Ryobi's 60W Foldable Solar Panel Lets You Charge Your Tools For Free
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Solar panels are a cost-effective way to power your electronics. But they aren't just for your house to get that sweet tax credit to save you money. You can also find portable solar panels that provide power anywhere the sun is shining. New portable solar panels are flooding the market each day, but one is catching the attention of those who love their tools.
The recently announced RYOBI 60-Watt Foldable Solar Panel retails at $249 and can charge devices using USB-A and USB-C. This allows you to charge smartphones, laptops, speakers, and tablets on the go. RYOBI notes that this panel can recharge smartphones as fast as 75 minutes. Although, if you want to charge your iPhone with this device, you will need a USB-C or USB-A to Lightning Cable converter. At least, that is, until Apple starts complying with EU law.
This solar panel can also charge your tools. If what RYOBI reports is correct, you can charge select tools in under an hour. However, there are some caveats. You can't charge all your tools with this device; it also requires additional equipment for compatibility.
Compatibility is limited
RYOBI notes that this solar panel is ideal for taking to a job site at its length of 20.375 inches and width of 16.5 inches, weight of 6 pounds, and attached storage pocket for cables. After spending some time working on your project, you'll probably need to charge your tools. However, you can't just plug this solar panel into a battery and get off to the races. Instead, you will need a power source. RYOBI notes that a compatible power source can charge an 18V ONE+ 2Ah battery in less than an hour and a 6Ah in under four.
The company stated that these charging times were calculated using a RYOBI 18V ONE+1800W Power Station. Looking at the price of similar devices, this new power station won't be cheap. Thankfully, there are less expensive options available. For example, the RYOBI 18V ONE+ 150-Watt Power Source is an alternative that doesn't have all the bells and whistles but will get the job done. Charging times will likely suffer when using a lower-watt power source, however.
As you may have guessed, you will also need RYOBI batteries compatible with your chosen power source. This makes this product a hard sell for those with tools from various companies. Though, if you are already in the RYOBI ecosystem, this portable solar panel may be what you're looking for.