No Power Outlet? No Problem!
It’s always awesome to see people invent and create projects for the good of their community. This does happen quite a bit on Collaborizm, however I’d like to highlight one project in particular that is making significant progress: The SMPS-Based PV Solar Charger, a solar powered battery charger.
Abhi Verma is the mastermind behind this project, and he was inspired to create this charger because his community in India has extremely limited access to electricity. Abhi points out that the power requirements for the second largest population on earth are prohibitively expensive, so he wanted to find a cost-effective solution…enter solar power!
Understanding the Jargon
Let’s break down the name because WOW, that’s a lot of letters. SMPS stands for “switched-mode power supply” which is an “electronic power supply that incorporates a switching regulator to convert electrical power efficiently” (Wikipedia, “Switched-mode power supply”). Unlike other power sources, such as a linear power source, the SMPS transistor spends as little time as possible in high dissipation transitions, which minimizes energy waste, and therefore, minimizes co$t. As a result, SMPS power supplies are preferable to those who are focused on saving money.
Next, is the PV part of the name, which stands for photovoltaic, which means the conversion of light (sunlight in this case :) ) into electricity — ahhh, now it all makes sense since this is a solar-powered charger.
The Design and Prototype
It’s pretty incredible that Abhi’s design on the left turned into the physical device on the right. With input from the Collaborizm community, Abhi was able to make the correct adjustments to create the best prototype.
Watch it Work!
Below is Abhi’s original charger, which he first built to charge his drones’ lipo battery. With new improvements, the charger can now charge any kind of battery by adjusting the output voltage. Currently, the max voltage current is 3 amp.
Why this is AWESOME
Not only can Abhi help his community obtain access to electricity, he can help India find cheaper ways to obtain electricity. One idea for a community can now help a continent.
