How To Make a Solar Charging Bag

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Never worry about a dead cell phone again! Charge your portable electronics by harnessing the power of the sun.

To complete this How-To you will need:

Solar-powered garden lights
A flat-head screwdriver
A Phillips-head screwdriver
Wire cutters
A wire stripper
A voltage meter
A diode
Soldering materials
A spare USB cord for your device
A messenger bag or satchel
Clear plastic vinyl
Scissors
Sewing materials
Hot glue (optional)
A piece of cardboard (optional)

Step 1: Remove the solar panel

Carefully remove the solar panel from the light fixture with a screwdriver. It should have two wires soldered to a rechargeable battery. Detach the wires using the wire cutters, and strip the ends with the wire strippers.

Step 2: Test the voltage

Place the solar panel in direct sunlight, and touch the positive probe of the voltage meter to the panel's positive wire and the negative probe to the negative wire. The screen on the voltage meter will give you a reading. You're looking for 5 volts, the output for a standard USB cord.

Tip: Make sure the meter's probes are connected correctly, or the voltage meter reading will be very low or negative.

Step 3: Add more solar panels

If one solar panel does not provide enough volts to charge your device, add another. Solder its positive wire to the negative wire of the first solar panel. Test the voltage again. If it's still not enough, add a third panel.

Step 4: Add a diode

Using the soldering equipment, solder the diode to the positive wire. The diode will restrict the flow of electricity to one direction. A stripe on one end of the diode tells which way the electricity will flow through it. Face the diode stripe away from the solar panel, which will prevent any stray current from flowing back into the solar panel.

Step 5: Add the USB cord

Cut off the end of the USB cord that does not go into the electronic device you want to charge. Strip about a ¼ inch of the protective coating.

Step 6: Solder the USB cord

Solder the positive and negative wires in the USB cord to the corresponding wires of the solar panel. If using more than one panel, solder to the panel with the unused wires. Then, take the panels out into direct sunlight and see if they charge your device.

Tip: To increase the stability of the solar panels, hot glue them to a piece of cardboard.

Step 7: Sew the vinyl

Cut out a piece of clear plastic vinyl slightly larger than the size of the panels to act as a sleeve. Find a spot on your bag for the solar panels. Cut a small hole in the bag to fit the USB cord through, and then sew three sides of the vinyl plastic to the bag, directly over the small hole.

Step 8: Add the solar panels

Feed the USB cord through the hole until you can slide the solar panels into the plastic vinyl sleeve. Once you have the panels snugly inside the sleeve, sew the last side of the vinyl sleeve to the bag. Now get out there and power up!

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Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• HotHowTos
• sun
• solar
• powered
• making
• constructing
• charging
• electronics
• technology
• environment
• electricity

[Mintish]

Wow, I thought Howcast was done making any how to videos that were remotely useful. This was a pleasant surprise.

[davidnightingale]

5 stars and faved

[DarkAshes27]

i was wondering if a 5volt can also charge a laptop with 10volts? i don't really understand the voltage thing and i just want to be careful =/

[Mchlngy4]

Good Job Tinkernut!

[chriswistos]

OMG !!! Thank you so much!!!!!

[thephilarmy5]

i have a question, the connection i need to use to charge my sony erricson. dose it have to be from the charger or can i use the headphones connection????

[amar23716]

hehe wire stripper

[NinjaAssassin336]

Invention Convention project right here. If you don't know what that is, it's a convention for inventions.

[cokabears]

omfg

[fame1810]

ok now i get lol :)