Building your own solar powered phone charger can be a fun and rewarding project that allows you to harness the power of the sun to charge your devices. With just a few common household items, you can make an easy DIY solar phone charger that's inexpensive and eco-friendly.
What You'll Need
To build a basic solar phone charger, you'll need just a few supplies:
-
Solar panel - This absorbs sunlight and converts it into electricity. You can find small solar panels made for charging devices online or at electronics stores. Get the highest wattage panel you can find within your budget.
-
Battery pack - Look for one designed for charging phones and devices. A power bank with a USB port works perfectly. The higher the milliamp hours (mAh), the more charges you'll get.
-
USB charging cable - Use the cable that came with your phone or any basic USB phone charging cord.
-
Direct current (DC) jack connector - This connects the solar panel to the battery pack. You may be able to salvage one from an old phone charger.
-
Electrical tape - Helps secure and weatherproof connections.
-
Scissors - For cutting tape and trimming wires.
-
Box or enclosure - A small plastic food storage container works well to mount the panel and protect the battery pack.
That's it! These are all common items you likely already have at home. Now let's put our solar phone charger together.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Follow these steps to assemble your own solar-powered phone charging station:
1. Connect the Solar Panel to the Battery Pack
The solar panel and battery pack connect using the DC jack connector.
-
Cut the connector off the end of an old USB phone charger using scissors.
-
Strip about 1/2 inch of insulation off the positive and negative wires coming from the solar panel.
-
Connect the positive wire (usually red) from the solar panel to the middle pin of the DC connector.
-
Connect the negative wire (usually black) to the side pin.
-
Secure the connections by wrapping tightly with electrical tape.
2. Connect the Battery Pack to Your Phone
-
Plug your phone's USB charging cable into the USB port on the battery pack.
-
Run the cable out of the box through a small hole or notch. You'll charge your phone by plugging it into the USB end.
3. Mount the Solar Panel
-
Place the battery pack in the box. Close the lid securely.
-
Attach the solar panel to the top of the box using tape or velcro.
-
Ensure the panel faces upwards to catch rays from the sun.
And that's it, you now have a solar powered DIY phone charger!
Where to Place Your Solar Charger
Location is key when harnessing the sun's energy. Here are some solar panel placement tips:
-
Outdoors - For the most direct sunlight, place your charger in an open outdoor spot like the ground or picnic table. Angle the panel to face the sun.
-
Near a window - Situation the solar panel in a well-lit indoor spot near a sunlit window. South or West facing windows get the most sun.
-
Outside when charging - When actively charging devices, put the solar panel in direct sunlight for faster charging speed. Bring it indoors when not in use.
-
Tracking sunlight - Manually adjust the direction of the solar panel 2-3 times per day to track the sun's movement and maximize light exposure.
-
No shade - Avoid shade from buildings, trees and other objects which can greatly reduce solar energy production.
With optimal solar panel placement, you'll get the fastest charging times to power up your devices!
Solar Phone Charging Tips
Follow these tips to get the most out of your homemade solar phone charger:
-
Recharge the battery pack fully before first use by plugging it into an outlet. This ensures maximum solar charging capacity.
-
Pre-charge devices like phones and tablets to at least 25% before using the solar charger. Starting from a low battery is inefficient.
-
When possible, put devices in airplane mode to avoid battery drain from apps, calls, and background processes.
-
The solar charger will take longer than a wall outlet. But the sun provides free, renewable power!
-
Check connections periodically for corrosion and re-tape as needed for weatherproofing.
-
Consider adding more solar panels or connecting panels in parallel to increase charging power.
With a simple homemade solar phone charger, you can go green and enjoy free power from the sun. Have fun getting creative and designing your own custom enclosure to mount the panel and store the battery. Get your devices charged up on renewable solar energy!