Solar Phone Charger: The Best Picks and How to Choose
Suppose you’re in the middle of a scenic hike, and your phone runs out of battery. Now, you can’t rely on GPS or access your trail map. That’s a challenging moment for you, and finding wall outlets or other means to power smartphones can be even more difficult. That’s where a solar phone charger comes in handy.
You don’t have to worry about enjoying outdoor adventures or handling emergency situations without a smartphone because Jackery solar generators make powering devices easy. The solar generator is source of renewable energy that makes powering devices easy.
Cell phones consume around 2-6 watts of power. The portable and cost-effective nature of solar power chargers allows you to charge mobile phones, laptops, etc., to make your trip memorable. A small solar power generator of 160 watts would be sufficient to power up small devices like cell phones, whereas you might need a large generator to charge devices like coffee makers, etc., during your trips.
This article will reveal everything from different types of portable solar chargers available on the market and what size you should purchase to ensure you always keep your phone charged.
What Is A Solar Phone Charger
Admit it or not, smartphones are the lifelines, especially when you are away from your house. Whether you’re enjoying a breathing camping view or facing a long-term power outage home, having your gear charged and working is essential.
A solar phone charger does the same for you when no electricity is available. It is one of the best methods to use clean and renewable energy and power your devices. However, checking the capacity of solar panels and the device power requirement is essential before finalizing any solar battery charger for a phone.
Solar Charger For Phone
Solar charger for phones uses solar panels to convert sun rays into electricity and store it in the battery. They are portable charging methods that allow you to charge smartphones anywhere and anytime. Whether planning camping, hiking, or other outdoor activities, you can take your solar charger to power devices.
The solar phone charger is an economical, environment-friendly, portable, and sustainable energy source available to charge small devices. It works by absorbing sunlight with the help of a solar panel or photovoltaic cells. Solar energy is stored in a lithium-ion battery, so you can power mobile phones at night or during cloudy days.
Types Of Solar Phone Chargers
Many types of solar-powered phone chargers with different capacities allow you to keep your gear charged during an emergency, camping trip, hiking, etc. Some of the most popular and common types of solar phone charges include:
Portable solar charger generator – allows you to charge your cell phones anytime. The solar generator’s lightweight nature and wireless charging option make it suitable for beach trips. Jackery offers multiple solar power generators that are portable and waterproof. In addition, numerous USB ports available will help you to charge devices at once.
Solar panels – enable you to charge cell phones directly with the sun. Instead of transferring electricity to the battery, the solar panels charge the smartphones with direct sunlight. Jackery 100-watt solar panel are an alternative choice to power bank for charging phones or other small appliances. The robust nature of solar panels is a renewable and clean energy source for everyone.
Heavy-duty solar panels – these large solar panels can charge everything from phones to laptops to mini-fridges. As these panels come with a charge controller, they transfer their charge to the power bank to charge all the devices.
Below are the best portable solar charger for phones available on the market.
Built-in Battery
Output Ports
BigBlue 28W Solar Charger
Hiluckey 25,000mAh Power Bank
Battery Capacity Of iPhone, Samsung, And
Solar chargers are built for outdoor usage, and they are powered with the help of sunlight. While choosing the best solar charger for your needs, analyzing the solar panel size, charging speed, battery size, and the number of ports is essential. Watt and watt-hour should be considered to narrow your research and purchase the best solar panels.
What Are Watt And Watt Hours?
A watt is a power unit that measures the energy transfer rate. In electrical terms, the watt is the rate of electrical work done by a device during appliance powering.
The simple formula of watt is equivalent to volt-ampere. Here is how to calculate it:
Power is the energy rate at which energy is consumed or generated; hence, it is measured in watts. Meanwhile, watt-hour is the rate at which one-watt power is consumed in one hour. Here is the formula to calculate the watt-hours of any device.
Watt-Hours = Total Number Of Watts Total Number Of Hours
Battery Capacity of Phones
Generally, a solar phone charger that can supply 10 watts is sufficient to charge a smartphone for one day. Many solar power panels have robust battery protection systems, so you can power all your devices safely.
For instance, if you know the battery capacity (mAh) and volt (V), you can easily calculate the watt-hour.
Formula is (mAh) (V) /1000 = Wh.
Suppose the battery capacity of the solar power charger is 300 mAh, and the volt is 5V. Here is how to measure watt-hours.
Watt-hour = 300 mAh 5V / 1000 = 1.5 Wh.
Here is the breakdown of the estimated solar power needed daily to charge different types of smartphones.
