Solar power is continuously gaining momentum and popularity. There are now solar chargers designed to power cell-phones, cars, laptops, etc. The solar charger harnesses energy form the sun and stores the energy within its battery for later use.

Typically, a solar charger can hold on to its charge for up to a year. The advantage to using a solar charger is that it eliminates all of those unnecessary, bulky chargers for every electronic device.

It may be difficult to choose between the best solar chargers because there are a lot of great models out there that basically perform the same functions. Upon being fully charged, the solar charger can fill a cell-phone’s life twice or play up to twenty hours of music.

Our top market selection includes:

• Go Power! GPDL-20 20-Watt Self Regulating Unbreakable Solar Module
• Sunforce 60-Watt Solar Charging Kit
• Brunton 26 Watt Foldable Solar Array
• HQRP 20W Mono-crystalline Solar Panel

Solar battery chargers 101

Keep in mind that Your panel will produce 100% full wattage output when placed on direct sunshine

Before buying a portable solar power system, it’s good to answer these questions:

• How long would the solar panel take to charge a 12 volt battery?
• What’s the ideal wattage for a solar charger?
• How can I control if it works fine?
• Will it fry my battery?

Most models have an illuminated LEDs that lets you know the panel is charging. Other have a built in controller to block the charge when the battery is full.

When You buy one, You’ll get quick connectors like cigarette lighter adaptors and battery clamps.

Choose the right solar recharger

To explain in further detail about the conversion, basically an hour of sunshine will equal about an hour of music, or 25 minutes of conversation. The batteries in most solar units last up to about a year, and the charger works with numerous gadgets: Bluetooth, iphone, games, digital cameras, etc.

The charger is extremely light and easy to transport making it optimal for travel purposes.

The General rule to calculate the average charge time:

Take Amp/hour rating of the battery and Divide by the charger rating (in amperes) and then add about 10% for the extra time to top off the battery

I.e. Assuming You have a typical full size auto battery, it is about 50 amp hours.

To Calculate how much time You’ll need to charge the battery with a 15 Watt solar charger You’ll need:

1. Calculate the Ampere per hour of the charger: 15 Watts /12 Volts = 1,25 Amperes
2. Calculate the division: 50 amp hours / 1,25 ampers = 40 Hours of direct sunlight
3. Add 10%: 4 hours

A 15 watt charger is great for vehicles such as cars, boats, ATV’s, even electric fences. 7  watts are perfect for laptops and camcorders. A 2  watt charger is perfect for cell phones, ipods, and smaller cameras.

There is a formula to help describe the way solar energy works: the output for solar energy is described as watts. The wattage can be understood by multiplying the voltage by the amperage.

More specifically: volts x amps x watts = / e.g. a six volt 30 watt solar panel measuring ten by 22 inches has a voltage of about 8.55, and amperage of 1.75.

One can determine the correct amount of wattage needed based on how much each electronic device expels.

Solar Battery Controllers

In most case a solar charger controller is highly recommended. The Solar Controller will continuously monitor the charge and cut it off when charging is complete.

It helps in:

• Preventing overcharge
• Improve charge quality
• Prevent battery discharge in low or no light conditions.

Some solar panels are made with blocking diodes pre-installed they prevent battery discharge during low or no light conditions.

Once connected, you can charge your 12-volt battery nonstop for days without damaging the battery.

Inverters

Inverters turn DC (Direct current) power into AC (alternate current) power, the type of current that powers everyday appliances.

Final Suggestions

There is no need to buy multiple solar chargers for each electronic device owned, so invest in one with the best quality. If the solar charger is needed to power a lot of devices frequently, makes sure to buy an additional panel at about fifty dollars to ensure the maximum access to available sunlight; this panel allows for powering two laptops at once, and it should feel good to know that the electronic devices are functioning on renewable energy.

For cars it makes sense to purchase a solar charger that sits on the dashboard and soaks up the sun. These are not designed to jump start the car battery, but rather to keep the existing car battery at full charge and functioning.

