Solar Power for Garmin GPSrs?

[+Timpat]

I wondered if anyone knows of a solar device to power a Garmin handheld GPSr that's out there on the market? I envision some kind of solar panel that can be worn on a hat, or across the top of a backpack, that could provide enough power to operate my 60Cx thru the DC adapter serial port, then run on batteries during non-sunshine conditions. Just curious, and if so how much would such a device cost? That would come in real handy for extended hiking trips and not worry about hauling AA's along. Plus, it would be an elegant "green" solution!

[Team Sidewinder]

I have a Brunton Solar Port 2.2 which will charge rechargeable batteries and would run a gpsr. The only thing I worried about is the varing power as the sun goes behind clouds so have only used it once on my gps. It has a lighter adapter which is like one you have in your car. It puts out 2.2 watts and can be switched to either 6volts or 112 volts. This could be attached to a daypack or backpackBrunton also puts out other solar panel options.

Edited January 6, 2007 by Team Sidewinder

[+Train_Man]

I have a Brunton Solar Port 2.2 which will charge rechargeable batteries and would run a gpsr. The only thing I worried about is the varing power as the sun goes behind clouds so have only used it once on my gps. It has a lighter adapter which is like one you have in your car. It puts out 2.2 watts and can be switched to either 6volts or 112 volts. This could be attached to a daypack or backpackBrunton also puts out other solar panel options.

 

I assume you mean 12 volts and not 112 volts?

 

Also, I believe you could make one with a few solar panels and a garmin plug. It's a great idea to have for a long hike!

[Team Sidewinder]

I have a Brunton Solar Port 2.2 which will charge rechargeable batteries and would run a gpsr. The only thing I worried about is the varing power as the sun goes behind clouds so have only used it once on my gps. It has a lighter adapter which is like one you have in your car. It puts out 2.2 watts and can be switched to either 6volts or 112 volts. This could be attached to a daypack or backpackBrunton also puts out other solar panel options.

 

I assume you mean 12 volts and not 112 volts?

 

Also, I believe you could make one with a few solar panels and a garmin plug. It's a great idea to have for a long hike!

 

Yes. My bad typo. It is 12 volt alright.

[mtbikernate]

Brunton makes a lot of solar panels, including a snazzy roll-up one that weighs very little...comparatively speaking. The hard panels put out more juice, though.

[planewood]

I wondered if anyone knows of a solar device to power a Garmin handheld GPSr that's out there on the market? I envision some kind of solar panel that can be worn on a hat, or across the top of a backpack, that could provide enough power to operate my 60Cx thru the DC adapter serial port, then run on batteries during non-sunshine conditions. Just curious, and if so how much would such a device cost? That would come in real handy for extended hiking trips and not worry about hauling AA's along. Plus, it would be an elegant "green" solution!

 

If I remember right, my 60cx would not power up with less than 8V applied to the external power plug. 8V-15V works fine IF there is enough amperage. I did not test the current required but I suspect it to be about 100 ma as I get about 15 hrs with my 1800ma rechargable batteries. The Garmins have a voltage regulator inside to protect against high voltage (up to 18V) and against reversing the polarity. A 12V zener diode in series with the power supply would provide additional protection.

 

I think it might be best to use a solar charger to recharge a set of batteries. 3.5V at 0.5 amps (max) would work fine. Make sure it has a reverse current protection diode. 1N4001 would work fine.

[+Timpat]

Thanks to you all for the input. I'll keep searching for more unique applications. We have a solar manufacturer called SunWize in our area that I plan to contact. Maybe they can custom build a panel that can be worn on a hat or outer clothing and supply the needed output. I know nothing about electronics and voltage, wattage, etc.

[+hardwire]

Don't know if this is the best way...

 

But I got the 5watt foldable from Northern Tools :

Item: 339974 5WATT FOLDING SOLAR PANEL

 

And the plug that came with it fits my Digital 1 hour charger. I keep 4 rechargable batteries hooked up charging while I hike, since the batteries in my GPSmap60C lasts a 'hiking day' easily. Then I swap for a fresh set in the morning.

