Imagine this: You’re out and about for the day, maybe you go for a jog, then head out to run some errands, meet a friend for lunch and buy groceries. But halfway through your day, your phone dies. This happens to all of us at some point. Phone batteries just can’t seem to keep up with everyday use, especially for smartphones. You probably use your phone for scheduling, email, basic web browsing, music and maybe video in addition to the traditional tasks of calling and texting. Wouldn’t it be great if you could find a system that could charge your phone on the go and maybe make you a bit more environmentally friendly in the process?
Enter the solar battery charger, a solar panel (often built into a backpack, briefcase or purse) you can attach to your phone to charge your device wherever you have access to sunlight. Let’s discuss the basic principle behind solar phone chargers, then move on to their reliability, so you’re prepared to evaluate the myriad options available to you.
How They Work
Electricity is, essentially, the movement of electrons. Normally, electrons stick around atoms, so they don’t travel freely, but sometimes things knock them loose. One thing capable of freeing electrons, via the photovoltaic effect, is the photon, which forms the basis for light. Most solar cells are made of silicon, which has electrons that photons can easily knock from their orbits. When impurities, like boron and phosphorus, are added, an electrical field is created with a positive and negative side on the solar cell. When the two sides are connected in a circuit they create electricity. Multiple solar cells have to be chained together to produce enough power to charge a battery. Generally, a solar battery charger has its own rechargeable batteries it constantly powers, ensuring that there’s enough stored juice to charge your phone.
How Reliable They Are
Solar panel phone chargers don’t require any external power sources in order to charge your device, which gives you a great deal of freedom. If you use a solar panel with built-in batteries, you should be able to rely on it in a pinch to keep your phone from dying in the middle of the day, though you won’t be able to rely solely on a solar charger to keep your phone running. Most consumer-grade solar panels operate at about 10% efficiency, meaning they can only use about 10% of the light that hits them to generate power. Given their small size and the effect that weather has on them (cloud cover and rain drastically reduce a solar panel’s ability to generate electricity) they aren’t able to generate much power. Despite these drawbacks, solar panel chargers don’t create any waste products and are very sturdy, because they don’t rely on any moving parts. Having a solar panel charger in your car or built into a backpack can definitely save your phone battery in the middle of a hectic day or if you happen to be lost somewhere and need to phone for help.
Solar panel phone chargers are definitely worth a second look, particularly if you’re building an emergency kit for your car or a hike. Their sturdiness and ability to work without external power gives them a leg up on other emergency charging options. If they’re coupled with a rechargeable battery pack, you end up with an essentially self-recharging backup battery that can see you through some annoying or difficult situations.
Speak your mind...