It's already quite warm and I want to spend more time in nature. And picnics and hiking, as you know, are an integral part of summer holidays. However, in order to spend time comfortably, it is important to take care of many things. One of the conditions for a comfortable stay is lighting in the evening and at night. It is not allowed to make a fire everywhere, especially since you will have to constantly maintain the flame and make sure that an accidental spark does not provoke a fire. In addition, lighting the tent with a fire will not work.
Tourist lamps come to the rescue. Solar-powered camping lanterns are compact and safe, well illuminate the space and are charged from the clean energy of the sun. In this article, we will talk about the principle of operation of solar-powered lamps, their advantages, disadvantages and additional features that will make your holiday even more enjoyable.
Advantages and disadvantages
To the benefits of campingsolar powered flashlights can be attributed to:
- Safety. The design of the fixtures uses LEDs, they do not heat up, so they will not provoke a fire.
- Autonomy. The luminaires are completely independent and powered by solar energy.
- Economy. Sunlight is a free source of energy, and LEDs consume a small amount of resources.
- Versatility. Tourist lanterns can be charged from the mains or car cigarette lighter, if charging with solar light energy is not possible for some reason.
- Durability. The construction of solar-powered camping lanterns is airtight. They are not afraid of dust and falling into the water. LED lamp life is about 100,000 hours.
- Compact. Travel lanterns are small in size and weight, so they can easily fit in a backpack.
For all its good points, solar-powered LED camping lanterns have their downsides:
- The duration and intensity of the light emitted depends on the state of charge of the battery. If alternative power sources are not available and the day is overcast, the battery will not fully charge. The light emitted by the flashlight will be dim and the duration of active operation will be reduced.
- Unrepairable. The design of the lamp is quite simple, but it will be difficult to restore the broken tightness of the housing. The ingress of dust and moisture into the housing will quickly disable the flashlight.
Design and principle of operation
The construction of solar powered camping lanterns consists of the following elements: LED lamp, battery, solar panel and housing.
During daylight hours, the solar battery converts the sun's light energy into electrical energy, which is stored in the battery. On a clear sunny day, the battery can store enough energy to provide lighting for 8-10 hours. Due to the low power consumption of the LEDs, the battery power is conserved.
All structural elements are placed in a sealed case that protects them from dust and moisture. Tourist lights are often marked with an IP67 index. The first number in the index indicates protection against solid objects, and the second - against water. If such a lantern accidentally falls into the water, it will not be harmed in any way.
Case design can be both classic and original. There are compact models in the form of tablets or folding ones that fit in your pocket. All tourist lamps are equipped with a hanging hook. Some models come with a detachable pole so that the lantern can be stuck into the ground.
Power supplies
The solar-powered rechargeable camping lantern can be powered by a variety of power sources. The design uses rechargeable AAA batteries as the battery. If necessary, they can be replaced. Chargethe lamp can be powered by a built-in or remote solar battery, from the mains, from a USB or car cigarette lighter. All necessary cables usually come with the luminaire. The design uses polycrystalline solar panels of small size. They are able to absorb scattered sunlight, so that the flashlight will be charged even in cloudy weather.
The power of a solar battery is directly proportional to its area, so some models of fixtures are supplied with a larger external solar battery. The charging speed of the lamp increases when batteries with a larger area are used.
Optical system
The optical system of the camping lantern consists of a group of LEDs and a diffuser. As the latter, a cone-shaped mirror is often used. In different models, the number of LEDs is different. The more LEDs, the brighter the lighting will be, but the duration of active work will be reduced. Often in such lamps there are several modes of illumination intensity. LEDs are capable of producing light of various colors, from warm yellow to cool blue. For fixtures, a shade close to daylight is usually used, since the human eye perceives it better than the rest. Camping lights often have a red light LED that works in SOS mode. This mode consumes a minimum of battery power and can signal an emergency for a long time.
Additional options
Tourist fixtures are sometimes equipped with additional features. For example, a solar-powered camping lantern with a USB input can be used to charge a phone or tablet. Some models have a built-in radio. The travel lamp with a container body can store money, a phone and other little things that are important to keep dry.
Models with mosquito exterminators are able to protect the space from blood-sucking insects with a radius of up to 40 meters. They emit light in the ultraviolet spectrum that attracts insects, and the body is surrounded by a energized metal mesh that will kill insects on contact.
There are also lamps equipped with a dynamo. One minute of intensive use of the device charges the lamp for 20 minutes of illumination at full power. This function is indispensable in emergency situations when it is impossible to charge the lamp in other ways.
Reviews
Camping lamps have earned the recognition of tourists due to their versatility, efficiency and safety. However, among the vast majority of positive reviews for solar-powered camping lights, there are also negative ones. Users note a long battery charging period, a discrepancy between the declared power, and poor case tightness.
When choosing a camping lantern, it is important to pay attention to the manufacturer's reputation and reviews of a particularmodels.
The solar-powered camping lamp is an indispensable thing on a camping trip. They are safe, versatile in charging methods, resistant to dust and moisture, have various lighting modes and can send an SOS signal in case of an emergency.
