7 Essential Solar-Powered Home Gadgets
By Devices and Delight staff
Background
As the term suggests, solar-powered gadgets refer to everyday devices that use electricity derived from solar energy instead of conventional electricity.
What is the essence of solar energy?
Well, the short answer is sustainability: the interaction of three key aspects, namely, society (humanity), economics (using resources prudently), and the environment (protecting it), with the view of promoting harmonious co-existence without undermining future generations.
Solar energy caters to all these three aspects. Let’s see exactly how.
First, at the social level, people in places with little or no access to conventional electricity now enjoy improved living standards, thanks to solar. They can easily power their homes, appliances, phones, and other devices. Not to mention enhanced delivery of social services.
Camping and similar social events also benefit from solar.
Secondly, the economic impact of solar energy is just as impressive. Solar is used not only to ensure uninterrupted business during power outages, but also as the primary power source in many situations, with conventional electricity serving a secondary role.
Furthermore, being cost-effective and conveniently available, solar electricity empowers people into entrepreneurship through solar-powered devices — thereby providing self-employment in a volatile economic landscape.
Last but not least, solar energy, unlike fossil fuels, is renewable and clean; in other words, sustainable and environment-friendly.
Bottom line: From the smallest solar-powered phone chargers, outdoor lights, security cameras, power banks, and portable generators, to powering entire buildings and complexes, solar energy clearly speaks to socio-economic and environmental sustainability.
So, to sustainability stewardship, we here present 7 essential solar devices.
1. Portable Solar Generator
Having a portable solar generator around your home is paramount, regardless of where you live.
A portable solar generator has four components: solar panels, battery, charge controller, and inverter.
How does a portable solar generator work?
Solar energy from sunshine is collected by the panels and converted into DC (Direct Current) electricity. From the panels, the DC electricity travels through the charge controller to the battery, where it is stored before the inverter converts it to AC (Alternating Current) electricity to provide power on demand.
Portable solar generators come in different sizes and charge capacities. Whatever the case, they deliver the same core benefits as follows:
Emergency power: Solar generators provide readily available electricity, as long as you keep the generator charged up.
You can power your gadgets, household appliances, and even an EV battery, depending on the generator’s capacity.
Portability means that you can carry the generator around easily enough to power various outdoor activities, whether for leisure or serious work.
As a matter of fact, on the economic side, portable generators can power a host of business activities, small scale and otherwise, both around the home and away — white collar, blue collar, you name it.
On other accounts, solar generators, compared to fossil-fuel gensets, are much quieter, low-maintenance, more efficient, and generally more cost-effective in the long term.
2. Solar Outdoor Lights
These light fixtures consist of an attached solar panel, a LED bulb, and an onboard battery with a charge controller.
During the day, DC electricity converted from solar energy by the photovoltaic panel is stored in the battery to light up the bulb at night. It’s worth noting that LED lights run exclusively on DC electricity rather than AC. Hence the absence of inverters in solar-powered LED lights.
One major advantage of solar lights is that they are wireless and thus easier to install than fixtures wired to mains electricity.
With numerous brands on the market, and hence competitive price points, solar lights are widespread and greatly appreciated in all corners of the globe.
3. Solar Outdoor Cameras
Outdoor cameras are a crucial part of a home’s security armor.
Together with outdoor lights, they provide your home’s first line of security against trespassers via video footage of activity around the outdoors, and if they are smart, they even use motion-detection and facial-identification features to inform and alert you in real-time.
What’s the solar significance, you might ask since most of these cameras already run on rechargeable batteries anyway?
Well, it’s the manner of recharge. Traditional recharge could let you down during your local utility’s bad moments, whereas the continuous self-recharge on a solar camera promises peace of mind.
How does the solar camera work?
Outdoor solar cameras have the same basic concept and components as solar lights: solar panel, rechargeable battery, and charge controller. From the solar panel, DC electricity goes through the controller to the battery, from where it powers the camera.
Expect a typical model to have high resolution and night vision.
Should it be a smart version, the camera even offers features like motion detection and facial recognition. Some high-end models also incorporate floodlights and loud sirens to scare away intruders.
4. Solar Phone Chargers
About 91% of the 8 billion global population are mobile phone subscribers. The market potential of solar phone chargers couldn’t be clearer. Indeed, solar phone chargers are absolutely essential and deserve to be everywhere.
What’s a solar phone charger?
This gadget is effectively a miniature replica of a portable solar generator; a power bank, if you will, with an integrated solar panel or panels (built-in or detachable), a battery, and a charge controller (no inverter, since it runs on DC).
DC electricity produced by the solar panel is banked in the battery to charge a mobile phone.
Some models will charge even without direct sunlight, albeit at reduced efficiency.
5. Solar Gate Openers
Standard automatic gates have three main components, namely, a control box with an onboard receiver, a motor, a battery to store power for periods of mains outage, and a remote control that sends a wireless signal to the receiver to activate movement.
A solar gate opener works much like the standard gate, the major differences being a solar panel mounted on a steel post near the gate to generate DC power, and an inverter to convert DC to AC. In some designs, however, the gate motor operates with DC directly from the battery.
Thus, solar gives you a gadget that is convenient, cost-effective, easy to set up, and respects sustainability.
And in case of electronic malfunction, you won’t be locked in or outside since all automatic openers have a manual alternative.
6. Solar Garage Door Openers
Powered by solar energy instead of traditional mains electricity, solar garage door openers echo solar gate openers in just about every respect.
DC electricity from a solar panel installed near the garage door (likely on the roof) goes to a battery for storage. Upon remote-control prompts, the DC from the battery is converted by an inverter into AC to provide door motions.
7. Solar Flashlights and Lamps
Solar-powered flashlights and lamps are very popular gadgets. Because of their sheer utility during power outages, they are a standard part of many a household’s and traveller’s recommended emergency kit.
How do they work?
On the device’s body, or in some other configuration, is a small solar panel that generates DC electricity. This charge is then stored in the battery to power the gadget as and when required.
Some models of flashlights and lamps provide more than just illumination. They double as a power bank (to charge phones and the like), a radio, a bottle opener, and as a can opener, depending on the shape and size.
Others are even multi-chargeable — by solar, mains electricity, and hand crank — to maximize your preparedness.
Author: Devices and Delight Staff