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Portable solar charger?

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Has anyone used one? I've looked at Powertraveller and Uniross branded solar chargers (for around £30 - £50).

It would be used on holiday and wild camping trips where there is no other power source. I'd be looking to charge a maximum of four AA 2700 Nimh batteries a day for use in my digital camera. If it was good enough I'd use it at home too.

What is your experience of a solar chargers performance in hot sunny weather, and cold cloudy weather?

I hope this is the right place to post this; I was torn between this forum and the travel one...

Thanks for any help. :)
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Comments

  • angel13
    angel13 Posts: 2,272 Forumite
    TheAlex wrote: »
    Has anyone used one? I've looked at Powertraveller and Uniross branded solar chargers (for around £30 - £50).

    It would be used on holiday and wild camping trips where there is no other power source. I'd be looking to charge a maximum of four AA 2700 Nimh batteries a day for use in my digital camera. If it was good enough I'd use it at home too.

    What is your experience of a solar chargers performance in hot sunny weather, and cold cloudy weather?

    I hope this is the right place to post this; I was torn between this forum and the travel one...

    Thanks for any help. :)


    not sure of the make of ours but we have one and it works fine. we just keep it on a sunny bedroom windowsill and put batteries in ad hoc and they charge well.
  • Not sure how quick you'll get a decent recharge.

    Maplin should be worth a try.

    http://www.maplin.co.uk/Search.aspx?menuno=11931

    I would hold fire for for more comments as there has been discussion in the past on these.
  • Sounds like you'd need a good solar source for a high drain:

    http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/04/why-do-rechargeable-batteries-suck.php?dcitc=daily_nl

    Recommended seems to be good batteries, a fast charger and .... freezing the batteries.
  • Grandmama
    Grandmama Posts: 150 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Name Dropper
    I am a Motorcaravan owner and about ten years ago started using small Solar powered chargers for my phone, camp lights , radios , cameras etc. They do work on light overcast days as it is the actual light that charges them up not necessarily direct sunlight. I love solar power and over the years have collected a few items. Chargers, lights, radios, fountain, camp lights and even a camp mosquito killer thing. I now have also graduated to a large solar panel on the roof of my Van to charge up the leisure battery. The equipment shows that it is charging even on a dull day, proved by showing no charge at night although I have not checked on moonlight!
    The cost of solar panels is still quite high so it is a lifestyle choice rather than a cost effective choice but to be able to charge your phone up when camping out near nowhere is a real boon.
    Get a really good small Solar charger and experiment with what it can do.
  • Eco_Girl_2
    Eco_Girl_2 Posts: 6 Forumite
    I liked a Solar Battery Charger that a friend took on a camping trip over the bank holiday weekend. His charged batteries and other gadgets too, and my mobile phone. He said it was less than £15 and he got it online from Ecotopia.
  • Sirbendy
    Sirbendy Posts: 537 Forumite
    500 Posts
    I've got 2 12v/5w solar panels at home...cost me about £40. Hitched up to a car battery in a container. They charge the battery, battery has a series of plugs on it...one runs a 12v in car AA fast charger for batteries, one runs my in-car phone charger, and the last is spare for now. Eventually to have a cheapie 12v/240vAC inverter hitched up.

    Quite handy.
  • tbs624
    tbs624 Posts: 10,816 Forumite
    Eco_Girl wrote: »
    I liked a Solar Battery Charger that a friend took on a camping trip over the bank holiday weekend. His charged batteries and other gadgets too, and my mobile phone. He said it was less than £15 and he got it online from xxxxxxxx.
    Eco girl seems to get her whole life from this company ...sniff...sniff..:spam:?
  • tarranty
    tarranty Posts: 13 Forumite
    They're not cheap but either the Solar Gorilla or the !!!!!!!!!! Globetrotter are very powerful chargers, they're available all over the place.
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