Thread: Solar Panel kitsets?

Came across a dude running a few of these so grabbed a couple. You can get them in a yellower colour. 3 Brightness levels and a strobe setting. Light weight and go for ages. Just one lit the hut up enough on low without pissing everyone off and then you just leave them in the sun to charge during the day.

I've yet to use mine in a hunting situation yet, won't be able to until Feb, but they've had a lot of use as a baby light. Leave them on all night for 3 nights then put them outside to charge for a day or two while using the other.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

yeah they are pretty good, i started off with one of those a while back (original model not the 2.0) but found them a bit tricky when it is windy around camp. also need to carry a bit of string or carabiner to attached to the inside of the tent
the other thing i don't like that much is that there is no external charging capability so if its rain or cloud or you can't leave them outside then no way to get a decent charge.
ethically its a pretty amazing company sending lights out all over the world to those without power access mpowerd.com/pages/impact

Originally Posted by Nibblet

Came across a dude running a few of these so grabbed a couple. You can get them in a yellower colour. 3 Brightness levels and a strobe setting. Light weight and go for ages. Just one lit the hut up enough on low without pissing everyone off and then you just leave them in the sun to charge during the day.

I've yet to use mine in a hunting situation yet, won't be able to until Feb, but they've had a lot of use as a baby light. Leave them on all night for 3 nights then put them outside to charge for a day or two while using the other.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Originally Posted by LOC

yeah they are pretty good, i started off with one of those a while back (original model not the 2.0) but found them a bit tricky when it is windy around camp. also need to carry a bit of string or carabiner to attached to the inside of the tent
the other thing i don't like that much is that there is no external charging capability so if its rain or cloud or you can't leave them outside then no way to get a decent charge.
ethically its a pretty amazing company sending lights out all over the world to those without power access mpowerd.com/pages/impact

Yeah I kind of agree on lack of external charging but having run them as a baby light for so many days in a row I'm confident that I'd be spending too much time awake at night if I was to flatten them.

Not sure about the older model but these ones have a little plastic strap for hanging.
I can imagine them blowing around in the wind would be a bit annoying though.

There's certainly lots of choices about.

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I have one of those Luci lights, but it was $35 nz from memory. Ok for a gentle night light, but no good in the hut for cooking/reading

Originally Posted by Nibblet

Yeah I kind of agree on lack of external charging but having run them as a baby light for so many days in a row I'm confident that I'd be spending too much time awake at night if I was to flatten them.

Not sure about the older model but these ones have a little plastic strap for hanging.
I can imagine them blowing around in the wind would be a bit annoying though.

There's certainly lots of choices about.

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The Luci's are pretty cool, i use to use them a few years back. They work well, apart from they eventually split from inflating/deflating, the little plastic straps brake off. They still keep going tho.

Originally Posted by LOC

@GWH just picking up this old discussion again - that luminoodle has really fallen out of favour with me in a hunting camp setting because it is too bright and too white. now will just use it for camping rips with the kids where you ned a bit more light. the LED bulb with on/off switch (the same as yours) has a softer yellow hue and is preferable to me

however, i have found on aliexpress a rip off version of the Luminoodle for about half the price and got it in a yellow hue. the build quality feels roughly the same, output is similar as far as I can tell and a much softer light colour. will give this one another go

Attachment 76227

for fly camping trips a camp light doesn't make the cut for the pack as it is too bulky and not really that necessary but i have just found these little usb led lights on aliexpress thinking that paired up with a nitecore F1 charger + 18650 battery (which i carry anyway for head torch/phone etc) they might make the cut for the pack. i have ordered a couple with 2x LED and one with 6x LED to test the difference. i assume they won't have much output but are friggin tiny and only $1-$3 each. interested in whether you have you checked these out before??

Attachment 76228

I have two genuine luminoodles, one is the super bright white light, the other is a more yellow dimmer light. If im flying in/driving into a hut i will take both along with two of the little corded lightbulbs as well, setup a light out on the deck with handy switch etc.

I havnt seen those other light you mention, i'll check them out, please give us an update once youve got them.

Originally Posted by GWH

I havnt seen those other light you mention, i'll check them out, please give us an update once youve got them.

didn't realise there was a yellow light option on the original luminoodle.

pm me your address, i'll send one of the 2 LED ones down to you as i ordered three for USD$0.77 each...

Ok... So what's the latest in small solar chargers for charging 18650s out of a f1 nitecore.. Small light and compact is what I'm after... Aliexpress has heaps, but to be honest I haven't got a clue what I'm looking at in regards to wattage etc...

Originally Posted by LOC

@GWH just picking up this old discussion again - that luminoodle has really fallen out of favour with me in a hunting camp setting because it is too bright and too white. now will just use it for camping rips with the kids where you ned a bit more light. the LED bulb with on/off switch (the same as yours) has a softer yellow hue and is preferable to me

however, i have found on aliexpress a rip off version of the Luminoodle for about half the price and got it in a yellow hue. the build quality feels roughly the same, output is similar as far as I can tell and a much softer light colour. will give this one another go

Attachment 76227

for fly camping trips a camp light doesn't make the cut for the pack as it is too bulky and not really that necessary but i have just found these little usb led lights on aliexpress thinking that paired up with a nitecore F1 charger + 18650 battery (which i carry anyway for head torch/phone etc) they might make the cut for the pack. i have ordered a couple with 2x LED and one with 6x LED to test the difference. i assume they won't have much output but are friggin tiny and only $1-$3 each. interested in whether you have you checked these out before??

Attachment 76228

Can you put up a link to the USB lights please, Keen to have a look

Go to banggood.com and search ‘USB LED camping’ and quite a few options pop up with different numbers of LED’s, some have availability issues but all look similar.


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one of the tiny LED USB lights turned up today from Banggood so gave it a go and it is better than i expected it to be. here are a couple of photos and I would probably avoid using such a large powerbank with it if overnighting. i haven't used it in the dark yet but considering the brightest setting has temporarily blinded me i can sure you that there is shitloads of light emitted

- NZD$3.77 for the 6 LED warm light, free shipping
- much more robust than expected, but still unlikely to be waterproof at all and exposed components could be broken if not protected
- USB can be plugged in both ways
- has a sensor switch to firstly turn on once plugged in and after that adjusts brightness up and down which i am very impressed with
- was flicking between 1 and 2 grams on my electronic scales
- brightest setting blinded me
- unsure of energy consumption but the geeks on here my have some understanding of how much gas 6 LED's can use

this one is 6 LED Warm Light
https://www.banggood.com/Mini-Mobile...?rmmds=myorder

@GWH those smaller and even cheaper ones where i ordered a few haven't turned up yet but will send you one down once they arrive

Low power setting -


High power setting -

got the sensor button wrong, you just touch anywhere on the rear of the light and it adjusts brightness up and down

Not really suitable for fly camping, but I had a mate who had a spare washing machine that was no good as a washing machine (Missus said it was old and made things dirtier....) He disassembled most of it and fiddled round a bit, did some good ole kiwi fixing and turned it into a wee generator where instead of using power to spin the drum, the tub spinning now makes power. He dropped it into a stream near the house and generated about 1500 watts, Enough to power a small heater non stop during winter to combat the cold without connecting it to the mains.....

I think he called it a Pelton generator.....

Not free but he did not have to pay anything for it.