DC-DC Converter

Boost Converter Power Limits on Small Solar Panels

A 5 V solar panel rated for tens or hundreds of milliamps can feed a boost converter, but the converter does not create additional electrical power. It trades current for voltage while losing some energy as heat. That distinction matters with miniature panels. A nominal 5 V panel rated at 60 mA has only about 0.30 W available at its rated operating point. Raising its output to 9 V is electrically possible only if the load accepts a much smaller current and the panel remains near a useful operating voltage.