Solar cell phone chargers

Solar cell phone chargers use solar panels to charge cell phone batteries. They can be used when no electricity supply is available — either mains or, for example, a vehicle battery — and are sometimes suggested as a way to charge phones without consuming mains electricity, unlike electrical cell phone chargers.

solar panels can also be used as a conventional charger by plugging into an electrical outlet. Some chargers have an internal rechargeable battery which is charged in sunlight and then used to charge a phone; others charge the phone directly.

There are also public solar chargers for mobile phones which can be installed permanently in public places such as streets, park, and squares. One such is the Strawberry Tree public solar charger.

One cell phone model was reported in 2010 to have a built-in solar charger. Solar chargers are commercially available for cellphones.

Solar cell phone chargers come in different shapes and configurations including folding (Goal Zero, Endless Sun Solar) and types that unfold like petals (Solio).

Solar chargers can be used to charge other rechargeable devices with requirements similar to a mobile phone, such as Bluetooth headsets and music players.

Solar chargers used to charge the phone directly, rather than by using an internal battery, can damage a phone if the output is not well-controlled, for example by supplying excessive voltage in bright sunlight. In less bright light, although there is electrical output it may be too low to support charging, it will not just charge slower.