Do you need to recharge your mobile phone where there is no place to plug in your charger? The 22W Innergy Power Solar Binder offers a convenient and reliable way to use sunlight to charge your cell phone or PDA.
emergency preparedness
Severe weather this winter brought down power lines and caused extended power outages for millions of Americans. After the weather cleared in the Pacific Northwest and Midwest, it still took several days to restore power. Recharging a phone in these conditions can be challenging, but if the sun is shining, a solar charger can get the job done. However, keep in mind that many solar chargers have small, inefficient collector surfaces that charge very slowly. The Innergy Power 22W Solar Binder has a four square foot solar collector surface area which greatly reduces charging time.
Elegant design
The solar binder consists of three lightweight fiberglass solar modules packaged in a ballistic nylon zippered box. When closed, it’s a slim attached case with a comfortable handle and shoulder strap that makes the unit easy to carry. There is also a side pocket where you can store your cell phone, adapter cable, and a first aid kit or other items.
The binder comes with a cigarette lighter receptacle at the end of a 10′ cord. Take it on a nature trip in your backpack and you’ll be able to stay in touch with the world you left behind in case an emergency arises.
How does it work
Operating the solar binder is very easy. Just put it in a sunny spot, open the panels and plug in your cell phone or PDA with an auto power adapter. This winter, with the sun at a relatively low angle to the horizon, I oriented the panels to maximize solar exposure by placing the open folder on a board resting on a pair of sneakers. You can lay it flat on the ground or on your patio deck in the summer when the sun is higher.
As soon as the sun hits the modules, they start generating electricity and the cell phone charging light turns green. There are no moving parts, no noise, and no mechanisms to wear out.
What else do you need
If you don’t already have one, you’ll need a car power adapter cable and power tip to connect your specific cell phone model to the solar binder. You can buy them at most stores that sell cell phones or PDAs. The model I use is from iGo and it allows me to plug my cell phone into my car’s cigarette lighter. You can also request one for your specific phone at iGo.com. Mine is around $40.
what to expect
The time required to fully recharge your mobile phone or PDA depends on the amount of solar power available, which in turn depends on latitude, time of day, season, and cloud cover. I ran performance tests with a Sony Ericsson T610 in December on the deck of my apartment on the central coast of California. Lux levels were recorded every hour.
Test 1 started on 12/19/06 at 11:30 am with clear skies. Lux levels ranged from 86,500 to 98,000 with an average of 93,250. Charging time was three hours.
Test 2 was started on 12/20/06 at noon under high cirrus clouds. At 3:30 pm the sky was overcast and the test was stopped. It rained for the next two days. Testing resumed at 12:15 PM on 12/23/06 under overcast conditions. Throughout the test period, lux ranged from 9,800 to 88,000, with an overall average of 49,496. Total charging time was 5.5 hours.
Conclusions: On a clear winter day, my cell phone was fully charged in three hours. Charging time increased to 5.5 hours in cloudy sky conditions.
How much is it
The 22W solar binder is priced around $170. You can also add an auxiliary battery, which allows you to capture and store solar energy during the day and then charge your cell phone at night, for around $100.
CoolnessFactor
Using the Innergy Power Solar Binder 22W Charger shows that you support energy conservation and are doing your part to reduce global warming. Definitely great; maybe one day we will all be Speaking of sunshine.
