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Solar power for Coast to Coast Walk
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styks
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Joined: Jun 02, 2009
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PostPosted: Wed Jul 08, 2009 6:55 pm    Post subject: Solar power for Coast to Coast Walk Reply with quote

Hi,

I'm going to do the above walk in late September.
I will be camping with propably only 1 or 2 B&B stops.
I'm looking to take my time and soak up all the views.
I'd like to keep a continuos track with the Active 10 so need to charge up the Lipo en route.
So I guess solar has to be the way.
I've done a search and found some info, but.
Just wondering if any of you guys/gals have found the ideal lightweight system of powering over a 2 to 3 week stretch away from power sources.

Cheers!
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mediaguycouk
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PostPosted: Wed Jul 08, 2009 7:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've got a freeloader http://www.firebox.com/product/1796/FreeLoader-Solar-Charger which isn't too bad, but it does take a long time to charge up and requires a lot of sunshine.

It would be best to actually place it on the outside of a rucksack to charge while walking.

It can, however, charge through USB and you should find that campsites have mobile phone charging for 50p or so. Charge the GPS and the freeloader and it should last a while.
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Darren
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PostPosted: Wed Jul 08, 2009 8:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

How about this PowerMonkey Solar charger/battery or this rucksack with solar panel and battery?
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styks
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PostPosted: Wed Jul 08, 2009 11:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Darren wrote:
How about this PowerMonkey Solar charger/battery or this rucksack with solar panel and battery?



Thanks,

Yep looked at this power monkey, looks interesting and not a bad price either. The output from the solar panel looks higher than most I've looked at so far.
Sun dependant of course!

I have a good Rucksack so thats not for me ta.

Not sure about the Freeloader one, I'll research but I think output may be low from what you've said.

Any others worth checking out guys?
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Darren
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 09, 2009 7:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've got a freeloader and it's not great, you can at least hang the PowerMonkey off your pack whilst you walk and leave it charging the PowerMonkey battery pack. Waterproof too.
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mikealder
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 09, 2009 7:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Have a read of This Thread for a few ideas on portable power packs fr the a10, not solar as we are talking about use in the UK - Mike
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styks
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 09, 2009 10:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

mikealder wrote:
Have a read of This Thread for a few ideas on portable power packs fr the a10, not solar as we are talking about use in the UK - Mike


Hi,
Yes thank you I did read that thread. I was just wondering if anyone had come up with an alternative since then.
I like the idea of the iwalk 5400 but not sure if I'll be stopping for long enough by a 240v supply to fully recharge.
I may be out for 2-3 weeks only popping into a village for supplies.
I might need 2 of those iwalk 5400's!!.
Thats the reason I asked about Solar.
I can see from some searching that unless I spend a fortune on a lightweight rollable/foldable solar panel it's going to be tough, especially here in the UK, to get enough steady current.


Guess I'll have to do 1 or 2 nights in a B&B to keep the Active 10 going over 2-3 weeks, unless anyone else has a lightweight solution??

2or 3 Lipo's and an iwalk 5400 or 2 iwalk 5400's possibly but it's getting rather expensive! Shocked
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decay
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 09, 2009 11:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

If you take a look at Outdoormagic.com they are doing a review on a wind USB charger.
http://www.outdoorsmagic.com/news/article/mps/uan/6161
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styks
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 09, 2009 11:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

decay wrote:
If you take a look at Outdoormagic.com they are doing a review on a wind USB charger.
http://www.outdoorsmagic.com/news/article/mps/uan/6161


Very interesting but one comment was not so good. He had one for a year and never got it to charge a phone or ipod. Not enough juice?

