The fact so many cars across Britain have sat idle during lockdown is great for the environment, but not so good for the cars themselves as batteries may begin to lose their charge. Solar-powered battery chargers are inexpensive and easy to use. Simply place one on your dashboard and plug into your 12v socket. Be aware that running your car’s engine for a short period of time won’t adequately charge its battery. In fact, it may drain it further if it is already weak.
If you’ve taken to your bicycle during these challenging times, you’ll be pleased to know that these solar panels can be clipped to a backpack and charge two USB compatible devices while you’re on the go.
Win a solar panel to trickle charge your car battery
We have three solar-powered battery chargers to give away. To be in with a chance of winning one of the solar panels simply leave us a comment and let us know what you’d charge with it.
solar powered battery charger
The ethical choice
The ETA was established in 1990 as an ethical provider of green, reliable travel services. 30 years on, we continue to offer cycle insurance, breakdown cover and home insurance while putting concern for the environment at the heart of all we do.
Darren C
It would be very useful to charge my action cam on my bike while it is locked at work inside the bike shed (action cam used for evidence should anything bad happen during my rush hour commute).
Stephen
This would be very useful for long days outside on the bike to charge my phone.
Lesley Radford
I would trickle charge my battery.
Derek
I can’t believe I’m the first to comment! (and I would really like to own one of these!)
James Craven
Useful, if we ever get sunshine!
Mikhail
It would be amazing on >200km Audaxes. Without a GPS navigator you are as good as lost, and they do not last long.
Steve K
Useful to charge car battery, but probably more for phone and cameras
John Williams
That would be really handy for keeping the leisure battery on our folding camper topped up.
When we got married we elected to buy a folding camper as a greener alternative for holidays while still maintaining a degree of comfort.
Jim Woodlingfield
It makes me think of this article: solar is civil defence https://m.dailykos.com/stories/2017/9/8/1697177/-Is-It-Time-to-Talk-About-Solar-Civil-Defense
I’d use it to charge up a power bank while out and about, which I could then use to charge lights and GPS, and maybe a phone…
Boyd
Wow just what I need to charge up my bike lights, bike computer and phone while touring on the bike and keeping the battery of my van topped up whilst sitting outside the house not being used.
Reverend Chris Hickmott-Arnold
I would charge my electric bike with it.
Les Gunbie
I’d charge a car battery and a bike light …
CraigSA
I’d love a solar panel I could fix to my bike.
Maybe on top of the panniers or on the top of the rack.
That way I could go for longer runs on the bike and keep my device charged while I track my miles.
Even better… Use it on a bike tour when lockdown finally ends.
Pamela
The solution for cycle touring in summer – yes please.
Anna Mahoney
Hi ETA.
Thanks for this week’s give-away competition.
I would give the charger to my aunt so she can power the coffee machine her daughter gave her. My aunt turns 80 this year, and has for many, many years tried to minimise her energy usage – to the extent that she will not turn her central heating on until after she’s already wrapped up in warm clothes and is still cold. Her coffee machine is obviously a modern luxury, and it should really be powered via a renewable source. My aunt would be very excited if she were to indeed win this extremely useful gadget!
Many thanks, Anna.
Steve Green
A great prize for charging the phone.
David Curran
I have one of these in the back window of my car, since I rarely use the car. However, please note that it is plugged into the accessory socket in the back of the car, since, unlike the cigarette lighter socket on the dash board, it is live when the key is not in the ignition.
Raf
I’ll be charging my phone and my dad’s mobility scooter if i can rig it up correctly – that’ll get big charging round town in no time!
Toby James
Seems like a great idea now the car isn’t getting much use.
Peter Chisnall
Splendid!
Russ Taylor
I definitely need one of these! My wife and I constantly running down the batteries on every electronic device we have with constant usage. When we go camping this will be a godsend!!
Annette Unsworth
I’d use mine to charge my mobile and my fit bit after my cycle to work.
