A note about pledges: I’ve gotten emails from some people who are confused. What you see in the “Reward” box is what you get. Nothing more, nothing less. So when you pledge $55, you get just the 5W Solar Cell.
When you pledge $60, you get just a 10,000mAh Power Bank. Nothing more, nothing less.
I did it this way so that people could either order a USB Solar Cell with or without a Power Bank. I personally don’t use a Power Bank for charging up my phone day to day, my window has ample sunlight. Though for camping I use a Power Bank as my power needs have changed.
Again, sorry about this confusion. I thought things were clear, but it seems as if I didn’t lay things out well enough.
Solar Power Simplified
Solar power doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive, yet that is what the market keeps throwing on the general public. I’ve designed a very simple, low cost, easy to use fold out 5W Solar USB system. No frills or thrills, just the basic USB power output that everyone needs to charge up their gadgets.
Background
For the past two years, I’ve been designing and selling DIY solar USB kits. They are cute little things that fit into an Altoids tin. The problem is that I kept running into is that my customers keep asking for more powerful charging setups. Hikers and campers wanted a system they could charge up during the day and then use at night, cyclists wanted a system that could keep their GPS units running all day long, and mission/relief groups wanted an inexpensive solar charger that worked with just about everything. This stretched the limit of what I could make by hand or put together in a kit. After working with some overseas manufacturers, I came up with a simple solution that is not only easy to use but insanely practical.
How It Works
The idea is simple. Put three small solar cells together in a nice enclosure that outputs to USB. Just unfold and plugin. It is a small package that is inexpensive and very useful.
Combined, the solar cells put out 5W, or about 1 Amp of power at about 5 Volts, which outputs directly to a standard USB port. No special dongle or adaptor is needed; just plug in any device that has a USB port on it. How does that translate into the “real world”? In full sunlight, you’ll charge up an iPhone in around three hours.
Stretch Goal
It breaks down like this. May 2nd is when this ends. Then, I have 14 days until Kickstarter releases the money to me. Then 3 – 4 weeks to get the stuff made and to me. Then, it takes another 1-2 weeks to get it to everyone who pledged. Mid-June is a good estimate on my end.
I’ll be using Facebook, Twitter, my website, and Kickstarter to keep everyone informed of the progress.
If I raise $20000, I may go a bit wild and throw in a free flex USB Light for every pledge above $25.
Associated Risks
The Folding USB Solar Cells have been made, tested, and put into some real-life situations. They perform well. I’ve been creating and making solar projects for two years now, and I’m highly confident in my work. I’ve had years of camping and cycling, so I know for a fact that these solar cells are a great addition to the outdoorsman’s gear. With that in mind, there are a few risks to this project.
The largest risk would be juggling everything. I’m still a full-time teacher who is stretched just running his website. I’ve never had anything manufactured before or done any sort of fundraising on my own. I’m not a business major (my father is somewhere thinking, “I told you so” on that one), I don’t have an MBA, and I’m entering new territory. However, these problems are small. I’m using manufacturers I’ve worked with in the past and have a good reputation and high levels of quality. I’ve successfully run my own small business on the side for two years thanks to help from family, friends, and the local community. As I’m not actually hand-making each of these, the biggest problem on my end will be shipping everything out. But I’ve got lots of boxes for that and a lot of tape.
Bottom Line
For now, I’m setting a very realistic goal of $5,000. Once I have the funds, I’ll be able to get the items manufactured and put in my hands by mid to late June. More or less, you’ll be getting your rewards by the end of June.
