PDA

View Full Version : Solar Powered Cell Phone Charger



Magua
07-29-2011, 00:59
I was just wondering if anyone has had a successful thru hike using solar power to charge their smartphone. I really like the idea but I realize the trail is very shady. Regardless, I still think it can be done. I am considering this one (http://www.suntactics.com/)which allows you to run a phone with a dead battery while its charging in the sun.

I think I would just hike with the panels open on top of my pack and although it wouldnt be constant sun, you would still get gaps of sun, not sure if that would do the trick.

I have never hiked the AT on a sunny day without needing sunscreen! Sound reasoning I think.

Joey C
07-29-2011, 05:23
I have yet to hear of anyone having any great success with these. The charge time is slow, like several hours for a 10 min call. Possible, yes. Practical, not really.

SGT Rock
07-29-2011, 06:56
Green tunnel. Not a lot of direct sunlight most of the time.

RevLee
07-29-2011, 08:34
Take a look at chargers like the iGo Charge Anywhere. Saw a few of these last year, but no solar chargers on the trail. While recharging your phone in town or hostel, it also recharges its internal battery so you can get another phone recharge on the trail.

reddog176
07-29-2011, 10:31
I used something similar to http://www.rei.com/product/814774/goal-zero-nomad-7-foldable-solar-panel?cm_mmc=cse_froogle-_-datafeed-_-product-_-814774&mr:trackingCode=10FEF3BC-D562-E011-BB8E-001B21631C34&mr:referralID=NA (but the one I have is discontinued.) I lashed it to the outside of my pack while hiking, but found that it charged better laid out while taking breaks/setting up camp. It does not need full sun to charge.

I coupled that with an Igo cigarette lighter charger - http://www.amazon.com/Mobility-Auto-Charger-Black-Silver/dp/B0016L6OWK/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1311949641&sr=1-2 (but you need a tip for your phone.) This gave me a great charging solution for the trail, but I still needed a way to charge in town, and I didn't want to have to carry 2 chargers so I got http://www.amazon.com/Adapter-Converter-Charger-110-240V-Universal/dp/B002AZTANG/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1311949719&sr=1-2 which seemed to be the lightest route I could go for being able to charge anywhere.

All in all, my electronics I carried came out to 2lbs, which was fine by me as I'm a techie.

Reddog176 aka Gadget '07

reddog176
07-29-2011, 10:34
That's not to say my 'charging electronics' weighed 2lbs, I had other stuff as well, unsure of the weight of charging stuff.

Reddog176 aka G

Sugarfoot
07-29-2011, 13:02
Another option is a kinetic charger, like www.npowerpeg.com that uses the Faraday principle. It weighs about 9 oz. I'm waiting for someone to try it out. I personally use an extended life battery on my BlackBerry and have no problem getting between towns. But the extra weight of the battery and the recharger comes close to the nPower PEG, so I am tempted.

Fredt4
07-29-2011, 13:59
I tried the Freedom by Bruton (single panel) nice battery, but the solar panel was not able to charge on the trail, perhaps it'll work if you base camp. Now I carry two extra batteries for my droid.

OldManWalking
07-29-2011, 14:06
I used the Goal Zero Guide 10 http://www.rei.com/product/825885/goal-zero-guide-10-adventure-kit-solar-charger in March of this year section hiking on the AT in GA with limmited success. Hanging the panel from the pack was almost useless unless the sun was bright and comming directly from behind. Worked best while stopping for lunch or in camp. I was able to get enough sun to maintain a charge on the battery pack and keep two smart phones charged. Weight is as advertised at 16oz with the battery pack so a good deal heavier than just carrying a spare battery.
13341

paradoxb3
07-29-2011, 14:06
i saw alot of people last year with a solio strapped to the top of their pack. I saw alot of people get rid of them too because they simply didnt work on the AT. keep in mind they use the solar to charge the internal battery, then the internal battery to charge the phone... since the suntactics charger you posted does not have an internal battery to act somewhat like a buffer, it would be a safe bet that if you tried using it while hiking, you'd have very little luck getting it to charge.

