Solar Charger Fundamentals

Basics
Solar chargers are portable and compact devices that use solar energy to charge batteries or produce electricity. Solar power or energy is the energy derived from the sun. Popular devices that can make use of these chargers to power themselves or charge their batteries include: cell phones, flashlights, iPods, iPads, mobile phones and other compact audio devices that are able to utilize solar chargers. Often these chargers are designed for a particular type of product. The efficiency of the unit used is highly dependent on the solar panel used. The sizes of solar panels vary in relation to the output generated by such panel. The smaller the level of output, the smaller the size of the solar panel and vice versa; the lesser the efficiency of a solar panel, the greater the amount of space it will require.

There are 3 major types of solar panels used in chargers.

The amorphous solar panel - also known as the thin film panel, it uses the lowest amount of silicon cells which results in the production of solar panels with the lowest level of efficiency. Efficiency level of the thin film panel is usually 10 percent or below. They are the cheapest panels and the most unreliable.
Thepolycrystalline or multi-crystalline solar panel is the next most efficient panel after the mono-crystalline panel. It is the most preferred choice because it combines a perfect blend of cost effectiveness and level of performance. These days, they are manufactured to resemble the mono-crystalline solar panels in size, level of efficiency and level of heat tolerance. The polycrystalline solar panel is the standard panel acceptable in the UK
The mono crystalline solar panel is the smallest panel with the smallest solar cells. it has the largest level of efficiency and takes up the least space. Their efficiency level can be as high as 19 percent. They are the most expensive and most reliable solar panels available in today's market.

Types of Solar Chargers by Application

Automotive Solar Trickle Chargers - are designed with vehicles in mind, these chargers have small solar panels which are directly hooked to a car cigarette lighter plug. The automotive solar trickle charger charges your car battery slowly, replacing the small losses in battery caused by car features that never go off. Battery renewal is done at the maximum rate of 125m Amps every hour when the sun is at its fullest. These chargers rarely come with solar panels big enough to charge a 12V car battery but they supplement with trickles of energy to the level of energy in the car battery. With this charger, there is no need for you to keep your hood open as they can be comfortably attached to your dashboard, keeping your car securely locked while charging. They also have built in diodes to prevent reversal in current which can drain your battery especially at night. This is useful if you want to run something off your car battery without keeping the engine running.
Folding Chargers - an outstanding invention in the field of solar energy in recent years, the creation of flexible thin-film solar cells have led to an increased level of their use in the creation of portable chargers. Apart from the fact that they can be unfolded to allow a larger surface area to be exposed to the sun, they can also be easily rolled up to make them portable. They are extremely light weight and are less prone to damages than other chargers. With weight usually below 1 pound, they produce good level of power if they receive adequate exposure to sunlight. They usually come with built in grommets or hooks so as to make them easier to hang. They also come with plugs and adapters and are compatible plenty compact electronic device.
Clam-shell chargers - clamshell chargers have their solar panels enclosed in folding cases to give protection to their solar cells and to make them easier to carry. They are very common and come in different sizes and voltages depending on the use they are intended for. They can be used with different mobile devices as they have different plugs and adaptors. Some can be plugged directly to electronic devices to charge their batteries while some are designed to charge batteries separately.
Solar Bags and Backpacks - these backpacks and bags are created using flexible thin solar cells. Often, these bags are designed to charge what they are holding. They may charge the devices directly or charge batteries in a built in charging pouch. They are great for charging your devices when you are on the move.

Purchasing Tips

Here some of the factors to look out for when buying solar chargers:

Plug Compatibility - Be sure the charger you buy comes with a power plug that fits the device you wish to use it with.
Charge Time - Most solar chargers produce small amounts of power within short periods due to the presence of just one or two solar cells. The low number or size of solar cells will lead to longer time for charging you device. Exposure of you electronic device to excessive sun can cause damage; if you need a faster way to charge your device, look for chargers with higher number of cells. Of course the tradeoff will be in size. More cells the bigger the charger. To get the chargers with higher number of cells, check for output in watts.Physical dimensions - The physical dimensions of a solar charger usually determine their efficiency. Size is a good indication of power output.
Environment factors - The purpose and the environment in which the charger will be used is also an important factor to consider. If you plan on using it outdoors or in extreme conditions of hot, cold or humidity make sure the charger you have in mind can handle it.

Robert Clark is a freelancer writer. His articles on solar chargers and solar charger reviews can be found at: Solar Charger Web

View the original article here

Mobile Universal Cell Phone Charger - Reduce Waste and Greenhouse

Europe/UK - Mobile phone manufacturers and operators have agreed upon a Micro-USB port as the new standard for mobile phones. By 2012, most mobile phones will support the universal charger according to the GSM association. Members include LG, Motorola, Nokia, Qualcomm, Samsung, and Sony Ericsson. Operators that have agreed in clued 3 group, AT&T, KTF, Mobilkom Austria, Orange, Telecom Italia, Telefonica, Telenor, Telstra, T-Mobile and Vodafone.