Jonathan Hunt
Like a lot of people I suppose, I’m planning on a lot of staycation travel this year and camping trips. This would be ideal 🙂
Jonathan Hunt
…oh and I would charge my phone (what a surprise), my Garmin, bike lights etc.
Kerena
What a fantastic idea. I can’t afford to get a Dynamo wheel on both my bikes at the moment, so this solar charger would be a great option for my touring bike!!
Charles May
I’d use it to charge the emergency starter battery in my glovebox, so that I can jump either mine or someone else’s car if they need it.
Clare Gordon
To charge the mobile phone whilst cycle camping.
Doug M
I’d love to have one of these, especially if the sun starts shining!
Carol W
Ooh would be good on the bike when using GPS on the phone 🙂
Richard
Ideal for the tent
Paul Magnall
When not charging my cycle lights or phone the solar panels would be used to recharge a battery that I use for recharging devices when the sun isn’t shining.
Gordon
What a great piece equipment. I would charge my phone and my Garmin sat nav.
Mark Holling
With our new electric bikes my wife and I intend to make a number of long day trips and short tours from home over the next few months, in lieu of holidays. I hope I could strap the charger to the top of my rack bag and then use it to top up my small portable charger and/or phone while out. It could also do camera batteries. We have signed up to ETA cycle rescue just in case so we’re all set. Longer term I’d envisage using it on longer travels perhaps in areas where there are few charging points.
Jon Vamplew
My son not the best at getting up – I would charge an alarm clock that would hang from the ceiling and that he could not reach 😈
Fergus Duncanson
Immensely useful gadget, even in northern Britain. I would like one!
Chris Bromwich
What a useful addition to the travel bag.
Peter Clark
My phone. Running Strava for long periods can be draining
Mike Croker
Primary use would be my mobile phone, but also the battery in my velomobile. Just possible that the car might get a look in if it asks nicely!
Mark B
I’d charge lights on the go or top up my phone ready for my favourite podcast!
Jamie Johnson
Honour the charge it makes,
Honour the Light Brigade!
PeteG
This can be the start of energy self sufficiency in my caravan, keeping the battery charged during the hopefully long hot summer.
KathyC
I cycle regularly at least once a week – When I use Runkeeper to record how far I cycle it always runs my battery flat on my mobile, so this charger would be great. Hope its easily carried on a bicycle.
Gordon
Yes please. Light me up.
So good work for spending the day working in the park.
SB
This would be great to charge my phone when I’m cycling off road for a few days away from civilization!
Barbara Thomas
Multiplicity of items but especially useful to charge my iPhone on day long cycle rides or walks especially in the mountains.
Sarah Brooks
I’d charge my lovely campervan, Daphne.
Sarah
I like how flexible this device is. Charging my devices whilst on the go, keeping my car battery charged despite our dramatic change in needs, it will also charge our favourite devices whilst camping and when we are home.
My daughter would prioritise her headphone, my first choice would be my smart phone.
Craig
Illuminating!
Thanks eta
Robert Lewis
I think on of these would be perfect for my cycle camping holidays!
Jane Collier
I don’t have a car myself but would use this to charge my electronic devices, especially my phone on my way to work on my bike, and to lend to my neighbour as her car battery is always going flat! Thanks.
David
One of these would be perfect for keeping my phone topped up on long days out on the bike, or camping with the kids!
Chris Wrigley
Great for those longer bike rides this summer
Alastair Seagroatt
Would be great for longer journeys, topping up my (old) iPhone or bike camera.
Graham Corfield
Wow, sounds great. I would charge my iPhone as its always low on battery and my camera batteries, because I use my bike to get me to locations to take my photos.
Gillian
Great idea, very practical. Would love one please.
Mike the Bike
Seems a brilliant piece of kit to keep a family’s two smart phones charged to save draining car or ebike batteries especially during Covd shutdowns.