Not to shoot this idea down... if the info on their website is in fact accurate this suntactics charger looks to be possibly one of the best devices i've seen for portable solar charging, but i would still imagine if you wanted to get a full charge you would simply have to work out a plan to stop on an exposed mountaintop around noon and spend a minimum of 2 hours with the panels at a right angle to the sun on a clear day. (what happens when you experience 1 or 2 weeks straight of clouds and rain?)

Its not a bad idea, and the device is at least fairly light. if you choose to try it i wish you the best of luck. personally i carried a spare battery, charged both when in town, and when used sparingly would last fine between towns, even in a battery hungry smartphone.

Slo-go'en
07-29-2011, 14:20
I am considering this one (http://www.suntactics.com/)which allows you to run a phone with a dead battery while its charging in the sun.

Actually, that one looks pretty good. A little bulky, but you need an large panel with high output to be of any use.That way when it's not in direct sun, it still has the ability to produce useable current. The little chargers with the built in battery simply don't cut it. Read the fine print and they need 10 hours of noon day sun to fully charge thier battery. In practice, that means a week or more.

Mounting the panel on your pack (if you can figure out a way to do that) will work okay until the leafs come out in force. After that you will need to remember to put it in the sun each time you take a break. Charging a dead battery will still take time, as the limiting factor is how fast the charger built into the device your charging allows it to charge - usually at least a couple of hours or more. But if you can get 30 minutes of good sun a day during breaks, you can go a long way to keeping the batteries pretty well topped off.

As for the npower PEG thing, I belive it is still vaporware, likely because they still can't get to work well enought to be even remotely practical. Maybe if you did jumping jacks for an hour at time, but not just walking around.

SGT Rock
07-29-2011, 14:43
Here is a thought I was planning on using for hiking out west. Get one of these: http://www.instructables.com/id/Solar-Altoids-USB-Charger/

I (http://www.instructables.com/id/Solar-Altoids-USB-Charger/)t is a solar charger that can charge USB devices and also charges rechargeable NiMh batteries, or can charge the device off of NiMh batteries or non-rechargeable Li batteries or Alkaline batteries. You can also just buy one or the parts for one here: http://www.browndoggadgets.com/

This way you can have a solar charger you can pop out and charge your re-chargeable batteries and/or device when the sun presents you an opportunity, but you could also carry some standard batteries with you to recharge your device when the sun doesn't cooperate.

I've bought a kit and a pouch for my pack to build it into for this, but I haven't finished the project. I have played with it some off trail and find that it works for my phone.

Magua
07-29-2011, 21:11
I am hearing a lot of mixed reviews. I think I am going to go for the one that I mentioned in my original email. Its a little pricey but I figure Ill use it at home as my standard charger when Im finished hiking, so if I end up sending it home early on in the trip then I wont be out the $140. At which point ill just go with the spare battery method.

Ill let everyone know how it goes. And if the worse thing to happen is that I have to hear a couple of "I told you so's", then I can live with that.

Thanks everybody

darkage
08-13-2011, 23:15
I used the Goal Zero Guide 10 http://www.rei.com/product/825885/goal-zero-guide-10-adventure-kit-solar-charger in March of this year section hiking on the AT in GA with limmited success. Hanging the panel from the pack was almost useless unless the sun was bright and comming directly from behind. Worked best while stopping for lunch or in camp. I was able to get enough sun to maintain a charge on the battery pack and keep two smart phones charged. Weight is as advertised at 16oz with the battery pack so a good deal heavier than just carrying a spare battery.
13341

This is the one i'm gonna be trying ... i don't like doing the town stops an wait for charging ... so even if it takes a week of charging during rest stops for some battery, so be it ... i'm not out there to be on the phone daily ... a 25% charge a day would keep me happy ... full pack charge in 1 1/2 hours during prime time ... that sounds good to me ... then the pack charges my phone, or use the batteries for headlamp, or digital ... if it don't work, oh well .. but damn if i'm not gonna give it a good try, my expectations are low ..

