The first thing you will need in order to solar power your laptop are the power specifications for your laptop. Typically this information will be listed on your laptop or notebook battery and will be displayed in A for Amps or MAH for milla-amps. This important information will tell you the power requirements for your laptop so you can charge and or run your laptop with solar. A typical laptop runs on 25 to 75 watts that will read as 2 Amps or 6 amps on your laptop battery. Now that you know the size of your laptops battery we can work on finding a solar energy solution for your laptop battery.
Lets use the example that your laptop battery is 6 amps. Basically you will need to produce 6 amps of power from a solar panel and or an extra battery in order to replace the power your laptop uses. Now let抯 go shopping for a solar panel laptop charger or a more reliable universal solar laptop charging kit or station that will provide you with the 6 amps of power needed for your laptop.
There are a few options for solar laptop chargers in 2012 ranging from single solar panels for direct laptop battery charging and solar laptop charging kits that will actually run your laptop with solar energy using a combination of solar panels, batteries, and 120v AC inverters for universal solar laptop charging. We also have a variety of solar laptop bags that integrate a solar charging system into a backpack or messenger bag. Each option has its own features and benefits for solar charging laptop batteries ranging from weight, components included in kit, laptop compatibility, and price.
Option 1: Universal Solar Laptop Charging Kit: The most universal solar charging laptop kit should include 3 components, the solar panel, battery for power storage, and 120V AC inverter. While these solar energy laptop kits are compatible with all laptops and notebook due to the 120V AC inverter there is a small amount of power loss converting the 12V DC power from the panel to 120V AC household power. In our opinion the small loss in power is well worth it, as the AC inverter will provide you with a battery so you can store power for later use, rainy days, or evening hours when the sun is not shining. The Battery and Inverter will also provide you with one or multiple AC outlets (just like at home) built right into your solar charging laptop kit so you can conveniently plug your laptop right into your solar kit using your 3 prong wall outlet plug. These features do come with a higher price tag but our customers have expressed that reliability, compatibility, and back up power is paramount in off grid laptop charging.
Please view this image of a Universal Laptop Solar Charging System. Pictured is the side of our Wagan Solar E-Power Laptop Case which includes a solar panel, back-up battery, and Inverter. Please note the two 120V AC outlets built into the left side of the unit. This is where you can plug your laptop right into the unit with your 3 prong wall plug just like running your laptop at home!
If option one suits your price requirements using our example of a 6 amp laptop battery we will search for a solar power laptop charger that will store 6 amps or more of power in it抯 battery component. The battery specification for our solar laptop batteries can be found under the specifications tab on our product details page. You may also want to know how many hours the solar panel will take to charge up the battery component of your solar laptop kit. Here is a simple equation that will help you figure this out:
Take the AMPs of your solar battery and divide it by the AMP output of the solar panel. 6 AMPS (Battery) Divided by 1 AMP Solar Panel output power = 6 hours. So now you know your solar panel will charge the battery in 6 hours. A more powerful solar panel will decrease those charge times.
Option 2: Directly Charge your Laptop Battery with Solar Panel: This option is the least expensive and is designed to charge your internal laptop battery. Since there is not an extra solar battery component for storing solar power directly connecting a solar panel to your laptop will not run your laptop but instead charge it抯 battery directly. When the battery is finally re-charged you can then turn the laptop on and start computing. This is a viable solution for many customers who have the convenience of time to wait for the solar panel to charge their laptops battery.
Option 3: Solar Laptop Bags, Backpacks, and Messenger Bags. The concept of integrating a solar charging system into a backpack is a great idea as it provides a lightweight solar laptop charging solution plus the durability of carrying the system with you with other gear while you are hiking or otherwise mobile. Earthtech is proud to be the distributor for Voltaic Systems, which has many creative designs for solar laptop charging and USB solar charging.
If you need more assistance on selecting a solar laptop power supply please call us at 1-877-548-3387. We have many solar experts available to take the time to discuss your specific needs. Shop this section for the best solar chargers for laptops and read solar laptop charger reviews from real customers.
