What do you use to charge your electronics?

[Thesilversurfer]

Hi guys,

I'm planning a two week ride across western Canada on the Trans Canada Trail from Calgary to Tofino. On the way I will need to power a phone, camera and GPS. Which solar charging units are worth using? I have been reading mixed reviews and its very confusing as to which unit is the best to use. The Power Monkey unit looks like a good piece of kit unless anyone else has other recommendations?

Let me know your experiences and ideas.

Thanks Richie

[Duff]

I recently got the Goalzero Switch 8
you use the solar panel to charge a battery, then use the battery to charge your phone, GPS
unable to field test yet but seems promising
www.GOALZERO.com

[FatCloud]

Write down your directions. Carry a second battery for your camera. Keep your cell phone off except when calling people.
Charge things when you can.

I found that a lot of places I stopped for lunch I found places to plug in. Hell I found places to sleep with electric outlets (small town US parks). Solar chargers seem like a lot of weight. You'd really be better off carrying extra batteries instead (unless your dopey and own Apple products! D'oh!)

[FatCloud]

There's also this:
http://www.rei.com/product/846334/biolite-wood-burning-campstove#video-inner

[Bedrock]

I've used a Goal Zero nomad 7 extensively. I've been very happy with the 5v outlet. Quick to charge and durable. Somehow I roasted the 12v electronics when I tried to charge a dead (too low to crank) full size truck battery. Dang it.

[MartinFarrent]

GumPro Just Mobile... good for about three days for me, (sparingly) using a smartphone for GPS and sometimes to watch a movie or read an eBook. Additionally, I have a cheap, very light device that takes 4 AA batteries and can be used to charge a device (70%/35% iPhone 4 with lithium or normal batteries, respectively). I used to take that along, too, in order to be able to buy electricity rather than finding a place to charge the GumPro.

[juanesunpescado]

I have used the Goal Zero Nomad 7 with their rechargeable battery pack. Apple products require a constant output which you will not get with the solar panel alone, but will get using the battery pack as an intermediary. It makes for a lot of weight and hassle mounting the solar panel in such a way as to maximize exposure. If your route affords you occasional access to the grid, you are better off to follow the earlier suggestion to charge at stores or campgrounds etc. If you are off the grid, the solar panel is an option.

[Mark_BC]

Pearstone makes chargers for camera batteries and they have a 5 V USB out as well (or is it in, I can't remember -- I'll confirm later). The units are small and can be fed with a roll-up solar panel I use that produces 14 V. Pearstone chargers are available from BH Photo in New York who ship no problem.

Edit: here is a sample charger, they make many different ones specific to the battery, you just buy a different mounting plate and switch them up as needed.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/711143-REG/Pearstone_ADCNIENEL3E_Compact_Charger_for_EN_EL3E.html

And that is a USB charger out. The benefit is you can charge your camera batteries and your iPhone with the same device. But you will need a decent sized solar panel to run nit.

[Bedrock]

juanesunpescado,
I had heard something similar to what you are saying about apple products. However, I have literally charged my iphone 30-40 times with just my goal zero. ipods as well. It seems to work just fine but do you think this could harm the battery if I am not using a separate intermediary battery to regulate voltage?

Andrew

[Area54]

I really rate my power monkey extreme, was very happy with the cold weather performance too (of the battery, did not use the panel in the cold - not a lot of sun)

I've used my little explorer on many trips too - small enough to shove the whole lot on the helmet, so you know it's gonna get some sun!

Camcaddy for the cam batteries (panasonic FT2)

[fotooutdoors]

juanesunpescado,
I had heard something similar to what you are saying about apple products. However, I have literally charged my iphone 30-40 times with just my goal zero. ipods as well. It seems to work just fine but do you think this could harm the battery if I am not using a separate intermediary battery to regulate voltage?

Andrew

Unlikely to injure batteries.  As I understand it, the controller on Apple products is more picky about consistency, so if it is charging, it means that you are getting a consistent enough current and voltage.  It may be that in your neck of the woods (the SW), you get strong enough sunlight consistently that the charging controllers remain happy.  That's my hypothesis, at least.

[PretendGentleman]

I rode with a group and one guy had a dynamo hub and used that to charge a batter that he would use to charge devices.  It seemed like an awesome solution, especially with several people benefiting from it.

[mmeiser]

I often carry a smartphone as my only camera and only navigational device while backroad touring since I know I can pick up maps at the drop of a hat at any gas station... not that I've ever needed too. Sometimes I will carry a scrap of an overview map.  I turn the on airplane mode at all times unless I need to make a call. Gets me about two full days of heavy use without any charges. I charge it by always making a point to eat lunch or take a break somewhere with a power outlet.  Only takes about 45 minutes to an hour a day to keep it topped up.

I also choose my lights and other electronics for removeable batteries. I use a 220 lumen Nebo Redline (3AA) as my touring light and sometimes a Fenix HP11 headlamp (4AA). I've started using a Serfas seatstay mount tail light (2 CR2032) as my primary tail light and when I do carry a camera I carry one that runs on 2AA.   I usually carry one spare set of AA or AAA depending on what light I take and a spare set of CR2032 for the tail light since my computer also takes them.

That said, I can no longer avoid carrying a GPS, and at some point I'm going to end up buying a higher end camera, none of which run on AA. I have resisted solar because I honestly don't sit still for long enough. If the sun is shinning I'm moving. They seem delicate/hard to pack, a little bulky and otherwise high maintenance. Likewise I have resisted dynamo because I have multiple bikes I use for bikepacking, not just one. Thus brings me to the biolite.

There's also this:
http://www.rei.com/product/846334/biolite-wood-burning-campstove#video-inner

Honestly, I'm thinking of buying one of these and deconstructing it, but I'm hoping someone else will first.

In the olden days when bikepackinglight.com's forums where hot the gram wheenies were always buying stuff like this and disassembling it / stripping it down to its most essential elements.

After all, what is this stuff at it's core but a heat/electric exchange element and a tiny bit of electronics.   Their "stove" is nothing but a bunch of plastic and metal, which is fine for the average camper, but way to heavy and bulky for me to carry bikepacing.

If I could strip down and repackage the heat/electric exchange element so it could be stuck in any fire or put in any stove I would have an amazingly versatile charging system that would pack down to nothing and weigh only a few ounces.

I guess why this appeals to me is because in the evening, when the sun goes down, I typically take a time out for cooking dinner / campfire and have used almost exclusively wood for years. Dinner is usually the only time I cook as it's a great way to wind down, recover, pack on calories for the next day and a full belly makes for a nice early night so I can get up the next day and do it all over again.

[juanesunpescado]

juanesunpescado,
I had heard something similar to what you are saying about apple products. However, I have literally charged my iphone 30-40 times with just my goal zero. ipods as well. It seems to work just fine but do you think this could harm the battery if I am not using a separate intermediary battery to regulate voltage?

Andrew

Andrew, fotooutdoors is correct. It should not harm the battery. The effect that I was cautioned about and have experienced is that if your solar panel is exposed to insufficient or intermittent sunlight, then the output drops (Volts or Amps I'm not sure) and the device discontinues charging. The thing that is unique (and annoying) to apple devices is that it does not then automatically resume charging once the output gets back up. I had to unplug, then plug in again. Annoying if you are riding along thinking your phone is charging and you discover at sunset that it is not. Again the solution is the rechargeable battery pack, which means weight and space.