Solar Powered Bug Zapper vs. Solar Generator for Bug Zapper: Which to Choose?
There’s nothing like a summer evening outside in the warm weather. But bugs tend to feel the same way. If you’re tired of the bugs on your property, then you may consider investing in a bug zapper. And you can reduce your energy prices by using a bug zapper that utilizes solar energy.
The only question is whether you should buy a dedicated solar-powered bug zapper or a solar generator that can power a traditional zapper. We created this article to help you answer that question. Keep reading to learn which product is right for you.
What Is A Solar Powered Bug Zapper?
Solar-powered bug zappers are just like regular bug zappers, but they use solar energy instead of batteries or standard AC power. They can be a cost-effective way to keep your outdoor areas free of pesky insects.
Just like regular bug zappers, you can also use a solar-powered bug zapper during the day. However, they won’t be as effective because these machines emit UV lights to attract bugs. These lights aren’t as compelling to the insects during the day. You can also use these bug zappers indoors if you’d like.
The best place to hang a bug zapper is as close to the area where you spend time outdoors as possible. For example, if you sit on your porch at night, you would ideally want to hang your bug zapper somewhere on that porch. The closer the zapper is to your hang-out spot, the fewer insects you’ll have to worry about while you’re enjoying the outdoors.
How Does A Solar Powered Bug Zapper Work?
Solar-powered bug zappers have built-in solar panels and batteries. These work together to enable the zapper to continuously kill the bugs that it attracts without you needing to worry about keeping it plugged in or changing the battery.
The full process looks something like this:
- The zapper’s solar panels draw in the sun’s energy.
- That energy is converted and stored in the built-in solar battery.
- The zapper draws energy from its solar battery on an as-needed basis to kill bugs.
When you put it all together, you get a convenient way to keep your outdoor areas as close to bug-free as possible. It could be just what you need to start getting more enjoyment out of those warm summer nights.
How Much Electricity Does A Bug Zapper Use?
The average bug zapper uses between 5 and 40 watts of electricity per day, though some of the larger models can use as much as 100 watts. The exact amount of energy that your zapper uses will depend on the kind of lightbulb it uses and the strength of the device.
This isn’t very much electricity on a daily basis. But it can add up to a significant amount of energy consumption over time – especially if you use multiple bug zappers on your property. That’s why it could make sense to upgrade to solar-powered devices. You can save a lot of money on power over the lifespan of the bug zapper.
How Much Solar Power Does A Bug Zapper Need?
If you want to start running your bug zappers on solar power, the size of each zapper will determine the amount of solar power that you need to run it. For example, take a look at this chart to get a better sense of how much power you may need to generate.
|
Bug Zapper Size |
Watt Consumption Over Six Hours of Use |
Amount of Solar Power Needed |
|
Small |
5 - 20 |
30W - 120W |
|
Medium |
5 - 40 |
30W - 240W |
|
Large |
40 - 100 |
240W - 600W |
One thing to note is that you have some control over how much energy your zappers use on any given day. You can always turn off the device when you want to save power or leave it on for longer when you want to spend more time outdoors.
What Are Solar Generators For Bug Zappers?
There are bug zappers that contain all of the components necessary for solar energy within them. And then there are traditional bug zappers that can be powered with solar power through other methods. One of those methods is a solar generator.
You can use a solar generator like a battery. It’s charged with portable solar panels, your car’s cigarette lighter, or traditional AC outlets. Then, you can plug electronics like bug zappers into the solar generator to take advantage of the energy stored in the battery.
In other words, you’re creating and storing the solar energy in a standalone solar generator instead of within the bug zapper itself. There are pros and cons to this approach, which we’ll get into later.
BougeRV Solar Generators For Bug Zappers
If you’re interested in using a solar generator to power your bug zappers, consider BougeRV. As one of the leading solar generator manufacturers on the market, we sell a variety of affordable, durable solar generators that you can use for far more than just powering your bug zappers when at home, camping, fishing, RVing, or enjoying a picnic in the park for hours, etc.