Phone Types
Battery (Watt-hours)
How Many Charges Daily
Estimated Solar Power Needed Daily (Watt-hours)
iPhone 14 Plus/ iPhone 14 Pro Max
Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G
Most solar generators can charge your phone several times. That said, you don’t have to worry about recharging and charging your solar power.
Portable Solar Charger For Phone
If you are looking to choose the best solar panel charger for a cell phone, you can never go wrong with Jackery solar generator. It combines a portable power station and SolarSaga panels that capture the sun’s rays and convert them into electricity.
Compared to traditional generators, solar panel generators are portable. Not only does it allow you to charge cell phones, but it can also power other small electrical appliances depending on the power they consume.
Jackery solar generators are available in different sizes. This solar generator is suitable for campers, emergency backups, and RVs. The best part about all the solar chargers for a phone is their foldable design and less weight. It makes it easy to carry wherever you go.
Customer Reviews
I bought this for dry camping in my RV. I wanted an easy way to recharge my multiple Ipads, iPhones, and computers. I just returned from an 18-day trip, and the Jackery 500 with the 100-watt solar panel performed flawlessly. Recharging it was the easiest system I have ever worked with. In sunny AZ, the system went from 83% to 100% in 2 hours. If it was cloudy, I plugged into my 12-volt plug while driving and generally went from the low 80s to 100% within a 3-hour drive. I have not used the 120-volt charger yet as it was not needed. In total, I recharged 2 Ipads, 2 phones, 1 computer, and 1 jet pack overnight. The battery would be in the low 80% by morning, sometimes 75% by evening back to 100%. I highly recommend this system. Addendum photos first photo 11:48 am, 2nd 12:42 pm, 3rd 1:48 pm, 4th 3:02 pm, 5th 3:55 precharge in Tucson, AZ. May 23, 2021 Went from 100% to 81% after charging 2 Iphones, 2 Ipads, and 1 jetpack. 1 iPad in use for a couple of hours while being charged-Susan
Jackery 500 gave me a lot of power for 7 days of camping. It powered my Alpicool ref, USB lights, cell phone, etc. The lowest power I had overnight was 87% until I could charge my solar panel the next day. I highly recommend this. I will use my CPAP on my next trip and trust it will give me power all night. I used Goal Zero before. I was not impressed, and Jackery’s price is more reasonable. Buying expensive things like goal zero does not prove great performance but is overrated as a waste of money. Go for Jackery. It is also lightweight.Maria
As you can see, Jackery products are loved by the customers. They are durable, cost-efficient, and powerful solar generators that ensure you never run out of power. Here are the top Jackery power stations you can purchase to charge your cell phone.
Portable Power Station Capacity
Phone Capacity
Supported Charges
(When the portable power station is fully charged)
Jackery SolarSaga 100W Solar Panel (This solar panel has a USB output and can charge the phone under the sun directly)
Depends on the weather condition
Jackery Solar Generator 240 (Explorer 240 SolarSaga 100W)
- USB-A Output: 5V, 2.4A
- USB-C Output: 5V, 3A
- AC Output: 110V, 60Hz, 200W (400W Surge Peak)
- Car Output: 12V, 10A
- DC Input: 12V. 30V (65W Max)
Jackery Solar Generator 300 (Explorer 300 SolarSaga 100W)
- USB-A Output: 5V, 2.4A
- USB-C PD Output: 5V, 9V, 15V, 20V, 3A
- DC Input: 12V. 30V (90W Max)
- Quick Charge 3.0 Output: 5V, 2.4A
- AC Output: 110V, 60Hz, 300W (500W Surge)
Jackery Solar Generator 500 (Explorer 500 SolarSaga 100W)
- USB-A Output: 5V, 2.4A
- Car Port: 12V, 10V
- DC Output: 12V, 7A
- AC Output: 110VAC, 60Hz, 500W (1000W Surge)
- DC Input: 12V. 30V (100W Max)
Even if the portable power station is out of capacity, you don’t have to worry about charging your appliances. The pass-through charging capability lets you recharge the device and solar generator at the same time. In addition, the input and output ports on the portable solar generator protect your device from overcharging.
What Size Solar Charger For a Phone Do I Need?
Solar cell phone chargers come in different sizes, shapes, and types. The simple rule to purchasing a solar panel is understanding its compatibility with your device.
Calculate the size of the solar charger for a phone with this formula:
Working time = Watt-hour of the solar power station 0.85 / operating wattage of your device.
For instance, if we assume that the cell phone consumes 10 watts and the watt-hour of the solar power station is 167Wh, the working time will be 167 Wh 0.85 / 10 = 14.2 hours.