The reason for this change? Environmental groups have campaigned for mobile phone companies to be made from recycled materials. Another solution would be to consolidate the chargers into one to reduce waste. Another push is to have solar-powered cell phones. The benefits of a universal cell phone charger? Not having to ask around for the right charger and also a 50% reduction in standby energy consumption.

ZTE, China's largest mobile phone manufacturer, and mobile phone network Digicel has begun showcasing such a product. LG said it would remove brominated flame retardants from their phone and pledged to use green packaging across its entire line of mobile handsets. Their new solar line utilizes solar technology; exposing the phone to the sun for 10 minutes gives it enough power for a 3 minute call. Nokia sees the reduction of waste as the biggest advantage of the initiative but isn't ready to say when it will ship its first universal charger. The company will provide both the universal charger and standard charger during this transitional period.

Until a universal cell phone charger standard becomes available in the United States, a multi tip universal charger for all cell phones is the solution.

The average user needs to charge their phone everyday and some people almost 2-3 times a day. It makes sense to have chargers everywhere.

Has your cell phone died when you needed it most? Free charging stations should be at every restaurant, bar, hotel, and cafe in the world. This is a pressing problem and often times people are in serious situations where a dead cell phone battery can lead to problems or danger. If this has happened to you, you've probably told your story online through Facebook or Twitter.

A significant amount of research has been done linked to cell phone usage:

Interesting statistics about the usage of from the Pew Internet & American Life Project:

- 83% of American adults own some kind of cell phone

- 40% of owners said the found themselves in an emergency situation in which having their phone help

- 42% of owners used their phone for entertainment when they were bored.

- 29% of owners turned their phone off for a period of time just to get a break from using it.

- 13% of owners pretended to be using their phone in order to avoid interacting with the people around them.

- 73% of owners use their phone to take and send pictures

- 54% of owners send videos - 44% access the internet

- 35% own a smartphone of some kind

A study by Google produced similar results:

- 71% of smartphone users search after being exposed to ads online and offline.

- 82% notice mobile ads and 74 percent make a purchase as a result of using their phone during the shopping process.

- 88% of those who look for local information on their smartphones take action within a day.

- 81% of smartphone users browse the Internet, 77% search, 68% use an app, and 48% watch videos on their device.

- 72% use their smartphones while consuming other media, with a third claiming they use their device while watching television.

- 93% of smartphone owners use their device at home.

- 70% of consumers use their smartphones while in the store.

About ChargeAll

ChargeAll is placing FREE cell phone charging stations EVERYWHERE. ChargeAll is a universal cell phone charger and charging station that works with everything from the Apple iPhone and BlackBerry to the Amazon Kindle and Nintendo DS; it literally charges thousands of devices! ChargeAll features 10-in-1 tip technology, fast charge capability, and fully customized designs for business owners. For more information, please visit ChargeAll's website.

View the original article here

Why Is There A Burning Smell From My Laptop Charger?

AppId is over the quota

A burning smell from the adapter is a warning sign. It indicates that it either needs to be replaced or monitored from a closer angle. The smell of burning plastic from laptop chargers can be very dangerous and must be looked into immediately. When you smell something like that, you must disconnect the laptop power supply right away. If you fail to do so, you may just end up damaging your laptop. Unplug the charger from the AC/DC jack of a laptop before you go any further.

The smell of burning plastic can be due to the charger itself. You should pay special attention to the plastic insulation of the cables on laptop chargers. If you find any bare wires, you have found the spot where sparking took place and burnt the plastic around the wire. If you find nothing damaged along the plastic insulation of the cable, take a look at the tip. If you see melted plastic at the tip of the charger, it is a sure sign that something has really gone wrong. Such things usually take place when there is a short circuit connection between the tip of the charger and the socket of the laptop.

It is very important not to take any of these signs lightly. Ignoring these signs at an early stage can lead to potential risks later on. A laptop charger is an extremely important accessory that should work well at all times. If not, you shouldn't hesitate to shell out some money to get it replaced by your laptop manufacturer or purchase the same model online.

A short circuit usually occurs when the power from the laptop adapter is obstructed on its way to the laptop. In other words, the electrical power does not flow smoothly all the way from the socket to the motherboard of the laptop. During this time, a lot of heat is generated. Overheating can quickly melt the insulation around a laptop charger cable or other plastic components near the tip of the charger. When this problem surfaces, you should immediately take your laptop adapter to a professional and get it checked.

While a professional can try to fix your laptop chargers for a small fee, you shouldn't really rely on something that has failed you in the past. If anything goes wrong with the product again, it can cost you dearly. Safety should always be the number one priority for everyone. It is important not to keep using the same malfunctioning charger once again simply because it seems to be working fine at the moment.

Such a charger may continue to recharge your battery for a while, but can cause something really nasty like a fire or other accident after you use it continuously for a few hours. Instead of allowing such undesirable events to take place, just buy an original laptop charger from a reputed online seller of laptop chargers.

Article written by Paul Mitty from Which Laptop, one of the UK's leading suppler of Laptop Chargers.

View the original article here