Solpro Helios Smart

5000 mAh, 3.7 V, Orange, 286 g The Solpro HELIOS SMART is a solar powered smart charger. You can use it just like you would any other USB battery bank. Charge the internal 5,000mAh battery and keep your mobile devices powered while you’re on the go.

You can also use the patent-pending tri-fold solar panel array to charge the internal battery. With three high-efficiency solar panels, maximum power point tracking, and our smart charge algorithm Helios can collect enough solar energy in 90 minutes to charge a standard smartphone.

CONSUMER CLEANTECH
The more we utilize renewable energy sources in our daily lives the better. The environmental benefits of solar energy are well known. We’re hoping to make using photovoltaics to power mobile devices as commonplace as using them to power calculators.

What isn’t as well known is how much energy is wasted converting grid power for use in our mobile devices. In order to properly charge the voltage from the wall outlet has to be converted so it matches the voltage of the battery. This can increase the electricity used to charge the battery by 15% or more.

The pass-through charging feature of the Helios can limit the amount of electricity wasted by sending the connected devices the voltage they need. Instead of charging the internal battery and using the battery to charge the connected devices, by allowing pass-through charging the amount of electricity needed is reduced. This also saves on cycle life for the internal battery of the Helios.

Prolonged battery life, reduced cycles, and more efficient use of electricity when connected to the grid helps reduce the environmental impact of charging our mobile devices. Using renewable energy is ideal, but there are plenty of ways to be smart about charging our devices when sunlight isn’t available.

SMART CHARGING
Helios has two USB output ports and one USB input port. The microUSB port can be used to charge the internal battery. It can charge off your laptop, desktop computer, and from a standard electrical outlet.

- The 1A output port can charge any USB powered device. It is recommended for use with wearables and most smartphones.
- The 2.1A output port can also charge any USB powered device and is recommended for use with tablets.
The 2.1A port can provide a quicker charge for smartphones, but the increased amperage puts additional wear and tear on batteries. By the way, this is why batteries that are repeatedly quick-charged don’t last as long.

We’ve noticed that many people have encountered problems charging their wearables. The batteries in these devices are smaller and have less of a power draw when charging. If the draw is too small a typical battery bank might not even know it’s there. Helios has been engineered to recognize headsets, fitness trackers, and other wearables so that they will receive a full charge.

When connected to an electrical outlet Helios can also allow pass-through charging to connected devices. Helios will also prioritize charging between its internal battery and all connected devices to ensure a full charge in the shortest time. By controlling the charge to the connected devices the life of the internal battery is preserved. To change priority simply push the charge button. There’s only one button so you don’t have to worry about pressing the wrong one.

The bottom line is that Helios works the way you expect it to. Whether charging from the sun or an electrical outlet, Helios will charge all connected devices in the shortest time possible. We call this smart charging.

SUPER-FAST SOLAR CHARGE
In order to make solar power for our mobile devices practical it needs to be fast. Helios has three solar panels to grab as much solar energy as it can in a short period of time. In Standard Test Conditions (STC) it’s possible to store enough solar energy in 90 minutes to recharge a standard smartphone. In just 5 hours you can collect enough solar power for a 3X charge.

Open the solar panels wherever there is sunlight and point them towards the sun. The solar charge indicator light glows orange when the panels are generating enough energy to charge the internal battery. The light increases in brightness based on how much of a charge it’s receiving. It’s that simple.

The Helios also includes Maximum Power Point Tracking Technology, or MPPT. Since solar conditions vary greatly during the course of the day MPPT balances the input from the panels to the battery to maximize the power the panels can feed into the battery. This boosts charging performance even in less than ideal conditions.