Thread: Solar charger

So I'm thinking of boosting the tech kit for when we do road trips/hunting/fishing etc. Has anyone had much experience with solar chargers and powerbanks? H&F sell solarmonkey and they look good in the pictures, do they work ok? Or is there better? Would be good for the bugout kit considering all the earthquakes atm!

I am a hunter, I hunt without apology or guilt...

think there has been a similar thread a while back. spend your money a good powerbank. i've got three solarmonkey solar panels and they only capture a bit of power, are a bit of a hassle and dependent on good sunlight. one of them got cooked when charging the reservoir battery and thrown out. a good powerbank will hold more than you can capture for a week long trip (depending on what you use it for of course, i'm talking small devices such as kindle, phone, lights etc.
got a 15,000amh powerbank now which does a good job @gadgetman or someone like that may know more

AliExpress is your friend. Don't rush into retail

Did a quick search.. And yup heaps of info.. Just ordered a Nitecore f1 off fastech... I've got half a dozen 18650s, bit more time to suss out solar panels... Tech is not my forte!

I am a hunter, I hunt without apology or guilt...

As @LOC said, the solar panels on the power bank are basically useless as they are simply too small. You are better off just charging spare batteries for torches, gps, cell phone and swap when needed.

Ok so what would be a logical solar panel for charging 18650s, not to carry in my pack but in the truck?

I am a hunter, I hunt without apology or guilt...

Originally Posted by Biggun708

Ok so what would be a logical solar panel for charging 18650s, not to carry in my pack but in the truck?

I am a hunter, I hunt without apology or guilt...

Hook a solar panel to maintain your truck, if you really need to, and just charge from the truck battery.

Originally Posted by Biggun708

Ok so what would be a logical solar panel for charging 18650s, not to carry in my pack but in the truck?

I am a hunter, I hunt without apology or guilt...

If you are using it in the truck a better plan is to have a USB charger in your truck and use that to recharge the 18650's via the Nitecore F1.

This is a good powerbank, it's lithium battery so lighter than ones based on 18650s. It was $44 in the sale over the weekend.

https://www.pbtech.co.nz/product/BAP...258mm-thinUp-t

Ive just got some of this stuff in, will post links a bit later

I use the PowerMonkey Extreme 12v it charges our Garmin rino,s and our phones, great piece of kit for extended trips or high use. I gave the mrs the old model which she used the day when the earth quake cut the power. Even the nextdoors neighbours came over to charge their phones.

how do you find the solar panel on it for charging?

It's not the quickest but better than nothing. It's been handy for flat gps and phone ringing out saying I am going to be late out an extra two days and getting picked up in a different spot. From dead flat which isn't very often, day and a half of good light or 20-25 hours fully charged.
Short winter days maybe 3 days.

Originally Posted by tikka

It's not the quickest but better than nothing. It's been handy for flat gps and phone ringing out saying I am going to be late out an extra two days and getting picked up in a different spot. From dead flat which isn't very often, day and a half of good light or 20-25 hours fully charged.
Short winter days maybe 3 days.

The 3W solar charging makes this one useful.

explain?

Originally Posted by GWH

Ive just got some of this stuff in, will post links a bit later

I purchased a fold out flexible 20w panel, 3 solar panels, it has two usb outlets. Can charge phone directly, or I use it to charge a power bank that I run lights off and can charge phone off etc. Also can charge 18650 fir headlight.

It's light weight, grunty and reasonably small and was cheap compared to power monkey and similar