Recomend a key chain light

[ven]

Love the Titanium MBI HF:twothumbs

Very nice choice

 

[invisible_kid]

I am still waiting on my charger from cotton pickers shouldn't be too long now. Then I'm going to look for a solar charger I can take camping. Not ordered the 10440 cells yet. I'm going to order some with a zoomable head I think. I'll keep you posted on that. Thanks guys

 

[yoyoman]

I got a solar panel from cottonpickers. A very simple one - just one panel. Works great on sunny days. I haven't tried it on overcast days. You don't need much for the small cells. 18650 cells take longer. He also sells multiple panel ones. Talk about guilt free lumens...

 

[invisible_kid]

My only concern is that are they robust enough for camping. For example if I left it tied to my tent and it started raining could it handle that? Also does the cold effect them? Don't mean sub zero but maby temps around 5 degrees

 

[yoyoman]

Mine is the size of an A4 piece of paper. I keep it in an envelop with bubble wrap. I haven't stress tested it, but I'm sure it could handle rain and chilly weather. To charge little cells, you can even get a smaller panel, which would be easier to protect. The panels are well made - perhaps not polished, but well made. I haven't used mine in overcast weather and it is grey all winter where I live and so my experience is only in sunny summer weather.

Edit: You can find some sophisticated solar set ups on CPF. What I have is definitely not sophisticated. A simple A4 size panel that can charge my iPad and some li-ion batteries.

 

[ChrisGarrett]

My only concern is that are they robust enough for camping. For example if I left it tied to my tent and it started raining could it handle that? Also does the cold effect them? Don't mean sub zero but maby temps around 5 degrees

You'd want something like the PowerFilm rollable units, say the R14, R21, or R28. Heat and cold do affect output, IIRC.

The problem with folding panels isn't their waterproofing, which many are, it's the fact that every time they're unfolded and then folded back up, those connecting wires between the various panels, become weaker and weaker and eventually break, causing the panel to fail.

This is why the big 4 portable panel makers: Brunton, Goal Zero, PowerFilm and Global Solar only warranty their foldable panels for 2, maybe 3 years if you're lucky.

At least the rollable ones don't get creased.

If you're content with the slower charging rates of the smaller, cheaper panels, you can just stick with the USB/5v output chargers.

Chris

 

[invisible_kid]

interesting yoyo. i really like the idea of them and don't want something to bulky or brittle. I think ill be contacting cotton pickers at some point. Just my phone charged and few batteries just in case would be good. I plan on getting the zeus as i think this would make a great outside torch and the fact it can take multiple cells is a real bonus. Then i think ill have a hunt around to upgrade my head torch. I find when camping a head torch is used much more and at min i keep mine in my car as its also great for when breaking down (hands free))

 

[invisible_kid]

Thanks chris for the input. It is definitely the next thing on my radar to look at but ill have to read up bit more on them as i have only touched the reading material. For me longevity is very important with these solar chargers but don't want to comprise too much on charge times. Being in uk and doing most of my camping in scotland i think something that can perform with cloud cover is a must as well.

 

[ven]

I am a bad boy:tsk: as i have used my i4 charger with adapter 3 times so far,no warm cell,no issue(not recommending it just stating and being honest with what i am doing, so please dont go against advice)

I am testing it,not sure on long term implications..........it goes without saying only time will tell!
I am with the cell all be it for 20mins at the most,1 cell is stored at 40% so i rotate 2 10180 cells.With 1 i do stop charging(tried it constant and stopping several times during charge) and decided on stopping charge after 5 mins.Leave off for a couple of mins,then charge just not to put too much ma through constantly.

The other is a constant charge,i know which is which as the other is stored,so when i use that,the other goes on charge(one in spy is constant charge) one in case is stopped/started.

Right or wrong it works fine so far and will report back of any issues.

:tinfoil:

 

[ven]

Oh and the spare stored cell will soon be feeding a brass fairy DQG

 

[ChrisGarrett]

Thanks chris for the input. It is definitely the next thing on my radar to look at but ill have to read up bit more on them as i have only touched the reading material. For me longevity is very important with these solar chargers but don't want to comprise too much on charge times. Being in uk and doing most of my camping in scotland i think something that can perform with cloud cover is a must as well.

For some ideas, I put my kit together and I went with two 30w rigid panels. You get more watts per dollar and a 10 yr. (90% rated output) and 25 yr. (80%) warranty with rigids, but you're humping a lot more weight.

Here's what I did two summers back:

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?342073-Portable-solar-charging-setup-I-just-built

More for car camping/emergency needs here in Miami, during hurricane season.

Chris

 

[invisible_kid]

That's bit over kill for what I had in mind but that would be really cool for emergency situations like you said. No hurricanes here though in the UK lol. So not sure I could use that excuse on the Mrs when those turned up at the door.