This question will show that I'm a novice but that's cool. I have a little solar panel and spliced a cigarette lighter type outlet to it. I plugged in my USB car charger, hooked up my phone, and put it in the sun in partly cloudy conditions. Several minutes later my phone battery was almost completely discharged and very hot. What's the deal? Thanks!

Have you checked that you connected the wires with the correct polarity and there are no short circuits?

Is the solar panel's voltage output 12v?