How to Have Electricity While Camping or RVing: Solar and Hand Crank

Some people scoff at the thought of having electricity while camping; these are generally the same individuals who only camp for a week or two, and who take pictures with campers and carry cell phones. Camping for a long duration, or in a complete wilderness setting, generally requires some form of electricity to keep GPS units, cell phones, digital cameras, and possibly even mp3 players functional. Though it would have been impossible just a couple decades ago to take electronics camping for longer than a couple days, you can now use small electronic gadgets perpetually while camping with the use of efficient power sources and modern technology.

Solar

Solar is by far the easiest to use, as you simply leave it in sunlight and it will charge. Handheld solar chargers work by converting sunlight into electricity and storing it inside of a battery that is embedded in the gadget. This battery then charges whatever gadget you connect. This is necessary to prevent over-charging or drainage due to changes
in sunlight.

There are a number of different handheld solar gadget chargers, with the most popular being the Solio charger. Available in different sizes and with numerous different tips, these solar chargers will be sufficient for charging just about any gadget you have.

The downside to solar is that it only works efficiently when the sun is out. It may take a couple days to fully charge a gadget, and the battery will eventually lose its ability to hold a charge. If you find yourself in an emergency situation where you need to use a GPS or cell phone immediately, solar chargers won't work. The solution is....

Hand Crank Chargers

A hand crank charger is most commonly seen on LED flashlights, which you crank for five minutes and then use for thirty minutes. This isn't ideal for constant charging, as you will be exhausting yourself when your energy could be better spent elsewhere. With that said, you can either purchase or make a hand crank charger to charge your cell phone or other gadgets immediately, or when the sun is not adequately available. Be sure that your hand crank has the correct voltage and amperage for your gadget, as you may not be able to charge it, or you may risk giving it too much power and frying it.