External Charger/Power Pack

[just jake]

I thought I would turn to the experts if you will. I have had my Droid A855 since February and love it. Like most of us there are some down sides or problems we tend to live with by owning this phone. My biggest complaint and have seen it mentioned by others is the battery life. So after looking around and reading other reviews I thought I would ask here.
I am thinking of getting an EXTERNAL SOLAR CHARGER/BATTERY pack to keep with me when I am going to be out for any length of time and not in my car. I have seen a few of these items offered on the net from eBay to Amazon but not sure which one to buy and what should be the proper output voltage so I don’t damage the Droid battery. Also the price on these items range from under $10 to over $50.
Have any members used any device of this nature? If so which item do you recommend? What is the proper output voltage?
Many thanks for your time and consideration on this request.

 

[trbasil]

I have one of these that I usually carry around with me

Energizer® XP1000 Portable Charger for Cell Phones and More!

It will usually get me back up to around 80% charge on my Droid A855. It's small enough to carry around with you all the time so it's there when you need it.
It has a micro USB port which it's charge/recharging port. It's made to charge from a usb port, with the included cable, it can be plugged into a computer or the Droids wall wart and charge both the battery and phone at the same time. Or it can just be plugged into the Droids charger (or any micro USB charger) and be charged with it.
I paid $20 for it at my local Meijers.

This is copied from the websites FAQ

"My Motorola DROID will not charge with my Power Pack. How do I charge it?
The Motorola DROID phone runs at a slightly higher voltage than most Smart Phones. Because of this, you will require a Willy Cable to bring up the Voltage. You can order this Cable at a discounted rate through our Free Tips for Life Program. Simply visit our Tip Finder and search for 'DROID' to locate this cable. You can then place your order and it will arrive in 6-10 Business Days."


With that said I can tell you that I have never had an issue with my XP1000 not charging my Droid.

What is the proper output voltage?

The correct voltage for any USB device is 5 volts.

 

[just jake]

Thanks for the reply and info. That does look like a good external charger but I am still most interested if anyone has used a SOLAR charger/battery pack? I would like to know how they have worked overall and what brands are best. Thanks.