How to Make a Simple DIY Solar Powered Phone Charger With Household Items

Solar power is an amazing renewable energy source that can be harnessed to charge devices like phones using simple household items. With just a few common materials, you can build your own solar phone charger in no time.

Here's how I made my own DIY solar powered phone charger with things I already had around the house:

Gather the Needed Materials

To make the solar phone charger, you will need the following:

• Small solar panel - This provides the power from the sun. I used a 5V 100mA panel I had from another project.

• Power bank - This stores the power from the solar panel. Any portable external battery will work.

• Wires - You need wires to connect the solar panel to the power bank. I used some spare USB cables.

• Cardboard (optional) - For mounting the solar panel. Not required but useful.

• Tape (optional) - To attach the solar panel to the cardboard backing.

• Glue (optional) - Alternative to tape for securing the solar panel.

That's it for materials! Pretty much any small solar panel and power bank will work for this project.

Connect the Solar Panel to the Power Bank

The wiring for this DIY solar phone charger is very simple. You just need to connect the solar panel directly to the power bank.

Here are the steps I followed:

1. First, cut the end off of a USB cable. This will be used to connect the solar panel to the power bank. You want to cut it on the end that plugs into a device like a phone.

2. Strip a half inch of insulation off the red (positive) and black (negative) wires inside the USB cable.

3. Connect the red wire to the positive terminal on the solar panel. I just wrapped it around the connector and taped it in place.

4. Connect the black wire to the negative terminal on the solar panel. Same as above, wrapped the wire and taped it.

5. Plug the USB end of the cable into the power bank. The wiring is now complete!

At this point, your solar panel should be generating power and sending it directly to the power bank when in sunlight.

Mount the Solar Panel (Optional)

For the best sunlight exposure, you'll want to mount your solar panel. I used some cardboard and tape, but you could also attach it to something sturdier like wood.

To mount with cardboard:

• Take a piece of cardboard a little larger than your solar panel.

• Place the solar panel face up in the center of the cardboard.

• Use tape or glue to securely attach the panel to the cardboard.

• Make sure no part of the panel is covered by tape/glue so it gets full sunlight.

That's it! Tape up any loose wires and your solar phone charger is ready for sun.

Using the Solar Phone Charger

The usage is very simple. Just take your DIY solar panel setup outside on a sunny day and:

• Make sure the solar panel is in direct sunlight - this provides the power.

• Let the panel charge up the power bank - may take a couple hours in full sun.

• Use the power bank to charge your phone as needed - works just like a regular portable charger.

Some tips for best performance:

• Try to keep the solar panel pointed at the sun as much as possible.

• Check the power bank's charge indicators to see when it's fully charged by the sun.

• Bring it back out in the sun to recharge after using it.

And that's it! I was able to build this solar phone charger in an afternoon with stuff I already had at home. Now I have a renewable way to charge my phone anywhere the sun is shining. You can customize and enhance it however you like. Have fun going solar with DIY projects!