Do You Have A Solar Battery Charger? ... Soon to Become Essential

There was a time not so long ago when, if asked what single item would you take to a desert island, most people would have answered "My Swiss army knife" - times have changed. Whereas the knife is still a desirable object to take, many people today would answer "My solar battery charger". Only a few years ago there was no such thing as a solar battery charger, but today there are any number of different shapes and sizes on the market.

At the bottom end of the scale are the fairly simple chargers that will charge a couple of AA or AAA batteries. A typical charger for two AAA batteries weighs less than 2 ounces and measures 3" x 1.8". This charger delivers 40mA at 3.5 volts and takes 9 hours to charge the two batteries. Prices are comparable with mains battery chargers and start at about $15. Going up the scale we find a 2.4 volt 100mA charger for two AA batteries at twice the weight and only slightly larger, costing $23.

The above are fine if you only want a simple solar charger for just one type of battery. But if you are looking for something just a little more versatile, there is the Universal Solar Battery Charger, some of which are more universal than others. There are several choices if you are looking for a charger that will take either AAA, AA C or D, for example. Of course what you pay for is what you get, but with a little shopping around I found one model of solar charger that will take all four sizes of battery and charge four of one size at a time for only $22. This charger comes with a multi-plug extension cord enabling you to charge other rechargeable devices.

At the top end of the scale I found a charger that would charge all four sizes of battery mentioned above in any combination and mix of types. It also could charge a couple of 9 volt batteries - the kind with the two terminals (male and female) on top as well as other devices. This charger has a separate solar panel with 9 feet of cord. The solar panel in this case unplugs from the charger unit and can be plugged directly into a vehicle's cigarette lighter to trickle the car's battery.

There is quite a wide range of solar vehicle battery chargers available. The majority of these consist of a small solar panel measuring 12" x 3" which sits on top of the vehicle's dashboard, a wire plugging into the cigarette lighter to reverse charge the battery.