Purchasing a solar power station with a 167 Wh battery capacity can charge a phone at 13 Wh capacity 11 times. You can calculate the number of charges a solar panel supports with a simple formula:
The number of charges supported = 0.85 Power station capacity/phone capacity.
Depending on the requirements and phone capacity, you can determine the size of solar panels you’ll need.
FAQs About Solar Phone Chargers
Solar phone chargers come in many variants with different designs, functions, sizes, etc. Checking on the tech specs and understanding the power requirements are the two most important aspects you’ll need to consider before choosing the best solar power generator. Here are a few common questions that people often ask before buying a solar power generator.
What is the best solar phone charger?
Jackery is the best solar phone charger amongst all the other power generators available on the market. The combination of the portable power station and SolarSaga solar panels charges all your small appliances, including cell phones, multiple times after full charge. Some unique features that make Jackery military-grade solar phone charger the best choice include:
- Lightweight and compact in nature that makes it easy to carry around wherever you go.
- As it receives power through the sun and no other forms of fuel are required, it is clean, quiet, and renewable.
- Multifunctional outputs like USB-A, USB-C, Car Port, etc., ensure that you can charge multiple devices simultaneously and save time for charging.
- High conversion efficiency solar generator ensures that you use maximum sun’s energy and store it to power devices.
The input and output USB ports available on the solar phone charger make it easy to use. You can power your cell phone by plugging the USB cable from the charger into the smartphone. Jackery solar generators have a device protection system, so you don’t have to stress about overcharging the appliance. Another feature of the solar phone charger is another USB input port that allows you to recharge the solar generator even if you are powering the devices.
Where to buy a solar phone charger?
You can purchase the best solar phone charger from the solar power generator collection of Jackery. They have a wide range of solar generators that last decades and power all your devices without hassle.
How does a solar phone charger work?
As the name suggests, the solar-powered phone charger absorbs and transfers sunlight. Here’s how it works in simple steps: photons carry the sun’s energy to create an electric field. This sunlight powers the photovoltaic cells or solar panels, transferring the power to cell phones. Most solar panels come with a battery to store the power. This means you can charge your phone even when there is dark or no solar energy available.
Conclusion
So, if you have ever put off your camping and hiking idea thinking about how you’ll charge your cell phone, consider purchasing a solar phone charger. You can use the solar phone charger to power all the small appliances that consume less power, including smartphones, and stay connected.
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E15 Solar Panel Charger Highlights.
-IP67 waterproof and rugged materials make the solar panel work under unexpected weather and last longer than other solar panels.
What Can Charge and Charge Time.
Effortless charging via the integrated USB port under sunlight or pair with a power bank, the 15W solar charger can charge the following devices:
What Can Charge and Charge Time.
Effortless charging via the integrated USB port under sunlight or pair with a power bank, the 15W solar charger can charge the following devices:
Q: Does the solar panel store power? A: No, there is no built-in battery in this solar panel. But it supports all the power banks charging, so that you can collect solar power and store it for using. Or just plug and charge your USB device.
Q: If my USB device needs an input current of 1A, will the 3A output of the solar panel damage it? A: No. This solar panel has intelligent charging, automatically detecting the needs of your device, and delivering exactly what it needs. If your phone accepts 1A, the charger will deliver 1A to your phone.
Q: How to clean the surface of solar panels? A: Please use a dampened soft cloth to wipe the surface of the solar module, and remove all dust or other adhesives as soon as possible to avoid performance degradation.
Q: Does it keep work when gets wet? A: Yes, the durable and self-cleaning material provides lasting durability to protect against unpredictable weather conditions, and can easily withstand high temperatures, and are water-resistant, dust-proof and feature an IP67 rated junction box.
Q: Does it come with charging cables? A: No, to make the solar panel more eco-friendly and affordable, it doesn’t include a cable. You can use your USB or Type-C cord to connect the solar pnale to charge.
Solar Cell Phone Charger – How it Works, Best Solar Phone Charger
Solar Cell Phone Charger converts Solar energy to Electricity to charge cell phone batteries. This post will discuss about Solar Cell Phone Charger, how it works, best Solar phone chargers, size of Solar Panel needed for charging phone efficiently.
What is Solar Cell Phone Charger
As the name summarizes, it is a charger that functions using Solar power. These chargers make use of Solar Panels or Photo-Voltaic cells that converts Solar energy to electricity.
