If you're always on the road or RVing, you may have thought about investing in some portable solar panels for electricity. Portable solar panels are an increasingly popular way of getting the power you need. Not only do they save the environment, but they're getting more and more accessible!
Here's everything you need to know to get started with portable solar panels.
What Is a Portable Solar Panel?
A portable solar panel is just like a normal solar panel. It's a reflective panel that takes energy from the sun and converts it into electricity for your use. Only with a portable solar panel, you can take it on-the-go!
Portable solar panels are much smaller than average solar panels, and because of this, they produce less electricity. Their output is usually around 100 watts, meaning you can use them to charge batteries, run a generator for a while, and power some appliances. They won't compare to residential solar panels, which output anywhere between 4,000 and 10,000 watts, but will more than do for most of your traveling needs.
Why Invest in Portable Solar Panels?
The main reason you're going to want a portable solar panel is for travel. If you're making a long RV trip, you're probably going to want power at some point, but you simply can't get it unless you purchase a hookup from a camp or RV site, or pay to gas up your generator. Portable solar panels will get rid of that stress.
Portable solar panels can be used any time you want, as long as you've got sunlight to charge it up with. You can move the solar panel into a spot where the sun is shining the most, ensuring that it'll always work. It's also much cheaper than running a generator or using other sources of electricity, as you're not going to need fuel or batteries.
Plus, portable solar panels are quiet, creating no noise when providing you with energy as opposed to noisy generators. That's a huge plus if you're at a campsite or somewhere you need to keep quiet. Portable solar panel prices are lowering as they become more saturated in the market and improvements are made, so the time has never been better to make that investment.
What Can I Do With a Portable Solar Panel?
A portable solar panel will easily get you enough energy to charge a dying cellphone, power a mini-fridge and other appliances, and power some LED lights. They obviously aren't going to power your whole house, but they'll work for anything you might need to get done while camping or on-the-move.
More powerful portable solar panels will produce between 200 and 350 watts of power, allowing you a few more benefits. The best way to figure out the limitations of your solar panel is to test it on various electronics and see how they work. Just make sure it's a sunny day, and you'll have no issues testing your portable solar panel to your heart's content.
Portable solar panels can also be crucial survival tools. If your car breaks down in the middle of nowhere, or you end up somewhere with no power and a dead phone, you could be in a considerable amount of danger, stranded to your own devices. With a portable solar panel, you can just set it up and have all the power you need to heat water, get some light going, and charge that phone to make an emergency call.
Portable solar panels would also be extremely helpful in, God forbid, some sort of catastrophic situation like an EMP attack or apocalypse. And while that may be a farfetched situation to some, to others it's not. If you're a true survivalist, you should probably consider a portable solar panel for your arsenal.
Types of Portable Solar Panels
There are a few different types of portable solar panels on the market. Some are large enough to attach to the top of your RV. These are best for running appliances and lights and will get you the most energy possible for a portable solution.
There are also much smaller versions, like those made specifically for charging phones, e-readers, and other portable devices. These emit around 20 watts of power, making them unusable for anything other than a small electronic, but are affordable and great options for keeping your phone charged and ready to go. Most portable solar panels are even foldable and contractable, making them even more portable!
What Do Portable Solar Panels for Electricity Cost?
The price of portable solar panels varies greatly, but getting started can cost you as little as around $200 for a single solar panel. There are a lot of options available at PoweredPortableSolar.com, where you can purchase full starter kits, batteries, and everything you'll need to access power off-the-grid. If you want to get a good gauge of prices, check out their site.
Smaller portable solar panels made for laptops and small electronics are the cheapest options, coming in at under $100 a lot of the time. However, they're extremely limited, so don't expect to get anything but a small electronic charge out of these.
Don't Sleep on Portable Solar Panels
Portable solar panels for electricity are a perfect option for camping, living off the grid, and those who just need a quick charge while they're on the go. The last thing you want is to be stuck in an emergency situation without any power, and a portable solar panel will make sure you're covered in any situation. They're becoming more and more affordable and widely available, so don't hesitate to step into the future and harness the power of the sun.
For more like this, check out the rest of our blog. Contact us with any comments, questions, and concerns. We'd be happy to hear them.
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