EnviroGadget » solar charger

Solar Chargers To Power Electronic Equipments

Dev — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 10:08:38 +0000

Now tapping to the free solar energy has become easy with solar chargers. Solar charger is a simple and extremely useful device. With the help of solar battery charger, you can power your device at home. Besides giving you the option of using green and environment-friendly source of energy these solar chargers is a good alternative to the harmful disposable batteries.

As mobile phones require constant charging, they consume loads of electricity. Through solar phone charger, one can charge the mobile phone in a greener way and can cut down on the costs of electricity. Utilizing the energy of the sun these solar phone chargers can charge any cell phone. They are available in the capacity of 1watt and 2watt in the market.

These chargers are an efficient and greener way to charge your electronic equipments. Also, portable phone charger which traps the energy from the sun and gets the power from the in-built solar panels is a much sought after device these days. Solar power is amazing as it s available free of cost anywhere. Now, electricity would not prove to be a hassle in powering your devices when you use solar chargers.

There are many portable solar charger available in the market which power hand-held devices, usb solar charger can run and can power any usb device and do not require any back up battery. The design of usb solar charger is similar to other solar chargers and has an in-built battery which gets charged solar chargers. These USB solar chargers are portable and are most convenient to use when you are out for picnic, pool and beach etc.

One can also use it to power GPS equipments and it is of great use to get respite from power-cuts. Solar chargers are indeed a better way to power your electronic equipments. These devices are normally portable and convenient to use. These chargers are able to charge Nickel-cadmium battery up to 48 volts. The auto intelligence of such type of solar chargers comes from charge controllers.

Majority of portable chargers derive their energy from the sun. There are many solar chargers which are in common use. One can charge electronic equipments like mobile phones, ipods, cellular phones and so many other hand-held gadgets from these chargers. These days, portable solar chargers are commonly used to charge mobile phones and other portable devices. These portable chargers use different types of solar panels. Solar chargers are roll able or flexible. Thin-film PV technology is used n the manufacturing of these solar chargers. Rollable solar chargers are used to charge Li-ion batteries.

There are some solar chargers which have in-built battery which gets charged by the solar panel even at the time when it is not powering any device. This feature is of great use as it can be banked on at night when the sun is not available or when you are indoors. By using these solar chargers, you can use power of the sun to charge your electronic equipments and take a step ahead in conserving energy.

Want to buy this gadget? Check out the Solar Chargers To Power Electronic Equipments article on EnviroGadget to see the lowest prices for this gadget.

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SolarPod Portable Solar Generator Briefcase

Dan (EnviroGadget Writer) — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 09:00:21 +0000

The solarpod from Thousand Suns is marketed as a self sufficient portable energy source; ideal for boaters, festival goers and campers! The solarpod is cleverly packaged in a robust looking flight case and our test model was supplied with the optional integrated 15 watt solar panel built into its lid.

The Briefcase

The Top of the Solar Pod

On the top of the unit there is an indicator for both the battery and the charging input. The battery level side lights up with up to 5 blue LED’s to indicate it’s current charge start whilst on the other end of the scale there are up to 5 amber coloured LED’s to show how much power is incoming from the solar panel or mains charger. There is also an On/Off switch for the device as well as a separate On/Off switch for the inverter that powers the 230 volt mains socket.

SolarPod - Front

At the front of the unit there are the various output sockets on the unit. These include a 400 watt 13 amp 230v UK plug socket, 2 x 5 volt USB sockets and a 12 volt standard car cigarette lighter socket.

SolarPod - Back

The rear of the unit houses the 2 types of input sockets. This is either the 5 amp mains power adapter or connections for a solar panel.
For our review we were supplied with the optional 60 watt foldable solar panel and for anyone wanting to make the most of the solarpod we would certainly recommend that people get this as part of their package.

