Are Portable Solar Panels Effective Or Worth The Investment?
Absorbing the power from the sun is one of the best ways to recharge gadgets or your smartphone for free of cost. The sun will be capable of charging the sun while you’re out camping, going off-grid, or dealing with an emergency. However, portable solar panels are less effective and are not free of cost. So, is buying portable solar panels worth buying?
A portable solar panel is understandable by its name. USB solar chargers are a great option if you’re taking an extended camping trip or other activities outside the home. The portable power station is a great option to choose from; in comparison to others, these types of panels are bigger. In addition to this, with regular usage, it’ll run out of battery.
Best portable solar panels for home usage
Goal Zero Boulder 100 Briefcase Solar Panel
If your pocket lies under less budget value, these portable solar panels may be the best choice of a portable solar panel for your home. It inherits the characteristics of 50W monocrystalline panels that fold into a briefcase style for portability. It is designed in such a way that you need to keep yourself charged on the go.
GoSun Portable Solar 30
GoSun solar panels are the ultimate choice if you want portability. Inside the package, one will get a USB phone charging port that weighs just under 3 pounds, but its size cannot be underestimated for its power.
GoSun Portable Solar 30 consists of three foldable solar panels, giving 30 watts. These are highly efficient monocrystalline panels that are made up of water-resistant and flexible polymers.
SUNGOLDPOWER 200-Watt 12V Monocrystalline Solar Panel
SUNGOLDPOWER is a solar panel company that brings you a complete portable solar panel kit. The kit consists of 2 pieces of 100 watts solar panels, a 20A LCD PWM solar charge controller, and a solar system connecting cables and Z-brackets.
Renogy Flexible 50-watt Monocrystalline Solar Panel
If you have a desire to get a portable solar panel, then this can be the best choice. This Renogy solar panel is a 50-watt 12-volt monocrystalline solar panel that weighs just under 3 pounds. This is one of the best solar panels to go with.
Advantages of portable solar panels
While the normal solar panels are bigger in size and are installed on the top of the roof, their role is to generate maximum solar energy. Phone chargers with solar panels are becoming more popular in a few years because they organically provide energy and charge your phone in emergencies. Along with this, some of the other advantages are listed below:
Extremely Easy To Set Up
Portable solar panels do not require long wires, iron rods, or drilled holes to make the process of installation completed. This feature makes them cheaper. The installation of these panels is not a tough part. They come in suitcase-style, which makes them compact and completely foldable. You need to unfold the panel from the suitcase. Some panels even come with pre-installed cables for USB outlets.
Portability Offers Comfort and No Adjustments
Suppose one can detach the portable panel and place it under direct sunlight. Then, whenever you are going to make any momentum, you place them back and make a move. You do not leave them under the sun to work.
Less Space Required
Portable solar panels are portable in nature since they are smaller in size and can be installed on the roof. The amount of power generated by the system can fluctuate with time. The main feature is that these portable panels can be stored in cupboards or under your bed.
Extremely Low Maintenance
Rooftop panels need regular cleaning and maintenance because you need to climb up the roof every time. If a lot of dirt, sand, or snow is collected on the panels, they will certainly not work properly. Apart, you don’t have to clean them often. It will be easier to accomplish the task of cleaning once the system is smaller in size.
Best Pick For RVs
Portable solar panels are trendy among people who own RVs and camps. Portable solar panels are easy to move in RVs as they are compact. You can even install them on the top of the RVs so they keep on charging.
Maximum Absorption
The owner gets the chance to install these types of solar panels at different positions depending upon the sun and get direct sunlight in the daytime. At the same time, the other system cannot be moved.
Some of the portable solar panels uses
Portable solar panels are some of the most energy-efficient and useful products. These devices can charge the appliances. Portable solar panels that are currently manufactured are more efficient, smaller in size, and easier to carry. You can use larger versions of portable solar panels for charging bigger appliances. Here we mentioned some of the uses of portable solar panels.
Charge a Laptop
Whether you belong to a business class or a service class job, the laptop is one of the most common appliances carried by people or employees. A portable solar panel that generates electricity from the sunshine can be used to recharge your laptop as well. It is advisable to keep spare batteries on hand so that you can work even on cloudy days and at night.
