I love the outdoors, but I also love technology. When I go bicycling, hiking, camping or on deployment, I always bring my iPod, Steripen, digital camera, audio recorder, shotgun mic, LED flashlight, etc...

Running out of juice sucks and most trees or rocks don't have outlets. Here is my solution.


You can barely see it in this picture, but the bottom left blue light on the battery charger shows that it is indeed charging the batteries in the shade an hour or so before sunset here.

Pictured: Powerfilm 10W foldable solar panel, it pumps out 12-15v at 10w. Duracell AA/AAA battery charger with USB hub for charging iPod or any thing else that charges via USB (i.e most new cells phones). Rode shotgun mic, runs on single AA (brilliant sounds for a great price). Lightstar 220 lumen LED light runs on 2XAA batteries. Roland R05 audio recorder (again brilliant sound with on board mics or attached to external mic). Sanyo Eneloop batteries.

Here is it folded with a Paratchutmandu for size reference.



With the battery charger/solar panel combo, four AA will fully charge in less than 4 hours in winter sun in southern Germany - that is from personal testing. Get closer to the equator and in the summer, and I am sure it will be much less time.

I use Eneloop batteries instead of other rechargeables that have a higher energy density. They are rated at 2000mAh, while some others have 2500 mAh. Yes, your toy will run longer on the others, but they can only be charged a max of 500 times or less. The newest version of Eneloops claim 1500 recharges. They also claim the Eneloops will hold 75% of their charge after three years. I don't want to be left with worthless batteries while away from civilization.

I try to only use gadgets that run on AA batteries, so I only have to have one type and can cannibalize the batteries from say an audio recorder to use in my Steripen Classic.

My cell phone obviously doesn't run on AAs, but the car charger adapter connected to the cell and solar panel directly went from about 25% charge to full in about an 1.5 hour in full sun. Also, my iPod only charges from usb, but the Duracell battery charger takes care of that. The battery charger also taes 110-220v wall power. It will charge USB devices with the solar panel connected and no batteries in it, with charged AAs in it without the panel connected or for fastest times, with batteries in and panel attached. You can even get car lighter adapters that have USB hubs for charging with the panel.

A little longer in the tooth than I planned, but I figured this could be useful info for any techy-outdoorsmen like myself, or even you doomsday survivalist out there.

You can find the panel, charger and your favorite rechargeables for under two hundred bucks. That is a good deal for power in my eyes.

I also carry a weather/AM/FM radio, Garmin Etrex HCx gps, both run on AA batteries.

Man that's a cool setup. I have been looking in to protable solar on and off for a while. Seeing as I live in the desert, I should probably step up my search. Thanks for the info.

Check amazon for the Powerfilms, great price for a lot of power. You can get the 20w for about three to four times the price ad even charge a laptop. Or, you could get two of the ones in the pic above and daisy chain them for the same affect and half the price.
At half a pound, you won't even notice the extra weight./

JJ,

I have a Silva Tech 4.0 flexible solar battery charger in my BOB. Its a decent product, but I think it should perform better for the $99 suggested retail price.

Here's a review...

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/...ucts&cid=65

I very much like the product you have. It has a larger array, and is much more versatile.

Oh yeah, I also try to stay with AA or AAA batteries, because my charger will ... charge ... them.

This has resulted in my changing over from a lot of CR123 devices.

I just checked the specs on the Silva you have. Decent product and it actually uses the same cells as the one I have. Powerfilm produces these flexible solar panels and sells to a lot of companies. Powerfilm actually has very similar product compared to what you have. It is all just rebranding. I almost bought the Powerfilm equivalent of what you have (it has 5 instead of 4 panels though), but want a little more power, so I ended up with this one. I can't recomend this one enough. I have charged AA/AAAs under the canopy of the Black Forest in 4 hours with the panel strapped to my backpack.

I first used Powerfilm, a much bigger model, while deployed in Indonesia. I used it to charge a laptop, Nikon D3s batteries and other gadgets. Then I started looking at what they offer to the consumers. It is the same product minus the digi cam.

I think I over emphasized my negative tone about the Silva. Its a GOOD product, but it shouldn't be $99. I get bombarded with "Green Products" through my job, and I'm required to have 18 hours of continuing education (annually) to maintain my license. Some of those hours are must be "SD" (sustainable design). From all of this information, I know how inexpensive the films have become. My Silva feels like a $19.99 product from WalMart.

It does work though.

JJ - that's good information you provided. Thanks.

Today is the first day of clear blue skies here in a while. So, I grabbed four dead batteries and tested the panel/charger combo in direct sun. I placed the panel on my windshield to angle it more toward the sun. Fully charged in just under 2 hours. I am betting it would be about 1.5 hours in full summer sun.

Apparently you can shoot the thing with a .40 cal too
http://www.powerfilmsolar.com/video/video.php

Kodak has a new solar charger that seems to be pretty practical - and cheap!

http://store.kodak.com/store/ekconsus/en_US/pd/Solar_Charger_KS100-C%2B2/productID.161674800

$20 on amazon