Portable solar panel / Battery bank

I have a few "off grid" events coming up this year, and although I like being cut off from the outside world, it's always nice to have a working mobile phone just in case!

Been doing some research on portable solar panels and came across this.

Seems just what I was after.

Solar panel - Check
Battery bank - Check
Large capacity - Check
Good price - Check

The only downside I can see, and is a feature that I would like, is that I would like to be able to charge the battery bank side of it via 240v, and not have to rely on solar power alone.

Does anyone use anything similar when they're off grid?

 

Two more than are tickling my fancy, and appear to tick all the boxes.

https://www.powertraveller.com/en/s...tdoor-adventure/powermonkey-extreme-tactical/

http://www.poweryouradventures.com/products/freeloader-isis

Not too sure on the second ones model name though.....

 

Solar cell technology ? Some dont work on dull days. Amorphous ones are worst need bright sun to work at all. Monocrystalline are best polycrystalline in the middlle.
Panels should have integral diodes to cope with shadowing - the shadow of a twig or guy rope can shut down a solar panel without them..
Panels should have cooling be mounted with airflow behind them for efficiency.

Look up Solar inverters on eBay. I dont have the solar cells on my leisure setup but I use one as a combined 10A battery charger/600 watt inverter/UPS in my bus (UPS = uninterruptible power supply .. 240v ac just carries on when the mains goes.)

 

Cheers.

I appreciate for around £60 I'm not gonna get the best of the lot!

I had contemplated fitting a full setup to the bus, but seeing as it wont power my fridge, and my 12v is currently running through starter battery, it'd be a bit of fitting to get one setup.

I only really want it to charge a phone or two, so the solar charger / battery bank option seemed ideal.

Neither of the two I linked to above say what technology they use or anything about integral diodes.
I will assume this means they are cheap / don't!

 

I think they're more aimed for yoof at a festival to charge their i-phones. Ask your kids if they're any good.

 

I will be that yoof at a festival

So maybe they are just what I need

 

how portable does it need to be? I only ask because with PV, the bigger the better is a rule of thumb...these get good reviews...alternatives are available

 

I have a 23,000 mah power bank and its takes a good 24-36 hours/to charge from mains. So for one to charge from a built in solar it would a loooooong time. I get a good 8-10 recharges off my phone out of mine.

Mine is an EC Technology power bank

 

The top one is a 23,000mah one. But it HAS to be charged by solar (from what I can see) which is silly!

 

It will take forever to charge

 

They do look good. But bit more than my £60 Amazon gift card will cover

 

I know. If it could be charged by AC I wouldn't mind too much.

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00F5Q4F0U/ref=cm_sw_r_other_udp_awd_oQSIwb538Y3SA

 

I (stupidly) discounted the cheaper ones as I thought they might blow up in my face!

Wonder if I could get two. That one and a solar one. Hmmmm.

 

It's come down a lot in price since I bought mine, I think I bought it when it was £32 or so. It had the best reviews from external websites

 

Do you have a leisure battery? If yes why not get a decent sized panel (larger the better) and conect it up.

We run only on solar or engine to top up leisure battery and have usb power point in van.

 

I do yes, but....

Cigarette socket runs off of starter for some stupid reason.

And at a festival it'd be nice to carry something around with me to charge the phone, rather than have to go back to the bus.

 

Get a car starter booster/USB power pack and forget the solar cell. The biggest ones of these have 16AH capacity which is worth about a week off grid.
Forget integral solar cells as anything small enough to carry around integral with a battery pack will need constant exposure to sunlight and then it s big, obvious and nickable because you need to leave it lying in the sun.

Fit a 20 watt or upwards solar cell to the leisure setup screwed to the roofrack so you can angle it to face tbe sun, then charge the phone off a cigarette lighter attached to the leisure battery...

Chhose a 2.1 amp USB adaptor as these will be more efficient than the cheaper adaptor.

 

Cig lighter I guess is in the front so factory wired .

Not sure walking about a festival with a charger on display with a wire to phone is a good idea, I'd leave it at the van in a sunny aspect then plug phone in to charge over night.


80w or bigger panel and a charge controler with built in usb job done.

 

I ran a fuse box to the front from the leisure battery and run my radio, USB, cig lighter and interior lights from this.