Mobile Phone / Mobile Sat Nav Solar Chargers

I remember this topic came up in one of Bob Pease's articles...

Why not do away with PV solar power and either go with a handwound ex-army generator - or do what the army is now developing a way to generate power from the body walking, recently they have been doing studies showing that with counterbalances in the bottom of a rucksack and with the motion of walking the soldier can easily generate enough electrical power to keep all his thingies charged!!

John.

That's much more helpful than I expected. Thanks!

In Bob Pease's article about 12 years ago he went trkking in Nepal and was discussing all the ways he could generate power for his camcorder...

He dismissed solar purely as a small PV on the back of his rucksack wouldn't generate enough power, a few engineers wrote in to suggest all manner of other ways, including an old Russian generater that used the campfire with an array of thermopiles (100s of them) to generate power...

In the end I thing he took an army surplus hand cranked generater with him.

Just had a look on his website. See what you mean. However. I did think that the technology had improved since 12 years ago and there were now some solar chargers (sufficient for the low requirements of mobile phones and sat navs.

I've seen some advertised on Ebay etc, but it is hard to know whether it is all spin or if they will do the job.

I suppose that if I can't get the inside line via CR4, then I will just have to dive in the depp end, try one, and then review it on CR4...

Just shooting off the hip, If you could get the hand crank generator and adapt it with some paddle wheels you could toss it in a river so over night it would supply the charge you needed for the next day. I am sure with walking around in the mountains there is a water source near.

No water in these mountains.

Perhaps I ought to have asked my specific question about solar chargers in different words, since I am not hitting the mark.

How about: "What's the best way to peel a pear with a pair of binoculars and a copy of Wuthering Heights?"

Maybe I will accidentally get an answer about solar chargers via this route...

Point taken, try www.ctsolar.com and 21centry goods.com they have foldable back pack systems. They also come with adapters to fit different equipment.

answer to question:

Take the wuthering hights book, place it on top of the pear and smash it with the binoculars.

Thanks for links - I'm off to view.

"Take the wuthering hights book, place it on top of the pear and smash it with the binoculars." Not sure this is technically what "peeling" is...

There are all sorts of solar panels for sailboat battery charging available. Then all you need is a 12v battery and connectors to plug in "car" chargers for your various devices. The project is fairly straightforward and all the parts are available COTS. I guess the only question is "how pretty do you want it to be?"

Sailboats are great! Sailing is great!

I wonder if there is any possibility of an answer that specifically deals with SOLAR CHARGERS FOR MOBILE PHONES & MOBILE GPS's that use the portable solar charging device, a lead of some sort and the mobile phone and mobile GPS?

All this reminds me of a possibly pertinent saying:

"There once was a man from Durrill

Who ate a ridiclious pill.

He felt very tired.

His bum backfired

And his willy shot over the hill."

LOL

Remember you are talking to engineers who never like to go in a straight line, I'm surprised someone hasn't chipped in with a windmill on your rucksack yet!!!

Always look out the side windows when driving along you see so much more - unless you're driving!!!

John

Thanks Eman

"A windmill on your rucksack"? Now there's an idea! Kill two birds with one stone: do away with mains power and do away with the need for alternatives to petrol. Might be a bit rough on the shoe leather, though; and I can't imagine the mountain 'walk' would be that relaxing any more.

And as far as "Always look out the side windows when driving along you see so much more - unless you're driving!!!" is concerned - I AM driving - at least I thought I was. I now seem to be more interested in trying to remove images of a partly charred Don Quixote running away from demented windmills!

Right I think I'm starting to get somewhere (no thanks to you lot!)

Check out this video and let me know what you think:

http://www.isitetv.com/333ac5d90817d69113471fbb6e531bee-p4.htm

This is the home website for the Solio:

http://www.solio.com/charger/

Now, I have no idea whether this is any good. But they seem to think it works. And surely the manufacturer and retailer of a product would not lie or exaggerate about the product's abilities...mmm.

Great pitch! I think if the price is right it would be OK. Careful that the price is not higher just for the "carbon offsets" Pulling on the heart strings is a good way to sell stuff. Also try www.surplusandadventure.com. They have some small fold-able ones also.

Thanks L101. I'm off to look at your link and I hear what you are saying about carbon offsetting although, I have to say, that I don't mind paying a little more if they really are planting a nice little sapling for me - and they continue to water and tend it!

Hmmmm don't think much of the hype over that Solio...

In small text its solar output is only 0.85 watts in direct sunlight and I bet that is under very favourable conditions!!!

Still it might keep a mobile phone topped up, but at $200 each there are other cheaper solar panels of that sort of output...

Oooww yes that link from Logix has an equivalent solar mobile phone charger for only £20 (~$40) !!!

John.

Looked at the one on www.surplusandadventure.com and, would you believe it, it does not work with my Sony Ericsson V630i mobile. I have asked if they have an adapter to fit.

Not sure if it looks quite as well-constructed and intelligent as the Solio, but if they have an adapter I might just order it and see how it does. I can then do a little review of it for CR4.

Thanks for interest.