Basically, if used properly it can extend the battery’s life, which of course saves money in the long run. Therefore, when individuals use many gadgets by plugging them up to the cigarette lighter, the solar charger helps against stress and fatigue that is placed on the battery.

Of course it is still possible to find one solar charger that supplies power to all electronic devices, including a car battery. As mentioned previously, there are many really good choices out there, so investigate properly, ask professionals which best fits their needs and enjoy the fact that you are participating in the usage of renewable energy, an environmentally wise choice.

Our top market selection includes:

• Go Power! GPDL-20 20-Watt Self Regulating Unbreakable Solar Module
• Sunforce 60-Watt Solar Charging Kit
• Brunton 26 Watt Foldable Solar Array
• HQRP 20W Mono-crystalline Solar Panel

Laptop batteries unfortunately run low as you use your laptop. Depending on the tasks you are performing, such as word processing versus watching a DVD, your battery will last for more or less time before it needs charging.

The battery rating can give you an indication of the amount of time you have between charges. Battery ratings are in amp hours usually. Higher amp hours means a longer time between charges or the ability to do more processing in a small amount of time.

The most common battery ratings are between 1 and 3 amp hours conventional batteries and these batteries take 4 hours or more to charge fully.

There are higher capacity batteries available that go up to 8 amp hours and charge a battery fully in 1-3 hours. However, some of these batteries are external and quite heavy.

So, considering the power your battery needs each hour and an average of 8 working hours a day, this means You’ll consume nearly 20,8 KWatt each year to run Your laptop (considering 260 working days).

Now try to imagine, each notebook owner creates 0.01 tonnes of CO2 per year. Now multiply this number for the total amount of laptop used in the world and feel guilty!!

Solar Chargers for Laptops

If you use your laptop/notebook computer outdoors frequently, you have probably found that you have to pack up and relocate to be near an outlet when your batteries run low.

To avoid this, you could use a solar laptop power supply. Since the sun is readily available, free, and a clean source of energy, this is your best choice for using your computer outside.

Since you are working outside, you are likely quite mobile, and require good portability. You also want your batteries to charge while you are working or charge in a short amount of time.

The price varies for solar powered laptop chargerS. They tend to be higher priced than solar chargers for a phone or mp3 player because of the power needed for a notebook computer.

Here are the top 3 solar chargers:

Voltaic Generator

This 15 watt charger is in the form of a solar powered laptop bag that is made of recycled materials. It has batteries to store the charge, and unfortunately this makes the bag heavy, at 4.5 pounds. Also, it takes 1 full day to charge a notebook computer. The price is competitive at $600 since you get the functionality of a laptop case as well. The bag comes in silver, orange black and green.

Xantrex Technologies 852-2071 Powerpack

Xantrex Technologies 852-2071 Xpower AC/DC Powerpack Solar With 400 Watt Inverter, Two AC Outlets, USB Port, And Digital Display

This 5 watt solar powerpack charges a 400 watt battery that will run almost anything you can think of. It has two AC outlets for charging your laptop or any accessories you might have. It can also simultaneously charge small devices using the USB port. The powerpack weighs a hefty 12 lbs, but it has multiple functions. At less than $200 this item is a cost effective choice that only sacrifices portability. This is a good choice if you are traveling by car or working in a stationary location, due to the weight of the charger.

Portable Solar Laptop Charger Package 30 Watt

This 30 watt charger has a flexible solar panel. It is capable of charging while you work full time on your laptop. It has a high amount of power and a corresponding high price of $700. However, it is ultra portable at under 4 lbs.

12 Volt Solar Battery Chargers are a convenient and lightweight alternative to charge portable applications such as:

• MP3 player
• Portable amplifier
• Sound speakers
• Cellular phone
• Digital camera
• LED lamps
• Smart Phone / PDA
• Game Player
• GPS
• Razors
• Gadgets
• Iphone / Ipod
• Nintendo DS
• Etc…

These chargers convert the sunlight to electricity and store it in an internal battery and then you disconnect that and plug your device into the chargers.

