Using a mobile phone

A couple of the devices we looked at had attachments for charging mobile phones. But this was their least successful use. The attachments didn’t fit several mobiles we tried. You can buy extra attachments though these cost up to $10 each.

And it can take a lot of effort to get your phone charged. For example, the Eton Microlink stated it could take 10 to 15 minutes of winding the dynamo to get a mere one minute of talk-time! Not what you’d call a good return on your energy investment.

We didn’t have much luck with charging our mobiles by solar-power either. Several hours after plugging in one phone, we still had no joy. Charging can depend on the age and type of the phone battery and not all devices will fully charge your phone.

Instructions for the (unbranded) solar tri-panel torch said its mobile-charging mechanism “may charge halfway or more but it’s not designed to provide a full charge”.

If you really want to charge a mobile by solar power, we suggest you look for a dedicated charger.
 

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