Having your phone charged and ready to go is one of the most important things in today’s world. So much happens on our phones that missing it can, at times, make things difficult. From important work and personal phone calls, to staying in touch with current events, and simply connecting with your own community, a charged phone is key to most people’s days.
The problem is, that there’s not always a wall outlet that’s available for you to keep a solid charge throughout the day. If you head out camping for a weekend, you’re doubtlessly going to struggle to find a place to charge your phone at some point. One of the best solutions to all of your phone charging problems is to grab a solar powered phone charger that can be brought everywhere with you and provide a reliable and sustainable source of power to keep charged all day long.
Solar phone chargers are newer on the market and there’s a lot to learn about them and how to choose the right one for your needs. With these, you can keep more than just your phone charged, but that’s a big topic to break into. We’ll look here at solar powered phone chargers, what they are, how they work, and the best ways to find the perfect fit for your own needs.
What Is A Solar Phone Charger?
A solar phone charger utilizes solar panel technology to put power directly into your phone or into a portable power station that can be used to charge your phone at any time. Simply by hooking up a solar panel to your device, you can get a charge instantly.
These solar chargers work to charge your phone in a short period of time and have nearly an unlimited number of uses. The best part is that when you are connected to solar, there’s no energy bill that’s increasing and no source of environmentally-damaging energy production. It’s clean, free energy that does exactly the same as plugging into a wall.
Components of A Solar Phone Charger and How It Works
A solar phone charger is made up of one or two separate parts, depending on the type of solar charger that you get. The main piece of the charger is going to be the solar panel. These come in a wide variety of sizes and that will affect how fast you can charge your phone.
The best solar panels have improved dramatically over the recent years. While the old models were huge and bulky, the newer ones are often slim, but still incredibly effective. They often have an incredibly long lifespan and can be used constantly during your time owning them.
If you get a solar powered phone charger that’s connected to a portable power station, the other part of the system is that station. This is a larger battery pack that regulates electricity more efficiently than a normal battery. These stations often have several different plugs so your solar charger can turn into a charger for multiple devices at once, even some larger appliances if you need them.
Types of Solar Powered Phone Chargers
As we mentioned, there are multiple different styles of solar powered phone chargers. These two versions are the most simple models out there but work to provide efficient and clean energy all day long.
Panel-Only
In a panel-only system, you connect the solar panel directly to your phone. One of the biggest benefits of this model is that you don’t need to worry about transporting a power station with you wherever you go. A small solar panel will slip into your backpack and can go anywhere.
The only drawback of relying on a panel-only system is that as soon as the sun is down, you no longer have access to the power you captured. You may have the solar panel out all day, but once your phone is full, there’s nowhere else for the power to go. This can lead to a “waste” of energy, essentially meaning that you aren’t getting the full power of the panel.
Panels with Battery
A panel that’s connected to a battery is the more advanced version of using just a panel. This system uses a solar panel to charge a large battery inside of the portable power station. From that station, you can charge your phone alongside many others. The Growatt VITA 550 has 11 different outlets that allow you to use many different appliances at once.
If you’re only using this as a solar phone charger, then you are looking at charging the VITA 550 fully with solar panels in just 2.5 hours. With that charge, you can charge your phone 41 times over again. Or you can charge multiple phones at once to full, and then do that two more times.
This version allows you to store power over the day and then have the power on hand when you need it most. The VITA 550 is a great option as you can easily bring it around with you as it only weighs in at 17.99 pounds. That’s a simple addition to your typical camping gear so you can be sure to have your phone ready when you need it.
How to Choose A Solar Phone Charger?
Choosing the right solar phone charger can be tough. If you want to travel lightly, you may just look at getting a panel-only model. If you want to be certain that you’ll always have the power you need, you want to ensure that by grabbing a panel and battery combination.
This can change though because a solar phone charger doesn’t always need to be just that. It can be so much more than just a way to charge your phone at any time of day.
Why Growatt Solar Generator VITA 550 Is Not Just A Solar Phone Charger
The VITA 550 is so much more than a solar phone charger. Yes, you can use it just for charging your phone, but why stop such a magnificent product from living up to its full potential?
This solar generator is perfect for a wide range of uses and you’ll learn quickly how useful it is to keep it around almost instantly from the day you buy it.
Fast charging
The VITA 550 will charge with solar in only 2.5 hours. That’s just enough time to set up the station and hit the beach for a quick swim and tan. By the time you get back, you’ll be full and ready to go on the road without having to worry about charging up again for a while.
If you have the option, you can charge it even faster using a typical wall outlet. In only 1.6 hours you can get a full charge at home, which is a great way to start if you’re headed on a long trip and want some assurance that you won’t be without power.
Many ports
The VITA 550 has a huge number of different ports so you can be certain that you’ll have the right plug for every use. There are multiple USB, AC, DC, and USB-C ports that you can plug into all at the same time.
This is great to charge more appliances than just your phone. You can operate a fan to keep cool while charging up your phone, flashlight, and e-book all at the same time. That won’t even come close to hitting the VITA 550’s full potential, proving that it’s so much more than just a solar phone charger.
Wide range of uses
The lightweight design of the VITA 550 makes it the best choice for a large number of different applications. Many choose to take it along for camping and fishing trips while others rely on it for charging all of their photography gear during a photo shoot.
You can use it to power your off-grid lifestyle, or have it ready and handy as a home power backup, which will deliver consistent power when you need it with its Uninterruptible Power Supply feature. You’ll never miss a beat or feel like you’re disconnected when you have the VITA 550 in tow.
Long lifespan
The new LiFePO4 battery is a technological marvel. You get over 3,000 cycles of charge before it starts to falter. Using it consistently, you can still get around 10 years of life out of a single portable power station. With the way most things are built today, you’re lucky to get two years.
The VITA 550 will stick around long enough to charge the next five generations of phones that you upgrade to, but it will never need to change.
Conclusion
A solar phone charger is a great addition to anyone’s gear that wants to be sure they’re equipped with power at any time of day. If you ever feel the anxious rush of realizing that your phone may die before you make it home on a long trek, you never need to worry again.
Solar phone chargers will go with you anywhere you choose to take yourself. With them comes a consistent and reliable source of clean, renewable, and nearly infinite energy. In today’s age, this is priceless.
