The Disadvantages of Solar Battery Chargers

Car battery chargers are available in compact models.
••• battery charger image by Albert Lozano from Fotolia.com

Dependence on electronics has meant a weekend away from the power grid, which means many people need to take some kind of charging device with them to power up cell phones, navigation systems and even laptops. Solar chargers have been developed to ensure they can work in the great outdoors, but unfortunately these suffer from many of the same drawbacks as solar panels.

Cost

One of the main drawbacks of solar power is the cost of installation, which also applies to portable devices. A solar charger will set you back at least $75 while a normal battery charger can cost less than $20.

Kinds

Every piece of electronic kit you own has a specific battery outlet. The charger for your laptop is completely different than the one used by your cell phone and MP3 player, which may result in your having to buy several different chargers and carrying them around with you.

Reliability

As solar chargers have no capacity to store energy collected during the day, they are only useful for a small amount of time. Even once the sun starts to go down, the power supplied will start to plummet. If you happen to be walking in the mountains on a cloudy day, there is also a chance it will not work at all.

Time

Solar power chargers take a while to restore the majority of a battery in a cell phone or navigation system, and, as they only work during the day, this will involve having to stop, set up the system and then wait for it to charge, which may not be ideal in your situation.

Practicality

Taking a cell phone with you on a trip may be necessary as an emergency measure. As solar chargers only work during the day and take time to charge up, a cell phone may no longer seem like a practical emergency communication means.

Related Articles

Myths of Solar Power
What Would a 60-Watt Solar Panel Run?
Does a Smartphone Charger Stop After It's Full?
What Are the Items Needed to Make a Solar Panel System?
Hooking Up a 45-Watt Solar Panel Battery
How Is Solar or Photovoltaic Electricity Transported?
Access 2TB of Cloud Storage for Less Than $50
How to Run Your Fridge on Solar Power
How to Test a NiCad Battery
Future of Solar Power: Obstacles & Problems
Solar Power in Travel Trailers
How to Convert Horsepower to kWh
What Would Happen if the Internet Went Down?
How to Build a Hand Operated Electric Generator
Electrical Engineering Capstone Project Ideas
How to Build a Solar Remote Control Car
Why Not Mix Two Types of AA Batteries?
How to Revive Lithium Ion Batteries
How to Connect Two LiPo Batteries
Does a Larger mAh Number on Your Cell Phone Battery...

Dont Go!

We Have More Great Sciencing Articles!