Fraser Fir
08-14-2011, 00:13
I used one for 200 miles in Virginia and I had a false sense of security in obtaining "juice" for my cell/mp3. Two constant days of the solar power pack duck-taped to the top of my pack only to get an hour or two of "mojo". Hope it works better for you than it did for me.

Wise Old Owl
08-14-2011, 01:51
There is a lot of old ideas about solar out there. As I posted in the other thread - miss information too. If I bought a Solio panel the watts would not provide enough juice (watts) to push the battery to charge in a low light condition. Here is the deal - Lithium batteries have changed the bar on phones. Kyrocera Panels discovered smaller thinner wires closer together provides more watts in less light. I can get a charge light at Sunset when I have the panel poked in the general direction of the sun an hour before sunset. I can continue that charge light in the twilight.

So lets be honest - smart phones are gaining in popularity, I doubt anyone has taken one from Maine to Georgia yet.... But it will happen this year or next... The idea that you need direct sunlight all the time is an old idea, New panels work from ambient light. I have posted lightweight ideas on Backpacking panels you can make in two threads here on WB.

I am still learning here - my smart phone arrived last month and I am paying $145 a month for the service. In the Google GPS mode the phone gets really hot and the manufacture recommends plugging in to defray the discharge. So in the GPS mode it eats batteries.... But here is the interesting moment. you can turn off the GPS and use the cell towers to get a general idea of where you are and it uses less power. But here is something that has not been addressed, and there have been numerous posts on solar power here on WB.

Lets say the panel doesn't have the push one day to charge the phone... Low light, too much leaves, panel too small... The panel will provide a longer time before reaching zero of off. So a panel off the back or dangling will send some electric to the phone for use.

Over the counter panels at REI or EMS are too small and low in watts.. Keep an eye out for new products from Bruton & Sunling


http://www.backup-power.ca/catalog/item/3393232/3743166.htm

Please avoid buying low watt panels.

DavidNH
08-14-2011, 09:07
You may go many days with no sun due to weather and most of the time.. you will be in the woods.
But I need to ask.. why the hell to you or anyone else need a smart phone to hike the AT?

birchy
08-14-2011, 10:23
I like to use the hot shot charger, which uses standard batteries to hot shot the phone. I also have used the ETON radio which has a USB charging port, and works off of a hand crank, solar, ac adapter or battery. Plus the radio has NOAA weather. It weights around 1 lb.

Wise Old Owl
08-14-2011, 12:52
You may go many days with no sun due to weather and most of the time.. you will be in the woods.
But I need to ask.. why the hell to you or anyone else need a smart phone to hike the AT?

Why not? I can still get calls - messages - I can pull up Radar weather pictures, digital maps, take photos, read a book in camp, identify a star, find true north during the day, get reminded how many hours it is to civil twilight, look up magnetic declination. Look up the next meteor shower and stay up for it. Identify an edible plant other than a ramp. Listen to Jimmy Hendricks play the anthem...Post here on WB from the trail... Find the nearest Restaurant or tavern when entering a trail town with Google Maps. Read the local news back home.... Connect to spot. Find and call a Pizza delivery. Call for transportation.... Store a picture or write a journal entry.... record a voice note. I will think of some more.

ON A 4 oz platform. Yea thats UBER!

WingedMonkey
08-14-2011, 13:16
Why not? Post here on WB from the trail...

Best reason ever given to leave it at home.

Hikes in Rain
08-14-2011, 17:29
Why not? I can still get calls - messages - I can pull up Radar weather pictures, digital maps, take photos, read a book in camp, identify a star, find true north during the day, get reminded how many hours it is to civil twilight, look up magnetic declination. Look up the next meteor shower and stay up for it. Identify an edible plant other than a ramp. Listen to Jimmy Hendricks play the anthem...Post here on WB from the trail... Find the nearest Restaurant or tavern when entering a trail town with Google Maps. Read the local news back home.... Connect to spot. Find and call a Pizza delivery. Call for transportation.... Store a picture or write a journal entry.... record a voice note. I will think of some more.

ON A 4 oz platform. Yea thats UBER!


