Mophie verses SolMarketplace

[babyblip]

I was thinking about getting a Mophie for my IPhone and a friend told me about a new solar back up power source from someone called SolMarketplace (never heard of them). While solar is a fantastic idea because it's green and I don't have to find a wall socket, I'm a little skeptical about just how well it could possibly perform. I went to their website (http://www.solmarketplace.com/products/SoL-Solar-Charging-Case-for-iPhone-iPod.html) and checked out the specs. If what they are saying is true, then my friend could be right and this solar charger/backup source not only performs as well as Mophie, it significantly outperforms it. But I'm still skeptical and I can't find this in stores yet to see if for myself.

Has anybody else heard of this?? Has anybody bought one and can tell me what they think?? Should I try this or just get a Mophie?

 

[TEHi]

These things don't work.. they will melt before getting any charge from the sun. Plus is dangerous to expose your phone and the internal lithium battery to such high temperatures.

 

[babyblip]

These things don't work.. they will melt before getting any charge from the sun. Plus is dangerous to expose your phone and the internal lithium battery to such high temperatures.

Thanks for the response. I'm assuming you brought one?? If not, did you hear this about the SolMarketplace product specifically or does this pretty much go for any solar phone and you consider solar phones in general to be useless?? I kind of thought the same thing but they seem to make claims that it never overheats. Thanks.

 

[1rottenapple]

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Seems like an interesting concept. Never used one but it would be cool to leave the case in your car by the windshield to charge it for a full day then use the case to recharge it over night. I say why not try it!

 

[babyblip]

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Seems like an interesting concept. Never used one but it would be cool to leave the case in your car by the windshield to charge it for a full day then use the case to recharge it over night. I say why not try it!

Well, money. I can't find this in stores to actually get a demo. If the claims are true, then this would be awesome. I do sales and I love to work outdoors and use my IPhone extensively. If my phone could be constantly recharging, that would be the balls. Anyway, maybe I'll just take the plunge. It's $89.00 so that's not a huge risk and it must at least have SOME value.

Thanks for your response.

 

[clearmedia]

i saw the sol case on the today show last week and i went ahead and purchased one and it just came in today. i will keep you posted and let you know. it feels nice and has a cool led flashlight.

 

[3goldens]

Mophie has always been a great product I have 3 Juice Pak Air plus's. Great product!

 

[babyblip]

i saw the sol case on the today show last week and i went ahead and purchased one and it just came in today. i will keep you posted and let you know. it feels nice and has a cool led flashlight.

Yes, please let me know clearmedia. Thanks. I think i might just buy it anyway and cross my fingers, but since you already have it, I might as well wait for your advice. Thanks again.

 

[babyblip]

Mophie has always been a great product I have 3 Juice Pak Air plus's. Great product!

Yeah, it's got a great reputation which is why I was going to buy it until I saw the sol battery pack. If the specs are true, then this would even be better than mophie and it would be green as well and completely portable. I use a lot of apps and can probably go through my battery and an additional mophie before I can get to an outlet. My concern is that the sun might overheat it, but they claim it never overheats. I don't know how they would accomplish that but I guess they couldn't blatantly lie.

 

[babyblip]

Mophie has always been a great product I have 3 Juice Pak Air plus's. Great product!

How come you have three of them??

 

[wingnut8]

Mophie. I have one, and they're made 20 miles from where I live.

 

[babyblip]

Mophie. I have one, and they're made 20 miles from where I live.

Thanks for the reply. Mophie definitely has a great reputation and I was going to buy one, but the specs on the Sol are even better and I'm in sales and I love to work outdoors on my deck, so this is why I was hoping this Sol thing is actually legit because it would be perfect for me. Another user said he/she just bought a Sol, so I was hoping to hear back from him/her about it. If I don't hear anything, then I'm just going to buy a Mophie. I've been on other forums and nobody has heard of this thing at all. I wonder why they don't advertise or get reviews? Anyway, thanks.

 

[clearmedia]

Yes, please let me know clearmedia. Thanks. I think i might just buy it anyway and cross my fingers, but since you already have it, I might as well wait for your advice. Thanks again.

