Convenience comes at a price. And this doesn’t just mean the expensive price of gadgets but also the burden of charging them every time they run out of battery, not to mention the hassle of searching for an electrical socket when you out of the house.
While you can always rely on a power bank, there is a better option, which is to buy a solar-powered backpack. If you don’t want to spend money on a solar backpack you can learn how to make one instead. You can create your own portable charging station for your gadgets that will let you charge them as you walk in the sun. But first, you need to understand what a solar backpack.
What is a solar backpack and how to make a solar backpack?
As the name suggests, solar backpacks provide energy to devices through solar technology. The use panels or photovoltaic cells (PV cells) to collect the sunlight and silicon semiconductors to convert the sun’s energy into reusable electricity.
Solar backpacks have lithium-ion batteries where they store the energy. Aside from this, they also have adapters and USB plugs so you can instantly connect and charge your devices. A solar backpack can charge a smartphone after an hour of exposure to the sun.
Why use a solar backpack?
If you are someone who is always on the go, whether hiking, traveling or cycling, getting a solar backpack will be beneficial. It offers an effortless way to charge your devices. All you have to do is to expose the panels to sunlight for a while to charge your important devices such as phones, tablets and even laptops. That way, you can stay connected to the world.
Not only can you use this kind of backpack for carrying your valuables, you can also recharge them. What’s more is that you don’t need to harm the environment to charge your devices. It’s environmentally friendly, fast and portable.
You will be able to explore the wonders of nature with this travel backpack without having to worry about electricity or relying on the limited energy supply of power banks.
Why create your own backpack?
Sure, buying a solar backpack is more convenient than making your own. There are many choices on the market, too. However, most of the decent models today are either small or expensive. The advantage of turning a regular backpack into a solar one yourself is that you can choose the size and configure the features that will suit your needs the best. Luckily, making a solar backpack isn’t hard and or expensive.
How to Make a Solar Backpack
First things first, you need to make sure that you have all the parts and materials that you need for building a solar backpack. That means you need to buy a solar panel charger that is big enough for your bag. It should be flexible and thin so that your bag won’t be stiff. You can also find panels that are waterproof or weather resistant.
Aside from this, you will also need plexiglasses, wires, velcros, connectors, batteries, battery holder and the right tools for the job.
What you want to do is to measure the size of your backpack so that you know how many panels you will need to assemble together. Assemble the panels by attaching adhesive tapes to their backs, then put them on a piece of plexiglass. Apply epoxy glue so that the panels are stuck to the glass. Allow the glue to dry for an hour.
After a while, connect the wires accordingly, including the USB ports and other adapters that you want to include. Then put another layer of plexiglass on the top of the solar panels, sandwiching them together. Take note to create little holes on the 4 corners of both pieces of plexiglass so you can screw them together.
After you are done with the panel, insert it into the bag’s pouch or sew a pouch to the bag instead. Make sure that the pouch will hold the panel steadily. Also, ensure that the pouch is on the proper side of the bag where it can catch most sunlight. One tip to keep the solar panels working and in good condition is to clean them regularly.
