We can’t deny it anymore; gadgets have become an essential part of human lives, especially in developing and developed countries. All gadgets need batteries, batteries need charging, and charging requires power or electricity. Solar power can provide us eco-friendly energy, and this is where Boss Watt gives you a green solution.
The company has developed a solar panel charging system that comes with wall socket connections and it can transform sunlight into a 120V outlet. In each unit, there’s a 60w solar panel and 100Wh battery pack capable of offering 26,700 may at 3.7 volts.
Charging your gadgets can be something of a challenge. It’s not the case for smartphones, because you can easily get by with pocket or portable chargers that uses battery and USB port. But when you need to charge your laptops, for example, you can’t help but trying to find the nearest electrical socket. Worst case, you need to charge both your laptop computer and phone.
Read also: Eco-Friendly Smartphone Ownership: How to be Greener With Our Phones
With this, however, you can party by the beach, park, or anywhere with green energy and your gadgets will be fully charged. There will always be power (as long as the sun is above you) and you’re not going to harm the environment with excessive use of electricity. Also, the product is not too big and not too small, which are usually a cumbersome feature of some solar panels.
Sun power will be absorbed by a portable folding panel that’s available in two sizes. 20 watts from a panel measuring 20.5 by 56 inches (11 by 20.5 inches folded) and 25 watts from a 16-by-33-inch (11 by 16 inches folded) panel. The smaller one will fit your backpack like a glove so you can carry it everywhere comfortably.
The president and chief designer, Scott Leonard said, “The charger is small and light so you can carry it in your backpack all day and charge it wherever you are with its own compact solar panel array.”
This portable solar panel is available at Kickstarter. There are early bird pledges that start from $285 (for full product), but they’re all gone now, leaving the $325 with limited availability, so if you want to get this eco-friendly power source, you better do it fast. Also, do note that the panels and charging units are sold separately.
Boss Watt is a startup company that dedicate themselves to innovating solar charging solutions. Leonard has designed a micro solar generator capable of supplying 100 watts of 12-volt power with a capacity of 88 Watt-hours. This design is water resistant with three USB ports and a three-prong 110-VAC outlet. There’s also an LED light so you won’t have difficulties when it’s really dark.
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Comparison
Compared to other available solar panel products in the market, Boss Watt charger is the better alternative because it has 110-volt AC current. Neckteck’s 21 watt folding solar panel has only two USB ports and a micro USB cable. While this is perfect for your usual smartphones, this just won’t be enough for bigger gadgets.
There’s also Suaoki 100-watt 12/18-volt. This one is in the middle between Boss Watt’s and smaller USB chargers with the same price range Suaoki only provides two-prong AC port while Boss Watt provides three-prong plug required by some portable electronic devices. But if you’ve only got two-prong plugs then all is well.
Additionally, other solar chargers are either too small, too big, or too expensive. You might think that your current pocket sized solar panel would be enough. But it won’t be on cloudy days. Solar backpacks are great if you stay in the sun, so unless you’re a hardcore traveler it’s not that easy to get all the sunlight during the day.
One way to keep a check on your panel’s charging is to get a charge controller. The solar charge controllers monitor the charging situation. They are meant to protect your batteries.
If you’re a DIY person, good for you. The thing is, DIY portable solar power is expensive. A folding solar panel can cost up to $300 for 30 watt panel, and a good MPPT solar charge controller starts at around $80. The DIY itself is fun and you’ll create something out of your own hands, but the cost is too high.
Of course, you live your own life and you can decide what’s best for you. But maybe you should consider Boss Watt chargers as they’re not only powerful and efficient but also not that expensive (compared to the price of DIY portable solar panels). It’s high performing too, with a conversion efficiency at 23%.
Read also: The Green Light: Photosynthesis-Powered Lighting Is Making Its Way
The journey
Every result is preceded by a journey. Before Boss Watt was launched, the original concept was a solar panel unit with built-in 120V outlet. This unit came to life because the company had a solar generator called “Robin”. This unit featured a 50 Watt SunPower flexible panel, along with a metal case to hold a battery unit.
Unfortunately, the prototype didn’t sell well. There were only a few of sales during the whole summer season. The reason was that the size and weight can’t be considered portable. So the team went back to the design table.
The second trial of product was basically an expansion of the first idea, only this time, it featured a folding solar panel and smaller battery. However, it still didn’t do well. Boss Watt team used whatever folding panels that were available, and as a result, the panels developed bubbles and creases from sun exposure.
The good side the team knew another problem. They needed to find the right panels that can withstand sunray exposure and also panels which can absorb the sun even when it’s not at high-noon.
After two failures, Boss Watt reached out to manufacturers in China and the United States in order to get custom solar panels and battery system. This time, they know what kind of solar cells that are used in the product, the materials, and the overall result and look.
Do you think Boss Watt is able to solve your electricity problems? Are they really going to give you green energy? Tell us what you think in the comments below. Make sure to click this article for a related reading!
Source(s)
http://www.oceannavigator.com/Web-Exclusives-2018/Portable-solar-power/
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