Paul Evans
This would be really useful! Thanks
Pat Hagen
Charging my phone on the way home from work
Rod Hewson
This looks great and would go in my campervan very nicely.
wesley
I’m feeling energised to enter this draw and hopefully catch some sun.
This would be great to take my bike lights and music player off grid.
Michael Davis
This would be very useful at the moment, when due to lockdown our car is only being used very occasionally.
On one of those odd occasions when it is used, it gives me messages that the 12 volt battery is almost empty.
Matt Hodges
Be aware most car power sockets are disconnected when the engine is turned off. I had a similar device a few years ago and I had to cut into the internal lighting circuit to the glove box to get a circuit that would work. Also found even then that it didn’t work very well but solar panels have improved a lot now.
Bill
This would be very handy for our car. My wife and I like to cycle whenever we can and obviously have done so more than usual recently with the ‘lockdown’, etc. Consequently, we have had to call the vehicle breakdown service out twice during the past year as our car’s battery has run completely flat!
James Russell
My cat. Her usual charging mechanism isn’t working properly. She spends hours laying in the sunshine, but is just as lazy as when she’s being laying on the back of the sofa watching the world go by.
She might have a secret built-in wind turbine though. Runs around like crazy when it is windy…
Paul Miller
Ooh, yes please – would be good on my bike for topping up phone charge or in the car on longer journeys for the kids to charge their games consoles
David Walker
My phone
Tom Baines
be great for charging my ipad when in the field
Faye Rosier
My phone when camping
Peter Saville
The family have too many phones….so always chargeing them!
Amy Bondoc
my car
John Taggart
All the hot air generated by parliament
Andy Thompson
would charge my phone and drone while out in the sticks
Lydia Joy
I’d charge my phone and the kids would use it for their kindles and Nintendo DS’s if they could.
Zoe C
Would be great for our phones and tablets
Neil Molyneux
I would charge my laptop with it
Ewan Bell
I would use this to keep the car battery topped up.
steph lovatt
all our mobile phones
Mariel Pereira
I’d charge my iPad and phone that I cannot do without!
Stuart Bayley
I’d use it to charge my phone when we go to festivals again
Neeta Scrivener
I would charge my phone and iPad while off on my planned cycling journey through Europe, staying at campsites
Brenda Cairns
Would use it for the car
Beverley Cordle
My phone and Kindle
Lou
My phone of course, or my iPad! Essentials wherever you are and a solar panel to charge them would be fantastic especially when we are wild camping with zero electricity!
Rebecca Evans
I would charge my phone when I go camping! Fab!
Antony Robinson
My tractor
Lee Clarke
I’d like to keep my car battery charged as I’m not using it very much at the moment.
Lorraine Tinsley
I would use it to charge my daughters’ tablets, they are always using all the battery when we are on long car journeys
Jess
Would have to be my phone – am lost without it!
lucinda duxbury
id charge my phone, its always running out of charge when i need it
Tanya Vincent-Tomlinson
I’m forever needing to charge my phone… this would be perfect!
Natalia S
I’d charge my phone and maybe laptop
KEVIN COZENS
I’d keep my mobile phone forever topped up 🙂
Mark Matthews
I think it would probably be our mobile phones.
Helen
To keep my usb bike lights charged.
Linda Weatherley
I would use this to charge my car.
Mark Doherty
I’d charge my Garmin GPS.
David Paterson
Would be great for the phone and laptop, and to keep my dubious car battery going for a while longer
Andrew Taylor
I’ve had to charge my car battery twice in the last few months, so winning a solar charger would be great.
Chris
I’d charge my garmin and my phone on long cycle tours.
Hector Valente
mobile phone!
Ella
I would charge my phone or my iPad with the solar panel.
Kathleen marsden
My phone and iPad
Laura
I would charge my phone with it as im constantly running out of battery.
Ruth
My MP3 player, can’t be without music on trips!