The Solar Panels

The solar panel simply unclips, folds out and then there are fold down legs to allow you to best angle the solar panel for maximum solar exposure. You simply connect the two panels together and then connect the supplied leads to the solarpod, it really is that simple! In our tests with the optional 60 watt foldable solar panel even with a reasonably cloudy sky we were impressively seeing 2 amber LED’s and with full sun this was hitting 5 LED’s.

To complete a full charge via the solar panel will take approximately 6 hours whilst the 5 amp mains charger can do it in approximately 4 hours. For the environmentally conscious person it’s far more rewarding to use the solar panel to provide you with free and clean electricity! The unit isn’t silent when it’s operating so bear this in mind if you plan to use it somewhere where you will be sleeping. It’s obviously not as loud as a petrol generator but there is an audible sound from the onboard fan, similar to that which you can hear at the back of any standard PC.

This self contained portable energy system is able to run:

A 32inch LCD Television for up to 5 hours
Smartphone / iPad for 40 charges
Under counter Fridge for 18 hours

These are impressive numbers and show how versatile this product can be. If you have access to more sunlight then you can easily keep the charge topped up to deliver power for a prolonged period. The battery life on the unit is quoted at around 10 years as after 1500 charge and discharge cycles the batteries performance will have dropped to something like 85%.

Technical Details of the Solarpod

Height (Including Handle): 200mm
Length: 250mm
Width: 110mm
Weight: 4.1 kg
Battery: LiFePO4, 12V 20Ah, 95% recyclable

Thank you to Jon Cook of Work Smarter, not Harder for writing the review.

The SolarPod is available from Amazon for £599, or for the same price directly from Thousand Suns.

Disclaimer: Although Jon was given this gadget to review, it has in no way influenced his opinions in this product review. This review reflects his personal and honest perspective on this gadget, and this perspective has not been biased in any way.

Want to buy this gadget? Check out the SolarPod Portable Solar Generator Briefcase article on EnviroGadget to see the lowest prices for this gadget.

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Mooncharge – Solar Charger iPhone 4 Battery Case

Anita (EnviroGadget Writer) — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 09:00:50 +0000

The Mooncharge Solar Battery Case is a great device for protecting your iPhone 4 while providing you with an eco-friendly back up power supply. The case has an inbuilt solar panel that charges its internal battery, this power can then be used by your iPhone when it is required, just remember to leave the protective case in the sun to charge!

The Mooncharge Solar Battery Case is great for those that rely on a working iPhone even when there is no access to mains electricity. The case has been designed to perfectly fit an iPhone 4, however it can be used to charge similar devices such as an iPod, though the fit will not be as good. The device is a sturdy case than can help protect your iPhone from any knocks and bumps, moreover due to its inbuilt solar panel and internal rechargeable 2400mAh battery it can be used to provide you with an extra boost of power whenever you require one.

The Mooncharge Solar Battery Case is able to provide you with up to 315 hours of standby time, or 5 hours of extra talk time when it has been fully charged. This could also provide you with 27 hours for audio output such as music, or 10 hours of video. To charge the case you can either place it in a bright spot with the solar panel facing the sunlight to allow it to charge in an eco-friendly manner, or you can charge it through USB. The device has 4 blue LEDs that indicate that your phone is running out of power, it can also allow you to connect your iPhone to a computer without removing it from the case.

The Mooncharge Solar Battery Case has been designed to be tough and durable while having a soft touch feel with non-slip finish. It is a great way to keep a back up energy supply for your iPhone, while allowing you to be able to charge up anywhere there is sunlight. Just 20 minutes of sunlight can provide you with up to 50 minutes of standby time, or 5 more minutes of talk time. Though some forethought it required, the case is great for those who require their phone to be charged at all times, even if they are outdoors hiking, camping, spending time on the beach, or just away from mains electricity traveling.

The Mooncharge Solar Battery Case is just £39.95 plus delivery.

Want to buy this gadget? Check out the Mooncharge – Solar Charger iPhone 4 Battery Case article on EnviroGadget to see the lowest prices for this gadget.

