When you find yourself off the grid or amid a power outage, you might feel panicked if you realize your phone battery is draining and there’s no electricity outlet available. With some creativity and alternative energy sources, you can still find ways to charge your phone without a traditional energy supply. Learn about eight different methods to keep your phone charged when left without conventional electricity.
Use Power Sources Already Around You
When push comes to shove, the ideal solution is sometimes the most obvious. Look for other power sources in your environment – like a charged laptop, iPad/tablet, or other electronic device. While you’ll pull some of the charge from these devices, keeping your phone on is worth the battery drain if you need to make emergency calls.
Use a Portable Charger
Portable phone chargers are a game-changer for situations where you don’t have access to wall chargers or outlets. These compact, powerful devices can significantly extend phones’ battery life and are necessary for emergency prep kits or people on the move. When shopping for the best portable charger, look for the rechargeable kind you can power up before you need it. Aim to keep it charged when you can access electricity so it’s ready to go when you find yourself without power.
Consider a Solar Power Station
If you have more space to spare and need a robust solution, a solar power station might be what you’re looking for. A solar power station connects you to the sun’s energy, allowing you to harness its power to charge your phone and other electronic devices like laptops, tablets, and even refrigerators. If you live off-grid, having an alternative power source will always be necessary, and a solar power station can serve both purposes. Or, if you live somewhere where power outages are common, a solar power station is a great backup option to have on hand to power your essential appliances and devices until electricity gets restored in your area.
These stations typically have a portable power supply and at least one solar panel that captures the sun’s energy. If shopping for this kind of solution, EcoFlow RIVER 2 Series Portable Power Stations are great options to provide portable and lightweight off-grid power. Use the EcoFlow RIVER 2 as a portable power station, or pair one of the models with a solar panel to create the EcoFlow RIVER 2 Series Solar Generators, such as the EcoFlow RIVER 2 + 110W Solar Panel for compact off-grid electricity generation and storage.
Eco-conscious consumers also benefit from reducing their carbon footprint with this clean solar power solution.
Use Your Car Battery
You can use your car charger to plug your phone into your vehicle’s power outlet. Turn your car on to pull some of the energy from your gas, or only turn the battery on if you need to conserve gas. Remember that discharging your car’s battery too much can leave you stranded later, so it’s wise to consider this method as a last resort unless you have more than one car available.
Try a Hand-Crank Charger
Hand-crank chargers are nontraditional but convenient in an emergency. While it might sound old-school, these devices can save the day when nothing else is available. Utilizing a simple hand crank, they generate electricity by converting mechanical energy into electrical energy.
While they might require a bit more physical effort than other methods and may only give you enough power to make one or two phone calls, they are compact and reusable, meaning they can be a part of your emergency kit for a long time and don’t require any pre-charging to be helpful.
Use a Multi-Purpose Camp Stove
Camp stoves that charge your phone? Believe it or not, they exist. These wood-fired chargers cook your meals and allow you to charge electronics through a USB port. By using a fire to start, a fan will generate electricity and send it to a 3200 mAh battery that your phone can use to charge.
Conserve the Phone Battery You Already Have
One of the easiest and most effective ways to ensure your phone lasts as long as possible is to simply conserve its battery. While this won’t help you get more battery than you currently have, it can preserve whatever battery life you have left and make it last. Conserve your phone battery by minimizing screen time, reducing brightness, and turning off non-essential features and phone settings such as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. You should also ensure no nonessential apps run in the background, while in low-power mode, your phone can last for hours longer.
Get Creative With Batteries, Paperclips, Tape, and a Car Charger
If you’re in a bind, you can create a makeshift charger with D-cell batteries, paper clips, tape, and a car charger on hand. Using the paperclip and the tape, connect the battery’s positive terminal to the positive terminal of the car charger and the negative terminal to the respective side. While this option isn’t advised, it can help you charge your phone in case of emergency if you possess the proper know-how.
Final Thoughts
While technology is increasingly prevalent in the modern world, power sources remain unreliable, but these resourceful methods can provide a much-needed solution when a power outage hits or you find yourself off the grid.
Investing in a quality portable power station like the EcoFlow RIVER 2 Series Portable Power Stations can be like having access to your own mobile power outlet, whether living off-grid or needing on-demand solutions when the power goes out.