Pui Liu
Car
Tony Singh
Would charge my car
Tony Balaggan
Definitely would charge my car
Fiona Liu
Bike
Fiona Balaggan
My hubby’s car
Fiona Kaur
My bike
Rich Tyler
I’d love to charge my headphones / tablet / phone, this sounds like great tech!
Ritchie
I would charge my bike lights.
Ed B
I would charge my phone
Ellie Spider
this would be great for charging my phone and go pro when I am camping
Anna Gleave
My phone and torch
Joan
Mobile phone & torch when camping, would be very useful
Donna Lamont
Has to be my mobile phone
Shaun
I would charge the kids phones, they never last long away from a power point
Dean Willoughby
So useful. How many times could I have made use of one of these..
Richard Randall
My iPad
Sam Barb
I would you it to charge my electric bike.
AP
I’d charge my phone
Christopher Hawker
My phone
Phil Darling
I’d charge my phone and iPad while we wild camp this summer
Gavin
Yes. I’d keep my car battery topped up. I’ve hardly gone anywhere in the last year.
Amanda Trelfa
My phone is an old man now and it needs charging a lot!
Dean Lloyd
The kids ipads!
Tracey Daws
I would charge my bike camera as I ride so many miles that it goes flat before I finish my ride so this would be really useful to me.
jamie piper
I’d charge my iPhone and iPad
Paul Rushworth
eBike
Keith Embleton
My phone
Beverley Michelle Cousins
We’re looking to go hiking along the coast lines this summer and this beauty would be absolutely amazing to have to recharge the mobiles, especially if we need them in a emergency.
James Spicer
I would charge my phone!
Richard F
I would charge my phone
Conor
I’ll be charging my ereader if i win.
Sian Vaughan
My rechargeable torch – night walks.
Paul Batson
I’d charge my Bluetooth speaker to keep the tunes coming when are drinking beers in fields again.
kerry ng
sunlight
David Pritchard
I would charge my mobile phone whilst doing the coast to coast walk at the start of June (St Bees Head in Cumbria to Robin Hoods bay in Northumberland (192 miles!)).
Laura Mason
My car!
Michelle Bamber
This would be used to charge my tablet for out and about entertainment and keeping in touch
Claire Nutman
Phone mainly for the tunes !!
Ian Anderson
Hi, would love to win this as the family goes camping a lot and when we are out and roaming about, being able to charge up our electronic devices, like our mobile phones, or even one of the kids handheld gaming devices, would be great – just for the piece of mind (and peace) it would bring :)!
Nicola shutt
My laptop so that i can work out side
Julie Feathers
I would charge my phone
JOHN OGDEN
A great idea and dual usage too.
Roger Bufton
To keep my phone charged.
Marco Mazzolini
I’d charge my mobile phone
Andrew Wedge
I have kids so I’d be charging the tablet, the Switch, the phones, the portable DVD player, etc
michael annetts
i would charge my Polar Grit, it’s a brilliant device that helps me set goals and stay motivated
yvonne clark
I would give it my son to be kept in his car for emergencies. He would also be able to use it for his phone.
Brett Pereira
I would need to charge the portable DVD player to keep my children entertained on journeys
Rose Howie
I would love one of these and would charge my iPhone with it! 🙂
Gordon McVay
Camping is a must – so recharging phones and lights
Christopher McKendrick
I’d charge my phone, smartphone gimbal, and 360 camera with it when I’m shooting videos!
JOHNATHAN HILL
great idea love one
tim poole
I would use it to keep the battery of my MK1 S3 from going flat as I do so little mileage these days.
JANET EMPSON
my phone, husbands phone and both have lap tops so plenty to keep it busy!!!
Sarah Wray
I would charge my phone, or my kindle or my iPad!
Teresa Lee
I’d use it to charge ipad, phone, batteries
Mary
My mobile phone
Gillian Corbitt
I would charge my road bike
YOLANDA DAVIS
I’d use it when I’m out and about or staying over night at my daughters.
