I rarely find myself in situations where I need to use a portable power charger for my iPhone, but I still carry one when traveling. I worry about my MacBook the most, and that’s where I use the power bank most of the time. Power outages are another scenario where a power bank might come in handy.
I have considered solar power chargers in the past before deciding I didn’t need them. I wouldn’t be out in the sun that much to require such abilities from my power bank, nor would I be without power for extended periods.
In retrospect, it was a good choice. It turns out that solar-powered phone chargers aren’t the best idea right now, even if you’re trying to save the environment. Testing from ZDNet has shown these chargers aren’t efficient enough. Moreover, they tend to overheat while in use.
Solar-powered power banks feature solar cells on top of a battery. That’s a great idea, at least on paper. Access to sunlight means you can convert some of that energy into electricity and store it in a power bank. You’d then use it to recharge your phone.
In practice, the blog found that solar-powered phone chargers do not work as intended. ZDNet tested nearly two dozen products from online retailers and camping and outdoor stores. “Every single device has been disappointingly ineffective — and some have even been potentially dangerous,” the blog writes.
To harness the power of the sun, you have to keep these power banks out in the open. Testing shows that temperatures on modestly hot days can rise to 80C/176F. That’s dangerous for the power bank. Remember, this product contains a lithium-ion battery that produces heat when charging.
Moreover, once the temperature reaches dangerous levels, the battery will stop converting sun power into energy. This is a safety measure meant to prevent accidents.
Overheating isn’t the only problem. ZDNet’s testing showed that solar power banks do not produce enough energy to top up the battery. Most of the products the blog tested failed to hit 50% of the expected battery capacity. That means you’ll never get to make the most of these phone chargers.
The problem here might be the size of the solar cells on the power bank. They might be too small to do the job.
An alternative to solar-powered phone chargers is regular power banks paired with much larger solar panels. The problem with this solution is that you’ll have to carry a much larger, but usually foldable, solar panel, which could provide the kind of energy you need for your portable battery needs.
