Expected to ship in June 2010, the Joos Orange is described by the company as the world’s first “Personal
Solar Appliance” – a product that delivers more than 2.5 hours of cell phone talk time for every hour of
charging time or as much as 20 times (20x) the powering capability of existing personal solar power
devices. For these reasons and more, Solar Components believes the Joos Orange will establish a new
standard in the personal solar power world. Why? Because the Joos Orange is:
- Affordable (has a suggested retail price of $99.95),
- Waterproof (will also work submerged),
- Rugged (polycarbonate case encapsulated in urethane and expected to last for many years of outdoor use),
- Versatile (works with a dead battery, can be charged by USB, works in low-light conditions, has a replaceable battery and provides status to a personal computer),
- Powerful (has a large {20 watt hour} Lithium-ion polymer battery, that {depending
upon latitude, insolation and reflector use} can generate between 10 to 20 watt hours per day).
“Solar Components makes the best solar charger in the world,” said Jamie Bullen, CEO and co-founder of
Solar Components. “We recognize that we’re throwing down the gauntlet by making this claim, but the
fact of the matter is that most of the personal solar power devices on the market today are woefully
inadequate. The fact that someone can have a personal solar device in direct sunlight for an hour and only
power 5 to 20 minutes of talk time for a standard cell phone just isn’t acceptable.
“The Joos Orange is the world’s best because it uses the highest efficiency mono-crystalline solar cell on
the market instead of a lower efficiency poly-crystalline cell. We use state-of-the-art electronics to stay on
the maximum power point, function in low light, work with a dead battery, charge via USB and
communicate with a PC. We’ve encapsulated the Joos Orange with a hard, non-yellowing urethane
instead of an epoxy-based coating, and we’ve incorporated a steel heat sink and have ventilation built into
a case that is also waterproof and submersible. The Joos Orange also has a large battery to store all the
solar energy it receives and it’s replaceable. It fact, everything we’ve done up to this point is designed to
set a new standard for excellence in the personal solar power arena – to create a ‘Personal Solar
Appliance’ that can be used every day to recharge our electronics and is not just a drawer toy.”
Specification Highlights for the Joos Orange
The following are selected highlights of the Joos Orange specs. Complete Joos Orange specifications can
be found online at http://www.solarjoos.com/tech-specs.html.
Battery: Replaceable 20 watt hour Lithium-ion polymer (3.7 volt, 5400mA); big enough to fully
charge six standard cell phones or more than four smart phones.
Photovoltaics: 5-inch mono-crystalline solar cell with an anti-reflective silicon nitride coating and a maximum power output of 2.6 watts. The cell is connected together electrically in parallel so there are no edge effects.
Casing: A 5.8- x 8.6- x 0.8-inch (width x height x depth) thick durable polycarbonate injection molded case that features a steel heat sink to reduce heat, top and bottom ventilation, legs for solar orientation, with an automotive grade urethane used for encapsulating the solar cell and electronics.
Electronics: Microprocessor-based maximum power point capability, LED status lights for power production and battery status, along with a low light and a dead battery circuit. The Joos Orange can also be recharged by any USB power source; it ships with a miniUSB connector for charging devices and includes 2-6 adaptors (depending upon configuration). A free downloadable application will be available to show what the Joos Orange is doing.
Weight: 24 ounces.
Certifications: The Joos Orange is FCC A and B, CE and RoHS certified and also meets the NEMA 6P
waterproofing and submergibility standard.
“There are currently 1.7 billion people in the world who don’t have access to an electrical grid and
another 1.4 billion people that live with intermittent electricity,” Bullen said. “The sun has the ability to
provide energy that, if captured at the right price for these people, will provide them with a continuous
supply of energy for all kinds of useful devices. This in turn will help make their lives more productive
and enjoyable without a carbon footprint. Our goal at Solar Components is to develop products that
harness the sun’s capability in a cost-effective and efficient manner. The Joos Orange is our first step in
reaching that goal.”
Retailers and distributors interested in selling and/or distributing the Joos Orange should contact David
Matusich of Solar Components at David@solarcomponentsllc.com.
NOTE TO JOURNALISTS, ANALYSTS & SELECTED BLOGGERS:
Solar Components has a limited supply of final pre-production units of the Joos Orange available today
for editorial testing and evaluation. Those interested should contact David Politis of Politis
Communications at dpolitis@politis.com or 801-523-3730 ext. 11.
About Solar Components, LLC
Formed in 2008 and headquartered in Campbell, California, Solar Components, LLC creates Personal
Solar Appliances that power the world one person at a time. For more information about Solar
Components, please visit www.solarjoos.com or call 408-369-1727.