[pct-l] Phone Charging

Mon Feb 2 15:37:11 CST 2015

I added more pictures to the link showing a 900 ma charge rate on my meter.   My panel weighs 3 oz less than the Suntactics  5 watt panel and cost almost half the price.

I  also added a couple of pic's showing a great light weight universal li-ion battery charger for camera batteries. 

https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/100489363658004251804/albums/6111287435181323441

Jim 

-----Original Message-----
From: Pct-L [mailto:pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net] On Behalf Of Ed Jarrett
Sent: Monday, February 02, 2015 1:15 PM
To: PCT List
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Phone Charging

I actually seldom carry the solar panel, choosing instead either to carry a spare battery for the phone, or an external battery pack.  I am not normally out long enough to need more than that.  But I have been working at trying to get all of my electronics USB rechargeable so I can charge them from a single source rather than carry multiple spare batteries.  All that is left now is the camera, which actually can go a long time between charges.  Phone, headlamp and InReach are all USB rechargeable.

Ed Jarrett (Eeyore)A Clay Jar: http://aclayjar.blogspot.com/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/EdJarrett53 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ed.jarrett.71 

Date: Mon, 2 Feb 2015 12:32:54 -0800
Subject: RE: [pct-l] Phone Charging
From: rbelshee at hotmail.com
To: edjarrett at msn.com

Yep, I've used panels in Washington and Canada in the summer under blue skies. If a thru hiker can finish by early September, it is an option, at least where you are out of tree cover. But by the end of September, when I was thinking most thru hikers would  finish, it gets pretty iffy. Depends on timing, so my blanket statement was too strong. 

That said, I rarely carry a panel in northwest due to tree cover, but carry one more frequently in California since the sky is more open. 

Rod Belshee
hikepaddle.blogspot.com
971-404-9425 

-------- Original message --------
From: Ed Jarrett
Date:02/02/2015 11:43 AM (GMT-08:00)
To: PCT List
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Phone Charging 

I used a Suntatics panel last August in the North Cascades, and it worked well, even later in the day.  Obviously it would do better further south and at noon, but it was far from useless.

Ed Jarrett (Eeyore)A Clay Jar: http://aclayjar.blogspot.com/  Twitter:
https://twitter.com/EdJarrett53 Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/ed.jarrett.71

> From: rbelshee at hotmail.com

> To: pct-l at backcountry.net

> Date: Mon, 2 Feb 2015 11:24:45 -0800

> Subject: Re: [pct-l] Phone Charging

> 

> > All things being equal, with only temperature as a variable , solar 
> > output

> > is greater when temperature is colder.

> > So what is the basis that your output might be greater in summer?

> 

> More radiant solar energy is available per square foot in summer time. 
> There

> are fancy graphs of solar radiant energy available, but here are a few

> basics relevant to the PCT thru-hiker:

> - peak at solar noon (sun highest in sky), majority of energy is in a 
> window

> just a few hours each side of solar noon)

> - strongest at summer solstice, weakest at winter solstice (early May 
> to

> early Sep is good)

> - stronger in the south, weaker in the north

> - diminished by clouds (full sun is obviously best, though I have been 
> able

> to charge a little on lightly cloudy days)

> - open view to sky required (duh)

> 

> Because of the last four on the list, chargers in Washington are 
> useless,

> and in most of Oregon they are dubious. But they are great for the 
> first

> 1700-1800 miles, especially when you take a siesta in the heat of the 
> day in

> southern California and can charge up rapidly.

> 

> Aligning to the sun is also a variable. The available radiation at a 
> 45

> degree angle is about 70% of that when aligned perfectly, and actual 
> panels

> tend to perform a bit worse than that.  Best to keep within 30 
> degrees,

> where close to 90% of the maximum radiation is available.

> 

> So, you are right that all things being equal, cold temperature is better. 

> But unfortunately in solar calculation all things are never equal.

> 

> -- Steady

> 

> 

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