Skip to main content

Keep the lights on and your phone charged off the grid with the SolarHome 620

BioLite SolarHome 620 | Outdoor Recreation
Your phone’s dead and the power’s out? No problem! Ideal for vans, campervans, or during power outages in any modern home, BioLite brings you solar-powered lighting and charging in a small, shoebox-sized package. The SolarHome 620 was designed for off-the-grid living, providing both necessities and entertainment amenities via solar power.

The SolarHome 620 is mechanized by an easy-to-install 6-watt solar panel that captures and stores the power of the sun, and that is meant to be mounted on a rooftop in an area that receives direct sunlight. The panel transfers solar energy to the control box, which is affixed to an interior wall. The control box is powered by a 20-watt battery and includes an integrated LED display. From the display you can monitor your SolarHome 620 system, hook up extension cords for exterior devices, and even play music.

The control box includes a battery reading, which shows how much power you have available and allows you to monitor the sun intake in real time. You can listen to the radio or play your own MP3s directly from the box. Bonus feature? The control box serves as its own light, bright enough to guide you down the hallway to the bathroom at night.

The SolarHome 620 includes two interior hanging lights with wall-mounted switches, from which you can adjust the level of brightness depending on the time of day or power availability. In addition to the hanging lights, the kit comes with a motion sensor light to allow for an added measure of security in your home, alerting you to visitors both wanted and unwanted. The motion sensor light is designed with a security mode that lets you to save power when needed.

In addition to sending power to interior and exterior lights, the SolarHome 620 control box features USB outlets so that you’re never without power to your phone, which is especially crucial during an emergency. The combination of safety, and essential and creature comforts, makes the SolarHome 620 an unprecedented solar power kit ideal for use in any home, whether you’re living in the suburbs or on the road. This product is already in use in over 5,000 homes across western Kenya.

You can purchase your own SolarHome 620 for $150 on the BioLite website.

Editors' Recommendations

Amanda Ellis
Amanda is an outdoor junkie and digital nomad with an insatiable hunger for gear. Based out of Raleigh, NC she travels to…
I was wrong. E-bikes are so practical, they’re a transit cheat code
An Aventon Level 2 ebike sits outside a grocery store.

Confession: Despite loving both bikes and gadgets, e-bikes never excited me. Compared to my bicycle, e-bikes seemed unfair. Compared to my motorcycle, they seemed slow. Compared to my car, they seemed impractical.

But with $1,500 federal e-bike rebates potentially on the horizon at part of E-Bike Act, I decided it was past time to reconsider. Not just because 30% off would make them way more accessible, but because the entire idea that e-bikes could be worthy of a rebate changed the way I looked at them: less as toys, more as transit. Had I written off an entire way of getting around because I was looking at it the wrong way?

Read more
Upway launches one of the best marketplaces for certified e-bikes, new or not
Man holding ebike from Upway in a field, lifestyle image.

This content was produced in partnership with Upway.
It wasn't too long ago that e-bikes were a rare sight, but all of that has changed, and rightfully so. Electric bikes are all over the road these days, and there are many brands either venturing into the technology, to launch their own versions of the sustainable transportation option or reiterating existing and traditional designs. From Aventon to Schwinn, or RadPower to Momentum, with so many opportunities, the prevailing question is, where do you go to find the best deals and the best information about these brands and their e-bike models? The answer is Upway, the number one certified electric bike provider and an official partner to many of the aforementioned brands.

What is Upway, exactly? It's a marketplace, specializing in e-bikes, featuring an inventory that's sourced from some of the best brands in the world. There are American brands -- like Specialized, Cannondale, and RadPower -- and European brands -- like Riese, Muller, and VanMoof. The best part is the discounts, offering up to 60% off retail, for a plethora of brands. Upway is on a mission to make sustainable mobility affordable for everyone. It's also one of the best places to go for a new or pre-owned e-bike, and here's why:

Read more
EcoFlow launches Delta 2 Max solar generator for home emergencies and outdoor adventures
ecoflow's delta max portable power station on a table

EcoFlow, a manufacturer of portable energy solutions, has announced the launch of the Delta 2 Max -- an eco-friendly solar generator that could replace your current gas generator. The device clocks in at 2,048 watts and should deliver enough power to keep your home running for two days as an emergency backup (or many more if you’re using it as an off-grid power source).

The original Delta Max was a popular item for outdoor adventures, as it could connect to the existing lineup of portable EcoFlow solar panels to juice up gadgets while out in the backcountry. That legacy continues with the Delta 2 Max, which features an upgraded lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery for a longer life cycle and faster charging.

Read more