Before Buying your charger be sure to:

Verify it’s an universal Charger. This means replacing most or all your adaptors with just this one device. (i.e. the Brunton 26 Watt Foldable Solar Array)

(If You’re a traveler it’s good having AC Adaptor plugs for North America, Europe, United Kingdom, Austrailia)

Most chargers have included device Adaptors for the following phones and devices: Samsung, Nokia, Sony/Ericsson, LG, Mini USB (Motorola, Blackberry, Garmin, Iriver etc), Female USB (Mp3-iPod)

Verify it stores the power and how much time it stores the power (generally 1 year).

Verify how much power you can handle (generally you can have the power good to charge 2 cell batteries)

Verify if it’s an Hybrid Charger (i.e. the Solio Classic Solar Charger). This means the charger can draw its power from both the sun and standard wall AC 120v-240v electrical outlets (USB port is a good option too).

Another factor to consider is the wattage of the charger. Most chargers go from 1.5 to 130 Watts. The wattage is useful to calculate the time you’ll need to charge your devices.

Good performances for charging time are:

• An iPod for 18hours
• A mobile phone for 44 hours
• PSP for 2.5 hours
• A PDA for 22 hours

Consider that a good period to let the solar panel charge the internal battery is between 1-2 days.

To get the maximum from the solar power, is good to point it RIGHT at the sun.

Having a display on the battery unit is useful to know if the battery contains sufficient charge or not before you use it.

Accessories to look for:

• Carrying case (Useful is you are a backpacker)
• Inverter
• Charge Controller

Photovoltaic panels are a good source of portable power to use for our devices and gadgets. Latest generations of solar panels are more powerful and employ less time for charging….for a wise investment.

You can use this kind to power or use solar to charge batteries for Ipod, Iphone, Mp3 Players, sometimes a laptop (depending on output of the panel), remote field testing, surveillance, small TV/VCR, video recorders, work lights, RV and Boat batteries.

In the market there are different type of panels with different type of wattage output. From foldable (i.s. Brunton Solar Charger) to crystalline panels, from power pack to instant charging and so on…in the rest of this site you can read a list of these tools and reviews based on different factors.

For business, these units can help maintain necessary communications or productivity like powering battery for lighting or run small devices.

For residential, if you’re not ready to invest in a residential solar power system, or you only need a small amount of power, having an inverter allows you to run appliances with a wattage draw of up to 300 continuous watts.

For gadget lovers, a portable solar panel is a good investiment exspeccially for having an unique source of free energy to power cell phones, mp3, cameras etc… while you are in remote destination (think to hiking or camping) or just out of home (i.e. parks).

Overall Rating:

Description: It’s a serious and solid solar charger. It’s formed by 2 parts (to use separately or together). The PowerMonkey is has a tubular unit that holds a rechargeable battery and a ’solar slave’ (a fold-up solar unit).

On This Page

• Uses
• What I Liked
• What Needs Improvement
• Where to Buy and Coupons
• Ratings in details
  • Packaging & Design
  • Price
  • Performances
  • Usability
• Share Your Thoughts

Uses: The charger is compatible with majority of mobile phones (Nokia, Motorola, Samsung, Siemens, & Sony Ericsson), iPods & accessories, MP3 players, PDAs, smart mobile phones, digital cameras, games consoles, BlackBerrys, Blue tooth headsets, & many more digital devices. It includes mains travel charger for use in 150 countries (UK, Europe, US & Australia)

What I Liked: It has a big battery and is very resistant. The battery pack is portable and easy to use.

What Needs Improvement: Having a twice time period (Or charge a device or charge with solar).

Where to Buy & Coupons: Amazon

Ratings in Details

Package & Design:

It look an old fashion cell phone. Having different colors could be a great choice.

Installation:

You can use the Power Monkey to charge multiple devices a time: Using the battery and directly from the solar panel and use a USB port.

Price:

Nearly 100 Dollars is a good price considering it has an internal battery included.

