Solar recharging of domestic batteries?

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Solar recharging of domestic batteries?

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Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Wed Nov 16, 05 1:33 pm Post subject: Solar recharging of domestic batteries?

With so many things using AA and AAA batteries are there any solar battery recharges about? If not would it be possible to connect a solar panel up to a normal charger or even to charger for larger batteries such as cordless power tool batteries? I've seen the solar car battery savers that are advertised to trickle-charge a car battery so I would think something should exist but how well do they work?

Andy B

Joined: 12 Jan 2005
Posts: 3920
Location: Brum

Posted: Wed Nov 16, 05 1:42 pm Post subject: Re: Solar recharging of domestic batteries?

Treacodactyl wrote:

They had a small solar battery charger at the Centre for Alternative Technology in Wales but it was expensive.

sally_in_wales
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 06 Mar 2005
Posts: 20809
Location: sunny wales

Posted: Wed Nov 16, 05 1:48 pm Post subject:
We've got one that was about �7 and takes 4x AA batteries, works a treat propped up in a sunny window (car window is often a good place)

Andy B

Joined: 12 Jan 2005
Posts: 3920
Location: Brum

Posted: Wed Nov 16, 05 1:55 pm Post subject:
https://www.cat.org.uk/index.tmpl Have a look inthe shop section under solar products.

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46233
Location: yes

Posted: Fri Nov 25, 05 9:50 pm Post subject:

a car battery may be trickle charged with a solar panel . then using the 12 volt supply power the aa/ aaa charger . this is an always available system for charging domestic batteries , it will work with fast chargers for convieince and stores energy for later even if you have no batteries to charge when it is most sunny . you can also charge phones like this using a in car charger of the correct voltage for your phone .

dougal

Joined: 15 Jan 2005
Posts: 7184
Location: South Kent

Posted: Fri Nov 25, 05 10:25 pm Post subject:

There are plenty of products like this
https://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=31712&doy=25m11D

But note that to charge a pair of modern good 2400mAh NiMH rechargeables would need 12 hours of strong summer sunshine...
and save rather less than 1p worth of electricity - which considering the inputs to make solar charger, sadly isn't going to make a very significant contribution to resisting climate change...
Batteries don't hold very much energy. But modern electronics can do wonders on that meagre supply.

Lozzie

Joined: 25 May 2005
Posts: 2595

Posted: Sat Nov 26, 05 8:51 am Post subject:
I read this on another forum and it made me smile - " A 16-year-old boy invented a hamster-powered mobile phone charger as part of his GCSE science project. Peter Ash, of Lawford, Somerset, attached a generator to his hamster"s exercise wheel and connected it to his phone charger. Elvis does the legwork while Peter charges his phone in an economically and environmentally friendly way. "

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