Fig. 1 – Introduction to Solar Cell Phone Charger
It is an innovative invention that can be used for the replacement of electric chargers. It is portable, uses sustainable energy resources, environment-friendly and economical. Solar Batteries or mobile chargers have an USB Power Socket with up to 2.1 A of output current. You can plug in your device’s USB cable to start charging your phone using solar energy.
Fig. 2 – Foldable Wallet Solar Mobile Charger
What Size Solar Panel do I Need to Charge a Phone
Solar Cell Phone Chargers are available in different types, sizes, and shapes. Usually, the size of the panel determines the capacity of the charger. What size Solar Panel you need to buy is directly proportional to the device which you plug in to charge. Pick up the Solar Panel which will be compatible with your device.
How Long it Takes to Charge a Phone with Solar Phone Charger
When given a situation where there is bright sunlight and a decent capacity charger having 5-watt Solar Panel, it would take around 4-5 hours to charge a cell phone fully.
How does Solar Cell Phone Charger work
Fig. 3 – Block Diagram of Solar Cell Phone Charger
Solar Panel
Solar Panel is the parallel arrangement of solar cells. Solar Cells are the photovoltaic cells that absorb solar radiation. When the light rays hit upon the panel, the free electrons start moving and initiate the current production process. To read more about how the Solar Cell works, click on the link which will provide you complete information on Solar Cell.
Charge Controller
It manages the power going into the battery from the solar array.
Battery
It stores the energy received from Solar Panel.
Voltage Regulator
The voltage from the solar panel is not stable and varies drastically according to the intensity of the sun rays and the degree of incidence over the solar panel. Hence to regulate the voltage, Voltage Regulator circuit is used.
It helps in regulating the voltage and current coming from the Solar Panels going to the battery. This circuit is used in between the Solar Panel output and the battery input. Voltage Regulator makes sure that the voltage never exceeds the safe value required by the battery for charging.
Universal Charging Port
Universal Charging Port is connected to the Voltage Regulation circuit to plug-in the device (Cell Phone) to be charged. USB cable is used to transfer the charge from the Cell Phone Charger to Mobile Phone.
Is there a Solar-Powered Cell Phone
The answer may surprise many, yes there are Solar Powered Cell Phones. Samsung is the first brand that launched Solar-Powered Cell Phone into the market in the year 2009. Later many other brands like Xiaomi and Micromax also launched Solar Cell Phones.
Fig. 4 – Solar Powered Cell Phone
In Solar Powered Cell Phones, the solar panel is embedded on the back of the phone. When this is kept facing the sunlight, it absorbs and converts Solar energy to electrical energy. Since the surface area of the back of the phone is less, it limits the quantity of solar panel insertion. This directly results in the charging capacity.
Best Solar Phone Charger
In recent days, Solar Cell Phone Chargers are making sound in the market due to their adaptability and user-friendly nature. But sometimes it may get overwhelmed to choose the best and suitable charger among the numerous. So here we have listed some of the best solar cell phone chargers in the market to make your purchase easy.
- Efficiency of your device
- Adaptability of charger
- Power output of the charger
Apart from all these, easy-to-use indicators like level of battery, durability, affordability are some of the other factors to keep in the picture while purchasing a Solar Charger.
- BigBlue 28W Solar Charger
- BioLite Solar Panel 5
- Feeke KR-T01 Solar power bank
BigBlue 28W USV Solar Phone Charger
This is one of the most loved and highly rated Solar Phone Chargers. The device folds open to 4 layers, weighs around 550 grams. So it fits into any backpack and is apt to carry along when traveling. It provides three USB ports for charging. The only con this charger possesses is, it does not have any battery backup, which in turn doesn’t support the direct charging category.
BioLite Solar Panel 5
This solar panel is well designed to place it on any terrain or you can even hang it on the tree to get maximum sunlight. This is compatible with many phones, tablets, and also cameras. This provides the battery backup facility wherein you can charge and use it at any time. It is a lightweight device weighing less than 250 grams which makes it travel-friendly. The only con we can find in this is; it has only one USB output port.
Fig. 5 – Image of BioLite Solar Panel
Feeke KR-T01 Solar Power Bank
This is one of the bestselling, top-rated Solar Power Banks on the internet. This has got the additional provision of wireless charging (only for QI phones). This supports both Micro input and Type-C plugins. It is sturdy, lightweight, easy to carry, waterproof, dustproof. To sum up, it is one of the efficient Solar Cell Phone Chargers.
Though we have mentioned only three chargers, there are plenty of options available in the market to choose from. You can choose your preferred charger according to your requirement.
Do Solar Phone Chargers really Work
The popularity of Solar Cell Phone Chargers is less compared to solar water heaters and light. So it is likely to hear questions like ‘do solar phone chargers really work’?