That caught my attention, since we're "of an age". My vision is at best a bit challenged. Unaided, I can pass for legally blind. I wear multi-focus contacts most of the time; glasses when I have to. But with my contacts, I have pretty darned good vision.

You can see things like that on the little screen? I have a somewhat crippled blackberry from work, which is good for email and phone, not so good for much else. (IT kinda limits what we can do with these things.) My wife has been pushing a smart phone, but so far, I've been happy with my little dumb one. She's been known to call me a Luddite, and I can't disagree.

I may need to change my attitude.

Skidsteer
08-14-2011, 17:42
That caught my attention, since we're "of an age". My vision is at best a bit challenged. Unaided, I can pass for legally blind. I wear multi-focus contacts most of the time; glasses when I have to. But with my contacts, I have pretty darned good vision.

You can see things like that on the little screen? I have a somewhat crippled blackberry from work, which is good for email and phone, not so good for much else. (IT kinda limits what we can do with these things.) My wife has been pushing a smart phone, but so far, I've been happy with my little dumb one. She's been known to call me a Luddite, and I can't disagree.

I may need to change my attitude.

For years I swore that the day I retired would be the last day I carried a cell phone; And I work as a Communications Contractor. Most of the time all a cell phone did was serve as a bearer of bad news.

Then came smartphones. Finally a useful tool. I love my smartphone.

Wise Old Owl
08-14-2011, 17:54
Hikes in Rain, the screen is larger than a Garmin GPS. two taps at the point where you want to read and it exspands to the readable size... I just figured out how to store state park maps on it like I do for my Garmin. I can store them as photos, with lots of detail...

darkage
08-14-2011, 23:30
You may go many days with no sun due to weather and most of the time.. you will be in the woods.
But I need to ask.. why the hell to you or anyone else need a smart phone to hike the AT?

You don't, personal choice with all the options givin today with modern smartphones ... no one said you had to use one ... and if ya don't, no reason to care who else does or doesn't.

Ender
08-15-2011, 08:28
You don't, personal choice with all the options givin today with modern smartphones ... no one said you had to use one ... and if ya don't, no reason to care who else does or doesn't.

Exactly. Who said anything about need? If someone wants to carry a smart phone, then they should carry a smart phone.

LDog
08-15-2011, 11:20
But I need to ask.. why the hell to you or anyone else need a smart phone to hike the AT?

No one *needs* one to hike the AT. Like everything else in life, it comes down to trading off wants and needs. I want to be able to do all the things Wise Old Owl mentioned, and I'm willing to trade of the weight of the phone and charging device to do so.

This is clearly one of those HYOH things.

LDog
08-15-2011, 11:23
I just figured out how to store state park maps on it like I do for my Garmin. I can store them as photos, with lots of detail...

I just installed, and am playing with Gaia GPS Lite which downloads topo maps as you go, or lets you cache them when you have a signal. Sweet.

Harrison Bergeron
08-15-2011, 12:14
That caught my attention, since we're "of an age". My vision is at best a bit challenged. Unaided, I can pass for legally blind. I wear multi-focus contacts most of the time; glasses when I have to. But with my contacts, I have pretty darned good vision.

You can see things like that on the little screen? I have a somewhat crippled blackberry from work, which is good for email and phone, not so good for much else. (IT kinda limits what we can do with these things.) My wife has been pushing a smart phone, but so far, I've been happy with my little dumb one. She's been known to call me a Luddite, and I can't disagree.

I may need to change my attitude.

Same age, same eyes. I ride a vanpool and use the time for reading. I find that since I started using my phone and as an ireader that it's actually EASIER. The font is bigger, backlit, and the fact that I can only see a paragraph at a time means that I practically speed read. Plus, I'm not tied to a specific ebook vendor. I get most of my ebooks from the library!

There's a reason Borders just folded! (but a real shame!)

tolkien
08-15-2011, 19:40
Honestly, leave the cell phone at home, or at least only use it for emergencies. Don't do it for the hippie-ludites, do it for yourself: you never want one of those things stolen.

It's a tool, not a source of entertainment. Treat it as such.