Charge a Cell Phone
A cell phone is another valuable accessory that people include in their travel bags. It can come in handy when you want to call people on the road and for assistance in case of emergencies. Use a solar panel to generate the electricity you need for recharging your cell phone so that you remain unaffected even if you forget your phone charger at home.
Charge a Portable Music Player
Whether you use it on a daily basis or in the form of entertainment, a portable music player is an essential part. You can recharge your iPod by using portable solar panels.
Provide Electricity for an RV
An electricity generator can be bulky, noisy, and expensive to purchase and maintain. On the other hand, these portable solar panels can be easily installed and can be used on your RV. These portable solar generator do not create annoying noise, while solar electricity fulfills all your requirements.
Provide Electricity for a Camp
Camping outdoors is a fun activity. Portable solar panels facilitate safe, energy-friendly means of electricity generation on your camping site.
Heating Water in Remote Areas
The users of solar panels can generate heat easily for your cooking or cleaning needs. The usage of electricity can be done on an electric grill, stove, or barbecue.
How Do Portable Solar Panels Work?
The surface of the solar panels is generally divided into two small cells. Each photovoltaic cell is made of two thin layers of silicone.
When sunlight hits the panel, photons create an electric field between these two layers of silicone. This electric field is then channeled via thin metallic strips called busbars and stored in a battery, used to power an appliance, or sent to the local energy grid, depending on how your system is designed.
Portable solar panels are typically smaller than the panels that are designed for residential or commercial usage. Some of the additional features of these solar panels are a foldable design, a kickstand, along with a carrying case.
Just like regular solar panels, portable models ask for a few additional devices to produce and store electricity. You will need to connect your portable solar panel to a charge controller to regulate the power output and might need to invest in a battery and in an inverter to convert the power output so you can use it with a regular appliance.
Here is the step-to-step guide for the installation of the solar panel-
A step-by-step guide to the portable solar panel
1) Core equipment:
Each portable solar panel inherits the energy-producing solar panel kit. It also includes a flat aluminum sheet made up of solar cells that cover the top of the solar panel.
To protect the solar cells from environmental damage, the top of the panel is covered with transparent glass.
The glass allows the Sun UV rays to pass through the glass and reach the solar cells that eventually produce electricity.
2) Electricity generation:
When the sunlight hits the photovoltaic cells, it allows the electron in the Silicon bond to move from the negative charge to the positive charge.
This movement is known as flowing electricity. Once the electrons start moving through the connect cable, it is directed to the batteries, where the electricity is stored.
Each group of solar cells is fixed to make the electron move freely when the bond is broken by the sun's UV rays.
The heat produced during electricity production heats the equipment.
3) Role of batteries:
The batteries are not necessary for the solar panel system. Your solar panel system can produce electricity without using batteries.
However, batteries would help you to utilize the solar panel at the optimum performance. During the daytime, the electricity produced by the solar panel reaches its optimum capacity on a bright sunny day.
The portable solar panel would be generating more than what you consume in a day. So it would be a wise decision to store the excess electricity using batteries.
The batteries will get charged in the daytime, and you can use them all day long. In such a way, your solar panel system will use its optimum capacity. You will be able to save on the electricity bill.
4) Solar panel stand:
The solar panel system would require the supporting device to mount the panel in a standing position.
To make the maximum production of electricity by the solar panels, one must keep the portable solar panel at the right angle. The solar panel system should be directed towards the sunlight.
Direct exposure to sunlight enables the panel to produce more energy. Hence, the solar panel stand would help you place your solar panel in a fixed position.
The stand mechanism allows you to easily change the direction without needing to reassemble the whole system.
5) DC or AC Cables:
A portable solar panel comes up with the cables. These cables are made of high-quality material that protects the human body from getting in contact with an electric shock.
The cables are a transporting device that moves the electricity from the portable solar panel to the inverter.
6) Inverter:
The inverter is the device that converts the direct current generated from the solar panel to the alternate current.
The direct current can produce a high amount of pressure on the connected device. Therefore, it is wise to convert them to the alternating current, which generally operates in a moderated manner.
It gives protection to electronic equipment and makes the equipment work in a safe environment. In the high production situation, the inverter adjusts the flow of the electron to the device before moving them to the connected batteries.
Conclusion
A portable solar panel is certainly a cleaner source of electricity compared to most alternatives, but to make it worth the investment, consider its financial worth as well as its convenience.