Hey everyone! I'm working on a fun project where I'm building a power station into a baby stroller for our family outings, like theme park days. It will power LED lights, a cooler, and charge phones. I currently have a sport-brella umbrella mounted to the stroller for shade and unexpected rain. I'm considering adding solar power to it, thinking that flexible or rollable solar panels would fit well with the umbrella's fabric. I know they have some limitations, but since this isn't a long-term installation, I'm okay with that. My goal is to find a way to wire multiple smaller flexible panels together, ideally between the ribs of the umbrella. I'm aiming for around 80-100 watts, but I'm flexible with voltage. I'm curious if anyone has tried something like this or has suggestions on how to approach it. Thanks for any ideas!
3 Answers
For a proof of concept, you could try a solar cell kit and customize it on the umbrella. It won't be super weatherproof or efficient, but it should conform to the umbrella's shape well! Check out some options online, like this solar kit I found: [Amazon Solar Kit](https://www.amazon.com/SUNYIMA-Polycrystalline-Panels-50x50MM-1-96inch/dp/B087TK7T7T/ref=asc_df_B087TK7T7T).
Sounds like a cool project! But honestly, you might want to just consider getting a bigger battery and charging it more often instead. It might save you a lot of trouble in the long run!
I’ve thought about getting an EcoFlow Power Hat for solar power. It looks decent and has dropped to $79. There's also an Anker Solix Solar Beach Umbrella in development, but it isn’t available yet. Just an idea!
I get what you're saying, but the fun of it is part of the project! I just want to see if I can make it work and maybe get a little extra power for showing off. Plus, how cool would it be to add solar power just for fun?