 

Edited January 6, 2007 by hardwire

[Team Sidewinder]

This Brunton 2.2 I have puts out 290ma @ 7.6volt and 145ma @ 15.2 volts and that must be DIRECT sunlight with not even a slight cloud cover or clouds passing past the sun.

[DogFleazJR]

Thanks to you all for the input. I'll keep searching for more unique applications. We have a solar manufacturer called SunWize in our area that I plan to contact. Maybe they can custom build a panel that can be worn on a hat or outer clothing and supply the needed output. I know nothing about electronics and voltage, wattage, etc.

 

Any update on solar battery chargers?

 

We are working out the last details of a 5 day hiking and canoeing trip through the Saranacs this summer and would love to recharge the batteries for my 60CSx with solar. Has to be light weight, packable and weatherproof. I need to be able to charge 2 AA NiMH batteries (1500 - 2000 mah) in less than 14 hours in "reasonable" weather conditions.

 

Anyone out there have any experience with this? Do the flexible chargers really work, or do they take too long or too sensitive to cloud cover to be viable on the trail?

 

Any guidance on how to evaluate these things would be appreciated. I'm not an electrical engineer! I think I understand that to charge two 1500 mah batteries in less than 15 hours I a panel that generates at least 200 ma. How does this convert to watts, which is how many panels seem to be rated?

 

I saw the posting about the Brunton. I prefer to have just the battery charging compartment so I can leave the cable in the car. I can lay the panel out on the packs in the canoe and charge batteries for the following day.

 

If anyone can share more experiences with solar battery chargers it would be a great help.

[Team Sidewinder]

Thanks to you all for the input. I'll keep searching for more unique applications. We have a solar manufacturer called SunWize in our area that I plan to contact. Maybe they can custom build a panel that can be worn on a hat or outer clothing and supply the needed output. I know nothing about electronics and voltage, wattage, etc.

 

Any update on solar battery chargers?

 

We are working out the last details of a 5 day hiking and canoeing trip through the Saranacs this summer and would love to recharge the batteries for my 60CSx with solar. Has to be light weight, packable and weatherproof. I need to be able to charge 2 AA NiMH batteries (1500 - 2000 mah) in less than 14 hours in "reasonable" weather conditions.

 

Anyone out there have any experience with this? Do the flexible chargers really work, or do they take too long or too sensitive to cloud cover to be viable on the trail?

 

Any guidance on how to evaluate these things would be appreciated. I'm not an electrical engineer! I think I understand that to charge two 1500 mah batteries in less than 15 hours I a panel that generates at least 200 ma. How does this convert to watts, which is how many panels seem to be rated?

 

I saw the posting about the Brunton. I prefer to have just the battery charging compartment so I can leave the cable in the car. I can lay the panel out on the packs in the canoe and charge batteries for the following day.

 

If anyone can share more experiences with solar battery chargers it would be a great help.

 

The solar panel I describe ( Brunton 2.2 ) will charge rechargable batteries if you have a connection on the charger that will would plug into a car cig. lighter socket. This solar panel won't run the gpsr on solar power only. Not sure on the length of time to recharge 4AA batteries but you would be lucky to get 10 hours of charging sun without clouds in one day. It would be better than nothing and dead rechargable batteries though.

[DogFleazJR]

 

 

The solar panel I describe ( Brunton 2.2 ) will charge rechargable batteries if you have a connection on the charger that will would plug into a car cig. lighter socket. This solar panel won't run the gpsr on solar power only. Not sure on the length of time to recharge 4AA batteries but you would be lucky to get 10 hours of charging sun without clouds in one day. It would be better than nothing and dead rechargable batteries though.

 

Thanks for the reply. Based on your experience, the Brunton 2.2 will not work for my needs.

 

I was wondering if anyone had experience with chargers like these:

 

http://www.siliconsolar.com/shop/catalog/F...-2AA-p-138.html

 

Unfortunately, they don't provide the ma capacity of the panels or the mah rating of the batteries. Perhaps two 1500mah batteries in the 4AA would charge in 5-8 hrs in "reasonable" conditions???

