Solar Chargers for Emergency Power

Objective

Keep phones, radios, and lights alive during outages using a portable solar + power bank setup you can trust.

System Basics

• Panel 10–28 W (folding), USB-A/C outputs.
• Battery 10,000–20,000 mAh with pass-through charging.
• Short, quality cables to reduce voltage drop.

Setup (Example)

1. Panel facing sun at ~30–45°; avoid shade bands.
2. Panel → power bank (short cable); bank → device(s).
3. Phone on battery saver; screen brightness down.

Throughput Reality

• 10 W panel in clear sun: ~5–6 Wh/hour (≈30–40% of label).
• Cloudy? Charge the bank all day; top devices at night.

Mounting & Safety

• Clip to pack only when stopped—hiking angle is poor.
• Keep bank shaded; heat kills batteries.

Common Errors

• Long cables causing dropouts.
• No pass-through bank → devices cut out with clouds.
• Partial shading: output collapses.

Field Drill

Run a 10 W panel for 4 hours into a 10,000 mAh bank; record % gained. Adjust angle hourly and compare.

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