A folding solar panel best suited for charging a cell phone and other USB devices. A well-designed and portable solar panel with enough power to charge cell/mobile phones, a power bank, and other electronic USB devices, yet small enough and foldable to fit well for travel and portability.
I researched this and purchased the BigBlue 28-watt folding solar panel. I’ve had it for nearly two years so far and love it. It is likely the most popular folding solar panel of its size today. Let me tell you what I like about it, and why I really like it for the sake of prepping and preparedness.
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BigBlue 28W
(amzn)
Folded dimensions of the BigBlue 28W solar panel… 11 inches x 6 inches.
Unfolded dimensions are 11 inches x 32 inches.
The BigBlue-28W has three USB-A output connections for charging external devices. Note that you can use any conversion cable for USB to USB-C devices too, or micro, mini, etc.
USB to USB-C 1ft cables
(amzn)
The USB ports are rated for 5 volts at 2.4 amps (12 watts). You can charge up to three devices at the same time. Total rated capacity regardless of how many devices are plugged in, is 5 volts at 4.8 amps (24 watts).
The USB solar charger interface is tucked underneath a flap (with Velcro) to help weather resistance. There is a rubberized protective insert for the USB ports too, for further weather resistance.
Tip: I love my Drok USB tester. Use it to measure voltage, current, watts, and other measurements. The photo below shows it in use with the BigBlue-28W folding solar panel while charging an iPhone. The phone was at 85% charge, so it was pulling less than the maximum (because of the non-linear charge profile of such devices for battery optimization). Anyway, it’s a handy tool…
Folding Solar Panel For Cell Phone, Power Bank, USB
Why I like it…
The concept is excellent. A folding solar panel for its portability and ability to charge ordinary electronic USB-powered devices. Cell phones. Tablets. GPS devices. Satellite phone. Camera. Portable speakers. E-readers. Some 2-way radios. A battery power bank (an excellent compliment with a folding solar panel!) for when there is no sunlight (such as this Anker unit). And anything else within the confines of the panel’s USB capabilities.
The BigBlue-28W is a high-efficiency solar panel (>25%) with integrated smart charging.
Great to bring on any trip where you may be without access to power sources. Camping, hiking, fishing/hunting trips, etc..
It is lightweight and non-obtrusive, weighing 1.4 pounds.
It has grommet-reinforced holes at its corners for attachment (hanging on a backpack, etc..). Mine came with four carabiner clips for this purpose.
I like the compact size of the BigBlue. It will store quite easily within the confines of a backpack, travel bag, or whatever… I keep one of these (among other things) in my portable EMP travel bag (faraday bag) to bring along in the car on any trip.
I really having this type of folding solar panel for prepping & preparedness. It will charge USB devices without using any energy except that from the sun. Free, independent energy. Perfect for use during a power outage, just in case. As we all know, there are events that could leave us without power for awhile!
This folding solar panel seems to reach the sweet spot for its size, portability, and form factor. Foldable panels range in size and power to accommodate varying needs. The higher the power, the bigger the panels.
Although I do like the BigBlue-28W, if you’re interested in a slightly larger 40-watt folding solar panel, I do recommend the FlexSolar-40W. Compared to the BigBlue, when folded it’s 2 inches bigger (11? x 8?), and 16 inches longer when unfolded (11? x 48?). But it does output up to 40 watts total (18 watts each output, which is 6 watts more than the BigBlue) and includes a USB-C output port.
Anyway, I do recommend having a folding solar panel not only for the many practical uses but also for ‘just in case’.
[ Read: Jackery versus Gas-Powered Generator ]
