Solar Flashlights

While they meay seem like a contradiction-in-terms solar flashlights aren’t actually as crazy as you may first imagine. At first glance it seems crazy to buy a flashlight that you’ll use almost exclusively at night that needs the sun’s rays to function properly.

Of course battery technology has come a long way over the last few years and the solar flashlights and torches being produced now are capable of storing enough power from a single day in the sun to last for weeks or even months into the future.

Indeed the focus of this article is really to explain a little more about the benefits of solar flashlights, features to look out for when buying a solar flashlight and lastly a recommendation based on my own experiments with a number of solar flashlights over the last few years.

The Benefits Of Solar Flashlights

From the point of view of the environment of course a major benefit of solar flashlights is that once you have purchased your flashlight you’ll only be using renewable solar energy as a power source. This not only reduces the use of fossil fuels but also aliminates any kind of running cost you may have from other battery-powered devices which require new batteries on a regular basis.

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Batteries themselves are also difficult to dispose of safely and contain a range of unpleasant chemicals which must be carefully treated if they are not to leach into the ground and cause problems. Once again then solar flashlights help to cut down significantly the need for spent batteries to be properly taken out of service.

Lastly in many ways owning a solar flashlight is actually easier than owning an old-fashioned battery-powered light. The reason for this is that flashlights can go unused for long periods of time and when you realize you need to use your flashlight it can be annoying to have to go out and buy new batteries, bring them home, pop them in and then safely dispose of the old ones.

In contrast with a solar flashlight you simply place your flashlight on a windowsill for a few hours and you’re ready to go again so solar flashlights are not only better for the environment and cheaper to run but they also save time and hassle along the way. Put like this it’s a wonder why everyone doesn’t own one!

The Problems With Solar Flashlights

The main concern with solar flashlights is simply in terms of the charging of these devices – how long will it take and how much charge will you get? After all, you don’t want to have to charge up your solar flashlight all day only to find that it provides you with all of 20 minutes of light during the evening!

Fortunately three elements help to ensure this is rarely a problem these days. Firstly the solar cells used are now more efficient than ever before and capable of quickly charging the internal battery even in low light levels.

Secondly the batteries that most good-quality solar flashlights use these days are able to store a large amount of power over long periods of time so a flashlight can be charged one day and then the power used months later.

Lastly if you shop around it’s possible to find LED solar flashlights. These flashlights – powered by LED bulbs rather than old-fashioned bulbs – are both incredibly bright as well as being very energy efficient so it takes less power to produce the same amount of light.

Working in combination these three elements make owning a solar flashlight a seriously practical option.

Hybrid Solar Flashlights

Hybrid solar flashlights work similarly to hybrid cars in that they provide the option of either using power from the sun or from good old-fashioned batteries depending on which option is the most practical for you at the time. Flashlight dead but need it now? Just use the batteries and then once the crisis is over pop it on the windowsill to recharge for the next use.

Some people will claim (with some justification) that a hybrid solar flashlight is something of a compromise and if you’re going to get a solar flashlight then get one that is fully solar-powered.

However the practical aspects of these hybrid solar flashlights mean that I believe they can have practical benefits – especially if you’re considered buying a solar flashlight for someone who isn’t overly bothered about the green credentials of a product. The hybrid element gives them the choice of what power they want to use meaning the flashlight will get used, rather than buying a purely solar-powered model which may not get used at all.

Selecting The Best Solar Flashlight

There are a number of factors worth considering when you’re looking to buy a solar flashlight:

Charge Time Vs. Usage Time – As mentioned previously a solar flashlight that takes all day to charge and then only produces a few minutes of visible light is highly impractical so double-check this by looking at actual user reviews for any flashlight you’re considering using. The better ones will work for hours on end after a single charge meaning that for normal usage a once-weekly charge or even less will be required.

Total Battery Life – If you’re going to be using a solar flashlight for longer periods of time such as to deal with a powercut of undefined length it’s important to know that you will get a decent amount of light over an extended period of time. For the ocassional user this may be of less importance but for heavy users it’s certainly a factor worth considering.

Size – Solar flashlights can vary greatly in size so it’s worth considering how you plan on using your flashlight. Smaller flashlights may be more practical for emergencies such as leaving in the glovebox of your car but other users may prefer a larger model which gives out a wider pool of light. Consider both weight and dimensions in relation to your needs.

Brightness – While many solar flashlights now use LED bulbs for energy efficiency user reviews suggest that more bulbs aren’t necessarily bigger. Many times I have spoken to people who have found that flashlights with a single bulb can be just as bright – if not brigher – than those with more. Again, try checking out flashlights in person to compare brightness or carefully examine genuine customer reviews such as those found on Amazon.

An LED Solar Flashlight Recommendation

The SolarLite hybrid solar powered flashlight with emergency battery backup is at the time of writing the highest-rated solar flashlight for sale on Amazon. After 20+ reviews this model stands head and shoulders above the competition.

The manufacturer claims that after a full charge (roughly a day in the sun) the battery can hold it’s charge for up to three years. Furthermore the battery holds enough charge for up to 11 hours of continuous use making this an amazingly practical LED solar flashlight. Even better user reviews comment repeatedly about how bright the light is and how reliable this unit is as a whole.

If you’re considering buying a solar flashlight then take a closer look at this flashlight including the reviews by clicking here .

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