Freeloader Solar Charger
20th December 2008
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We all try to do our bit to help reduce carbon emissions by trying to reduce our consumption of energy. But how difficult is it to do that with your gadgets?
I’ve been experimenting with a couple of products over the last couple of months to test out whether solar energy is a viable alternative to the power grid for charging up your portable gadgets.
Freeloader Solar Charger
At around £20, this portable solar charger comes with a rechargeable battery and two solar panels that clip on to the sides. Included with the charger is an assortment of adapter ends for compatibility with a large number of devices ranging from the various mobile phone brands to the iPod.
The Freeloader is finished with an aluminium effect that offers a sense of robustness to the product. With portability in mind, the solar panels are kept safe when clipped on to one end of the battery forming an enclosure that protects the fragile photovoltaic cells. When you’re ready to use them, they simply unclip one of the panels and push it in to the other end to create a complete charging circuit. A couple of LEDs give you an indication of how much energy it’s drawing from sunlight.
Charging times can vary and the duration it will power your device for can be limited. The manufacturers numbers state that when fully charged, the battery will provide enough energy to keep your iPod running for as long as 18 hours.
Practicality is the key question behind whether the Freeloader is worth considering as a viable backup energy source and how sincere it is when it comes to being ‘green’.
The charging time for the battery when using the solar panels can be as long as 24 hours on a good sunny day. In the UK that’s a seldom luxury so if you’re fortunate to be in a sunny climate then you may get more use out of the Freeloader. When positioning the Freeloader behind a window, charging time is dramatically increased. On one occasion it took as long as two days to fully charge up. Solar panels always work best when in direct contact with sunlight.
The Freeloader does allow you to charge up through your USB port on your computer, however this defeats the whole point behind the concept.
I’m not convinced that the Freeloader is going to provide a viable alternative source of energy for my portable gadgets. Charging times are too long and can vary depending on the environment you’re in. Considering my phone needs a charge every 24-48 hours, the Freeloader would never be able to catch up. During my two month test, I positioned the charger in my conservatory for 24 hours with plenty of access to sunlight, albeit behind double glazed windows. On plugging my phone in, I was disappointed to find that the charger had stopped working after just five minutes.
Fortunately, you can charge up the battery using the USB port on your computer and use this as a standard rechargeable battery. So if you do decide to give it a try and are disappointed, your money isn’t completely wasted, although your hopes of being a bit greener will be dashed.
On a visit to the solartechnology.co.uk, you’ll see plenty of comments and pictures of people using the solar powered battery around the world and in every instance they’re being used in the outdoors with plenty of access to sunlight. This leads me to believe that this a product is not suited for the home or office user.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for green technology and making use of the free and abundant energy sources that are non-polluting. I still believe that solar is probably the best and most available source of energy, but the technology is not yet cost effective or efficient enough for it to be a viable alternative to the power grid. At least it’s not for the miserable weather we get here in England.
My expectation would be for the battery to charge up in about 12 hours even on a cloudy but bright day and even less time on a sunny day. I should be able to power my phone from a solar-recharged-battery and charge it up in the same time as it would from the power grid. I’m still looking for that device so if anyone knows of one that can do that, then I’m all ears. Until then, I shall continue my search.
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