Thank all for your responses regarding solar energy.
I also received this from Walt for your info.
I've been experimenting with several 5W & 10W Isosolar roll up panels,
primarily looking at bike touring. The 5W will put out 300ma, the 10W -
600ma. That's in full sun. These panels are designed to put out the right
charging voltage for car batteries. I have 3 10W panels & 2 5W right now.
So far I just plug in my DC chargers for AA's or for my Lion camera battery
(similar to what's on the 722). The chargers provide all the controlling fo=
r
proper, safe charging. These chargers come with a wall wart for supplying 1=
2
volts or a cig lighter plug. The solar panels have cig lighter plug adapter=
s
available and can be chained for greater capacity. So it's all plug and
play.
I find that the 4AA maha charger needs at least a 10W panel, it's wall wart
is rated 1000ma. With a single 10W panel it won't do the fast charge, takes
several hours to charge a set of batteries. If I chain on another 5 or 10W
panel I can do fast charge with the same chargers. The charger for the Lion
camera battery will charge from just a single 5W panel, though it takes a
while, faster with a 10W panel, it's wall wart is rated 500ma. I do have a
8AA charger that's supposed to be able to run off 12 volts, but I've not
tried it yet.
I can fit one 10W panel on the front fairing of my trike, a 5W on the back
rack, and another 10W on the BOB trailer if I have it along.
You don't want to get into using a inverter, too much power loss. Use as
direct a path as possible. Note you cannot direct charge NIMH or Lion off a
solar panel safely so need a properly controlled charger.
Note if you hunt around there are panels that fold up instead of roll.
Make a smaller package. Unisolar is one that makes that sort of thing in
their military line.
There are also wearable solar panels and solar panels built into the tops o=
f
tents. Don't know a lot about them.
Walt
Martyn
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Martyn Stewart
Bird and Animal Sounds Digitally Recorded at:
http://www.naturesound.org
Redmond. Washington. USA
N47.65543 W121.98428
e-mail:
Tel: 425-898-0462
Make every Garden a wildlife Habitat!
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