3 Best Solar Car Battery Chargers

A solar car battery charger offers you the convenience of mobile power and all the benefits that come with using clean, renewable solar electricity.

How Do Solar Battery Chargers Work?

Solar battery chargers are actually fairly straightforward devices. Essentially, they use solar panels to absorb sunlight and transform that energy into useable electricity. The electricity is converted into DC current, which can then be used to charge your vehicle’s battery.

While they undoubtedly work faster and more efficiently when they are exposed to direct sunlight, they can still work in low-light conditions. While some chargers are designed specifically for car batteries and connect directly to them with clamps, others can be used to feed power to the vehicle through the 9V power socket/cigarette lighter plug.

What are the Advantages of Using a Solar Battery Charger?

Where standard car chargers are typically used to fully charge a completely dead battery, solar chargers provide electrical current to the battery in a more gradual way, which means they are far less likely to cause overcharging issues and permanently damage your battery.

Of course, the other major difference is that they use solar electricity. While using clean energy is beneficial from an environmental standpoint, it is also beneficial because it can be accessed remotely. Basically, you have the ability to generate usable electricity, without having to be connected to a traditional electricity grid. If you drive your vehicle to remote, off-grid locations, this ability to turn sunlight into useable electricity is incredibly beneficial and offers a whole new level of freedom to your adventures.

They are also incredibly easy to use and can extend the lifespan of your vehicle’s battery. Best of all, most are designed to be highly portable, so you can take them with you no matter where you plan on driving. This partially explains why they are so popular with RV enthusiasts and those that like to drive to remote camping locations. Find complete RV solar panel kits. 

Should You Use a Solar Car Charger to Revive a Dead Car Battery?

Typically, solar car chargers are not designed for this purpose. Instead, solar-powered car battery chargers are designed to function as trickle chargers, which means they charge at a rate that is equal to the self-discharge rate. Essentially, they keep the battery topped up, so it will not completely fade out.

For each of the following car battery charging options you'll need to purchase a $20-$30 110V to 12V battery charger that you will then use to plug into the portable solar generator in order to draw the power out and into your car battery.

Something like this would work well:

Top 3 Solar Car Battery Chargers Options

If you are looking for a portable solar power charger you can use to charge your car battery, as well as other electronic devices, the following options are a great place to start. Avoid buying low-quality solar chargers that are inefficient and incapable of properly charging your car battery.

1. Lion Energy - Safari LT 500 Portable Solar Generator

The Safari LT is one of the most versatile and portable solar generators on the market today. With 450Wh of storage and a total weight of only 11 lbs, it is no wonder that it such a popular choice.

Not only does it feature an impressive battery capacity, its powerful 500W inverter allows you to run a variety of electronic devices, as well as charge your vehicles battery. The compact and lightweight design makes it easy to store in your car, van, or RV.

When you are not using it to charge your car battery of provide an emergency boost, the numerous power outlets allow you to charge a wide variety of electronic devices. It features 2 wall-style AC outlets, 4 USB outputs, a 12V 10A outlet, and 4 12V 5A outlets.

It is completely compatible with any type of solar panel and also features a standard AC charging port. You can plug the unit into a 12V car cigarette lighter port to either charge the unit from your vehicle’s battery, or charge the battery itself.

Key Features:

• 500W power inverter
• 450Wh lithium-ion battery
• Fully charges in 5 to 7 hours using a single 100W solar panel

This new and improved 520Wh solar generator from ROCKPALS is the ideal backup power unit for all of your electrical needs. While it can be used to steadily charge your vehicle’s battery, it also works well as a portable power station.

Despite the fact it only weighs 14.3 lbs, it features a built-in 520Wh lithium-ion battery and pure sine wave inverter. The LED display screen makes it easy to read charge and discharge data, as well as monitor battery status.

The unit includes a car charger, which can be used to charge the internal battery through your vehicle, or to charge the vehicle’s battery. With full compatibility with solar panels, this is the perfect choice for those that are looking for a way to charge their car’s battery using clean, solar electricity.

Key Features:

• Automatic short circuit protection and voltage control
• 520Wh lithium-ion battery
• Clear display screen

3. Rich Solar - X1500 Portable Solar Power Station

If you are looking for a higher capacity option, you cannot go wrong with the Rich Solar X1500. It features a 1500Wh LG lithium-ion battery. With its built-in MPPT charge controller, it charges more efficiently from solar panels, making it the ultimate emergency power source and portable solar power station.

For charging your car’s battery, the X1500 has all of the outlets and power you could ever need. The state-of-the-art battery management system prevents over-charging and over-current issues. With a built-in crystal-clear LCD display screen, you will be able to monitor your solar array, as well as the internal battery and any electronics you have connected to it.

Key Features:

• Extremely safe built-in Battery Management System
• Highly efficient built-in MPPT charge controller
• Backlit LCD screen displays charge and discharge information, as well as the ongoing status of the battery

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