GoalZero Solar Guide 10 vs Plus powerpack/charger for Eneloops?

[Bolster]

I may buy the GoalZero "Guide 10 Adventure Kit" to recharge Eneloops. Yes, their powerpack comes with four of their own NiMH LSDs, but I would like to use it as an Eneloop charger.

GoalZero sells two powerpacks, the Guide 10 and the Guide 10 Plus. The first outputs via USB port at .5A, the second outputs via USB port at 1.0A. I'm not certain what the solar panel amperage is to the battery cells themselves, but customer service said that the solar panel could output as high as 1.5 amps...so I am guessing that GoalZero's batteries (included) may be charging at as much as 1.5A? They said their four AA NiMHs included would charge in an hour or two of bright sun, so that sounds like a very high amperage.

So back to the Eneloops. That sounds waaaay high for an Eneloop recharge. Sanyo's own chargers are .3A, which is 1/5 the amperage of the GoalZero solar panel in full sun!

[EDIT: The Sanyo charger says 1.2V 300mA x 2/4 AA ... this likely indicates .3A per cell. If so, the first several posts in this thread I'm under the mistaken impression the Eneloop charger is outputting .3A for the entire charger, when the entire charger with 4 cells would be outputting 1.2A.]

However, I do have the option of recruiting Sanyo's own 2-bay AA USB charger to help. I could plug it into the USB port of the GoalZero Guide Powerpack. That should throttle down the amperage. Is that a decent workaround? If so, can I assume that I'd be better off with the .5A USB output of the Guide10? Or should I be looking to get the 1.0A USB output of the Guide10 Plus?

And does anybody use the four actual battery bays in the Guide10 to charge at the fast rate? Is that safe, or healthy for Eneloops?

 

[Bolster]

Re: GoalZero Guide 10 vs Guide 10 Plus powerpack/charger for Eneloops?

You know what, I asked a pretty complicated question above ^^^.

Let me restate:

Is anyone successfully using the GoalZero Adventure Kit to recharge Eneloops? If so, how?

 

[reppans]

Re: GoalZero Guide 10 vs Guide 10 Plus powerpack/charger for Eneloops?

I have both the Goal Zero and Powerfilm, and have discussed them in side by side comparisons on the searches you must have found..

The difference between the 0.5 amp guide 10 and 1.0 G10 plus is the boost circuit for output from the battery pack, the latter will charge an iPad ( but not much ). I would guess that input amps is the same between the two for charging batts. Specs say the Nomad 7 puts 6-6.5v and 1A to the G10... Thats not enough to hurt Eneloops, and I'd be very surprised if it could charge 4 cells in < 2 hrs - my MH C9000 does it less time... 0.5C should be fine.

I definitely would not worry about the GZ charging Eneloops too fast... not fast enough will be your more likely problem.

I would take a look at Cottonpickers solar panels too, they're more efficient and he put out some good stuff.

 

[Bolster]

Re: GoalZero Guide 10 vs Guide 10 Plus powerpack/charger for Eneloops?

This?

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?333382

and this?

http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/showthread.php?229002

Interesting read. Would not surprise me if the batteries got the same amperage from the Nomad 7 solar panel to both the Guide regular and Guide plus power packs--after all, it's the same solar panel. As you indicate, it may be only the USB output that has changed. I need to check the amps to the cells with the mfgr I guess.

I see your specs say the Nomad 7 puts out 1A but the Cust Svce Rep said 1.5A. Here in So Calif we do get enough sun to go to maximum. Wouldn't 1.5A be too hot for Eneloops? When I told the CSR I specifically wanted to charge Eneloops, he suggested I might consider purchasing the smaller 3.5amp solar panel, so the cells would not charge so hot.

On the other hand, very little of what the CSR said, inspired me with any confidence regards his depth of knowledge.

Thanks for the reply.

 

[eh4]

Re: GoalZero Guide 10 vs Guide 10 Plus powerpack/charger for Eneloops?

Hey if you're interested in high amperage of 5V specifically, then put this into the equation.

Search: suntactics.com

I do not have this product, but I think it looks like it's been well done.

 

[reppans]

Re: GoalZero Guide 10 vs Guide 10 Plus powerpack/charger for Eneloops?

I see your specs say the Nomad 7 puts out 1A but the Cust Svce Rep said 1.5A. Here in So Calif we do get enough sun to go to maximum. Wouldn't 1.5A be too hot for Eneloops?

Yup, those are the links. Ama230 said he got up 6.2v, 1.2a in AZ sun. Even if it can get up to 1.5a it's over four batts (if I recall correctly, it won't charge less than four, and that's one of the reasons I like the Powerfilm for certain applications, like backpacking... It will charge 2).

 

[Bolster]

Re: GoalZero Guide 10 vs Guide 10 Plus powerpack/charger for Eneloops?

Yup, those are the links. Ama230 said he got up 6.2v, 1.2a in AZ sun. Even if it can get up to 1.5a it's over four batts (if I recall correctly, it won't charge less than four, and that's one of the reasons I like the Powerfilm for certain applications, like backpacking... It will charge 2).

That's correct, the GZ guide powerpack requires all 4 bays filled. Do I need to calculate amps per cell? If so, 1.5A over 4 cells would be about .4A each...that's OK? I'm just comparing to the Eneloop stock charger which is .3A distributed over 4 cells = .08A each or .15A distributed over two.

The PF charger has some very nice advantages, I admit.

 

[reppans]

Re: GoalZero Guide 10 vs Guide 10 Plus powerpack/charger for Eneloops?

That's correct, the GZ guide powerpack requires all 4 bays filled. Do I need to calculate amps per cell? If so, 1.5A over 4 cells would be about .4A each...that's OK? I'm just comparing to the Eneloop stock charger which is .3A distributed over 4 cells = .08A each or .15A distributed over two.

The PF charger has some very nice advantages, I admit.

My MHC9000 smart charger, probably the most widely recommended charger on this forum recommends 0.5C charging, or 1A.

read this thread

Edit...BTW, if I have my math right, a 0.08A (80ma) charge rate implies 1 full day to charge an Eneloop. :confused:

What Eneloop charger charges this slowly?

 

[Bolster]

Re: GoalZero Guide 10 vs Guide 10 Plus powerpack/charger for Eneloops?

Thanks reppans, I think that clears it up.

I think I made a mistake here. I believe what I've been reading on the back of the included Eneloop charger, 300mA, may be per battery, not per charger. The actual printing reads: "Output: 1.2V 300mA x 2/4 (AA)" I hadn't interpreted the "x" before...that probably indicates the Eneloop charger is 1.2 Amp distributed over 4 cells, or .6A over 2 cells. However, since it is outputting .3A per cell, and the Eneloops are 1900mAh, that input still appears to be well shy of the Half-Capacity calculation (which as you say would indicate a charging rate of about 1A per cell). I'd guesstimate empty cells probably take about 6 hours to charge in the stock Sanyo charger? It's pretty slow.

That said, from the thread you referenced, the recommended half capacity rule of around 1A (per cell, right?) would indicate no problem with the Goal Zero solar panel. So with the solar panel dumping 1.5 amps into 4 cells, .4A per cell should be waaaay safe. If the above is correct, then I have no worries about overcharging...as you said earlier in this thread.

Thanks for setting me straight.