With the proliferation of devices out there now that can be charged via USB. The solar USB charger can be a really handy device to own. Whether you are out in the middle of the jungle or desert, or just at an event of some kind where you are unable to charge your device by normal means, be it wall charger or car charger. Looking for Best Solar Powered Flashlight follow this link
The most obvious device that can benefit from the use of a solar charger is your cell phone. My smartphone will not make it a full day if I use it heavily, and if I use the GPS function for an extended period, I can kiss my battery life goodbye for the day. Most cell phones have lith-ion batteries in all sorts of shapes and sizes, so popping in another pair of AA’s is not an option like it is with my GPS unit.
With my solo solar USB charger, I can get several more hours of uptime on my phone after I’ve managed to kill the battery. Most of these solar USB chargers have an integrated battery, which you can charge via the USB port on your PC, or as you would expect, from the sun.
When it’s fully charged, it will re-charge my phone ( android, Samsung charge) in about an hour or so, somewhere between 50 and 75% charge. It will do it one time and then has to be recharged itself. It takes a couple of hours to charge the unit via wall or USB out, and 6-8 hours to charge it via the sun. Charging times vary greatly depending on the strength of the sun, and it needs to be adjusted periodically so that it is directly facing the sun.
The model I have, the monoi has been discontinued and was probably not intended to charge these newer smartphones fully. Solio’s newer model, the bolt may charge it all the way up, but I’ll probably stick with what I’ve got for now. Solar technology is advancing so fast, a year from now, there will probably be even better options.
I didn’t like the idea of having to keep up with the cord for the charger, so I attached it with some paracord. It makes it a little bulkier, but it keeps the whole thing together at all times. I’ve got enough useless crap laying around because I can’t find a part that goes with it!
Bottom line: Don’t expect to be blown away by any solar USB charger, they take a long time to charge, and they don’t perform quite as well as advertised, however, they DO work, and sooner or later, you might be really, really glad you have one with you when you need it. If you’ve got any solar survival gear you’ve found to be worthy, tell us about it below. We’ll post your review here for others to read.