 

Thanks for your help!

[+user13371]

Might not work for everybody, but this could probably do for any USB connected/powered device...

 

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.2575

 

Compact and cheap, too...

[+Red90]

For a 5 day trip, just take batteries. New, quality Alkalines (or NiMH) should give 20 hours of use, which should be around 3 days of travel per battery set.

[+Prime Suspect]

Thanks to you all for the input. I'll keep searching for more unique applications. We have a solar manufacturer called SunWize in our area that I plan to contact. Maybe they can custom build a panel that can be worn on a hat or outer clothing and supply the needed output. I know nothing about electronics and voltage, wattage, etc.

 

Any update on solar battery chargers?

 

We are working out the last details of a 5 day hiking and canoeing trip through the Saranacs this summer and would love to recharge the batteries for my 60CSx with solar. Has to be light weight, packable and weatherproof. I need to be able to charge 2 AA NiMH batteries (1500 - 2000 mah) in less than 14 hours in "reasonable" weather conditions.

 

Anyone out there have any experience with this? Do the flexible chargers really work, or do they take too long or too sensitive to cloud cover to be viable on the trail?

 

Any guidance on how to evaluate these things would be appreciated. I'm not an electrical engineer! I think I understand that to charge two 1500 mah batteries in less than 15 hours I a panel that generates at least 200 ma. How does this convert to watts, which is how many panels seem to be rated?

 

I saw the posting about the Brunton. I prefer to have just the battery charging compartment so I can leave the cable in the car. I can lay the panel out on the packs in the canoe and charge batteries for the following day.

 

If anyone can share more experiences with solar battery chargers it would be a great help.

 

Compare the bulk of a solar charger with the equivalent bulk of batteries, and you'll see that taking a charger doesn't make sense. If it was a considerably longer trip, then it might go the other way. But for 5 days? Nope.

[The Man]

I have one of these that I use with my E600. Seems to work well so far but does take a bit of time to recharge completely.

[+Prime Suspect]

I have one of these that I use with my E600. Seems to work well so far but does take a bit of time to recharge completely.

Doesn't seem like a good solution for a GPS, unless it's one of the few that are internally rechargeable.

[DogFleazJR]

 

Compare the bulk of a solar charger with the equivalent bulk of batteries, and you'll see that taking a charger doesn't make sense. If it was a considerably longer trip, then it might go the other way. But for 5 days? Nope.

 

Pragmatically, I agree. Three sets of new alkalines would more than cover me for five days, and would certainly be easy to pack and carry.

 

This is more a question of aesthetics. The Saranacs are one of the last truly pristine places on the US east coast. We are putting a lot of emphasis on our trip planning to leave no trace. Hauling home a half dozen spent, hazardous waste batteries just doesn't feel right, especially if there is affordable technology that can redress the concern.

 

I went ahead and ordered one of the 4AA flexible panels. This is a good opportunity to try a field test. They claim to charge 4AA 2000mah batteries in less than 8 hours. If it can charge 2 batteries in 8 hours it seems like a pretty workable solution.

 

BTW, the flexible chargers weigh less than 2oz (0.6oz solar panel plus battery compartment) and can be stowed easily. At 3 x 4.5 inches, hopefully I can easily attach it to the top of a hat or pack.

[+Timpat]

DogFleazJR, may I ask which solar device you went with? Could you post a link to the info on it? And, once you test it please let us know how it performs in regard to GPSsr use and operation.

[The Man]

I have one of these that I use with my E600. Seems to work well so far but does take a bit of time to recharge completely.

Doesn't seem like a good solution for a GPS, unless it's one of the few that are internally rechargeable.

 

Luckily the E600 does have a rechargeable battery so it fits my needs well, it also charges the Blackberry and PPC. I have been using the USB adapter to charge most things but Solio solar charger does come with a 12v adapter so if the OP was going to use it as he stated, with the DC adapter, it should work OK.

[DogFleazJR]

DogFleazJR, may I ask which solar device you went with? Could you post a link to the info on it? And, once you test it please let us know how it performs in regard to GPSsr use and operation.

