Suntactics sCharger-5 User manual

Solar Charging at its Best
sCharger-5
sCharger-14

Introduction
Suntactics sCharger solar chargers are capable of solar charging USB rechargeable devices
directly from the sun without internal batteries. With proper use and care, your sCharger will
provide many years of service.
Quick Start
Unfold the sCharger and place it in the sun with solar cells facing up. The blue box on the
back has a female USB connector and LED indicator. The indicator should light up when the
solar panel sees light. It will light up even in the slightest sunlight. In order to get maximum
power, the panel should be in full sunlight.Simply plug your USB device into the USB socket
using your existing USB charge cable and start solar charging!
Do’s
•Solar charge under good sunlight conditions
•Use a good charge cable
•Keep the USB device (phone) cool. Place in shade and not under the charger
•Tell everyone about Suntactics solar chargers and give reviews!
Don’t’s
•Don’t solar charge your phone while walking under trees. Use a power bank instead.
•Don’t place your phone underneath the solar panel. Too much heat
•Avoid shading panel while/during connecting a phone
•Stop solar charging phone in full overcast conditions. Other devices are ok (i.e
power banks, and other devices that do not have a screen)
•Don’t solar charge behind tinted windows
Auto-Retry (Auto-Recovery)
With solar, there will be power fluctuations. Some phones will stop charging if there is a
power fluctuation and may not restart when the sun comes back. Auto-retry will periodically
reset the connection so the phone continues to charge. Example: The solar panel is
stationary and facing the sun and then a cloud or person blocks the panel. When the sun

reappears, the phone may not continue to charge. But after a minute or so the Auto-Retry
will reset the connection and the phone will continue to charge. You will periodically hear
the phone beep which is normal.
All Suntactics solar chargers include Auto-Retry. The S14 includes a manual solid power port
and an Auto-Retry port(Indicated as “A” and “M”).
What Auto-Retry does is reset the charge connection between the phone and the solar
charger every minute or so. It internally disconnects the phone and reconnects it so you
don’t have to during a solar power interruption. We are working with mother nature here
and we have tried hard to make phones charge with solar efficiently.
With phones, Auto-Retry is most effective only if the solar charger is stationary. It is not
effective if you are mobile or walking under trees and shadows. USB batteries behave
differently and you can charge while mobile.
Take note, if you expect no sun for a long while (i.e. complete overcast) stop solar charging
and try again another day when the sun is shining.
The Manual Port sCharger-14
The manual port provides a solid source of power. It will not do an Auto-Retry if the sun is
interrupted on the panel. The manual port is useful for non-display devices such as USB
batteries. Both manual and Auto-Retry provide flexibility with different portable USB
devices. Once you start solar experimenting, you will most likely be very happy with this
flexibility.
Mounting to a Backpack
Avoid moving constantly under shadows and trees charging phones as they require constant
energy to charge. When the solar charger is not providing enough power, the phone can get
confused, cause the screen to toggle on and off and may drain the battery.

We recommend the solar charger is in the sun at least 80% of the time when moving
around or mobile.
For hikers, we highly recommend “opportunity charging” verses backpack mounting. Solar
charge when you take a break. You should be quite surprised how quickly your phone will
top off in such a short amount of time.
Use a backup battery (“power bank”)
USB power bank batteries are more forgiving than phones. They can charge at lower solar
power levels. However, if you are mostly in shady conditions, they will take time to charge.
They will trickle charge in shadows.
Cleaning and Caring for your sCharger
Suntactics sChargers can handle moderate abuse. As with all electronic devices, you should
have a level of respect. Avoid folding the panel backwards against the USB box. Fold with
the panel in the natural direction where the solar cells meet.
If you find dust on the panel, gently wipe if off using a soft cloth with a non abrasive spray
cleaner or just clean water. Please take care of your solar charger. Although we can vouch
that our solar chargers are very rugged, please understand that you should treat them as any
other electronic device.