Our generators are built to last and are easy to go with you no matter where your travels take you. This versatility makes them a popular option for camping and RVing enthusiasts. They are a fit for you as well – especially if you’re looking for a low-cost and reliable way to power bug zappers.
Given that you want to power your bug zappers and other small devices only, our Flash 300 portable solar generator is enough to use. On the other hand, you can go for other options with larger capacity.
You can review our website to learn more about the different sizes and price options available to choose from.
Solar Powered Bug Zapper VS. Solar Generator For Bug Zapper
Alright – now we’ve covered most of what you need to know about solar-powered bug zappers. The next step for you will be choosing between an all-in-one solar-powered bug zapper or a solar generator that can power your bug zapper. We get into the pros and cons of each option below to help you decide.
What Are The Advantages Of A Solar-Powered Bug Zapper？
The biggest reason to choose a solar-powered bug zapper is its convenience. These are all-in-one products that can zap bugs for you without ever needing to be plugged into anything or having a battery change. You just set them up and turn them on whenever you need them.
The downside is that they cost more than traditional bug zappers and may not always be able to generate enough solar power on their own to function reliably. This means there could be times when you aren’t able to use your solar-powered bug zapper as much as you want. For example, it‘s happened to cloudy or rainy and there are a lot of mosquitoes.
What Are The Advantages Of Solar Generators For Bug Zappers？
Using a solar generator to power your bug zapper is a more affordable, versatile way to get relief from bugs.
You can charge your solar generator with a set of portable solar panels, your car’s cigarette lighter, or traditional AC outlets. So you can always get the energy you need to power your bug zapper whether you are home or outdoors. Moreover, you can have multiple bug zappers charged by a portable solar generator/power station with multiple output ports at the same time. This is especially useful when you need several bug zappers on your property.
Plus, when you purchase a solar generator, you can use it for a variety of other purposes, such as charging your electronics outdoors, powering small camping appliances, and more.
The downside to this option is that buying a portable solar generator with a large capacity might be costly.
What’s Your Choice?
Both all-in-one solar-powered bug zappers and solar generators for bug zappers can be viable ways to eliminate bugs on your property and campsite, etc. But each will make more sense for some consumers than others. Here’s when to choose one over the other.
Choose A Solar-Powered Bug Zapper If:
An all-in-one solar-powered bug zapper may be right for you if
- You want a convenient bug-zapping solution and don’t mind paying a little extra for it.
- You live in an area that has enough sunny days and can get access to direct sunlight.
- You’re outdoor lovers who only stay a few hours outside.
- You care little about the short life span of the solar-powered bug zapper.
Choose Solar Generators For Bug Zappers If：
A solar generator for bug zappers is better for you if
- You want to save money while benefitting from reliable, versatile energy.
- You love camping or RVing for days and weeks regularly.
- You want your bug zappers to work in any weather and location.
- You want to power your phone, camera, coffee maker, electric cooler, and other electronic gears rather than just bug zappers.
Conclusion
The bottom line is that both all-in-one solar-powered bug zappers and solar generators for bug zappers can work better in different situations. At BougeRV, we recommend purchasing a dedicated solar generator. That way, you can charge all of your electronics with solar power wherever you’re at any time – not just your bug zapper.
FAQs
1. What size of solar generator do I need to run a bug zapper?
Typically even a very small solar generator will be enough to run a bug zapper, as even the largest zappers only require about 100 watts of energy daily.
2. How long does a solar bug zapper last?
The UV lights inside a solar bug zapper will typically be rated to last for around 3,000 hours of use. But your bug zapper could last for much longer than that if you’re willing to replace the UV light with a new one when necessary.
3. What to look for when buying a bug zapper?
When buying a bug zapper, pay attention to how long the UV light is rated to last. You should also look at how much energy the zapper consumes so you can decide if you have the ability to generate enough solar power for your bug-zapping goals.
4. Should you run a bug zapper all the time?
You certainly can run a bug zapper all the time, but doing so will drain your solar battery. It’s better to only run a bug zapper when you plan on being outside. Turning it on an hour or two before you go out for the evening can be more than enough to rid the area of bugs.
