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Features To Look For In Portable Solar Power Systems
How much does it weigh? If you will be carrying your
equipment in a car, this may not be so much of an issue.
But if you're backpacking, it is!
How much power does it supply? How long does it take to
charge my equipment? Can it run my equipment, or only
charge it? (For more information on this subject, see:
http://findportablesolarpower.com (page "Watts? How Many
Watts Does my Device Need to Supply?)
Does it come with a back-up battery? Some companies sell
back-up batteries to go with your solar cell. You can
charge the battery during the day (or, in some cases,
while you are traveling) and later use the battery to
charge your equipment. These batteries can sometimes also
be charged from a wall socket and/or from a car charge
adapter.
Can you operate it while you are traveling? You may
want
to have a solar cell that you can use while you are hiking
or traveling (such as a flexible panel that can be carried
on your back, or one that is even built into your backpack).
This way, you can charge your small equipment, or a backup
battery, while you are on-the-move (I don't think you would
want to charge your laptop while you are hiking).
Is it waterproof? If you will be using your equipment in
a boat or under other circumstances where it is likely to
get wet (like in the jungle during a monsoon)
this is an important factor to consider.
Is the cord long enough? Your solar cell does best in
bright sunlight, but your other equipment usually doesn't.
Some solar cells come with a long cord so you can put your
camera or laptop in the shade while they are charging.
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