Solar Powered iPod?
As part of my continued planning to take my iPod with me into the Peace Corps in Chad, Africa (where there's no electricity to be had!), I'm thinking about solar-powered iPod solutions. Has anyone ever used their iPod with some sort of solar-powered charger? I'm going to get the Belkin Battery Pack (which I've seen for $40 at Microwarehouse, has anyone seen cheaper?), which will let me run off of AA's, and I'm going to try to get a good solar charger for some AA's, to keep the costs down on batteries.
But I'm also thinking off getting a solar charger that could power/charge the iPod directly (and also run other stuff like a digital camera, etc. if I bring those along). Has anyone ever tried it? They have high-end chargers -- capable of powering a laptop -- for $300 but that's a bit pricey; I'm thinking of the iSun, which seems to get good reviews, can charge AA's, too, and comes in at $60-$70. Any thoughts? Can it recharge my iPod? (safely? quickly? Any thoughts from anyone familiar with solar chargers, either for AA's or the bigger ones like the iSun, would be great, since I want to be sure I get the right gear -- since once I'm over there, my stuff needs to work, since there's no easy way to replace it, and two years with no way to get music out of an uncharged iPod would be pretty depressing!
Thanks in advance,
-K
[1440 byte] By [
Kilrathi] at [2007-11-9 13:14:47]
# 1 Re: Solar Powered iPod?
The iSun has been mentioned on these forums several times before now - at the last time of mentioning it did not have an adaptor for the iPod (Firewire plug) and also a member did purchase one on a return basis. He found that the actual output of the iSun was not enough to recharge/power the iPod. So he took it back.
If you do a search of the old forums for "iSun" you should find the posts that I refer to.
It may even have been mentioned here, but you'd have to do a search.
Bob at 2007-11-15 16:06:20 >
# 2 Re: Solar Powered iPod?
As far as I know, you can charge your ipod as long as its AC adapter will fit in it. I don't know if the iSun has a wall outlet kind of plug in for it, but if it does, I would think that it could charge your ipod.
# 3 Re: Solar Powered iPod?
I don't think that it can be done effictively in a compact way. If it can...
Wor, I must be behind technology now a days.
# 4 Re: Solar Powered iPod?
Over in this thread (http://www.xsorbit1.com/users/dennx/index.cgi?board=ipodgear&action=display&num=1034388521) 'eyez73' stated about his purchase of the iSun Bad news ... only delivers 145ma of power (max) which doesn't power the ipod, my car adapter delivers 500ma. Oh and we don't get my sunny days here in Bristol (uk). Maybe I can find battery pack on batteries.com ...
He then went on I've returned the unit and got my money back from Maplin. I believe that it would be possible to carry four of them around to power the ipod, but at ?160 its a bit costly. Also it does give me a mental picture of me carrying around a pocket size ipod and a suitcase for on the road charging.
As you can see from the Accessories List (http://www.isunpower.com/html/access.htm) a female car power outlet socket is included. So in theory you could hitch it up to something like a iPod Auto Charger, but as 'eyez73' found out there isn't enough power output for one iSun to power the iPod.
Now if you can take your iPod to a iSun retailer and test to see how many of these daisy-chained together will actually recharge an iPod...............
The BattPack by the way, has been "upcoming" for a long time now - shame, cos I think it could be just the thing for 'Kilrathi'.
Bob at 2007-11-15 16:09:26 >
# 5 Re: Solar Powered iPod?
What you could do is take all the existing equiptment, and just connect the + and - terminals of the solar panel to the charger... You'd have to find a solar panel big enough to provide a minimum 120 volts, and the minimum watts the iPod can take...
# 6 Re: Solar Powered iPod?
All --
Thanks for the links. My apologies for not searching before posting but I didn't think this topic would come up all that much!
Too bad to hear about the inability of the iSun to run an iPod -- I noticed that the adapter was a female car adapter (weird, since you'd think there'd be more useful "default" adapters) but figured I could get around that. It'd have been nice but not necessary to run the iPod, but I was hoping that it'd be able to charge the batteries at least. Guess I'm back to finding a solar-powered charger to recharge AA batteries for use with the Belkin Battery Pack. Now if only I could find a case that would protect the iPod from the African elements while still letting me plug in the Belkin Battery Pack!
MadPict, I've seen places online that appear to be selling the BattPack (see http://www.productsforanywhere.com/gear/details/ic_battpak.html for example), so that might helpl solve my problem. I actually think there are cheaper battery rechargers out there, which is why it's too bad the iSun + Battpack can't run/charge the iPod, since that would be the perfect combination -- it'd solve my battery and iPod recharging needs all at once.