I'm thinking more and more 2 X iwalk 5400 = about 5 full batteries worth including initial charge.
Should be enough!
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4ndynorfolk
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 10, 2009 4:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

In the other thread mike refered to above I suggested this wind charger http://www.mymemory.co.uk/Portable-Power/Uniross/Uniross-HYmini-Wind-Charger at £26.99. looks like the same thing.
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mediaguycouk
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 10, 2009 4:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Also, it's only cheap tat but for a fiver you may as well pick up http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=225747 for emergencies
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mikealder
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 10, 2009 4:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Wind up charger plus LiPol battery pack (2700mAHr capacity) equals five and half hours of turning the handle - each to their own, I would head for a pub and ask if I could plug the device in to the wall socket - much easier - Mike
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4ndynorfolk
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 10, 2009 7:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

There is always good old fashioned AA lithium or rechargeables (I recommend the ready to use variety of rechargeables). Lithium AAs are not particularly cheap in the number you might need, but neither are your other options. There is also the possibility of picking some up on route.

Some method of charging AAs on route has advantages over charging the device itself. Because the A10 needs to be left on while it charges it is using power while you try to replenish the battery. It's like filling a bucket with a hole in it. When you are not using the mains, it could make a difference. You could however, charge on the move if you can cope with the cable, and switch it off at night.

AA's can be charged in 30 minutes, which may make it easier to "borrow" a mains socket.

In addition you may also wish to switch it off at night to prevent distortion of your data from the static meandering and the running clocks.
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styks
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 10, 2009 11:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

4ndynorfolk wrote:
There is always good old fashioned AA lithium or rechargeables (I recommend the ready to use variety of rechargeables). Lithium AAs are not particularly cheap in the number you might need, but neither are your other options. There is also the possibility of picking some up on route.

Some method of charging AAs on route has advantages over charging the device itself. Because the A10 needs to be left on while it charges it is using power while you try to replenish the battery. It's like filling a bucket with a hole in it. When you are not using the mains, it could make a difference. You could however, charge on the move if you can cope with the cable, and switch it off at night.

AA's can be charged in 30 minutes, which may make it easier to "borrow" a mains socket.

In addition you may also wish to switch it off at night to prevent distortion of your data from the static meandering and the running clocks.


Thank you for that advice. Yes I can see exactly what your saying and I'll certainly think about it.
I find lithium AA's very good (non rechargeable) and are great if I'm out for a few days when I can carry another set or 2.
For this walk the weight of carrying several packs I don't fancy if I can't get them easily at a village.

Are there any rechargables that will give me close to the same run time as the recommended Non rechargable Lithium AA's .... As you say much quicker to charge AA's ..... I could carry 2 sets and charge at a village stop for 30mins or so mins.

Did not realise the ACT 10 needs to be ON to charge it when not on the mains 240v, that changes things some. Don't fancy a cable attached while on the move.
I thought you could turn off, attach the U20 iwalk 5400 and 'hey presto' charged in a few hours! Not that easy hey??

Looks like rechargable AA's ( if they give a good enough run time) or Non rechargable Lithiums bought en route. (bit expensive)
My A10 is set for maximum power saving of course.

I always turn the A10 off when I stop for the night.

It will continue recording the trail with out problem for 14 or so days when being switched off/on??

Is it best to convert trail to track ( leaving trail data intact ) at each stop and name it say, Section 1, 2, 3, etc.
Or leave it as a trail for the whole walk??
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satmapian
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PostPosted: Sat Jul 11, 2009 10:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

For day walks and weekends I use the Li Poly rechargeable, but for longer trips I use Energizer Li ultimates (non rechargeable). These are very much lighter than alkalines as you probably know, and I carried 18 of them as I couldn't be sure of finding more en route. I expected to buy Duracell alkalines towards the end, but found that I could get 22 hours out of a set by using 40% screen brightness and as many energy saving settings as I could think of. This meant I used only 15 of the Li Ultimates, and the weight drops by 3 batterries every other day. I wouldn't carry this many alkalines.

You can record your trail either as sections as you suggest, or as a single trail. The trail continues without a hitch when you turn on the next day in roughly the same spot as you turned it off (if not it draws a straight line from turn off point to turn on point, and then continues adding to that). Keep a close eye on it when you expect the battery to run out or you'll lose some of the trail to the above straight line scenario drawn from the battery run out point to the new battery point. There is not much warning with these batteries.
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