Harrison Bergeron
08-15-2011, 20:00
Yes, of course. It's a tool that can be used for any purpose -- except entertainment. When in the woods, we all know the only acceptable entertainment is that which Mother Gaia hath provideth. I withdraw my former comments about -- gad -- reading! I don't know what I could have been thinking. Anyone who needs any entertainment on a six month walk in the woods beyond listening to the crickets singing is obviously unsuited for such pursuits. :rolleyes:

tolkien
08-15-2011, 20:14
Plus, with all the constant rain, anything electronic/paper runs the risk of being rendered useless. I went on a two-day hike in SE Virginia, and durring this two day hike my Carbon Steel knife rusted to the point of uselessnes. Only using Grivory knives now.
Some parts of the Appalachians get enough rain to be classified as "temperate rainforests" like the pacific northwest.

Ender
08-15-2011, 21:34
Honestly, leave the cell phone at home, or at least only use it for emergencies. Don't do it for the hippie-ludites, do it for yourself: you never want one of those things stolen.

It's a tool, not a source of entertainment. Treat it as such.


Yes, of course. It's a tool that can be used for any purpose -- except entertainment. When in the woods, we all know the only acceptable entertainment is that which Mother Gaia hath provideth. I withdraw my former comments about -- gad -- reading! I don't know what I could have been thinking. Anyone who needs any entertainment on a six month walk in the woods beyond listening to the crickets singing is obviously unsuited for such pursuits. :rolleyes:

Jon, I couldn't have said it better myself. "HYOH, unless, of course, it's a different way than I would hike, and then You're Doing It Wrong!!!!"

Ender
08-15-2011, 21:37
Plus, with all the constant rain, anything electronic/paper runs the risk of being rendered useless. I went on a two-day hike in SE Virginia, and durring this two day hike my Carbon Steel knife rusted to the point of uselessnes. Only using Grivory knives now.
Some parts of the Appalachians get enough rain to be classified as "temperate rainforests" like the pacific northwest.

All of that can be got around with a simple ziplock bag. I have hiked month after month with a cell phone, a head lamp, a watch... all electronic, and no issues. Dozens, possibly hundreds, of thru hikers have gone the entire trail with a cell phone, with little to no problems at all.

LDog
08-15-2011, 22:28
anyyone who needs any entertainment on a six month walk in the woods beyond listening to the crickets singing is obviously unsuited for such pursuits. :rolleyes:
I want to thank Tolkien, not for adding to the discussion, but for coming into this thread to show us the error of our ways. I almost fouled up my thru...
--
Chilly
laughingdawg.blogspot.com

CaptainNemo
08-15-2011, 22:47
I admire your stance despite the obvious adversity when it come the solar chargers. There's definitely a bad stigma around them but you have to see for yourself. Gotta live your own dreams.

Hikes in Rain
08-16-2011, 12:29
Same age, same eyes. I ride a vanpool and use the time for reading. I find that since I started using my phone and as an ireader that it's actually EASIER. The font is bigger, backlit, and the fact that I can only see a paragraph at a time means that I practically speed read. Plus, I'm not tied to a specific ebook vendor. I get most of my ebooks from the library!

There's a reason Borders just folded! (but a real shame!)

Between you and Wise Old Owl, I'm really going to have to rethink the whole technology thing. This way, I could even leave those paper books behind when I hike! Untill the battery died, like it did on my last section hike. (I still like paper books for most purposes, though. Big step up from that papyrus and stone tablet idea! I think it's going to catch on.)

Rusty Nail
08-17-2011, 15:56
I just contacted the NpowerPeg people. It will not do what I thought it would, it is more of an emergency extender than a charger. I even asked about a 8+ hr day of hiking to see if it would recharge itself, not a phone just its own internal battery... Nope. A fully charged peg = 30-40% charge on a smartphone. Looks like I will be packing a goal0 and set it out as much as possible.

Sugarfoot
08-17-2011, 16:54
Thank you, Rusty Nail. I've been following the NpowerPeg and hoped it would perform better. Guess I'll stay with my extended battery.