Undoubtedly solar energy has quickly become a valuable source of renewable energy. People across the globe have started to use solar energy to reduce their costly utility bills.
If you’re someone who is interested in buying solar chargers to generate power for your devices, you may require some basic understanding of how to use a solar charger.
Let’s discuss how solar chargers work and how you can use them for your benefit compared to regular electricity chargers.
What is a Solar Charger?
The solar charger is a type of charger that uses solar energy two provide electricity for batteries and devices. Generally, solar chargers are portable, just like regular battery power banks. In terms of technicality, a solar charger is a battery pack combined with a solar panel in a singular device.
The internal battery of a solar charger is integrated with a solar panel which helps conserve energy for you to charge your phones or tablets.
A regular power bank is a simple battery that stores electricity till you decide to use it. In contrast, a solar charger needs an extra solar panel attached to the battery in order to draw and save energy from the sunlight. A solar panel alone cannot conserve the energy for later use, nor can a battery draw energy from sunlight independently.
How Does It Work?
A solar-powered charger works like a photovoltaic or a traditional battery system that stores energy. Since it’s a solar charger, direct sunlight is its primary source of energy. Once the direct sunlight hits the solar charger, the solar cells individually absorb the sunlight making it a compact solar energy device.
Next, the absorbed sunlight releases photons to create an electromagnetic field by reacting with the electrons present in the existing material, such as silicone.
Eventually, the electric field is created, which in one form is the force through which the electrons travel to the mini solar panel attached to the battery.
In order to make this electric field usable for our devices, a charge inverter inside the solar charger switches the electricity traveling within the device from direct current to alternating current.
Once the conversion is complete, the electricity travels to the device that is connected to the solar charger and begins charging.
Although understanding the solar charging process seems quite challenging in text, but in practicality, solar chargers are pretty simple to use.
How Do You Charge a Solar Charger?
Just like traditional power banks and batteries, a solar charger also needs to draw energy in order to store it for future use.
You can charge your solar charger with a strong internal solar panel, a power outlet, or even an in-built car cigarette lighter. The helps the solar charger charge faster than just absorbing the light during the daytime.
It is also essential to understand that a solar charger does not have the ability to directly send electricity into a device, which is why a solar charger is a combination of a battery and a small solar panel. That being said, you will have to pre-charge your solar charger in order to make it provide power for your other devices.
How To Use a Solar Charger?
An average solar charger can help you charge your smartphone at least three times. Just like a regular charger or a power bank, a solar charger comes with a standard USB output. The number of USB outputs per charger depends on the type and model of the solar charger you’re using.
Hence, solar chargers are great for charging smartphones, tablets, Bluetooth earpieces, mp3 players, and even action cameras. You can easily use solar chargers in all situations where you would normally use a regular battery power bank. Their portable nature does not make them seem any different – at least in performance and accessibility.
Portability
Typically, solar chargers can easily fit in your hand, making them an excellent option to carry around with your phone, tablet, or even a USB fan. However, the same technology also applies to bigger solar chargers that may be the size of a table. These larger solar chargers are generally used to charge bigger batteries for vehicles and RVs.
Compatibility
The USB output makes it compatible with almost every device that one could use in this day and age. There are no other procedures, wires, or converters involved in using a solar charger to charge your device, making it a smooth alternative to regular power banks.
When can a Solar Charger Come in Handy?
A solar charger can come in handy in several situations, mostly when there isn’t an electric power source available for you to rely on.
You can use a solar charger while traveling. It can soak up the sun during the day and provide you with charging power at night. This is especially suitable for trips where you won’t have access to a lot of power, such as hiking, etc.
Another instance where a solar charger would be useful is when there is a power outage. Solar chargers are not dependent on wall power outlets, which is why they are an excellent choice in such situations.
Regardless of power outages or lack of other energy sources, using a solar charger is a great way to go if you simply want to conserve energy. It can help you cut down on your utility bills while giving you all the same benefits as a regular power outlet or power bank.
Our Final Thoughts
To put it simply, solar chargers are an excellent alternative to other power bank chargers. Understanding how to use a solar charger is extremely simple, given that you understand the way solar charging works and how much time it needs to charge fully.
It may take some more time to charge compared to conventional power banks and wall output chargers, but if you can conserve valuable energy and save some coin in the process – it’s definitely worth the try.
