Speed

The 21W from Anker is a powerhouse when it comes to charging multiple devices. Like the BigBlue, the Anker was able to deliver some charge to two devices simultaneously, which is certainly impressive for a panel of its relatively small size. The Anker 21 charged our phone 4% when plugged in next to a battery pack, which is similar to panels of the same size, and earns the Anker a high score in this metric.

Best Solar Power Banks For Iphone In 2022

Do you also love camping and nature photography? Outdoor lovers like me always face problems keeping our phones, cameras, and other devices charged. Because most of the time, there is no power supply. However, a solar power bank for iPhone can be your best mate.

Wherever there is sun, there is a way to charge your device. The solar charger power bank is ideal for outdoor camping, trekking, and rock climbing. Not only your iPhone, but you can also juice all Apple gadgets, such as iPads and MacBooks.

You may find it difficult to choose the right one for yourself. And thats where this list of reliable solar power banks for iPhone will come in handy.

Also Check: Where To Get Battery Replaced Car

If You Want To Charge Your Phone With Solar Power Get Two Products Instead

There all-in-one products that pair a battery with larger solar arrays that work quite well, but after taking a close look at the available options I think the best solution for most people is to buy two separate products: a good portable solar panel, and a battery that fits your needs.

With this approach, you can select a solar panel large enough to fit your particular power requirements, and also choose a battery that has the features you need. For example, you might want a battery with Qi wireless charging, which is a feature not found in cheaper products.

How Do You Know What Solar Battery Size You Have To Choose

The answer depends on how much power you want to generate. A standard solar charge for boat battery may have a terminal voltage rating of up to 20V. However, they function at an ideal power required by a 12V battery to attain full charge.

Traditionally, solar chargers are measured in terms of Amps since it is easier to determine how much amp-hours they use in a day.

If youre confused about what solar battery size you should use on your boat, the rule of thumb is to divide its total capacity by two. The resultant number is the size of the battery it can maintain. For instance, a 2000 mA solar boat charger can maintain a battery of up to 100Ah.

Also Check: Lowe’s Battery Weed Eater

Buying A Solar Phone Charger

There are thousands of solar phone battery charging products out there. We went ahead and took a look at some of the more popular options to see how they stack up against each other. At the end of the day, most solar phone chargers will get you where you need to go, and its more about subtle aesthetic and functionality differences between chargers.

Buyers guide: solar phone chargers

Q: What Should I Stock Up For Emergencies

Depending on where you live, will determine the frequency and severity of natural disasters. Either way, it’s best to be safe and ensure that you have everything you could need, in case of power outages and potential disruptions to electricity and water.

To be certain it is best to stock dried food, water, battery powered devices such as a flashlight, a power bank, hygiene supplies, and a first aid box.

Recommended Reading: Best Laptop For Battery Life

Best Budget Solar Charger

Blavors Solar Power Bank does a little bit of everything, and does so at a very attractive price. Lets be clear, though: The solar cells on the top of this power bank arent large or efficient enough to charge your phone in an afternoon. The emphasis here is on the power banka beefy 10,000-mAh battery. The solar charging is supplemental at best Blavor doesnt even indicate its wattage, so consider it a fallback if you have no other option. That said, given enough time it will charge the integrated battery or your mobile devices.

That means this gadget works best if you head into your outdoor adventure with a fully charged battery. Not only does it have two USB ports , but it has Qi wireless charging as well. Its waterproof with an IPX4 rating and and includes dual flashlights for a very bright beam. It would be great if the solar charging were more effective, but the device would also probably be more expensive. As it is, its a great exercise in getting a lot on a small budget.

Best Travel Solar Charger: Blavor Qi Solar Power Bank Portable Charger

The BLAVOR QI portable charger is a great option for avid hikers who need a durable portable charging option. Image source:

Price: $23.19 Buy Now

Pros: Because the BLAVOR Qi Portable Solar Charger is durable, shockproof, and weighs only 10 ounces – it is the best solar charger in terms of portability and is ideal for hiking and camping. It has over 25,000 reviews, with an overall 4.4 star rating on Amazon. This solar charger power bank adds virtually no weight to your backpack and is wireless. Thats right – you dont have to worry about having a cord to charge your phone. Simply place it on the charger and youre good to go. It also acts as a flashlight and comes with a compass.

Cons: The BLAVOR Qi is so lightweight because it has only one small solar panel. This means it can take a very long time to charge using the sun. Most users will charge the battery as much as they can at home, and then let it sit in the sun to top it off.

Compatibility: iPhone, Samsung, Android, Windows, GoPro, GPS, tablets, and most USB charging devices.

Also Check: John Deere Tractor Battery Cross Reference Chart

Great For Outdoor Hiking & Camping Trips

Anyone planning to spend extended time outdoors. With as few as 2 hours of direct sunlight every day, you can keep your phone charged. Its great for hikers, campers, backpackers, cyclists and professionals engaged in field projects.

The slim lightweight design makes the Anker solar charger easy to carry around. You can even connect it to your backpack in such a way that it charges as you walk.

Its a must-have tool for anyone going outdoors for longer than a day or two.

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

You May Like: How Long Do Ups Batteries Last

You Can Find A Multitude Of Products For Charging Your Phone Or Other Small Device With Solar Power But Most Have Underwhelming Performance Here’s A Better Solution

If you want to use solar energy to keep your smartphone or portable electronics charged, you can find hundreds of choices on Amazon. We took a close look at a few of them in an earlier article.