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Colourful iPhone 4G Silicone Cases with Solar Panel

Dan (EnviroGadget Writer) — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 09:00:29 +0000

These iPhone 4G Silicone Cases are very brightly coloured iPhone cases which also feature a solar panel charger on the back of the case. The case clips on to the iPhone and the internal 1500mAh battery charges up when charges it up when placed in sunlight. The charged battery can then be used to top up the iPhone.

As the battery in the case is charging up, the 3 light indicators on the bottom of the case will light up. Each of the LED lights represent 25% capacity, 50% capacity and 100% capacity respectively. You can charge up the iPhone by flicking the ON/OFF switch to ON once the battery is full. As usual, you can also topup the battery in the charger using a USB lead to your PC, an AC adaptor, or to a car charger.

Since the battery is in the case, it means you don’t necessarily need to keep your iPhone with the case as it’s charging up. Probably a good thing considering that iPhones are pretty expensive to just leave lying around!

What’s not clear is if you can still connect to the iPhone using the standard 30-pin Apple connector once you’ve got your iPhone in the case. It would be nice if you had a pass-through connector on it, as the case is nice enough that you wouldn’t want to take it out of the case very often!

The iPhone 4G Silicone Cases cost just $25.00 each, and there are discounts for ordering in bulk.

Want to buy this gadget? Check out the Colourful iPhone 4G Silicone Cases with Solar Panel article on EnviroGadget to see the lowest prices for this gadget.

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Leather iPad Case with Solar-Powered Charger

Dan (EnviroGadget Writer) — Sat, 25 Sep 2010 09:00:30 +0000

Finally we now have some iPad chargers coming on to the eco-friendly gadget scene. The Leather iPad Case with Solar Charger. It has a built in 4400 mAh battery which is charged by solar-power, which can then be used to charge up your iPad.

The case features 4 LED lights which reflect the charging status of the battery in the iPad case, reflecting 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% of full capacity. The 2.4W solar panel is claimed to have a life of at least 20 years, and the battery will still be able to retain at least 75% capacity after 500 successive charge and discharge cycles.

What’s really nice about this iPad charger, part from it being a natural material as opposed to a plastic) is that it has a stand on the rear of the case. Perfect for angling the iPad towards sunlight to charge the battery again. Available for just $79.00 plus delivery, it’s pretty reasonably priced too.

Source: Leather iPad Solar Charger Case

Want to buy this gadget? Check out the Leather iPad Case with Solar-Powered Charger article on EnviroGadget to see the lowest prices for this gadget.

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USB Solar Charging 4-Port Hub with Torch

Anita (EnviroGadget Writer) — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 09:00:19 +0000

This USB Solar Charging 4-Port Hub with Torch can be used as a 4 port hub for your USB needs and moreover as an emergency charging station for your portable electronic devices. The hub comes with a range of connectors and cables and also has two LEDs built in to allow you to use it as a torch.

The USB Solar Charging 4-Port Hub with Torch has an inbuilt rechargeable lithium 1300mAh battery. This battery can be charged through the solar panels that are located at the top of the hub, or through the USB port if required. The hub has LEDs to alert you to the batteries status, to the charging status of the hub and to indicate if the hub is charging a electronic device. To charge your devices from eco-friendly electricity you will need to remember to place the hub in bright light to charge the internal battery.

The 2.0 USB hub points can be used as a normal hub, connected to your PC or laptop to allow you to plug in multiple USB devices. Due to its battery and solar panel it can also be used as a store of power to provide your portable electronics a boost of electricity when needed. The hub comes with charging connectors for a range of phones such as Nokia, LG, Samsung, Sony Ericsson. It has both micro USB and mini USB connectors allowing you to be able to charge a wide range of modern portable electronic devices and includes a 2 LED torch inbuilt into the hub itself.

