Solar charger (real life)

Discussion in 'Functional Gear & Equipment' started by kellory, Feb 18, 2015.


  1. kellory

    kellory An unemployed Jester, is nobody's fool. Banned

    I've had this a while, now, and use it as needed. It works as advertised. I have added a USB car charger port and a wall charger, and a 10' usb to usb mini charging cord, to make it a complete, charge anywhere kit (all fits in the pocket).
    Even at near dusk, it is still charging the battery pack with @1wt. (Car charger supplied by my company is only 3/4 of 1wt. ) and just laid open on the dash, it was still working at 5:30pm on a snowy winter day. I've added clips to my pack to deploy it while walking (at reduced power due to angle) and laid it on the roof, during a power failure, to charge up the wife's phone (to her amazement:)
    Other than being ridged, and breakable, I can find no fault with it, it works. (Red shows charging at @1wt, blue shows full charge when unplugged.) IMG_20150216_173508145_HDR. IMG_20150216_173503759_HDR. IMG_20150216_173511997. IMG_20150216_173508145_HDR. IMG_20150216_173503759_HDR. IMG_20150216_173511997. IMG_20150216_173624135_HDR. IMG_20150216_173930012_HDR.
     
    Ganado, Hanzo, natshare and 7 others like this.
  2. Bear

    Bear Monkey+++ Founding Member Iron Monkey

    Great review!.... nice watch ;)
     
    sec_monkey and kellory like this.
  3. Yard Dart

    Yard Dart Vigilant Monkey Moderator

    @kellory - How did the Goal Zero unit work in comparison to this Instapark unit?
     
    Motomom34 and sec_monkey like this.
  4. kellory

    kellory An unemployed Jester, is nobody's fool. Banned

    I wouldn't know as I do not have a goal zero.;)
     
    sec_monkey likes this.
  5. Yard Dart

    Yard Dart Vigilant Monkey Moderator

    Hmmm I thought you had picked one up a year or so ago.... oh well.... my feeble old mind is slipping.... must have more coffee I suppose ;)
     
    Tully Mars and sec_monkey like this.
  6. Hanzo

    Hanzo Monkey+++

    My friend brought one of these to camp. Amazon.com: =Power Upgraded= Uritc 20000mah Car Jump Starter Booster Emergency Power Source Emergency Auto Start Power - 400 AMP Peak & Ultra-bright LED Flash Light for SOS & High Capacity Power Bank for Cellphone Tablet Laptop - UJS002 (Green): Automotive His was 24,000 mah, if I recall. He charged up five phones over the weekend with it. He never tried jump starting a vehicle though.

    Anyone have any intel? Paired with a solar panel, that might be pretty good if it actually CAN jump start a truck or van.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jul 27, 2015
  7. BTPost

    BTPost Stumpy Old Fart,Deadman Walking, Snow Monkey Moderator

    The "Jump Start" thingy is simply a Trick of Physics..... 24 AmpHours isn't enough to actually JumpStart an Engine in an Auto.... What it can do is, Heat up the Electrolyte in the Vehicles Battery so that THAT Battery, which still has a substantial Charge Left in it, can discharge that charge ALL At Once, which will Turn over a Vehicle Engine, just enough to get it to start. They build those devices with Very Low Internal Impedance Batteries, just for that reason. The rest of the Bells & Whistles are fluff, for the Consumer.... Most ANY 12Vdc Solar Kit will reCharge one of those.... over time....
     
    Hanzo likes this.
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