12” Solar Powered with Battery Desk Fan | Kipas Angin Tenaga Surya

Indonesia has been going through a somewhat “dark” period lately, literally. There have been reports of coal supply issues affecting power generation, leading to concerns about rolling blackouts in several regions, especially on Java. As someone who relies on fans daily, that’s not exactly great news. Portable handheld fans never really appealed to me. I don’t enjoy having air blasted directly at my face. Instead, I prefer using fans to circulate air around a room and create a more natural breeze. Luckily, while browsing one of the local marketplaces, I came across something interesting: a solar-powered fan. This fan comes with a built-in rechargeable battery and can operate without grid electricity. According to the manufacturer, this fan is equipped with a rechargeable 60,000mAh battery and can operate for anywhere between 6 to 10 hours depending on the speed setting. I haven’t performed a full battery endurance test yet, so I can’t personally verify those numbers. However, based on my usage, the runtime seems reasonable for a fan of this size, especially when used at lower speeds. The included solar panel can also help extend the operating time during daylight hours, making it a practical option for power outages or outdoor use. Of course, curiosity got the better of me, so I opened it up. Inside, I found a small brushed DC motor connected to a shaft designed for a conventional fan blade. Speaking of the blade, it’s surprisingly lightweight, which makes sense considering the limited power available from the battery system. Material quality is… well, let’s just say this fan is incredibly light. Almost everything is made from plastic, and probably not the finest plastic you’ll ever encounter. But then again, portability is clearly part of the design goal. As long as it’s used indoors and treated reasonably well, I think it’ll survive just fine. Performance-wise, I was actually surprised. The airflow is remarkably close to what you’d expect from a standard 12-inch electric fan. The biggest difference is the motor noise. You can hear it much more clearly, and it sounds a bit rougher compared to a conventional AC-powered fan. The oscillation mechanism is where things get a little less impressive. Once oscillation is activated, the fan becomes noticeably less stable. It feels like the mechanism is somewhat heavy for the motor, and the fan tends to lean toward one side while moving. So, is this fan worth having? Honestly, probably yes. If you enjoy camping, picnics, outdoor activities, or simply live in an area where power outages happen regularly, this could be a surprisingly useful investment. It won’t replace a proper household fan, but for emergency use or off-grid situations, it does its job better than I expected. As for me, these days I mostly bring it along whenever I stay at our family villa outside the city. It’s perfect for sitting on the terrace, enjoying the breeze, and not having to worry too much about whether there’s electricity available or not.