Solar Battery Chargers

What is the brand and model that you purchased? Where did you buy it?

Mike
MU-2


"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:ORVYb.349821$xy6.1746841@attbi_s02...
I'd say this would be fine to leave on
your motorcycle over the winter, but I wouldn't bet on it charging your
cell phone, walkie-talkies, or laptop over the course of a few days.

Well, I bought the danged thing. It claims to be able to charge my cell
phone or walkie-talkie batteries in 5 hours, my lap top battery in 6 - 8
hours, and ni-cad rechargeable batteries, too. (It's got built-in slots
for
AA rechargeable batteries.)

It's a handsome, well-made unit, with internal storage for the various
cords, cost $40, and seems to have all the bases covered. It claims to
have
built-in circuitry to prevent over-charging, and it comes with a plethora
of
plugs to fit virtually any device.

It even comes with the cord and cigar lighter plug so that you can keep
your
car battery (or, in my case, motorcycle battery) charged over the winter.
It also has a built-in cigar lighter outlet, so you can plug your car
cell-phone cord directly into the unit.

Interestingly it claims to put out enough juice to power the cell phone
unassisted. Since the battery on my newest cell phone lasts over 3 days
without charging, I should be covered for most any fly-in.

We'll see how it works. Thanks for all the input!
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

What is the brand and model that you purchased? Where did you buy it?

The brand is "Brunton" ( http://brunton.com/ ) I bought the product
locally at a "Fin & Feather" camping/outfitter store.

Brunton appears to be a Canadian company, with offices in Riverton, Wyoming.
The unit is "assembled in China from European solar panels" according to the
box.

Interestingly, they don't seem to sell my exact model on their website.
However, there are several similar units for sale there.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Thanks

Mike
MU-2

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:U49Zb.360049$na.537399@attbi_s04...
What is the brand and model that you purchased? Where did you buy it?

The brand is "Brunton" ( http://brunton.com/ ) I bought the product
locally at a "Fin & Feather" camping/outfitter store.

Brunton appears to be a Canadian company, with offices in Riverton,
Wyoming.
The unit is "assembled in China from European solar panels" according to
the
box.

Interestingly, they don't seem to sell my exact model on their website.
However, there are several similar units for sale there.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message news:U49Zb.360049$na.537399@attbi_s04...
What is the brand and model that you purchased? Where did you buy it?

The brand is "Brunton" ( http://brunton.com/ ) I bought the product
locally at a "Fin & Feather" camping/outfitter store.

I'd like to know just how much power it puts out. They seem to be confused
as to specifications on their web page. mAh x volts does not yield watts.

I'd like to know just how much power it puts out. They seem to be
confused
as to specifications on their web page. mAh x volts does not yield
watts.

My unit puts out a maximum of 140 mAmps on the 6 volt setting, and 70 mAmps
on the 12 volt setting.

This is enough to charge batteries, and power small radios.

They've got more powerful ones, for more $$$.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Jay Honeck wrote:
This is enough to charge batteries, and power small radios.

I'm still skeptical that this is enough, but I hope it does work. It
would be a great little product if it is. Can you run some tests and
let us know? First, try running your cell phone until it's almost dead
and then see how long it takes for this thing to charge it up to full.

--- Jay


--
__!__
Jay and Teresa Masino ___(_)___
http://www2.ari.net/jmasino/ ! ! !

http://www.oceancityairport.com/
http://www.oc-adolfos.com/

I'm still skeptical that this is enough, but I hope it does work. It
would be a great little product if it is. Can you run some tests and
let us know? First, try running your cell phone until it's almost dead
and then see how long it takes for this thing to charge it up to full.

Thus far the only test I've run is to see if the cell phone "recognizes"
that it's being charged. (I've got a newer "LG" phone. It has some sort of
logic circuitry that "knows" when it's being charged, and changes it's
appearance and state while it's charging.)

It was night-time, so I just held the unit up next to a regular incandescent
bulb. The cell phone "recognized" that it was being charged, even with such
a dim light source.

I figure direct sun will really make it go, but I'll test it out.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message news:FtgZb.356674$xy6.1876363@attbi_s02...


My unit puts out a maximum of 140 mAmps on the 6 volt setting, and 70 mAmps
on the 12 volt setting.

This is enough to charge batteries, and power small radios.

They've got more powerful ones, for more $$$.

Have you tried it yet? How long does it take to charge up your cell phone?

It won't run a handheld...the transmitters take ten times that.

It won't run a handheld...the transmitters take ten times that.

Nope, but it'll keep it charged for RECEIVING -- which is all I want if for
in OSH.

I leave that thing on for days at OSH, and always end up going through a
bunch of AA batteries...
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:R6wZb.363385$xy6.1913600@attbi_s02...
It won't run a handheld...the transmitters take ten times that.

Nope, but it'll keep it charged for RECEIVING -- which is all I want if
for
in OSH.

I leave that thing on for days at OSH, and always end up going through a
bunch of AA batteries...
--
Jay Honeck

Get some fast charge batteries, then walk around until you see an un-used
outlet, and hang out for 15 minutes while they get charged up. Make friends
with someone in the camping area, and get them zapped up while you drink a
beer or three. Get one of those rechargeable car boosters, with the gel
cells inside, and plug them up in someone's car for the day, and then charge
your stuff at night, with a 12 Volt charger, or an inverter. Inverters do
have a bit of lost efficiency, though.

I didn't buy a single battery at my last OSH, and I doubt that anyone has
more battery powered stuff than I do! g The one that dies with the most
toys, wins, right?
--
Jim in NC


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