This Solar Case is amazing!! http://www.solmarketplace.com/products/SoL-Solar-Charging-Case-for-iPhone-iPod.html

I purchased the iPhone 3Gs case and i love it. it has an LED flashlight for when i can't find my keys in the dark and i leave it in my car to charge up. i would recommend it.

 

[babyblip]

This Solar Case is amazing!! http://www.solmarketplace.com/products/SoL-Solar-Charging-Case-for-iPhone-iPod.html

I purchased the iPhone 3Gs case and i love it. it has an LED flashlight for when i can't find my keys in the dark and i leave it in my car to charge up. i would recommend it.

Have you tried to leave it out in the sun for a while to see if it overheats?? They claim it never overheats, but I want to see what a buyer says about that claim.

 

[babyblip]

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Seems like an interesting concept. Never used one but it would be cool to leave the case in your car by the windshield to charge it for a full day then use the case to recharge it over night. I say why not try it!

I never thought of simply emailing their customer service with questions about overheating. i did, and they promptly replied with the following

"On 6/8/2011 1:09 PM, babyblip wrote:
I like the specs on your iphone charger and am thinking of buying it, but 89.00 is not a small investment for me. Is there any return policy if I find that the specs weren’t true or found that it overheats in the sun?

Dear babyblip,
Here is our repair and replacement overview:
Repair and Replacement
Our priority is to make certain of your 100% satisfaction with your purchase. If, for whatever reason, you are dissatisfied with your purchase, you can return it to us within thirty (30) calendar days of receipt of item(s) provided that the product, packaging and all contents are in their original condition. After within thirty (30) calendar days of receipt of item(s), we will, at our discretion, repair or replace any product that proves to be defective in material or workmanship. If your product is no longer being manufactured or is out of stock, we may replace your product with a similar or better product at our option.

As far as overheating in the sun. The components are rated at -24 to 255 degrees F, the lithium batteries are rated at 140 degrees F, and the cases are rated at around 200 degree F. Now please understand the solar case does not need to be in direct sunlight, actually ambient light or indirect sunlight will produce the same power output. These units are made for the consumer industry, not military specification, so be nice to them. Do not leave them on the dashboard of a car when it is 100 degrees outside.
If you have any other questions, please fee free to contact us at any time.
Thanks,
Customer Service"

I thought it was interesting that ambient or indirect sunlight actually actually produce the same power output as direct sunlight. i think I'm going to buy this. I'll let people know whether it's all it's supposed to be or not

 

[TEHi]

It's not what they claim or not, there is simply NO WAY for a solar panel that size to charge the phone at a decent rate. Plus it is dangerous to leave a li-ion battery under the sun.

Think about it:
Solar panel output
- DC to DC step up conversion loss
- DC to DC step down conversion loss
- iPhone standby energy consumption
-----------------------------------------
= final charge rate.

I have a solar powered emergency radio that barely works with sunlight, and it uses so little power that a pair of AA could last for days.

They are WRONG by saying that in ambient light the solar panel would produce the same amount of energy than under direct sunlight. Why do you think we have solar power plants deep in the middle of the desert?

Please save your money on this

 

[babyblip]

It's not what they claim or not, there is simply NO WAY for a solar panel that size to charge the phone at a decent rate. Plus it is dangerous to leave a li-ion battery under the sun.

Think about it:
Solar panel output
- DC to DC step up conversion loss
- DC to DC step down conversion loss
- iPhone standby energy consumption
-----------------------------------------
= final charge rate.

I have a solar powered emergency radio that barely works with sunlight, and it uses so little power that a pair of AA could last for days.

They are WRONG by saying that in ambient light the solar panel would produce the same amount of energy than under direct sunlight. Why do you think we have solar power plants deep in the middle of the desert?

Please save your money on this

Well, I'm not an engineer or techie, so I don't know, but I really appreciate your input. Here are the specs. Are they lying?