Performances:

The is low powered staying all day on sun (walking in May) it only charged the battery to charge a cell phone for 15 minutes. In full sunlight it only provides 200 milliamps at best. Other people have found it takes 18 hours to charge the internal battery via solar panel.  The powermonkey cannot power a laptop.

Usability:

The Powermonkey won’t charge a device while the powermonkey itself is being charged.

Share Your Thoughts: If you’ve bought the PowerMonkey Solar Charger, tell us what you think.

Note: Comments in the resources section may occasionally be pruned.

Overall Rating:

Description: It’s a common solar charger to keep a 12V battery full charged.

On This Page

• Uses
• Where to Buy and Coupons
• Ratings in details
  • Packaging & Design
  • Price
  • Performances
  • Dimensions
  • Usability
• Share Your Thoughts

Uses: Deep cycle battery maintenance for cars, trucks, suv, boats, rv, etc…

Where to Buy & Coupons: Amazon

Ratings in Details

Package & Design:

The panel has a common style.

Installation:

The panel works great, for a car, all You have to do is to put it on the dash and plug it into the cigarette lighter.

Price:

Nearly 30 dollar is a good price.

Performances:

The main drawback of this charger is that, if hooked up directly to the battery, it could drain it.

Dimensions:

Overall dimensions: 21.5″x37.5″ ; Overall dimensions folded: 11″x8.5″x1″ ; Weight: 28 oz

Usability:

If your cigarette lighter doesn’t work when your car is off, then this charger won’t either.

Share Your Thoughts: If you’ve bought the ICP Solar Battery Saver, tell us what you think.

Note: Comments in the resources section may occasionally be pruned.

Overall Rating:

Description: It’s a high capacity Li-ion battery and a 6.5W solar panel. The panel is lightweight. It’s handy for charging a huge range of small electronics.

On This Page

• Uses
• What I Liked
• What Needs Improvement
• Where to Buy and Coupons
• Ratings in details
  • Packaging & Design
  • Price
  • Installation
  • Performances
  • Dimensions
  • Usability
• Accessories
• Share Your Thoughts

Uses: Ideal for hiking and all outdoor activity lovers, its connectors make it able to recharge many mobile phones, PDA, PC Phones, Digital cameras, MP3 players and other mobile audio devices.

What I Liked: The panel is powerful instead of its small and light dimensions.

What Needs Improvement: As most of other brand panels, it has not an internal battery to let store the sun power.

Where to Buy & Coupons: Amazon

Ratings in Details

Package & Design:

It’s a very simple charger…just a solar panel and cigarette lighter or 12V adaptors.

Installation:

One problem is that the only power output option is a cigarette lighter, most MP3 players and cameras don’t have one.

Price:

In respect to its power and compared to the pther solar chargers of the same wattage is a good price

Installation:

Nearly 300 dollar are a guarantee of great performances, but for me this is too much considering it need an internal battery and don’t have a charge controller.

Performances:

It can generate a 433 mA of current in full sunshine. The panel can output about 6.5 Watts at 12 Volts over 120 Degrees F on the panel surface. Typical recharge time: Cell Phone 2 to 3 hours; Digital Camera, PDA, MP3 Player, Portable Video Game 2 to 4 hours; 4 AA Batteries 4 to 6 hours; Digital Camcorder 2 to 5 hours; Power sports/Auto/RV Battery trickle charge/maintain

Dimensions:

It’s the slimmest charger. It measures 13mm at its thinnest point.

Usability:

There’s no built-in indicator to show that it’s generating power. It’s water resistant and looks resilient for the outdoor. It doesn’t have a battery to store any generated power, you can only use the Sunlinq to charge gadgets in real-time.

Made in USA?: It’s made in Tucson, Arizona.

Accessories: A Solar charge controller and a Battery pack

Share Your Thoughts: If you’ve bought the Global Solar Sunlinq, tell us what you think.

Note: Comments in the resources section may occasionally be pruned.