Solar powered batteries

[PhotonWrangler]

No, that's not a typo. Check out these prototypes of rechargeable C cells with thin, flexible solar cells wrapped around the batteries. Looks liek an interesting concept, especially for extended trips to destinations without commercial power.

 

[csshih]

hmm, if you leave batteries out in the sun though, wont they get damaged from the heat?

and(i doubt this will happen) what about overcharging? (if they ever get charged)

hm,.. might be good for avoiding self discharge.

 

[PhotonWrangler]

hmm, if you leave batteries out in the sun though, wont they get damaged from the heat?

and(i doubt this will happen) what about overcharging? (if they ever get charged)

hm,.. might be good for avoiding self discharge.

At this point it's just a trickle charger. I think it was built to prove the point that thin, flexible solar cells can find their way into new applications that were previously impossible using traditional cells. I don't think these cells represent muich of a breakthrough in terms of efficiency; it's really ahbout the form factor.

 

[picard]

solar power power battery

A new type of solar charge battery is made by company, Sun Cat.

http://i.gizmodo.com/5156389/suncat-solar-batteries-well-that-was-obvious

What do you guys think of this battery?
Does it have potential for main market?

 

[VidPro]

on the "round" like that even with the "best" solar cells we got this week that will bend, it might get about 20-40ma max, because those flexable cells desire full sun, and even a 45* angle the amp output drops terrible. also on "rounds" like that which all areas wont get sun, the solor cells need to be in sections around it, and dioded so they dont drain the battery, because DARK solar cells have a very slight reverse draw of power.

i would like to see it work, but he would have been better off making it so it purposfully unrolls, and Shades the cell too. and that might be totally possible.
put a "rollershade" pull out on batteries , wasting about 1/5th the space, and the user could pull the shade out of the round, large flat collection area, and get a charge in about 10 days or so, instead of nothing.

if the solar cell is using 3 X .5v cell units (the standard) then ALL 3 of the series solar cell items MUST get light, if one in a series set is dark then the output from the series is still nothing. plus its more proper to use 2.0V solar for a 1.5v charge, which is 4X series solar cells.