That $60 solar panel I bought off Amazon barely charges my phone

I figured a little 20 watt panel would be fine for weekend trips, took it out near Flagstaff last month. After three days it only gave me like 15% battery on my phone, even in full sun. The listing said it could handle a tablet no problem, but that was a lie. Has anyone actually found a portable solar setup that works for more than just keeping a headlamp alive?

2 comments

2 Comments

river_adams2517h ago

Had a buddy take nearly the same panel out to Joshua Tree last spring. He strapped it to his backpack thinking it'd top off his phone while he hiked. Got back to camp after 6 hours and his phone had actually lost charge because the panel was too weak to keep up with the battery drain from the GPS and service searching. He finally gave up and just used his car to charge everything. Said the panel now lives in his garage collecting dust.

hayden72018h ago

Maybe check if that 20 watt panel is actually putting out 20 watts. I tested four different Amazon panels with a multimeter last summer and only one hit its claimed rating. The rest were more like 12-15 watts max. Also make sure your phone is in direct sun, not in your bag or a pocket, because panels that small barely trickle charge through any shade or fabric.