Solar Style SC002 Solar Charger - Up Close, Functionality and Testing

Up Close:

Here are a few snaps of the charger up close to better define the style of the charger and more importantly some of the great features included with this charger.

As you can see, all the buttons, switches, indicators, and power jacks are located conveniently at one end of the solar charger.  One of the simplest but most convenient features is the build in LED which is placed at the end of the hinge.  When the solar charger is collecting enough sunlight the input LED will flash green and go solid when fully charged.  When the charger is turned on with the on/off switch the output LED lights up to let you know the charger is discharging.  Two different output jacks are provided, one at 3.3 volts and the other at 5.5 volts. 

Above is a shot of the solar panels when the charger is opened up.  The second picture shows the intensity of the built in LED and the fact that the charger is receiving enough solar energy from the lamp in the corner of the room to supply input to the battery.

Functionality:

To test out the charger I set it open on the dash of my truck as I went in for work and saw the input LED start to blink before I left.  When I returned nine hours later there wasn't enough daylight to sustain a charge, but it received enough sunlight during the day the on board battery should have been completely charged.  Upon returning home I hooked up my Motorola E815, flipped the on/off switch, and immediatly the phone started to charge just off the battery.  I returned a short time later to find the phone competely charged.  The next day I left the charger at home, went to work, and attempted another charge.  The phone started charging but after a short time the phone stopped charging and the output light had gone out.  From this simple test I'd conclude there's enough power in the battery itself to fully charge a dead phone or provide two partial charges.  With the on board battery completely dead I wondered if lamp light was enough to sustain a phone charge.  See the results for yourself.

Conclusions:

With three ways to charge and the multitude of charging adapters included in the SC002 Ultra Kit, I find this charger to be quite convenient.  Because the charger has relatively no moving parts aside from the on/off switch and LED flashlight button, it's quite rugged.  Construction and duability seems solid and the solar panels can be folded shut to prevent the surface from being scratched or otherwise contaminated.  The style, low weight (Less than 5 oz), and small size of the charger makes it easy to pack around.  The only thing that really worries me about using this charger is the problem of over volting devices or batteries.  For example my Motorola E815 wall charger will ouput 4.8 volts, while the only two choices available from the solar charger is 3.3 volts or 5.5 volts.  Obviously 5.5 volts is the right selection which is only 0.7 volts (14%) higher than the manufacturer.  I can't see a problem using this charger occasionally, but I wouldn't want to use it as my everyday charger.  I'd recommend this charger for anybody that has a need for universal mobile power.

Pros:

• Stylish, light weight, rugged
• Three methods to charge the on board battery
• Solar panels charge under low light
• Built in LED
• Many charging cables included
• Dozens of charging cables available

Cons:

• I expected longer on board battery life once fully charged
• Possibility of over volting devices / batteries

Score:

Thanks to Solar Style for providing us a sample during our visit to the Consumer Electronics Show.  If you have any questions or comments about the Solar Style SC002 Ultra Kit, drop us a line in the forums.