Solar Cell Phone Chargers
Why get one?
I was camping in the Ozark Mountains in the Southern part of Missouri this past weekend. We were half a days hike from the nearest human, but luckily, most of us had some sort of limited cell phone signal. Enough signal that we could call our wives and text photos of our exploits.
As it turns out, cell phone signal is one thing, battery life is another.
Anyone with experience with a smart phone knows that limited battery life is just part of the package. Gone are the times when we charged out phones just once every three days. The phones most people carry today are, essentially, mini-computers, with energy needs to match.
So with all of the chargers on the market, why look at a Solar Cell Phone Charger?
- Efficiency
- Portability
- Reliability
Solar cell phone chargers do not dawdle. Most advertise that you can make a 10 minute call after about 20 minutes of charging. So you are looking at requiring about the same amount of charging time as plugging your cell phone directly into the wall.
Nighttime charging? No problem. Most of cell phone chargers come with a built-in battery that can be charged by the sun during the day. At night or on cloudy days you can plug your phone into the charger and take advantage of this reserve power.
These chargers can be used anywhere there is direct sunlight. The only caveat with a portable solar cell phone charger is that you do need direct sun in order to generate a timely charge. From mountaintop to parking lot, you should be able to generate a charge anywhere on this planet.
Japan was hit by a major earthquake, followed by a Tsunami. Alabama just went through a devastating tornado. Those are just recent natural disasters. Most people would have a day, at most of talk time. Solar cell phone chargers can extend that battery life, and your peace of mind.
What is the best cell phone charger out there?
There are several portable cell phone chargers on the market. A quick search on Amazon reveals a couple of front runners under the $30 mark.
- Pick #1 ReVive Solar Restore
- Pick #2 Premium Solar Charger
This is a handy USB charger that charges most iPhone, iPads, Motorola, Samsung — pretty much any phone system that uses a USB charger. Additionally, the ReVive’s battery pack can be recharge by the sun, by plugging it into your home outlet, or by charging it from the USB port on your computer for added versatility. It also includes the suction cups needed to attach it to a window to take full advantage of the sun’s energy.
This is a solar charger that tries very hard to be your all-in-one charger, and for the money, is absolutely the best value on the market
This charger is very similar to the ReVive, however, it does not charge on A/C or home current, but can charge up to 50% on solar energy or charge to full with its USB cord. Like the ReVive it also has LED indicators to show the amount of charge. Like the ReVive it will charge most USB-based cell phones, and quite frankly, seems to be the most popular solar cell-phone charger that Amazon sells.
However, it seems to lack some of the “completeness” offered by the Revive Series charger, and so it definitely is going to take second place in this competition.
With some shopping you can find even more aggresive charging systems for your phone, but then you are typically above the $30 mark, and it ceases to be an economical option.
Speaking of economics, what about building your own Solar Cell Phone Charger?
While building your own solar panel for your cell phone is extremely plausible, I highly doubt that for the time invested, you would actually save any money. That being said, it would be a fun project. I would suggest visiting a website such as instructables.com to see how others have built their own cell phone chargers.
So whether you are looking to get a solar cell phone charger for hiking or just for running around town, these solar cell phone chargers are probably exactly what you need for extending battery life
If not, please leave it in the comments! I'd be thrilled to research your question for you!
