How to choose a self-consumption solar kit for hiking and excursions

Leaving the cities to more natural environments has always been a fabulous alternative that allows us to disconnect and rest. In addition to being an activity full of benefits, it is also very economical and healthy. For this reason, in this article we want to delve into this idea and show you how a good self-consumption solar kit can make your excursions unforgettable and you only worry about enjoying the surroundings. And it is that the best beaches, mountains, ski slopes or viewpoints are usually far from the big cities and it is likely that we will need two or three days to enjoy it properly without giving up our electronic devices. So be very careful because now there will be no stopping you from discovering the best hiking trails in Spain and you can go as far as you want.

Photovoltaic energy has evolved to the point of being able to carry it in our car, van or even inside our backpack And that, for lovers of mountains and places far from big cities, is good news. And it is that now we can consider spending two, three or more days completely disconnected from the electrical network and enjoy hiking trails, cabins off-grid or ports mountain with our charged devices: cell phones, cameras and even laptops.

Types of solar kits for hiking and excursions

Currently in the market we can find a wide variety of formats of solar kits that can be useful according to our needs. We can distinguish them, mainly by their size. In this article we will show you 3 types of self-consumption solar kits: for lights, with USB and complete. These three categories are the most common and the ones that you can easily find in stores.

• Solar kits for lights

The smallest solar kits are those that are integrated into a light bulb or outdoor streetlight. These devices are quite handy for camping trips and you need a powerful, recharged flashlight. This type of lights is usually used on the exterior of houses since during the day they continue to receive light and energy from the sun.

These devices work in a fairly simple and light way: the lights incorporate a thin solar panel that receives photovoltaic energy and this is stored in a battery. This solar battery begins to work as conventional batteries would and is usually activated at nightfall automatically and/or manually.

Another advantage of this alternative, in addition to being small and practical, is that it is a type of cheap solar kit.

• Solar kits with USB

The next size is portable solar kits with USB. These devices are something like an external solar battery, which is charged with an attached solar panel. The size of this type of self-consumption solar kit can range from the size of a mobile device to that of a backpack. But the main feature is that they all include USB inputs where you can connect the main peripherals such as cameras, mobile phones, laptops, flashlights, etc. for a few hours.

As we said, within this format we can find two types of solar kits: the rectangular solar battery that is slightly larger than a mobile and the portable solar panel kit that can be unrolled and hung on the backpack. Both alternatives are ideal so that the hiker can leave the solar panel charging while walking or resting, as well as being able to store it comfortably in a backpack or pocket.

• Complete solar kits

Finally we have the complete solar kits that include two devices. On the one hand, the solar battery or power station and on the other, the solar panel. As you may have deduced, the most distinctive thing about solar kits is the size of the solar battery. A size that gives us many clues about the efficiency and power of the solar kit. As we have seen, the first cheap solar kit was quite small and could at most collect energy for a led light. Instead, these complete models have a very powerful independent battery and can be used to power larger appliances such as a projector, a laptop, a small refrigerator, lights, etc. Even all at once!

We can find a wide variety but we would like to highlight a versatile self-consumption solar kit, small and ideal for excursions: BLUETTI EB3A. This weighs just under 5 kilos, that is, less than a carafe of water. These types of devices have the advantage that you can connect several devices at the same time and that they can be charged with solar panels.