Solar (powerbank) Upgrade
Not so long ago, I wrote about a solar (energy) bank and exploring the idea of “energy self-sufficiency” during tours. Later, I started playing with another power bank, which was cheaper and according to customer reviews, it is stated that solar energy is not charging it at all. And that’s what intrigued me, so I bought one. After a certain period of use (when charging only from a solar source), the power bank is depleted.
I opened the box and measured the current of the solar panel. The product specification states that the charging current from the solar panel should be 100mA, which the measurement revealed was only 0.53mA.
I talked to a friend to get an idea of what the best way to improve was. He advised me to use a different solar panel (I wonder if they have friends’ electrons because they are negative). I chose a new solar panel with a current of 150 mA. When it came, I immediately measured its current.
It is not ideal, but it gives at least 27 times higher current than the previous panel. I will still want to use a better panel in the future, but let’s attach this panel to the board and see if it works.
You can see that when the panel is connected to the board, the green LED immediately lights up, indicating charging from the solar panel. I left the existing panel in place, but removed its connection to the board. The new solar panel will be located on the old one.
The final picture shows the assembled solar bank. The charging LED lights up brightly.
