I have to say I love my Solar Battery Charger it’s one of the coolest gadgets I own. Please don’t confuse these modern chargers with the older models which did have their problems (not working was the worst)! I love the idea of being able to charge my Ipod and mobile phone whilst I’m on the road without having to be tied to a power outlet.
The obvious use for these chargers is for use in remote areas where mains power is in short supply or intermittent (on a beach or maybe a camping trip)but with people becoming more aware of global warming and with an eye to saving the planet (and money) this type of device is becoming more and more popular as the Photoelectric cells that power them are becoming more efficient and less expensive.
These solar powered battery chargers come in many different formats and power ratings. From large fixed 15 Watt units like the Sunforce 50032 15 Watt Solar Battery Charger to small portable units like the Solio Universal Hybrid Solar Charger which fold down to a small footprint and can easily be packed away in your luggage.
You can even get hybrids where an internal battery can be charged either by plugging into a power outlet or by the attached Solar Panels. The internal battery can the be used to power or charge Ipods and other mobile devices.
Another great use is as a solar trickle battery charger – plug the device you need to always be fully charged like an emergency flashlight and just leave it permanently connected. That way you can be sure of a fully charged torch in the event of an emergency.
These days the choice of Solar chargers is staggering, when I was first looking you could find maybe one or two. Search amazon today and you’ll find four full pages dedicated to Solar Chargers from the smallest most portable devices to fairly heavy duty chargers that will charge a car battery.
So if you’ve been disappointed in the past now is the time to take a fresh look at just how inexpensive these devices can be. Snag is if you look I’m certain you’ll end up buying one they’re just so appealing to us gadget lovers!
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Living in a warm sunny climate helps a lot. I live in the UK and we are lucky if we see the sun at all! Having said that even here solar battery chargers work ok you just need to have patience