Battery case charges via sunlight, incandescent light or Mini 5-pin USB
Built in 2400mAh rechargeable lithium polymer battery
Advanced "Rapid Charging Technology"
Priority charging, phone battery first to charge, last to be used
Battery protection prevents over charging
Solar panel output: 5.5V at 110mAh in full sun (average output: 90mAh)
Input: DC 5V, 500mA- 2.0 Ah
Output: DC 5V, 700mA- 2.0Ah
Custom engineered USB 2.0 cable provides high capacity charging and data exchange
Durable, lightweight hard-shell construction with soft-touch grip side sections
Built-in Apple certified 30-pin connetor
Power display: 25% 50% 75% 100%
Size: 113x66x 21 mm
Weight: 66.5g
Color Available: Black

Here's the benefits they claim

The SoL Solar Charger Case for iPhone and iPod Touch extends your daily battery life by 3 Times and more! The cases integrated solar panel allows you to harness the power of the sun to effortlessly charge your iPhone 2G, 3G, 3Gs, 4 and iPod Touch 2G, 3G. The case also includes a internal 2400mAh lithium polymer battery (one of the largest on market today) as well as SoL's novel rapid charging technology which allows you to charge your device 3 Times faster than a wall charger!

The Patents Pending SoL Solar Charger Case is a "Made for iPhone and iPod" product that includes an Internal Battery, Rapid Charging Technology, Priority Charging Technology, a built-in super bright LED flashlight and comes with a mini 5 pin USB cable as well as 3 screen protectors (Mirror, Privacy and Fingerprint).

So is this all really impossible?? Thanks again.

 

[beachbomber]

like someone said above, I too saw the sol on the today show last week and i bought it. i highly recommend it. i'm lucky to often be able to work on the beach with an iphone and ipad. i had a mophie and it was pretty good, but i was still running out of juice. not only is this thing solar and hence green and outlet free, but it seems to actually outdo the mophie. my friend has a mophie too and joined me at the beach and was playing games and using apps all day and he ran out of juice. 100% empty. i didn't think this sol could recharge a totally dead phone, but to my surprise it actually did and in only 45 minutes before it was 100% charged. then i kept charging my sol and kept my phone going with no interruption. it's fine in the heat of the sun on the beach but i'm not sure you would want to leave it on a dashboard in a really hot car in florida, just like i read above. i would be afraid to test it that much, but for the open air of the beach, it's just fine. you should get one if you work on your deck. highly recommend it. Good quality and even a good feel and it's not overly bulky. someone really did their homework when they made this

 

[babyblip]

like someone said above, I too saw the sol on the today show last week and i bought it. i highly recommend it. i'm lucky to often be able to work on the beach with an iphone and ipad. i had a mophie and it was pretty good, but i was still running out of juice. not only is this thing solar and hence green and outlet free, but it seems to actually outdo the mophie. my friend has a mophie too and joined me at the beach and was playing games and using apps all day and he ran out of juice. 100% empty. i didn't think this sol could recharge a totally dead phone, but to my surprise it actually did and in only 45 minutes before it was 100% charged. then i kept charging my sol and kept my phone going with no interruption. it's fine in the heat of the sun on the beach but i'm not sure you would want to leave it on a dashboard in a really hot car in florida, just like i read above. i would be afraid to test it that much, but for the open air of the beach, it's just fine. you should get one if you work on your deck. highly recommend it. Good quality and even a good feel and it's not overly bulky. someone really did their homework when they made this

Hey thanks. I'm getting many interesting answers and some of them are conflicting. How long does it take to fully charge the Sol in the sun?? How long does it take for a socket to charge it??

 

[TEHi]

100% empty. i didn't think this sol could recharge a totally dead phone, but to my surprise it actually did and in only 45 minutes before it was 100% charged.

45 minutes to 100% How? are you telling me the output of this thing is 1850ma? That is almost three times of their rated spec (700ma). Even the original charger takes more than 45 minutes to fully charge the iPhone. At this rate you will end up with a seriously overheated phone and charger, plus it is harmful to the battery to charge this fast.

Hey thanks. I'm getting many interesting answers and some of them are conflicting. How long does it take to fully charge the Sol in the sun?? How long does it take for a socket to charge it??

According to the specs 90ma output, it will take 26 hours to fully charge the internal 2400mah battery. And 15 hours to fully charge iphone 4's battery. This is about 1/6th of a regular USB port charging rate, and using their spec numbers. I've seen larger solar panels put out less than 90ma.

