Tourist solar panel: what it is, features, how to choose

Solar panel is made on the basis of semiconductor materials and converts the energy of the sun into electric current. A powerful portable solar system can charge not only a flashlight and smartphone, but also a laptop. It will provide electricity for such needs in the mountain hiking, camping at sea or fishing. It will come in handy at the cottage or at home, if there are temporary problems with the centralized electricity supply.

Features

The photocell in a portable solar system comes in three kinds:

• Crystalline photocell made of a slice of artificially grown silicon. The limiting efficiency is 14%, high efficiency, durability. The photocell is fragile, so a strong protection is required.
• Amorphous photocell is a flexible base with a sputtering of silicon composition. The maximum efficiency is 8%, short-lived. No increased protection of the housing is required.
• Thin-film photocell consists of semiconductor materials - cadmium telluride, or CIGS, which includes gallium, indium, copper and selenium, etc. They can operate on scattered radiation. Their area is about twice as large as that of crystalline panels of similar capacity.

The performance of the battery determines the type and area of the photovoltaic cell. There are small capacity models for 5 or 7 watts, which weigh a little - about 300 grams. Since their performance is lower, it takes more time to charge the gadgets.

The larger mobile solar systems with 120-160 watts of power weigh 4.7-7 kg. These models are transported to the place of rest in the car with the things, or carried by hand in a special bag or backpack. They provide enough electricity to quickly charge power-consuming devices.

How to choose a solar panel

It is good if the portable mini solar station has these characteristics and equipment:

• Power of 110 watts or more.
• The ability to produce maximum power regardless of the position of the sun, the angle of the rays, the level of cloud cover and air temperature.
• If a monocrystalline silicon photocell is used, this provides a high energy conversion efficiency of about 22%.
• Waterproofing will protect the parts of the device from moisture.
• A protective film that insulates the panel from ultraviolet rays prolongs its service life.
• A reinforced case is necessary to keep the device safe during transportation. The stand allows you to tilt it sideways and at any angle.

To choose a travel solar panel, the power and performance of which will be enough, determine with the number and power consumption of gadgets that will need to charge from it. For smartphones, tablets and external batteries with a capacity of up to 12,000 mAh the device with a power of 14 watts is enough. To charge not only smartphones, but also laptops and car refrigerators, you'll need a 21W station.

In order to power the gadgets as quickly as from a standard power grid, the current value of the panel must match the current value of the charger. If the solar panel current is lower, it will take about 30% longer to charge the devices. It is important to pay attention to whether the manufacturer indicates the total output power for both ports or for each port separately.