Water Resistance
sChargers are very water resistant. If your charger falls in water, shake the water out of the
USB box. If condensation collects in the USB box, place the sCharger with the USB port facing
up. Eventually it will dry. You can also use a hair dryer to dry out the box.
Common Solar Charging Problems and Troubleshooting
•Solar panels in do not produce power unless they see the sun
•Avoid shade while plugging into the solar charger
•Keep phone cool. Place in shade while solar charging
•Don’t place the phone under the solar charger. The heat from the panel can transfer
to the USB device
•Energy efficient windows block sunlight and may slow solar charging
•Phone error messages are caused by solar interruptions. No harm will incur
•Observe charge indicator on phone, charge indication shows when charge is
working
•Turn off GPS and Hotspot settings
•Reduce brightness on phones
•Phone may discharge in low light conditions
•Beeping sounds are normal. Also indicates Auto-Retry is working.
•If phone battery is depleted, it may take some time to come alive with solar
charging
Charge Rates
There are very many variables and many USB type devices. We like to say that our solar
chargers can charge at the same rate as a wall charger. But it depends on the brightness of
the sun, the USB device you are charging, the rate they can charge at, and the solar charger
model you are using. The S5 will typically charge from .7-1.2 Amps with most phones and
tablets depending on conditions. The S14 is much more powerful and can charge well within
the ability of a wall charger.

Specifications
Item
S5
S14
Connector Type
USB Type “A”
USB Type “A” (two ports)
Output Voltage (USB)
5.1 Volts
Output Current (USB)
~1.2A (1200mA)
~2.8A (2800mA)
Max Output Power
6 watts
14 Watts
Temperature
Optimum use less than 100 F, Max 160F/ 71C
Indicator
LED light
Dimensions (open)
6-1/8” x 11.5” / 15.5 x 29.2 cm
11.5” x 14.5” (29cmx 36.5cm)
Dimensions (closed)
6-1/8” x 5-3/4” / 15.5 x 14.6 cm
11.75” x 7.25” (30cm x 18cm)
Weight
~7.5 oz / 200g
20oz/566g
Weather and corrosion
resistant
Water resistant tested to 40 feet. Salt and corrosion tested. IP7 rated.
Limited Warranty Information
We got you covered. We offer a 45 day money back guarantee. If you are not satisfied with your solar
charger. But we may kindly ask what made you change your mind. If you choose not to give feedback,
no worries.
Warranty Period
The warranty period for Suntactics portable solar chargers whether purchased from our direct website
or any authorized dealers such as; Amazon, Ebay, Newegg or other certified dealers: 2 year defect
warranty replacement on new purchased solar chargers. 1 year defect warranty replacement on
blemished sChargers (occasionally offered on Ebay). Proof of purchase is required. Keep your receipts
or else we may not honor the warranty.
Suntactics warranty does not apply to Suntactics solar chargers that have been abused, misused,
modified, physically damaged, or used for anything other than normal use charging USB devices.
Warranty Limited to Original Purchaser
The warranty on Suntactics solar chargers are limited to the original purchaser and is non-transferable.
Original proof of purchase must be under the same name of the consumer who requests a warranty
replacement.

How to Claim a Warranty
To claim a warranty, fill out the form under the support tab on Suntactics website. If purchased from
another channel (i.e. Ebay, Amazon) use their return process. We would prefer you contact customer
service via telephone: [phone], via email at [email protected], or send the product back to the
address below with a written note of the issue.
Suntactics
943 Eden Ave
San Jose, CA, 95117
Note: You may be responsible for the return shipping cost.
Liability Statement
Suntactics solar chargers have been designed to perform flawlessly. They are very safe, inert, and do
not contain on-board batteries. They are designed to perform exactly as a wall charger but using the
sun as a power source instead of grid power.
We have never had issues to date, but regardless, Suntactics is not liable for damages to the receiving
charge device or Suntactics solar charger incurred from mal use, reverse connections, damage incurred
from using testing equipment, all other measuring devices, and unauthorized modifications. Suntactics
is not obligated to replace the consumer’s USB device, pay for or compensate for, any damages to the
consumer’s USB device.

Informational videos: www.suntactics.com/videos
Support, manual updates and FAQs: www.suntactics.com/support
S5S14V2 05/5/20
www.suntactics.com
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