Solar Power to recharge your kit?

[Cjg]

Anyone used a portable solar panel set up to recharge their kit? Only looking to keep the ipad / iphone charged, possibly a tracer battery too, nothing too power hungry, any recommendations?

[AdeKing]

I use a Freeloader ISIS to keep my iphone and DSLR batteries topped up when I'm working outside and away from power.

http://www.solartechnology.co.uk/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=335

They also do a nice camera battery charger that will work with this charger too.

This setup works quite well for me, but not sure how it would fare for keeping several items charged.

But the charger can itself be plugged into micro USB phone charger to boost the battery when needed.

[Cjg]

Thank you, that looks useful.

[tteedd]

Hi

I used a 'caravan' solar panel (being sold cheap in a bucket outside Maplin) to keep the battery for my 5" 'goto' charged up for nearly two years (summer and winter). I also have a light driven from a similar small solar panel in the shed where I kept my scopes and equipment.

I now have a 2.7 meter dome. At present I use charged 17Ah batteries. (one lasts at least 5/6 viewing evenings before needing recharging, but I charge more often). Normally a 10" 'goto' Dobsonian and video camera.

When I get round to installing my new astro shed behind the observatory I intend to have at least 100W of solar panel with batteries and provide dc power for all my needs including de-humidifier and ventilation fan.

[cjdawson]

I tried several years ago to add a solar panel to by setup for keeping my battery charged.  It was something like this...

http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/solar-powered-12v-15w-battery-charger-n31cx

The results were very disappointing really.  My scenario is british weather, lots of cloudy/partly sunny days with the odd night for observing.  My kit is Lx-90, camera, autoguider, dew heaters, el panel - running from 80Ah battery.    The idea was to leave the solar panel in place to trickle charge the battery, then it'll be fully topped off and ready to go for the precious observing night.  Also if I went away for the weekend the panel would add a little extra juice to the battery during the day between observing sessions (weather permitting)

What happened in reality was that the panel didn't put enough power into the battery to charge it up, in fact it appeared that it was less power than the discharge rate.  Either that or I hooked something up wrongly.   I ended up having a flat battery when I wanted to use the Scope so lost a few nights observing time.  Since then, I've reverted to charge the battery from mains after every session and before I know that I'm going out just to make sure.

[chiltonstar]

I use a Maplin solar panel intended to top up a car battery, ccharging a small jump-start battery (Halfords) to drive my mount. It's worked without issue now for 3 years or more.

Chris

[Cornelius Varley]

Int

Interesting question.  I am curious to understand the use case.   I would think you would have a car at a remote site so you could just plug into that.

Do you plan to take this back packing?   

Just curious.

Using the car's own battery to power your equipment probably isn't a good idea. Imagine the scenario. You've spent several hours observing / imaging using the car battery to power the equipment and you pack the gear away and then attempt to start the engine. The night is cold (lead acid batteries are less efficient in the cold) and the battery has been drained to a point where it cannot turn the engine over. What do you do ........?

[Physopto]

I tried several years ago to add a solar panel to by setup for keeping my battery charged.  It was something like this...

http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/solar-powered-12v-15w-battery-charger-n31cx

The results were very disappointing really.  My scenario is british weather, lots of cloudy/partly sunny days with the odd night for observing.  My kit is Lx-90, camera, autoguider, dew heaters, el panel - running from 80Ah battery.    The idea was to leave the solar panel in place to trickle charge the battery, then it'll be fully topped off and ready to go for the precious observing night.  Also if I went away for the weekend the panel would add a little extra juice to the battery during the day between observing sessions (weather permitting)

What happened in reality was that the panel didn't put enough power into the battery to charge it up, in fact it appeared that it was less power than the discharge rate.  Either that or I hooked something up wrongly.   I ended up having a flat battery when I wanted to use the Scope so lost a few nights observing time.  Since then, I've reverted to charge the battery from mains after every session and before I know that I'm going out just to make sure.

Yes I have that panel. Tried to keep a car battery charged with it. It was worse than useless. It is the wrong type of solar cell technology. Does not provide a good output in less than direct sunshine. Mind you I did not pay that much for it then.

If you want to charge here in the UK you need amorphous  type panels that will work in poor light, i.e. indirect light even on overcast days.

Derek

[cjdawson]

Yes I have that panel. Tried to keep a car battery charged with it. It was worse than useless. It is the wrong type of solar cell technology. Does not provide a good output in less than direct sunshine. Mind you I did not pay that much for it then.

If you want to charge here in the UK you need amorphous  type panels that will work in poor light, i.e. indirect light even on overcast days.

Derek

That sounds about right.  I only got it because it was a cheap panel.  Solar tech has come on in the last few years and I'm keeping an eye on it. They're getting better and one day, I'm sure they'll be the a great solution to low power requirements.  Just not convinced that they're up to the job in the UK just yet.  Not far off though.  For those in sunnier climates, I'm sure they'll be more than up to the the job.

[bingevader]

It does say it is amorphous.

I bought a 14w Anker solar charger last year for our hols.

5 smart phones!

The weather was iffy, but we managed to keep everything going for the week.

I bought a battery pack with it, which I kept charged whilst the phones were in use.

It could do 2 devices in full sun.

[Physopto]

"It does say it is amorphous."

Well there's amorphous and amorphous. Difference appears to be quality. As the saying goes "you pays yer money ..........."

The newer types seem to be better. They are the ones that you tend to see on roofs these days. They loose efficiency if behind another glass panel such as a window in a car say. The crystalline types and by that I mean the single crystal grown types cost a lot more but are only useful in full direct sunlight. In hotter climbs such as Spain they are fine and there, they are more efficient than amorphous structures.

Derek

[Cjg]

Int

Interesting question.  I am curious to understand the use case.   I would think you would have a car at a remote site so you could just plug into that.

Do you plan to take this back packing?   

Just curious.

Not backpacking, but camping where I might not have access to my car.

[tteedd]

" Using the car's own battery to power your equipment probably isn't a good idea. Imagine the scenario. You've spent several hours observing / imaging using the car battery to power the equipment and you pack the gear away and then attempt to start the engine. The night is cold (lead acid batteries are less efficient in the cold) and the battery has been drained to a point where it cannot turn the engine over. What do you do ........?  "

 

Park on a slope when you arrived (assuming manual transmission)?