To charge the case itself will depend much on the power source, with a usb port is a bit more than 5 hours.

I have nothing against this case nor I have tried it. But chances are it will not perform as stated. The battery part may perform well, but solar won't. Save yourself some money and bulk in the pocket.

 

[babyblip]

45 minutes to 100% How? are you telling me the output of this thing is 1850ma? That is almost three times of their rated spec (700ma). Even the original charger takes more than 45 minutes to fully charge the iPhone. At this rate you will end up with a seriously overheated phone and charger, plus it is harmful to the battery to charge this fast.




According to the specs 90ma output, it will take 26 hours to fully charge the internal 2400mah battery. And 15 hours to fully charge iphone 4's battery. This is about 1/6th of a regular USB port charging rate, and using their spec numbers. I've seen larger solar panels put out less than 90ma.

To charge the case itself will depend much on the power source, with a usb port is a bit more than 5 hours.

I have nothing against this case nor I have tried it. But chances are it will not perform as stated. The battery part may perform well, but solar won't. Save yourself some money and bulk in the pocket.

Thanks again TEHi. This is all very strange. I wish they had real reviews that I could read. I think I might try this for myself and let you know. I think that if it doesn't perform as advertised, then I could possibly return it and get my money back.

 

[tekbeattv]

I was thinking about getting a Mophie for my IPhone and a friend told me about a new solar back up power source from someone called SolMarketplace (never heard of them). While solar is a fantastic idea because it's green and I don't have to find a wall socket, I'm a little skeptical about just how well it could possibly perform. I went to their website (http://www.solmarketplace.com/products/SoL-Solar-Charging-Case-for-iPhone-iPod.html) and checked out the specs. If what they are saying is true, then my friend could be right and this solar charger/backup source not only performs as well as Mophie, it significantly outperforms it. But I'm still skeptical and I can't find this in stores yet to see if for myself.

Has anybody else heard of this?? Has anybody bought one and can tell me what they think?? Should I try this or just get a Mophie?

Usually it is not recommended to place your phone in sunlight (overheating issues). I would go with the Mophie if you are deciding between the two. Hope this helps!

 

[babyblip]

Usually it is not recommended to place your phone in sunlight (overheating issues). I would go with the Mophie if you are deciding between the two. Hope this helps!

Yeah, that's what I keep hearing, but they claim that the case never overheats. So if the phone was face down with the case/back up battery facing the sun, it wouldn't get too hot. A lot of claims they make seem impossible, but I can't see how they could blatantly lie. But I'm not an engineer, so I don't know much about whether all this is really possible or not. Thanks for the reply

 

[beachbomber]

45 minutes to 100% How? are you telling me the output of this thing is 1850ma? That is almost three times of their rated spec (700ma). Even the original charger takes more than 45 minutes to fully charge the iPhone. At this rate you will end up with a seriously overheated phone and charger, plus it is harmful to the battery to charge this fast.

i really don't know how they do it at all, but a fully charged sol charged a dead iphone in 45 mins. maybe it wasn't completely dead but i thought it was and it had to be near dead. it uses their own, patented "rapid charge" technology and apparently it's supposed to read how fast the iphone can take a charge and never charges it too fast. write their customer service http://www.solmarketplace.com to find out how they do this. all i know is that this was just what i needed and i've been really happy so far, but i've only had it for less than a week, but so far, i have nothing but good to say about this thing. i hear they're also coming out with a solar charger for the ipad, which i use extensively, so i can't wait for that.

 

[babyblip]

Well, I took the risk and bought one. So far, very happy. It has a good grip to it and they were smart enough to keep the top and top of the sides open so that I could access the buttons on my phone. I was in a bar last night and this thing was charging itself pretty well from just the bar lights. Since I wasn't using the phone, I was fully charged. Saw a guy there who ran out of juice. I gave him this thing and it completely recharged his phone in 45 minutes. So I saw it for myself and beachbomber's claim appears to actually be true. Built in light is pretty bright. So far, it's perfect for me. I wonder why they don't advertise or sell this in stores??