 

I ordered the 4AA charger from the site below. Should be at home in a day or so. I will play around with it and let you know how it works out.

 

http://www.siliconsolar.com/shop/catalog/F...-2AA-p-138.html

 

I strippped down two old solar patio lights thinking they might work. But even in bright sun they max out at about 60ma, directly under a 100W halogen bulb they will do 80ma, which would take three days to charge a 1500mah battery (assuming the charge curve is linear).

 

I don't see how the flexible panel can charge 4AA batteries as fast as claimed. I figure the area of the flex panel is about 6X the area of the solar patio cell and much newer technology. So I'm hoping the new panel can deliver 6 times the ma, which would be about 400ma. That would charge two 1500ma batteries in less than 8 hours.

 

I will let you know how it works out under sun and cloud.

[+Prime Suspect]

 

I will let you know how it works out under sun and cloud.

 

And if you're never heard from again, well, I guess that also answers the question.

[+Thrak]

This one looks like it would work: Solar Battery Charger

[+rjosprey]

I like backpacking and built a solar setup. I grabbed a surplus cut connector Unisolar (unnamed in the surplus shop, $15) 5 watt 13.4 volt amorphous panel that is laid on thin stainless steel with Tufzel (Teflon vinyl) coating. Yet the panel is fairly thin and weighs about 7 oz. You can dance on this panel and it is primarily used on sailboats. I rigged it two ways with a straight connector from the panel to one unit and with three plugs in series for GPSR, cell phone and Pocket PC. This way I can charge three things on a bright day or one when it is cloudy. I also have a connector that plugs directly into the panel connector and into a Ham HandiTalkie. Of course one has to be careful not to overcharge, but most units have some protection against overcharging. Also in series all must be somewhat discharged to get them to let the juice flow and charge - part of the reason I have the single device option. I need to add an AA battery pack to it to recharge my flashlight batteries but these bright and efficient Luxeon emitters or Nichia LED lights last about 50 to 100 hours on a charge. I have a tiny Digital Volt Ohm Meter (DVOM) for when I am dealing with batteries and don't want overcharging. The whole solar setup cost me about $20 as I got most of the connectors from dud chargers, and got used chargers at thrift stores to replace the duds. It works fine but in full sun the single connector charges most devices in about 30 minutes - a bit fast. The unit can be set on the top and back of a backpack or summit bag; the solar panel is a totally flexible and nearly indestructible. I have two larger Unisolar Panels, 15 watt ($80) and 35 watt ($150), that I paid full price for, and could just connect into the setup for a faster charge under poor light on a car camp.

[DogFleazJR]

 

The solar panel I describe ( Brunton 2.2 ) will charge rechargable batteries if you have a connection on the charger that will would plug into a car cig. lighter socket. This solar panel won't run the gpsr on solar power only. Not sure on the length of time to recharge 4AA batteries but you would be lucky to get 10 hours of charging sun without clouds in one day. It would be better than nothing and dead rechargable batteries though.

 

Thanks for the reply. Based on your experience, the Brunton 2.2 will not work for my needs.

 

I was wondering if anyone had experience with chargers like these:

 

http://www.siliconsolar.com/shop/catalog/F...-2AA-p-138.html

 

Unfortunately, they don't provide the ma capacity of the panels or the mah rating of the batteries. Perhaps two 1500mah batteries in the 4AA would charge in 5-8 hrs in "reasonable" conditions???

 

Thanks for your help!

 

I purchased one of the flexible panels in the link above.

 

Waste of money, don't repeat my mistake. I'm trying to get the vendor to take it back.

 

Even in direct full sun the panel tops out at 150ma which would take 10 hours to charge a single 1500mah battery. So no truth in advertising there.

 

I am going back to plan B - stripping down the old solar patio lights. I left one out on the porch last week when I went to work with a fully discharged 1800mah NiMH battery installed. When I got home that evening, 1.47V on the battery. The porch sees full sun only part of the day. Not bad. I just need to figure out how to by-pass the LED light and strip it down to be compact for trekking.