BioLite SolarPanel 5+ 2.0 With Onboard Battery
If your device dips to 0% power, worry not. The portable BioLite SolarPanel 5+ 2.0 stores energy from the daytime sun to its 3200 mAh onboard battery to charge up your gear when you need it most.
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- Powers tablets, phones and other small devices from energy stored in the integrated 3200 mAh lithium ion battery—or in real time when the sun is shining
- Optimal Sun System features 360° kickstand with integrated sundial to optimize solar charging with precise, directional alignment to the sun
- High-efficiency 5 W solar panel charges your devices with USB output
- Ultraslim, minimalist profile slips easily into packs and laptop sleeves for convenient portability
- IPX4 rating means this can withstand splashing water from any angle
Imported.
View all BioLite Solar Chargers| Best Use | Backpacking |
|---|---|
| Charge Time (hrs) | USB: 2.5 / solar: 3 hours |
| External Charge | USB |
| Battery Included | Yes |
| Battery Type | Lithium Ion |
| Solar Cell Output Capacity | 5 watts |
| Battery Storage Capacity (mAh) | 3200 milliamp hours |
| Power Output to Device | 5 W via USB charge out |
| Dimensions | 10.12 x 8.19 x 0.94 inches |
| Weight | 13.8 ounces |
| Solar Compatible | Yes |
| Sustainability | From a Climate Neutral Certified brand |
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Power Board
The 5+ has so far inspired my whole family. In our garden there are 4 such boards and mostly look towards the sun. In the last camping holidays I had them on my trailer and it looked like a small solar plant, I even had too few consumers to use the energy gained. The board is enormously resilient and I could imagine that I could cut my onions into small pieces to cook on it...
Easy to Charge
The SolarPanel 5+ was very easy to charge. I instructed my 12 year old Grandson how to line up the Sundial to charge the SolarPanel. He took it outside and was able to set it up easily. Once charged I was able to charge my phone, Bluetooth earphones and portable speaker. My son took it on a Boy Scout Campout and strapped it on his Backpack and it was fully charged when they arrived to the campsite. Also I hung it from my pot rack that is in front of a window and even though it was not lined up by the sundial it did charge in 3 hours. I'm very impressed with all BioLite products and this is no exception. Looking forward to all your new products.
Not worth it
I bought this to use during a thru hike of the Arizona Trail. The battery never kept the phone charging unless it was in the sun. And in the sun the thing only charged my phone a MAX of 20% when it was fully charged. The panel never blinked more than one charging light despite being in 90+ degree heat in the southern Arizona sun. This meant that it would take 2+ DAYS to actually charge up. If it can hardly work in the beating Arizona sun I wouldn't trust it anywhere. Overall a frustrating, underwhelming, hardly functional product. Very very disappointed.
good product overall, but it will overheat
Bought this exclusively for backpacking, and have been testing the 2.0 version for several days in preparation for a two-week trek. (Originally bought the 1.0, and it had a terrible battery - DO NOT BUY THE 1.0 VERSION, EVEN IF IT'S ON SALE). I have seen what others are saying about "overheating" - all 4 LEDS flash 5 times, repeatedly. I have only found that this happens when the panel is in the sun (charging itself) and ALSO CHARGING ANOTHER DEVICE. Seems the combination of powering a device and solar charging causes overheating, given the direct sunlight. (I tested in 85 degree weather, full sun). Charging while powering another device works well at about 70 degrees or below, though. When placing in the sun, and just allowing it to charge itself (no devices connected), it worked fine (at ~85 degrees) and gave me a little over two hours of power to charge my iPhone Xr that evening. (added ~70% charge before dead battery, BTW). I also noticed the battery seems to charge more fully when charged via solar compared to microUSB. For me this isn't a big deal, because I wouldn't even use it if I had electricity. This is a relatively light and compact device, and the two carabiner ports are perfect for backpacking. You can charge while hiking, and don't have to worry about the added space or accidental damage inside your pack. I bought this exclusively to charge during the day, and allow me to recharge a cell phone, USB headlight, and USB tent light while on weeklong backpacking trips. 13 ounces is perfect given the weight I would have to carry instead with a panel and USB power pack. Most solar products REQUIRE an external pack, and this one is integrated. Very easy to use and likely a more reliable charge. All things considered, this unit is almost perfect. I am not backpacking when it's 85+ degrees outside, it's relatively light, and doesn't take up space in my pack. If they could fix the overheating, I would give this five stars.
So-so
Bought 5 years ago. Used it a handful of times, e.g., bicycle camping, car camping, and experimenting with it around the house. Worked OK, but took a long time to charge. It's mostly been sitting in a dark closet in storage. Took it out today to try it out again, and it was completely dead. I'm assuming the battery just died. I managed to take it apart (I don't recommend this), and discovered there are no user serviceable parts; the battery is permanently installed and cannot be replaced. If you're considering buying one, be aware of my situation. It's surprising the battery would not last for 5 years with such minimal usage. Beware!
Hi there! Thanks so much for sharing your feedback with us! Batteries do need a little extra love! For this, we recommend charging the product every 3-4 months, or at least every 6 months to maintain a healthy battery. Please be careful!!! For safety reasons, we would not recommend that you disassemble the product.
disappointed
I was really excited about this but it doesn’t work. If the panel is in direct sunlight it overheats quickly and does not charge. Will be retuning. Maybe they will make a 3.0 and it will actually work.
Ticks All all of the Boxes
Other than the fact that I always could use some instructions with respect to how to get any biolite product out of it's box; there are no negatives here. Since their beginnings Biolite has always earned my trust and they've done it again. They said is was light weight - and it is. They mentioned it was "tough" - and so it is. How 'bout "simple" - it couldn't be more straight forward. We acquired it thinking in terms of "risk management"......a handy safeguard should something need recharging. What we've discovered is that it is really a convenience that takes concerns and the need for serious conservation off the table.
Does not discharge
First unit did not charge in the sun. Second unit doesn't discharge to a phone after charging in the sun. Does not charge directly from the sun to a device. Product insert and instructions are so minimal you can't figure out what you might be doing wrong. Online support was ok, but I really thought this would be as easy as charge in the sun all day, charge phone overnight. Can't recommend this.
Disappointing
I have had this for 2 or 3 years. When it was new out of the box I learned that on a 70 degree day the unit gets hot enough to engage the safety features on the battery and the battery won't charge. This made the built in battery useless most of the year. I took it backpacking once and would plug my phone in directly instead of charging the battery during the day. It has been used 4 or 5 times since. Today I say it outside, charged the battery until the indicator said it was full, then brought it in to charge my phone. While not being used my phone charge went from 26% to 27% then the battery on the solar panel was drained. I have replaced this with another brand.
Very low capacity, doesn't like shade.
This is supposed to have 3200 mAh. My phone is 3000 mAh. Fully charged from AC, this charger took my phone from 21% to 60% - it took hours and the charger is completely drained. I'm not carrying 13.8 ounces all day (mine weighed 13.5) when I can have two 10,000 mAh batteries (not solar) for an ounce less. Yes, you can charge devices while you're walking, but I bought the "+" for its rated capacity.