solar energy

feeddagoat

feeddagoat

feeddagoat

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Joined
19 Nov 2008
Posts
412
Location
carnmoney outside Belfast
recently reading a computer mag I came across green tips. to this point I couldnt really give a stuff about the green revolution (partly annoyance of it being ramed down my throat) In a recently random notion or possible start of a midlife crisis, I came across solar chargers. Ive thought up uses and concluded that something like that would be really good for when im out hiking. Im wondering how effective these are now? In the garden at home we have some of those solar powered lights that, tbh, are pathetic. Has the technology advance enough to make solar chargers effective? In a quick scan the technology ranges from £20-£200. Anyone have any experience with solar chargers?
 
I haven't had personal experience but I have heard a few things, and to be honest, if you're not interested in the environmental aspects, the money it costs to purchase the equipment isn't worth the money you'll save and the bother you'll end up with
 
The quality of the PV cells you get in garden lighting is poor (especially the more recent 'budget' versions)

And what are you charging - I guess an Ipod/phone?
Yes there are advances (especially weight and flexability)

The Sunlinq (or other powerFLEX PV equiped manufacture) are good if your hiking.
Voltaic do a backpack with an intergrated panel.
iPower do a resonable battery/pv station - battery does the actual chargeing, but PV/usb charges internal battery.
Freeloader is ok and quite neat
Solio is still great (overpriced but it's slick and more powerfull that many twice the size)

As a rule - Mono-crystalline is more effecient that poly, and you get power on cloudy days as well as sunny ones

electrial cost payback - 10+ years (mains) 1 years (batteries)
Giveing you that extra 2h of listening per day - priceless
hassle - if you get the right kit and your outdoor when using it minimal.

The solar trickly charges to cars that only ever do the school run are also a good deal.

larger Solar/battery(storage) system are also excerlent for boats/carvans/moterhomes that use DC
 
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Hey,

I used to sell them! i won't post my old website, but i sold the business in my second year of uni.... not enough time for studying. They vary from small chargers such as teh freeloader which are suitable for mobile phones, to military grade sunlinq foldable panels. The Freeloader is great! so is the solio charger (though not quite as good, if slightly better looking); brilliant for phones and cameras.

they are all sub £50, freeloader is sub £20 if you look around. the sunlinqs are great but only for proper hikers or campers who ruf it and need somthing truly portable that can power a laptop etc.

a general equation for a sunlinq is that 4 hours of ful UK sunlight will give about an hour of battery life on a laptop on battery saver mode.
 
I probally wouldnt need enough to power a laptop tho some free energy for folding@home would be an interesting project lol. Probally still about 5 or 10 years of that and in the wrong country. Mostly be charging my ipod, batteries or phone. Been a couple of times ive got caugth in mist or night before camp and my batteries have died. Thanks for all the info shadowscottland. Im gonna look into those now.
 
I've got a freeloader type device that I used to charge my Windows Phone with. With it I only charged my phone about 1 time in 3 using mains electricity, but I only made light use of my phone.

I also purchased a cheap (£15ish) solar panel for may car, so I could charge my phone/BT speakerphone from it. However it can't supply a constant voltage or current so it's useless.
 
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