Solar powered flashlights generally look quite similar to a regular flashlight. They have a simple switch that turns them on and off. They have an area on one end that emits light...sufficient to allow it to be used at night or in any dark area.
Using sunlight energy, a solar powered flashlight converts that energy into electrical power in a solar photovoltaic (PV) cell or panel that sits on the outside cover of the flashlight. The solar generated power is stored in a battery. A Light Emitting Diode (LED) lamp is generally used in a solar powered flashlight instead of an incandescent light bulb, because LED's last longer, and take less electrical current to operate. LED's, on average last for about 10,000 hours, compared to an incandescent light that has lasts about 1,000 hours.
Similarly, solar charged batteries that are used in the solar powered flashlight, as compared to the normal, single use nickel, lithium, or cadmium batteries generally seen in flashlights, usually will not require replacement for about two years with steady use. The comparison rate is about 15 hours for a regular battery, compared to around 2500 hours for a solar rechargeable battery.
Leaving your solar flashlight on for 15 or more hours at least once a month will allow you to use your batteries longer. By leaving your solar flashlight on for that period, the battery fully expends its charge. If you keep using your solar flashlight without fully discharging it, eventually it won't get back to 100 percent of its available power, and will only recharge to a lower memory level. This happens because rechargeable batteries have a memory life.
A window sill is good place to keep your solar powered flashlight when it's not in use. Placing the flashlight where the solar panel is exposed to the most sunlight possible, will maximize its power. But if you're not using your flashlight regularly, don't forget to turn it on, and leave it on, as previously described, at least once each month.
You can find solar powered flashlights in most hardware stores today. They're great for camping and emergency use. Every vehicle and every home should have one. If you wonder why...think about those times that you've needed a flashlight in a hurry only to find that the batteries were dead, and you had no spares...or didn't know where they were!
More than just your basic solar flashlight, you'll also find some very innovative designs. You can get add-ons like cell phone chargers, flashers and sirens, to name just a few. You'll also find in the marketplace solar flashlight key chains in all kinds of designs. What you'll have to pay for add-ons really varies based on how unique the style is, what the additional functions are, and how cool the outside casing is.
Would you like to "spread the light" in a very solar way? If so, please visit bogolight.com. BOGO stands for buy one, give one. A limited liability company founded by Mark Bent in 2006 named SunNight Solar operates the BoGoLight Program. Mark served in the Diplomatic Corps prior to that, and was in a number of developing countries. What he saw there convinced him there was a need for light in many places, so he set about finding a way to meet that need. In the BoGoLight Program, you purchase one solar flashlight at BoGoLight or one of its affiliates (there's one called InHabitat), and that generates the purchase of another identical solar flashlight. The donations are sent to a non-profit organization that's been set up to collect and ship these flashlights all over the world to the many places they're needed.
Shining a little light, in a very solar way, is a unique and wonderful method to help others who sit in the dark at night be able to see...even after the sun's gone down.
Using sunlight energy, a solar powered flashlight converts that energy into electrical power in a solar photovoltaic (PV) cell or panel that sits on the outside cover of the flashlight. The solar generated power is stored in a battery. A Light Emitting Diode (LED) lamp is generally used in a solar powered flashlight instead of an incandescent light bulb, because LED's last longer, and take less electrical current to operate. LED's, on average last for about 10,000 hours, compared to an incandescent light that has lasts about 1,000 hours.
Similarly, solar charged batteries that are used in the solar powered flashlight, as compared to the normal, single use nickel, lithium, or cadmium batteries generally seen in flashlights, usually will not require replacement for about two years with steady use. The comparison rate is about 15 hours for a regular battery, compared to around 2500 hours for a solar rechargeable battery.
Leaving your solar flashlight on for 15 or more hours at least once a month will allow you to use your batteries longer. By leaving your solar flashlight on for that period, the battery fully expends its charge. If you keep using your solar flashlight without fully discharging it, eventually it won't get back to 100 percent of its available power, and will only recharge to a lower memory level. This happens because rechargeable batteries have a memory life.
A window sill is good place to keep your solar powered flashlight when it's not in use. Placing the flashlight where the solar panel is exposed to the most sunlight possible, will maximize its power. But if you're not using your flashlight regularly, don't forget to turn it on, and leave it on, as previously described, at least once each month.
You can find solar powered flashlights in most hardware stores today. They're great for camping and emergency use. Every vehicle and every home should have one. If you wonder why...think about those times that you've needed a flashlight in a hurry only to find that the batteries were dead, and you had no spares...or didn't know where they were!
More than just your basic solar flashlight, you'll also find some very innovative designs. You can get add-ons like cell phone chargers, flashers and sirens, to name just a few. You'll also find in the marketplace solar flashlight key chains in all kinds of designs. What you'll have to pay for add-ons really varies based on how unique the style is, what the additional functions are, and how cool the outside casing is.
Would you like to "spread the light" in a very solar way? If so, please visit bogolight.com. BOGO stands for buy one, give one. A limited liability company founded by Mark Bent in 2006 named SunNight Solar operates the BoGoLight Program. Mark served in the Diplomatic Corps prior to that, and was in a number of developing countries. What he saw there convinced him there was a need for light in many places, so he set about finding a way to meet that need. In the BoGoLight Program, you purchase one solar flashlight at BoGoLight or one of its affiliates (there's one called InHabitat), and that generates the purchase of another identical solar flashlight. The donations are sent to a non-profit organization that's been set up to collect and ship these flashlights all over the world to the many places they're needed.
Shining a little light, in a very solar way, is a unique and wonderful method to help others who sit in the dark at night be able to see...even after the sun's gone down.
About the Author:
Learn more about solar power lights. Stop by Timothy Peters's site where you can find out all about home solar power and what it can do for you.
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