Yes, the Solar Cell Phone Charger works efficiently as any other charger. In fact, Some countries have implemented public Solar Cell phone charging booths. So clearly, solar Phone chargers are a streamlined device that performs its purpose very well.
Fig. 6 – Solar Powered Charging Booth
Disadvantages of Solar Phone Charger
Also Read: 3G Vs LTE (4G). Evolution of Mobile networks 5G Phone Cellular Network Technology. Working Architecture, Characteristics Cell Phone Sniffer Tracking System. How to Find Lost Phone Block IMEI Cricket Wireless. How Do I Find Cricket Account Number, myCricket App
- Tags
- Advantages of Solar Charger
- Best Solar Cell Phone Charger
- BigBlue 28W Solar Charger
- BioLite Solar Panel
- Block Diagram of Solar Charger
- Charge Controller
- Disadvantages of Solar Charger
- Feeke KR-T01 Solar power bank
- how Solar Cell Phone Charger work
- Photo-Voltaic cells
- Solar Batteries
- Solar Cell Phone Charger
- Solar cells
- Solar Charger
- Solar mobile charger
- Solar Panel size
- solar panels
- Solar Phone Charger
- Solar Powered Charging Booth
- Solar-Powered Cell Phone
- Universal Charging Port
- Voltage Regulator
- Wallet Solar Mobile Charger
The best solar phone charger. our top 5 list
The sun is an incredibly powerful source of energy that is readily available to us for free. On a clear and sunny day, the energy from the sun can generate up to 1000 watts of power per square meter. While modern photovoltaic panels are not 100% efficient, they can still produce around 200 watts of power per square meter. This means that even a small installation of solar panels can generate a significant amount of energy.
To put this into perspective, a typical smartphone charger can output anywhere between 5 watts and 25 watts of power, with some of the more advanced super-fast chargers capable of pushing the limit up to 100 watts. With solar panels producing up to 200 watts per square meter, the potential for harnessing solar energy is enormous. Is this the case, though? Read on to find out!
Can a solar charger charge my smartphone?
If you’re someone who enjoys spending time outdoors, particularly in the mountains, getting a solar mobile charger is a practical option. But picking the best solar phone charger can be hard because there are so many brands and hidden factors.
A general guideline to keep in mind is that you’ll need a minimum of around 7 watts of power to charge your phone using a solar phone charger, but the more power, the better. It’s also essential to check if the solar charger has a built-in battery, particularly if you’re using it overnight when there’s no sunlight available. Without a battery, the solar charger would be as useful as a piece of paper when your phone dies at night.
Portability is also a crucial factor when selecting a solar phone charger since you’ll likely use it on the go, far from any wall sockets or other luxuries of modern society. For frequent travelers who don’t want to add any extra weight or bulk to the backpack, lightweight and foldable solar phone chargers are the best option. However, it’s worth noting that if you want more power, you’ll need a bigger solar panel to capture more light, which may mean a bulkier device.
Without further delay, here’s a list of the top solar phone chargers that you can get in 2023. These chargers have been carefully selected for their power output, portability, durability, and overall value, and they will ensure that you can keep your phone charged even when you’re off the grid.
The best solar phone chargers at a glance:
- BigBlue 28W. best solar phone charger overall
- Anker PowerPort 21W. best bang for your buck
- Hiluckey Solar Charger 25000mAh. biggest battery
- BioLite 5. most stylish solar charger
- Goal Zero Nomad 10. best lightweight charger
BigBlue 28W
The best solar phone charger is called BigBlue and can harness 28W of power in ideal conditions. This is plenty of juice for your phone or tablet, and you can charge up to three devices simultaneously via the 3 USB ports.
This solar charger uses high-efficiency SunPower monocrystalline photovoltaic cells that convert up to 21.5-23.5% of solar power into free energy. These numbers are pretty impressive for a consumer product, especially at this price point.
There’s a special PET polymer coating that protects the panel from the occasional rain or water spatter, and all the ports have rubber flaps to ensure the IPX4 rating. There are two main downsides to the BigBlue solar charger.
First, it doesn’t include a battery or a power bank of any sort. If it’s nighttime or there are heavy clouds, you’re not gonna get much electricity out of it. Second, the device comes with a single micro USB cable, so you need to use/buy your own USB-C or USB-to-Lightning cable.
Other than that, this solar phone charger actually works (unlike many other bogus products out there), and it works pretty well. It’s not too heavy and you can fold it and carry it in your backpack. The price is also pretty reasonable, considering the power.