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Solar Chargers: How to Choose The Right One

Tuesday, March 26, 2013 17:02

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(Before It's News)

There are HUNDREDS of handheld solar chargers to choose from online, but there are only a few that can meet all 5 of these requirements. I’ll give you a few tips on what to look for before spending a dime on any solar charger.

1. Does It Use High Efficiency Solar Cells?

Most solar chargers use monocrystalline solar cells because they are the most efficient solar cells on the market. Solar chargers to look for should have monocrystalline cells, unfortunately most solar chargers are covered in thick plastic, making them less efficient. You can tell that a solar charger is weak just by looking at the device, if it has a glass-like shiny surface, than it’s most likely an un-efficient solar charger. If solar cells are covered in thick plastic or glass, some UV light will bounce off the unit and not be absorbed by the solar cells. Find a solar charger that uses thin laminating plastic to cover their solar cells, this gives them better UV absorption which in tern means higher electrical output.

2. Does It Use Batteries?

When choosing a solar charger it’s important to find out if they are using internal batteries or not. Why? Because if a solar charger is using internal batteries it’s more than likely going to be a bad purchase. Trickle Chargers are the worst when it comes to charging even the smallest device like a smartphone. Trickle Chargers first have to charge internal batteries before charging a device, In some cases it could take as long as 15 hours to fully charge a smartphone. Rechargeable batteries eventually fail especially when exposed to long hours under the sun.

3. Does It Have Auto Retry?

What is Auto-Retry? Auto-retry is a new technology that allows solar chargers to automatically re-start after it has been temporarily blocked from the sun. Many qualms that people have from portable solar charging is, whenever they encounter shade or an object blocks the sun, the solar charger stops charging. Most all solar chargers do not have Auto-Retry, but a few of them do.

4. Can I Use The Device While Charging?

One of the most convenient features of modern-day devices (smartphones, tablets, and gaming devices) is the ability to use the device while it’s charging. One of the things to look for in a portable solar charger is the ability to solar charge your device while using it, like a standard wall charger would allow you to do.

5. Is It Durable?

Gadgets like solar chargers can be very delicate items, especially when made out of cheap plastic. Many solar chargers are made of cheap plastics and can’t sustain a lot of abuse before malfunctioning. So it’s best to find a solar charger that is well built and has a strong structure that is preferably water and weather resistant.

Conclusion

It can be a daunting task to sift through tons of websites to find the right solar charger that can meet all requirements listed above and charge both a smartphone and a tablet in a reasonable amount of time. Make a checklist for yourself;