Someone in the market for a solar battery charger might find that the latest models in flexible solar cells to be the perfect solution. They are commonplace, they are cheaper because of the use of less bulky material, and they are only modestly less powerful than more expensive rigid cells. For someone who wants a streamlined power solution, explore a solar cell flexible enough to be placed on most round surfaces.
Where To Use Flexible Cells
In the past, placing a solar panel on the hood or trunk of a car would have seemed ridiculous. It is no longer because solar cells are now placed on strips of plastic thin enough to be mistaken for hobby material. They can be placed on any flat or slightly rounded surface and will conform very well without sticking out at all. They seem part of the surface of a vehicle or the side of a boat.
Flexible cells are thin enough they seem like they belong on whatever surface to which they have adhered. They are not, and can be installed by amateurs and also quite easily removed. A thin wire might betray the rig as removable, but even this is fairly obscure. What it does do is suggest clean technology, the ability to get power in the field, and is also just very convenient for someone who needs spare power on the go.
The Capabilities Of Flexible Cells
All solar panels provide a trickle of power per square foot. This means that it would take a large array to match a gas generator, but a modest array can provide enough supplemental power to make a difference. Flexible cells placed on the roof of a car provides the same power as a trickle charger and can help recharge the battery of a hybrid car during dayshift.
On a boat, everything runs off of either a petrochemical generator or else is obtained from wind and sunlight. Being on the water provides both wind and sunlight, although a windmill is impractical because of the uncontrolled extra drag. A solar panel can provide extra power to the main battery or else to an extra battery used to provide lighting in the cabin.
For someone into camping and other outdoor recreation, flexible solar cells can be rolled into a coil or else folded flat for storage in a bag. Flexibility prevents damage while they can be easily expanded in order to score needed juice to recharge portable equipment.