While some of them do a pretty good job, itâs also true that most of them donât work nearly as well as most people expect. If a product is advertised as a solar phone charger, you generally expect it to actually charge your phone on a sunny day.

Unfortunately, many of the products on the market fail to do just that.

There are a few reasons. One is that these devices have too few solar cells, often advertising 5 watts or less of solar generation. 5 watts is equivalent to the small USB chargers that are included with most smartphones. If they actually achieved that power output, these products would do a decent job.

But solar cells only generate their rated power output under bright, clear skies and cold temperatures, which small solar phone cases will rarely do.

The worst type of solar phone case looks like the one above: a cheap case with just one small layer of solar cells on the rear. Youâre meant to place your phone face-down in sunlight to charge your phone. In addition to having too few cells this also means that, unless youâre outdoors at noon, the solar cells wonât be perpendicular to the sun, causing the power output to suffer.

How Much Power Do You Need To Charge A Phone

Before I tested the solar panel, I wanted to verify my test setup by using the multimeter to measure the power output of a basic USB charger. If your phone came with a charger, it was probably a cheap 5 watt model. This is also the kind you find at the checkout aisle of any store. You probably have several of these around the house.

Plugging the multimeter into an Apple 5 watt charger, I measured the output as 4.8 watts , which is just a little shy of its rating.

This is really the minimum power output you need to charge a smartphone. With 5 watts, it will take several hours to charge a phone that is completely dead.

For this reason, Iâm testing a 10 watt solar panel. I want extra solar cells to make sure I can reach at least 5 watts in good sunlight.

Read Also: Iphone 13 Pro Max Battery Percentage

Best For Fast Charging

Features: 25,000mAh | Charge up to six times faster | Waterproof and shock-/dust-resistant

The Hiluckey 25,000mAh Powerbank uses four high-efficiency panels and up to 1A input current in a vibrant orange. This means that you can charge your devices up to six times faster than competitor models. The charging process is simple, allowing you to connect two different devices via dual USB ports for both USB and micro USB charging. The auto-detection feature is an added convenience, automatically searching out your devices for a more stable and reliable connection. It is compatible with both Apple and Android devices, as well as iPads and other tablets. In fact, you get multiple uses out of this powerbank because its Li-polymer battery can charge tablets up to 4 times and phones up to 10 times. Users typically get an average of nine days before the powerbank needs another charge.

An added bonus is the unit’s durability. It is not only waterproof but also resistant to both shock and dust. A multi-function LED flashlight helps light the way if your phone is dead, offering an SOS mode to signal help in the event of an emergency. The built-in hook offers easy storage when you are done using your powerbank.

Pros:

Limitations Of All Solar Phone Chargers

The biggest limitation of ALL solar phone chargers is also what makes them so great: the sun.

Without direct sunshine falling on your solar charger, its not going to charge your phone or will do so painfully slowly.

This is especially a bad problem for combo solar chargers that have integrated battery packs. They often include such low capacity solar panels that it would take days of perfect sunshine to recharge the battery.

Normally, you wont get perfect sunshine, even in the summer. Clouds can form, or you may be traveling through a thickly wooded area.

Thats why I recommend you get the highest wattage solar phone charger you can afford. It will charge your phone faster even with limited sun exposure time.

If you are planning to spend more than a couple of days in the wild, dont get an integrated solar charger+power bank unit. According to most campers, this type of integrated charger will frustrate you because of the low wattage solar panels, sometimes as low as 1 watt. Instead, get a high capacity solar-only charger and buy a couple of battery packs to charge with it.

Another issue with many solar phone chargers is their lack of versatility. They can only produce enough power for small devices.

Unlike larger portable solar chargers, you cannot use them to power your laptop, lamp or medical device.

The payoff is that you’ll get a charger small enough to put in your pocket.

Don’t Miss: Apartments For Rent Battery Park City

What Can I Use Portable Solar Chargers For

You can use solar charger power for a variety of electronic devices such as cell phones, tablets, laptops, and cameras. The Renogy solar powered battery chargers equipped with premium monocrystalline solar cells not only be used as a phone charger with proper conversion cables, furthermore, it can also maintain and manages your 12V batteries in daylight conditions by converting the solar energy into usable electricity and maintaining a healthy state of charge.

Buying Guide To Choose The Best Phone Solar Charger

The value or worth of a product is always subjective. But to make things easier, here is my short list of factors you should consider while buying something.

• Choose the best product you can find: Quality is the most important consideration when buying phone solar charger. If you want a product to be durable and offer good value, look for one of excellent quality.
• Invest in the best durable product: How long does your phone solar charger normally last before breaking down? The investment is worth it if you have a product that exceeds your lifespan expectations.
• Always buy from a reputable brand: Established brands are more reliable than new ones since they have a long history of success. Some vendors are also renowned for providing excellent customer service.
• Take note of consumer reviews on various websites: Review sites such as Amazon can provide you with information about other persons shopping experiences.

Consider these elements before purchasing phone solar charger:

You May Like: Cordless Drill With Battery And Charger

How Long Does A Solar Phone Charger Take To Charge A Phone

If the solar phone charger has a built-in power bank, your phone will charge in 2-3 hours depending on how much power the USB port delivers and the battery capacity of your phone.

If your solar phone charger doesnt have a battery, meaning you are charging directly from the solar panels, charging time depends on how much sunshine there is and the wattage of the solar panels.

A 21W solar phone charger can fully charge a phone in as little as 2-3 hours in direct sunlight. In poor sunlight with a low-wattage solar phone charger, it can take a whole day or even a couple of days to charge your phone.