Did my ability to search for things intelligently on the internet die when Google search did or are there legitimately no personal umbrellas with solar panels and a battery pack? Like I feel like that would be an obvious thing, and there's a bajillion beach umbrellas and patio umbrellas that have solar panels. How are there no personal versions for wandering around on a sunny day with portable shade that gets you a charged battery pack? Is this a thing and I just can't find it or does it not exist yet and all of science has failed me in every way possible?

Sorry for the terrible AI picture, I didn't create it I just found it on the internet and it was the only one I could find because these apparently don't actually exist.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] 3 points 1 year ago (6 children)

I've got a very similar panel myself, in fact it's probably a bit bigger.

If you leave it out all day, under ideal conditions, it will put around 10AH worth of charge into a power bank, maybe a bit more, so 40-50 watt-hours if you're lucky, over twelve hours.

Not a worthwhile amount of power.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 6 child comments
  • [–] 1 point 1 year ago (4 children)

    That charges a phone just fine?

    I use a smaller panel to charge a battery at a summer cottage. That keeps my and a few other people's phones charged pretty alright.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 4 child comments
  • [–] 1 point 1 year ago (3 children)

    Not worthwhile if you're carrying it around all day.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 3 child comments
  • [–] 1 point 1 year ago (2 children)

    Why? You can carry your phone and charge it at the same time.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 2 child comments
  • [–] 0 points 1 year ago (1 child)

    Why do you need to charge your phone during the day anyway? Does it not last a full day?

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 1 child comment
  • [–] 1 point 1 year ago

    Modern smartphones are terrible for energy consumption tbh, if you just want calls/SMS an old Nokia is so much more energy efficient.

    I suppose turning the phone off can help save, but how many people could even comprehend that these days?

  • source
  • parent
  • [–] 2 points 1 year ago

    Yeah this has always put me off solar panels like this, for their cost they make fuck all and if you just need power for a day or two it's better to get a battery. Only if you need weeks does solar+battery start to make sense instead.

  • source
  • parent