The most obvious benefit of a solar battery charger is that it uses a renewable energy source, the sun, to provide power to recharge a battery, rather than using mains electricity. However, there are other benefits aside from the environmental one. For one thing, it's cheaper, once you've paid off the initial cost of the charger: the suns rays are, after all, still free to use. Secondly, they're ideal for taking on a trip overseas because you don't need to worry about taking the correct power adaptor for the country or countries you plan to visit. And modern the modern solar battery charger, for devices such as mobile phones, digital cameras, and MP3 players is small and light enough to be thrown into a laptop bag or holdall.
The main disadvantage, other than the initial cost is that they need a fair amount of direct sunlight to provide enough power to re-charge a battery. This means that they need to be sited on, or very close to a window. And many come with suction cups attached for precisely this purpose. However, sticking a charger to a window for extended periods may not always be practical. And even if it is, if you live in a country which doesn't get enough direct sunlight, or it happens to be winter, or you just live in an apartment over-shadowed by tower blocks, you won't get much joy from a solar battery charger. Thankfully most manufacturers of solar battery chargers have thought of this and included an AC adaptor to provide juice when the sun isn't available.
The most elegant charger for devices like mobile phones and digital cameras are relatively compact when they're not in use, but fan out to reveal four or five flat surfaces with solar panels mounted on them. These solar panels contain photovoltaic (PV) cells made of a semiconductor such as silicon which absorb sunlight and convert it to electrical energy. This energy is then stored and used to charge a battery or provide back-up power to a device in an emergency.
Unlike solar panels for home, which can be made and installed relatively easily, a solar battery charger is a relatively complex piece of electronics equipment and therefore not suitable for being made at home.
Solar power isn't a replacement for a standard DC charger, but it can reduce the amount of energy you consume charging electronic devices and is well worth considering in addition to your regular charger.
The main disadvantage, other than the initial cost is that they need a fair amount of direct sunlight to provide enough power to re-charge a battery. This means that they need to be sited on, or very close to a window. And many come with suction cups attached for precisely this purpose. However, sticking a charger to a window for extended periods may not always be practical. And even if it is, if you live in a country which doesn't get enough direct sunlight, or it happens to be winter, or you just live in an apartment over-shadowed by tower blocks, you won't get much joy from a solar battery charger. Thankfully most manufacturers of solar battery chargers have thought of this and included an AC adaptor to provide juice when the sun isn't available.
The most elegant charger for devices like mobile phones and digital cameras are relatively compact when they're not in use, but fan out to reveal four or five flat surfaces with solar panels mounted on them. These solar panels contain photovoltaic (PV) cells made of a semiconductor such as silicon which absorb sunlight and convert it to electrical energy. This energy is then stored and used to charge a battery or provide back-up power to a device in an emergency.
Unlike solar panels for home, which can be made and installed relatively easily, a solar battery charger is a relatively complex piece of electronics equipment and therefore not suitable for being made at home.
Solar power isn't a replacement for a standard DC charger, but it can reduce the amount of energy you consume charging electronic devices and is well worth considering in addition to your regular charger.
Jack Shepherd is passionate about finding greener and cheaper ways to provide the energy we need to live our lives. Read more of his views green energy here on his solar battery charger lens [http://www.squidoo.com/solar-battery-charger-1] and discover other ways to use renewable energy sources easily and inexpensively.