Jo Jones
I would charge my mobile
dave johnston
My USBS i would charge
Phillip Rees
I’d use it to top-up the charge on the service battery of our sailing boat so that the electrics are always in fine fettle and ready for fair winds.
Victoria N
I’d charge my headphones – I have them on most of the day and they are always running out of charge
Bhavesh Mistry
Really hope i win this!
Daniel Briggs
I would for sure help charge my car battery with it, sounds like a brilliant idea.
andrew clough
i would use it to charge the car dog fan! he needs to be kept cool in summer when we travel
shane weir
I would charge my iphone
Sofiya Lulham
I would charge my phone
Jonathan Lulham
my phone
Christine Williams
How handy – my daughters would love this to keep their phones charged.
Mary Jasko
I’d charge the mini LED lights in the back of my van for when i’m camping.
Claire Nutman
My ipad and phone to start with, great comp and for the planet too….
Christopher Michael
I would use it to charge my phone
Isabelle
This is such a cool idea!
Isabelle
I’d charge my phone 🙂
Daniel Dalfen
Perfect to keep my IPad topped up.
Hannah Parker
The kids in car dvd player!
Sarah Gardiner
I would charge my phone
Gail
Perfect for charging my bike lights
Chris
A really bright idea.
Chris
I’d use it to recharge my lights
Richard R
I would charge my mobile phone as it runs down the charge a lot making calls
Suzanne McCusker
I’d use it at my allotment to charge my phone & wireless speaker
Ani Murhy
This would be great for charging my dash cam
David Holland
I’d take it out for the day and charge my phone 🙂
Sarah Parker
I’d charge my phone 🙂
Antony Scholes
Great idea for keeping my car battery in good nick.
Lewis Baines
I would charge my phone, bike lights and laptop
Rupert Summerton
my mobile phone
Tracey
I would use it to charge my MP3 player and my phone whilst I am gardening. It would be great not to need to hobble up and down the steps when they run out of battery power.
Chris J
My phone.
Neil Gent
Would be used for my car, to ensure the battery is kept in tip top condition.
Pamela Gossage
My phone
tony allan
I’d charge my phone
alex cook
my phone and iPod
Peter clist
Great prize to win ,like to win charger for car
Ian Bradley
I’d use it to trickle charge my motorcycle whilst I’m at work at my local hospital. As I’ve only been going on site a couple of times a week the battery has suffered.
Joanne L
I would charge up my camera and take loads of pictures of wildlife: e.g. abandoned rusty bicycles, lost gloves and slow-walking elderly dogs.
Sarah Barr
I’d use it to charge my phone whilst on the move.
Susan Willshee
I’d use it on my bike to charge my mobile phone.
Brigitte Leprince
My mobile phone
John Dean
Defo my bike
Paula Phillips
I’d use this to charge my car battery as it’s already gotten flat once during lockdown.
Hannah Chapman
I would charge my phone. Always have no battery- nightmare!
Mark Popplewell
Definitely one for the car. I have worked from home for the last 20 years so the car is usually sitting idle
sue norminton
I’d charge my car
Lisa Paterson
I’ll be charging my phone
MICHAEL CLARKE
I’d use it to charge my phone
Phil Brett
Charge my phone and dash cam.
Thomas Hampson
My phone.
Theresa M
I would charge my phone and my bike lights.
stuart payne
My mobile phone
ChristineM
I’d use it to charge the battery in my 20 year old Polo that’s sitting on the drive, waiting for my son to decide what he’s going to do with it!
Chirag Patel
charge my phone
Russ
My battery keeps running flat when I’m out and about. Can it charge on the go too? How do I fix it to my bike? Also could charge my lights too (if I can remember where I put them?)
Elizabeth
Car battery as I try to cycle everywhere these days and often wonder if it will start after 2 weeks sat on the drive!
S Choudhury
Useful for my mobile