How to Make a DIY Solar Phone Charger From Scrap Materials

With increasing focus on renewable energy and sustainability, more people are looking for ways to harness solar power in their everyday lives. One fun project is making your own solar phone charger from scrap materials. This can be a weekend DIY project and doesn't require much technical know-how. Here is a step-by-step guide on how I made my own solar phone charger from scrap materials I had around the house.

Gather the Needed Materials

The great thing about this project is that many of the components can be scavenged from old devices or purchased very cheaply. Here are the main items you will need:

• Solar panel - This is the main component that will convert sunlight into electricity. You can salvage these from solar garden lights or buy a small 5V panel online.

• Power bank - To store the energy from the solar panel, you will need a power bank or portable battery pack. Make sure it has a USB output.

• Wires - You will need various wires to make the connections, like jumper wires or old USB cables.

• Box (optional) - Some sort of plastic box or enclosure can be used to mount the components inside. This is optional but does make the charger more durable.

• Double-sided tape/epoxy - For securing the solar panel and attaching parts to the box.

• Diode - Important for preventing electricity flowing back to the solar panel from the power bank.

Connect the Solar Panel to the Power Bank

The first step is connecting the solar panel to the power bank so energy can be transferred and stored.

1. First, cut a USB cable in half and strip a few inches of the red (positive) and black (negative) wires on both halves.

2. Connect the red wire from the solar panel to the red wire of the USB cable spliced into the power bank.

3. Do the same with the black wires.

4. Solder or twist the wires together securely and cover with electrical tape.

5. Insert the diode in line with the positive wire between the solar panel and USB cable. This prevents reverse current flow.

Important tips for connecting:

• Make sure wiring polarity is correct.
• Use electrical tape over joints to prevent short circuiting.
• The diode direction allows current to flow towards the power bank.

Mount the Solar Panel and Components

For weather protection and portability, you can mount the components together in an enclosure.

• I used double-sided tape to adhere the solar panel to the top of a plastic food container.

• The power bank fit nicely inside the container below the panel.

• I drilled a small hole and fed the connecting wires through into the box to connect to the power bank.

• For a clean look, I lined the inside edges with duct tape to hold the wires in place.

Testing and Using Your Solar Charger

Once assembled, test your solar phone charger in the sun.

• Verify the solar panel is outputting ~5V power when in sunlight.

• Plug your phone into the power bank and check it charges properly.

• If desired, cut a small viewing window in the container to check power bank status.

Now just set the charger in sunlight and let the free energy flow into your devices! Some usage tips:

• Fully charge the power bank first for maximum solar harvesting.

• Position the panel directly towards the sun for best results.

• Slow charges are normal - be patient! The smaller the panel, the slower the charging speed.

With a little time and elbow grease, you can build your own functional solar phone charger using scrapped materials. And with some creativity, you can customize the design for your needs. Power to the people!