How to Use Solar Cells to Recharge AA Batteries

The use of AA batteries are practically unavoidable in household appliances. Unfortunately, if you use them heavily, the cost can add up. Additionally, batteries are environmentally harmful if no disposed of properly. The best solution may be to purchase a solar battery charger to recharge your AA batteries. Solar battery chargers use solar cells to convert sunlight into electricity that can be stored in your batteries. Here are some tips to help you save energy, money, time, and effort.

Step 1: Selecting a Charger

If you are using your charger on AA batteries, be sure that the charger you select will accept them.

Many solar-powered battery chargers come with attachments to charge cell phones or other mobile devices. If you want to charge such a device on the go, you should be sure to check for compatibility between your charger and your device before making a purchase.

Finally, shop around and select a solar-powered charger that works with your schedule. Some chargers will be able to fully charge batteries more quickly than others. If you plan on ignoring your batteries while you go to work, this may not be important, but if you plan on using your charger for emergencies, finding a quicker one is a good idea.

Step 2: Placement

To get the most out of your solar powered battery charger, you will need to put a little bit of thought into where you place it. Ideally, you should select a place that will get sun for several hours, so you can ignore your solar battery charger instead of going back to adjust it every few minutes. Unfortunately, many windows will not get that much sun.

If you are lucky enough to have a window that gets direct sunlight for 6 hours per day, you are in luck. If not, consider the following. While you are at work, you could leave your solar cell battery charger on the dashboard of your car. When you get back to your car at the end of the day, you will have a set of fully charged batteries waiting for you.

Alternatively, you could take your solar charger with you, and move it around as needed. If you plan to be outside, this could be a good idea anyway, but it would work for anyone with a window.

If you aren't in any particular hurry, you could just leave your charger in an ordinary window, and wait a few days.

Use your imagination. Any enclosed space that gets sun for 6 hours is a good spot.

Step 3: Further Strategies

You should consider having two sets of batteries for your mobile devices—one that goes in your charger, and one that goes in your device. If you swap them out as needed, you will never find yourself without battery power in an emergency. Solar chargers can be great to use for recharging batteries in this way.