I was given the opportunity to test and compare two of Levin’s USB solar chargers, including the following:
Both products were packaged well. Upon opening, I was impressed at their solid, durable, rugged feel. While I’m not willing to throw them off the roof for the sake of a review, I expect that they will withstand heavy usage (e.g. hiking, tossing in a bag, becoming my toddler’s favorite new teething toy, etc.).
What was in the box?
- Solar-powered battery pack. [The green 5000mAh model has two 1 amp USB ports. The newer 7000mAh model has one 2.1 amp USB port (great for charging higher powered device like iPads and other tablets), and one 1 amp USB port. Both models also have a micro USB port so you can charge the battery via your computer (or any other USB power source).]
- USB-to-micro-USB charging cable
- Carabiner
- Instruction leaflet (not pictured)
- The 2013 model (green 5000mAh) also had a converter for the older iPhone 30-pin charger…does anyone still have these phones? Regardless, the 2015 model does not include this converter, which I think was a wise choice.
- Note: these products do NOT come with the USB cords necessary to connect your mobile device to them for charging. This is not a negative in my opinion, as the manufacturer can’t possibly provide all the cords for compatibility with various devices. Besides, I prefer to use my own high-quality cable of choice.
Technical specifications on back of device (2015 black 7000mAh model):
- Model: YD-T018
- Patent No: ZL 201430248256.5
- Solar charger with self-timer
- Li-polymer battery: 7000mAh/25Wh
- Solar charging: 5.5v, 1.5W
- Input: DC 5V/ 1A
- Output: DC 5V/2.1A, DC 5V/1A
- (Made in China)
Technical specifications on back of device (2013 green 5000mAh model):
- Model: YD-T011
- Patent No: ZL 2013 3 0555272.4
- Li-polymer battery: 6000mAh (note: this is not a typo on my part. I have no idea why the back of the device reports it as a 6000mAh device when it’s otherwise advertised as 5000mAh. I lean towards thinking it’s actually 5000.)
- Solar charging: 5v/200mA
- Input: DC 5V/ 1A
- Output: DC 5V/ 2x1A
- (Made in China)
Battery performance tests:
- Before testing, I fully charged both models to 100% using the included USB cable (not solar power). I strongly recommend doing this first to top off the battery, as it will take a long time to charge fully with solar.
- I then tested each model on how long it took to charge my iPhone 5S from 0% to full capacity. They performed almost identically. I apologize that I do not have an tablet to test the 2.1 amp charging rate…if anyone wants to send me one I’ll be happy to test it for them, ha! 😉
- It took 5 minutes for each model to provide enough juice for my iPhone to power itself on (at 4% charge). Both devices completed a full charge after just over 2 hours.
- After charging my battery, each pack reported it was at approximately 50% charge remaining. This is a little puzzling, as the iPhone 5S has a 1560mAh battery capacity. Perhaps the LED indicators are not accurate enough and there was more than 50% left, but a 5000mAh charger should be able to charge the phone 3 times, and a 7000mAh charger should have enough juice for almost 5 full charges. I want to drain the battery packs completely and charge fully to see if that helps to “reset” their capacity and have the LEDs report more precisely; if/when I get the chance to do that, I plan to update my review if my findings change.
- Just for kicks, I left the LED flashlights on overnight. I’m happy to report that if you’re stuck in Siberia with no sunshine and only this battery for light, you have a very very long-lasting flashlight. I gave up after 24 hours…LEDs are such low power that one of these packs will last virtually forever.
Solar charge tests:
- I have not yet had the opportunity to completely discharge the batteries and charge back up using solar power. However, as other reviewers note, it will take several days, depending on your sunshine and latitude, to fully charge only using solar power. This is normal with any solar charger. From my brief testing with the solar charger, though, it appears to work well. I will update my review if that changes.
- Note: as the instruction leaflet mentions, you should not plan on topping off the battery using solar power. You run a small risk of the battery overheating and exploding if you charge above 75%-ish capacity. That would be the same with any other solar charger running in the hot sun. That being said…if I’m stuck in the wilderness, I’m going to charge it all the way. This is a very low risk. Now, I would NOT leave it hanging on my backpack to keep it “topped off” when it’s already near full charge. Once it’s done, please put it away, just like you should disconnect any rechargeable battery from the charger once complete! That’s when you’re asking for trouble.
Is it “waterproof”?
- No, absolutely not, they are not watertight. These devices WILL get water in them if you submerge them, and probably if you’re caught in an awful storm. If you fiddle with the rubber on the sides of them, you can pull parts of it away and see directly into the interior of the pack.
- However, they ARE fairly water resistant, as the case is designed well to direct water away from the interior and keep it mostly dry. If it started to rain I would put it away in my bag, like a rational person. However, I wouldn’t panic and expect it to be ruined by a little chance rain. And there’s a good chance that if fully submerged for a brief moment, I could dry it out (wait at least 24 hours before using again!) and it still function.
- I wish the seller would advertise this as water-resistant or rain-resistant, as that would be more accurate marketing.
I did not test the “Bluetooth selfie feature” advertised for the newer 7000mAh model. I expect it would work just fine, but I have no desire to use my solar powered battery pack to take selfies. If anyone really wants me to test it let me know, and I’ll consider it. But probably not. 😉
I am very happy with both of these models, though I am only rating them 4 stars due to not being waterproof. I personally prefer the newer 7000mAh model due to its larger capacity, 2 amp charging option, and sleeker redesigned look. However, both of them have earned a spot in mine and my husband’s bags, both for everyday emergency backup and outdoor trips.
**I received a discount on these products in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.** (However, I wanted to buy them anyways as I needed a solar battery pack, so I was thrilled to get a discount on them. All my reflections above are based on my intent to use this product regularly until it breaks, which will hopefully be a long time away!)
You can pick up these devices on Amazon here:
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