This Is Why Small Combo Solar Panel Power Banks Will Never Work Well

You have probably seen a power bank with a solar panel in an online store and thought about getting one. After all, it would be very useful while camping or during an emergency. But have you wondered if they really work as many brands promise?

The truth is that all-in-one solar panel power banks sound very promising. However, reality is very different because there are technical problems that make it impossible to take full advantage of solar charging with such small solar cells.

Low Solar Charging Efficiency

The main problem with these power banks is that while they may work well when charged through conventional means, they do not perform effectively with solar energy. The energy their small solar panels can generate is so low that charging even a small percentage of the power bank can take days, which is hardly useful outdoors.

Just read some reviews: most users find that the solar charging feature on these power banks is essentially useless.

Battery Capacity

Many power banks are sold with ridiculously high capacities. If you see a $20 power bank claiming up to 50,000 mAh, it is highly unlikely it can provide that much energy.

A typical power bank usually offers between 10,000 mAh and 20,000 mAh. More than that should probably be called a portable power station. Although Dragon Blogger has covered the INIU 27,000 mAh power bank (INIU is a respected brand), extremely high capacities in cheaper power banks are not credible.

Excessive Overheating

Exposing a battery-powered device to direct sunlight is simply unsafe. Using a power bank not designed to handle high temperatures could be very risky, and overheating could even cause the internal battery to explode. For this reason, solar charging in small power banks is not worth the risk.

What Should You Do?

Solar panel power banks might offer a slight charge, but they are still almost useless even in emergencies. Instead, you can get a real 40W solar panel to charge a power bank. For example, with a 40W solar panel, you could charge a 20,000 mAh power bank in about 4 hours, provided the weather conditions are ideal.

The FlexSolar 40W foldable solar panel is a great option and you can get it here on Amazon.

If what you need is a reliable power bank to charge your devices, our recommendation is the popular Anker Power Bank, which offers 20,000 mAh capacity, maximum fast charging up to 87W, and the ability to charge up to 3 phones simultaneously.

You can get the Anker Power Bank here on Amazon