The history of solar panel battery chargers
The history of solar power battery chargers has to start with the advent of solar power. Attempts to capture the power of the sun have been made since the dawn of man. Realizing his power to give heat and light, he intrigued man from the beginning of time. Leonardo da Vinci studied the sun and ways to harness it in the 15th century.
Although modern science has removed the romance of sun gods, mystical beings, and other myths and tales, it has not lost its curiosity. Harnessing the sun’s energy for use in batteries has been around since France decided it needed an alternative energy source long before the fuel shortages of the 1970s.
Charles Fritz succeeded in converting the sun’s rays into electricity with the first solar cell in 1883. It wasn’t until later in the 1880s that a solar cell was used to heat the water in his home. The studies continued. The possibilities of exhausting all non-renewable resources were well known in the 19th century. People around the world continue to choose to use coal and other non-renewable energy sources as if they will never end or have any consequences.
Three Bell Labs scientists, Calvin Fuller, Daryl Chaplin, and Gerald Pearson, discovered that silicon was a very good semiconductor. Today, solar cells and panels are often made from silicon.
These small but laudable steps were baby steps for the many uses of solar power today. Solar energy is now influencing energy production far more than ever imagined in history. It is no longer history, it is the future that depends on solar energy and the ability to use the sun as a source of energy and not deplete the earth of non-renewable resources.
Then the price of oil doubled in the 1970s, the US government finally decided to invest time and funds in developing the solar cell. This is the same solar electric cell that was produced in 1953 by scientists at Bell Laboratories.
Today, the variety of solar powered battery chargers is staggering. When you take inventory of your electronic devices, you know that they all need to be charged in one way or another. You will find that most of those electric chargers can be replaced by solar battery chargers.
The solar charger contains solar panels. When these panels are placed in direct sunlight, the panels will convert the sun’s energy and store it in your battery. The more power you want, the larger solar panel you’ll need. Portable solar chargers are available and are built into many small devices. Solar-powered calculators have been around for decades. At first large and cumbersome, now they are pocket-sized and more efficient.
Internal solar batteries are generally what you’ll find in these small portable devices. Prices count. There are some that are too small to charge the device with just the sun, but they can charge the internal battery. The internal batteries will most likely need to be replaced before the device wears out. Replacing an internal battery most likely happens every two years and is a danger to the ecosystem. A weak battery in a new device is also a potential problem.
External solar chargers are great when you’re not near a power outlet. You can plug the charger into your device on a beach, in a foreign country, or on a boat without AC power. They’re also great if you’re camping. You can get solar panels big enough to keep everything in your campground charged and usable without having to draw on electrical power supplies. They are great for any emergency, survival or pleasure when electricity is not available.
Before investing in a solar charger, it will be important to see if your appliances and devices can be used with one. Additional purchase of cables may be required in some cases.
To charge rechargeable batteries, you will need a separate solar power charger. Since it will most likely be used outdoors, it is important to purchase one that is weather resistant. Keep the connections clean and free of anything that could clog them and the panels themselves will work more efficiently if they are also kept clean and free of dust and dirt.