7 Ways to Keep Your Phone Charged During an Outage

From food and water, to flashlights and extra batteries, it’s always good to be prepared for a power outage. During an emergency, we rely heavily on our phones for information, so having a charged device is important. Here are some ways to keep your phone charged even when the power is out.

1. Charge with Your Laptop
   Charge your phone by plugging it into your laptop’s USB port. Although it may take longer to charge and drain your laptop’s battery, your phone should have a higher priority since it can connect to the Internet and make emergency calls.
2. Charge with Your Car Battery
   Your car battery can also be a power source during an outage. Newer vehicles tend to have USB charging ports. However, if you own an older vehicle, you can get a USB car charger.
   
3. Use a Solar-Powered Charger
   If you often go on outdoor adventures, you may have a solar-powered charger which can come in handy if you have access to sunlight.
   
4. Use a Hand-Crank Charger
   A hand-crank charger is helpful when sunlight is unavailable. Even though it requires a lot of effort to generate power, it is useful during an emergency.
   
5. Use an External Battery Pack
   An external battery pack is great to have on hand; just remember to keep it charged beforehand.
   
6. Conserve your Phone's Power
   If none of those options are viable to you, consider conserving your phone’s remaining power. Putting your phone on airplane mode, lowering your screen’s brightness, and turning off applications that run in the background can surely help.
   
7. Visit our Community Crew Vehicles
   During an emergency, SCE dispatches Community Crew Vehicles that provide charging ports where you can charge your mobile devices, grab some snacks and water.