The hub measures roughly 8.5cm x 3.6cm x 1.4cm (3.35 in x 1.42 in x 0.55 in) and so is small enough to be easily portable, allowing you to take the hub with you wherever you go to provide a back up to your devices. The USB Solar Charging Hub can give your devices a boost of electricity when needed. As the battery can be charged from solar power you can use the hub to keep your devices charged from an eco-friendly power source. It does not have a large battery though it will allow a decent boost of power to most devices.

The USB Solar Charging 4-Port Hub is yours for just $22.00 plus shipping.

Want to buy this gadget? Check out the USB Solar Charging 4-Port Hub with Torch article on EnviroGadget to see the lowest prices for this gadget.

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USB And AA Battery Solar Charger By PowerFilm

Anita (EnviroGadget Writer) — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 09:00:41 +0000

The USB And AA Battery Solar Charger is a portable solar charger that allows you to charge both AA rechargeable batteries and a range of portable electronic devices. Due to its ability to fold up when transported, the solar charger can be taken with you wherever you go.

The USB And AA Battery Solar Charger is made by PowerFilm and has been designed to provide a supremely compact and lightweight solar charger that is also very durable. The solar panels have been designed to be fold-able, this allows you to be able to fold the whole thing away into a small package when need be and be able to unfold it out to cover a large area to take advantage of the sunlight when required. The whole kit is designed to be suitable for use anywhere, be it at home left on a windowsill, on the dashboard of a car, outside on a bike or backpack, on the ground or even secured to a tent. There are 6 grommets that have been built into the charger which allow it to be securely fastened to a pack or to the ground.

The solar charger can be used to charge both AA rechargeable batteries and devices that can be charged through a micro-USB port. The solar charger can achieve full charge in around 4 hours of direct sunlight. It has an operational voltage of 5 volts when charging through USB and a charging current of up to 1 Amp. The solar charger weighs under 5 ounces without the batteries in it, and measures 8.3 cm x 14 cm x 3.5 cm (3.25 in x 5.5 in x 1.38 in) when folded and 61cm x 14cm (24 in x 5.5 in) when unfolded.

The versatility of this device allows it to be suitable to everyone who wishes to charge their batteries and some portable electronic devices from an eco-friendly source. Perfect for those who want to be out and about hiking or traveling, or those who wish to have a powerful solar charger at home.

The Powerfilm USB And AA Battery Solar Charger is available for just $99.99 with free shipping.

Want to buy this gadget? Check out the USB And AA Battery Solar Charger By PowerFilm article on EnviroGadget to see the lowest prices for this gadget.

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Solar-Powered Digital Camera Strap Design Concept

Anita (EnviroGadget Writer) — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 09:00:47 +0000

The Solar Camera Strap is a concept design to help combat the continually experienced issue of cameras running out of power just when you wish to take a few pictures. The strap is meant to be worn while you are wearing your camera outdoors to store electricity that can then be used to charge your camera while you are out and about.

The Solar Camera Strap Concept has been designed by Weng Jie. The strap has a wide neck band that consists mainly of a solar panel. This panel generates electricity when exposed to sunlight and the strap stores this energy in batteries found at either end of the strap. The strap design includes a DC out point, which is to be used to plug your camera into the strap to recharge its batteries from an eco-friendly energy source.

Most digital camera users these days use rechargeable batteries, this helps reduce the amount of batteries being disposed of, and allows users to charge their camera up for use when required. Sadly most these rechargeable batteries do not have the life length of non rechargeable versions, and even with standard batteries it is a commonly experienced problem that when out with a camera the batteries run out. This leads to many taking spare batteries for their cameras, or simply loosing out on the photo opportunities.

The Solar Camera Strap concept would enable a camera user to charge their camera while out, or even leave the strap in direct sunlight, or a sunny spot while using the camera indoors to ensure a extra boost to camera life when required. When outside taking photos at events like outdoor weddings, while pursuing outdoor activities or even visiting a zoo the strap would be constantly building charge. This would allow you to snap away happily in the knowledge that you can recharge your camera’s battery from an eco-friendly energy source while out.

source: Yanko Designs

Want to buy this gadget? Check out the Solar-Powered Digital Camera Strap Design Concept article on EnviroGadget to see the lowest prices for this gadget.

