DIY Solar-Powered Temperature-Cooling Phone Charger

The heat is unavoidable when participating in outdoor activities (such as marching band, camping, hiking, construction, gardening, sports, etc.) in Texas and other places with a hot climate. Not only does this project utilize the immense amount of solar energy that can be harnessed, it also prevents the device being charged from overheating.

In the modern era of technology, iPhones are a crucial necessity for daily life. However, overheating of devices shortens battery life, slows down processors, warps internal components, distorts displays, and fades plastics. Solar power is a clean and renewable form of energy that is expected to power 30% of the electricity in homes in the next 5 years. Solar powered chargers already exist for camping and hiking purposes, but there is not a device that specifically targets both charging a device and regulating its temperature to avoid overheating. This project prevents a solution to people using their phones outside in the intense heat by both keeping it charged and not overheated.

Materials

1. 5V Solar panel (portable camping one)
2. 12V thermoelectric cooler (peltier)
3. 12V fan
4. Heatsink
5. 4 screws
6. Voltage booster (5V to 12V)
7. Phone selfie holder
8. 2 cords (1 to connect solar panel to voltage booster, 1 to connect solar panel to phone)
9. Loctite or other strong glue

Tools

1. Solder iron
2. Solder wire
3. Pliers or helping hands
4. Wire cutters
5. Wire strippers
6. Voltmeter
7. Screwdriver
8. Dremel

Testing

1. Thermometer
2. Timer
3. Phone to test on
4. Phone or camera for documentation
5. Amperes Lite App – monitored real-time charging current

Glue the peltier to the selfie phone holder, with the cooling side facing the phone.

The 12V peltier I used was 40 x 40mm, and it proved to be too big for the phone selfie holder. As a result, I carefully used a dremel to scrape down the sides and expand the inside area. Then, I used lactate to secure the peltier, making sure that the wires were still easily accessible through the back. The peltier would engage directly with the phone (that is secured to the selfie holder), so the back side would have the rest of the components. This direct contact facilitates an efficient transfer of energy.

The heatsink provides more