Personal Power for Nepal Trekkers

I just helped Mick Bromley of Wilderness Trekking head off to Nepal on his latest excursion with two sets of portable solar power systems. One is designed to keep a videographer's equipment charged while he chronicles Mick's legendary attention to every aspect of the Nepal experience. The second is for Mick himself, so that he is able to keep his own camera, tablet, and communications gear charged. His system will also come in handy when his clients need a power boost for their own cameras.

Here is an overview of the systems...

For the Videographer : SunLINQ 5 Solar Panel with Brunton Sustain2 Storage Battery & LP-E6 DC Charger

The SunLINQ panel folds down small & light, and features CIGS efficient thin film cells that excel in the high-UV exposure at altitude, and at the higher ambient temperatures in the lower regions of the country. The Brunton Sustain is a ruggedized lithium pack that stores 75 Watt-Hours of power... enough for 5 full charges on a Canon dSLR battery, so there is plenty of back-up in case of several days of inclement weather.

The balance is in the logistics. With the panel deployed for several hours each day during stops, or at camp, the power produced will easily offset the power being drawn for camera battery charging & video editing/archiving. The power budget was designed around the need for 2-3 Canon LP-E6 charges per day. Because it is never a good idea to drain a lithium battery below 50% on a regular basis, the videographer will be bringing several battery packs that he will top-off at various times during the day & at camp at night.
Lastly, I do not like the DC input connector provided with the Brunton Sustain2. Too fragile, and introduces a mysterious voltage drop that makes it incompatible with slightly lower voltage panels like the Powerfilm series. So, I sent one of the Modern Outpost Solar Input Cables... a tougher & much longer cable that makes camp set-up options easier.

For Mick : Voltaic Fuse 10W with Ansmann Vario Pro Charger

This is a fantastic solar kit. 10W of premium Bosch crystalline solar cells in a rugged encapsulation, set into a rugged case that can carry a laptop & tablet at the same time. The case features webbing on the back, so strapping it to the outside of a backpack is a simple task. Having all the solar charging gear in one place instead of being spread around with wiring has its advantages too. Mick simply opens the case and connects his camera charger, tablet, phone, radio, or virtually anything else he might need.
The panels produce the power he needs each day, and just in case he runs into bad weather, he has 60 Watt-Hours of power stored in the Fuse10W's internal V60 battery pack.

While laptops, tablets, and USB devices can all be connected directly to the Fuse10's internal battery pack, getting the power from the Fuse10 kit into camera batteries is done via an Ansmann Vario Pro universal charger. Plug the charger into the 12V socket on the Fuse10, snap your camera battery into the cradle, and the charger selects the correct voltage, polarity, and begins charging. It even shows you the state-of-charge so you can better manage your power usage.
Simple. Elegant. Functional. Reliable.

Mick's Client Pick :  Fuse 4W with Pixo Charger

Mick and I talked about an option for his clients, should they want to bring a charger of their own. Something simple to use, simple to pack, rugged, and able to charge virtually any type of camera, phone, iPod, etc. The Voltaic Fuse 4W fits perfectly. 4 Watts of German-made Bosch panels in a small pack that straps to a backpack. Inside is room for small gadgets, & the 4000mAHr solar storage battery, capable of charging or powering everything USB including tablets.

The German Pixo charger is universal, adapting to all 3.6/3.7V camera batteries, plus all 7.2/7.4V dSLR & camcorder batteries (a neat trick not seen in other USB chargers).
This kit is able to offset approx 75% of a dSLR battery every day, or a mix of devices adding up to same.

Well, that's it. Trekking with electronics made easy.
Should you need any further details, or want help with the math concerning your own trekking power needs, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Best!

Solar SmartPhone? Read This First!

Solar charging a smartphone is easy, but there are so many products on the market making promises that it becomes difficult to choose. The purpose of this article is to clear it all up for you.

First, I will tell you what to look for in a solar charger. Second, I will cover a few issues with a simple QnA. If you still have questions after reading this article, please send me an email.

What you're looking for in a solar charger...

1. POWER OUTPUT
Most smartphones these days will not accept power from any USB port not able to provide at least 1,000mA. Do not accept any charger that isn't USB 3.0 or better. A tablet-friendly USB charger is capable of 2100mA maximum output, and this is preferable to anything less. Don't worry... your device won't blow-up just because the port is capable of higher output. Your device is in control of its own charging, and will accept the power it needs.

2. POWER STORAGE
A smartphone holds approx 6 Watt-Hours of power (1400mAHr). Due to losses in the charging process, this means your solar charger will need to provide at least 8 Watt-Hours (2200mAHr) of power if you are charging your phone from a completely dead state.

3. SOLAR POWER
In my experience, if a solar charger product is not able to charge itself from a completely dead state over the course of two summer days (or faster), then it is a weak design. For example, I would expect to see nothing less than a 1 Watt solar module on a charger with a 2200mAHr storage battery inside. It makes no sense to wait 4 days for a full charge from sunlight.

4. PORT COMPATIBILITY
USB ports are supposed to be standard, and yet I constantly see smartphones reject certain ports for one reason or another. So, I have come to rely on one simple test that removes the frustration: Apple compatibility. Even if you are using the latest BlackBerry or Android, if the solar charger says it is compatible with the fussiest USB products around (ie Apple), then it will usually work for you.

Now a little QnA...

1. Can I plug into the charger anytime, or do I have to wait until it is charged?
Plug in anytime.
Some solar chargers will stop charging themselves from sunlight while you charge your smartphone, while others will use both the solar output and their internal battery to charge your device.

2. Can I go straight from a solar panel to my smart phone?
Not usually. The reason relates to point #1 above. If the panel is not able to provide upwards of 500mA at any given time, and preferably 1,000mA, then unlikely that your phone will acknowledge the solar panel's existence.

3. How many charges will I get each day from the solar charger?
A typical 0.5W/2200mAH solar charger will be able to keep up with 25% usage of your smartphone (summer, with good daily exposure). Twice the solar panel will provide twice the power offset.
If all you want is a back-up battery with a cool solar add-on, then I advise getting a battery capacity of at least 2200mAH so you can charge your phone fully one time (or from 50% down twice). If you are a heavy smartphone user, then get a battery capacity of at least 4000mAH.

4. How long do these chargers last?
If you take care of it, and don't completely drain the battery on a regular basis, then a typical lithium-based battery will operate properly for several years. Stick to solid names like Powerfilm, Brunton, Eton, Voltaic, and others to ensure that you are getting the highest quality components in your charger.

I look forward to your questions!