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SP300 – Super Slim Solar-Powered Bluetooth Car Kit

Anita (EnviroGadget Writer) — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 09:00:10 +0000

The SP300 is a slim 3-in-1 Bluetooth hands free car kit. The sleek and slim speakerphone is supplied with attachments to allow you to mount it onto your windscreen, sun visor or even seat-belt. The windscreen mount allows you to charge the Bluetooth kit through solar energy due to the solar panel on its rear.

The SP300 Bluetooth Car Kit allows you to use your mobile while in the car safely. The hands free kit uses a digital signal processor (DSP) which allows it to filter the surrounding noise and helps to reduce the echo that can be caused by your own voice. The full duplex mode is able to enhance the quality of the sound for clearer communication for both sides of the conversation.

The windscreen mount is simple to attach to any car and can be quickly and easily removed when necessary. The two suction cups secure the mount to the screen, the solar panel on the rear of the mount is then exposed to any sunlight that is hitting that area of screen. The internal 650mAh rechargeable lithium-ion battery requires 3 hours to be fully charged through the USB to car charger/cigarette lighter cable and can be charged fully from solar energy in around 18 hours.

By using the windscreen mount you can prolong the use time of the hands free kit while allowing you to use the device without any wires infringing on your view or getting in the way of you driving. The hands free kit can provide you with up to 14 hours of talk time and up to 1250 hours of standby time on a full charge without any solar boost. The Bluetooth kit has an operational distance of up to 10 meters. The SP300 provides you with a Bluetooth hands free kit for your mobile phone that can be powered solely by eco-friendly energy or use this energy to elongate the time between charges helping to provide you with a kit you can rely on to be ready for use whenever you require it.

The Super Slim Solar-Powered Bluetooth Car Kit costs just £29.95 plus delivery.

Want to buy this gadget? Check out the SP300 – Super Slim Solar-Powered Bluetooth Car Kit article on EnviroGadget to see the lowest prices for this gadget.

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The IllumiCharger – Light-Powered USB Wall Outlet Concept

Anita (EnviroGadget Writer) — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 09:00:48 +0000

The IllumiCharger is a concept that aims to allow everyone the freedom of charging their portable electronic devices from home from eco-friendly electricity. The charger is meant to charge through the day from the ambient light in a room. This electricity is then used to provide a decent nights charge through a USB port to a wide range of devices.

The IllumiCharger concept aims to help people use eco-friendly electricity at home for their portable electronic devices. The charger is designed to be placed onto a wall, much like a traditional power socket. The ambient illumination of the room, be it from daylight or artificial light sources (fluorescent, compact fluorescent, halogen, or incandescent lighting), is used by the solar panel to charge the internal battery. This battery then charges your devices through either of the two USB ports.

The aim of this concept device is to provide a charger that can charge slowly through the day to provide a charge over night, or when required. There is some skepticism to whether the ambient light in a room would provide enough power for devices, however the charger could be positioned near a window to gain a higher amount of sunlight charging, or even used as a portable solar charger left out in a sunny spot if there was a problem. The charger is intended to be constructed from materials that are as environmentally friendly as possible. Recycled plastic and cornstarch based plastic alternatives are meant to be used to form the charger itself and recycled cardboard and cornstarch based plastic alternatives are to be used to form the packaging.

The IllumiCharger hopes to provide charge to any device that can be charged through a USB cable. The charger should be able to provide devices with eco-friendly electricity from a 9600 mAh battery at a rate of around 500 mAh. The charger could mean an end to people charging from their laptops, computers or even from mains supplied wall chargers when at home. The IllumiCharger would store electricity continually without any need to plan for when it would be required fully charged ready for use.

Source: IllumiCharger

Want to buy this gadget? Check out the The IllumiCharger – Light-Powered USB Wall Outlet Concept article on EnviroGadget to see the lowest prices for this gadget.

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