Redvolt solar charger?

[Lucas Wilkinson]

Is there something out there that is light enough to trek with and that can charge Redvolts? I've been checking out the gear from Goal Zero but I'm not sure if it will have the gusto to charge batteries bigger than DSLR.

Any help would be much appreciated.

 

[Frank Glencairn]

Doesn't make any sense, since it would take forever to charge them with such a small (light enough to trek) device.

 

[Antony Newman]

I hope somone out there is creating a material that:
+) Is very strong and light, with a dimple outside (Eg a graphene or similar lattice)
+) With a large surface area below the dimple so that a heat differential -> electrical voltage is used to turn the waste heat of the camera into electricity (less draw from the batteries)
+) With the inner part of the dimples having an optical concentrator + a > 40% efficient solar cell ... coated with a true-hydrophobic coating.

This would mean longer battery life / or lighter batteries.

The solar charging of all surface of batteries make complete sense to me to.

As movie cams power requirements reduce - harnessing solar + heat energy will have a proportionally greater impact.
I guess 2017 we may even see comfortable clothes that power the HUDs in the 3D images projected into our glasses.

And when we hit 5nm features .... batteries may be synonymous with capacitors.

AJ

 

[Terry VerHaar]

FWIW - I recall that Anton Bauer was showing a solar blanket charger a few years back. If it's still around it must be getting better.

 

[Frank Glencairn]

I hope somone out there is creating a material that:
...
And when we hit 5nm features .... batteries may be synonymous with capacitors.

AJ

I guess we rather see something like this, but with more power.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/265641170/kraftwerk-highly-innovative-portable-power-plant

 

[Brian F Kobylarz]

FWIW - I recall that Anton Bauer was showing a solar blanket charger a few years back. If it's still around it must be getting better.

Actually, it has been discontinued.

You are thinking of their solar blanket which was part of the Tandem 150 system.
Measured about 4'x5' unfolded, weighed just under 2 pounds.
Was a fantastic idea but limited in that it was designed to work only with their batteries.

 

[Josh K]

Would it charge fast enough to be useful, even? I doubt it. It'd be cool nonetheless.

 

[ckarcher]

we just sent a crew on a 60 day trek with DSLR's- but we used solar chargers and backup batteries. For the most power it's not cheap:

I'd recommend the following:

http://www.nalpak.com/Brunton-Solaris-62-Watt-Foldable-Solar-Array?&search_id=544942

http://www.nalpak.com/Brunton-Sustain2?&search_id=544944


Use the solar cell (foldable) to charge the battery. Charge your equipment and run your laptop off of the battery-never directly connect an unregulated solar cell to equipment or chargers.

 

[Michael Blieden]

Also check out this:

http://lionenergy.com/

I bought one when the company used to be called Humless. Mine is 40amp hours but the new one is 50am hours, and they can be charged from AC or any DC source. It's not exactly lightweight but it will charge a lot of batteries and you can leave it connected to your solar panels all day at base camp.

I use mine to power a 12 volt fridge, which runs for 56 hours off battery alone, indefinitely if I have the solar panels attached.