For whatever it's worth, there are other (far more expensive) solar options that would likely run an iPod -- at least, they claim to be able to recharge and, in some cases, run a laptop, which I assume draws more power than an iPod. Just not sure I can justify spending $200+ just to run the iPod... may have to just go the solar battery route!
# 7 Re: Solar Powered iPod?
There was someone that made a post about needing a solar panel charger for his iPod when he leaves for some country... In the sept edition of Popular Science, there is a Solar Roll by Brunton. It can be rolled out, and can charge cellphones, satellite phones and digital cameras... I would think that it could also be used for the iPod... They can even be linked together for more power... It is 399$ US though, so you might just want to buy one;)
# 8 Re: Solar Powered iPod?
http://www.rockclimbing.com/shopping/product.php?p=299
Found this link it has some pictures and reviews. Looks pretty cool!!
http://www.brunton.com
Is the official website.
Mike
# 9 Re: Solar Powered iPod?
Solar Roll - Max. Output = 14 Watts (15.1 volts at 900 mAh)
iSun - Voc = 15.2 VDC (12V setting) or 7.6 VDC (6V setting) 145ma of power (max)
The SOLARPORT? 2.2 looks identical to the iSun (Max Output: 2.2 watt; 290mA @ 7.6 Volts (6V setting)
145mA @ 15.2 Volts (12V setting) - even down to the output as mentioned by 'eyez73'!)
I'm also merging this with the Solar Powered iPod thread for continuity reasons.
Bob at 2007-11-15 16:14:30 >
# 10 Re: Solar Powered iPod?
I tried the Brunton Solar 2.2 and found it does not have the wattage to run the iPod. Apparently I need to have 10 watts or more. There's a couple of sweet solar panels at http://www.powerexperts.com/powerline/products.html#solar I imagine the Expedition [25 w]and Professional [14.5 w] would do, though they are a little pricey. The Expedition will apparently run a laptop so an iPod should be no problem. In the interim I've got one of the Belkin AA packs on order. Had to get a new pod anyway - the Belkin only works on the new pods [gen3].
# 11 Re: Solar Powered iPod?
What about using a solar panel to trickle charge a large 12V gel cell battery(sealed lead acid kinda like a car battery but smaller and less dangerous). The trickle charge would maintain a charge on the battery at your house/camp and you could then use a auto adapter connected to the battery to charge the Ipod/camera/etc. I have no idea if this would work but I can't think of any reason why it shouldn't. You should easily be able to find a battery with a sufficient amp rating. They sell quite a few solar chargers for keeping auto batteries topped by affixing the charger in the windshield. It would not be an extremely portable solution as gel cells are kinda heavy(.5 - 5 lbs depending on amp-hour rating) but would possibly allow you to recharge the ipod's internal battery every now and then. Good luck.
stevz at 2007-11-15 16:16:29 >
# 12 Re: Solar Powered iPod?
The solar idea was for a canoe trip in September. I doubt the lads would behappy lugging around gel cells. They'd rather have lightweight power and heavyweight single malt scotch. So the Belkin it will be.
# 13 Re: Solar Powered iPod?
What about a solar charger kit that is made for a car? The ones that you plug into the cigarette lighter to keep a charge on the battery. I would think that you would just need a female to female adapter (seen them but might be easier just to make one) and use a car charger plugged into that.
Our VW's both came with them and while they aren't the smallest they are fairly thin and very lightweight. I know the VW ones sell on ebay for around $15 to $20 usd.
I'll look when I get home and see if the output info is listed on it (I believe it is) and post it. The VW one even has for suction cups to stick it on a window as i'm sure other do also.
# 14 Re: Solar Powered iPod?
OK, I forgot to post the specs but here they are.
Max. Power: 3.2w
Voltage at max power: 18.8v
Current at max power: 170ma
On the very top is the electical ratings
1000 W/m(squared), AM1.5, Cell temp 25degrees C
It's a VW part and the part numver is it works out is 1C0915687
It's a little bit smaller than a 12" notebook and it weighs around a pound or two.
# 15 Re: Solar Powered iPod?
Sorry....I purchased the iSun (ebay $26 new) and was terribly disappointed. I travel to remote areas of Canada and wanted the iSun to charge my iPod (lots and lots of sun in the summer!!). Belive it or not, in theory it should work, but in reality it does not. If you connect your firewire connector to the car charger adaptor, then fit the car charger adaptor into the female adaptor provided with the iSun, it sends a charge into the iPod, AUTOMATICALLY turning the iPod ON. Now, if you try to turn it off, it keeps on turning it to the power on state. The problem is that the power on mode uses more battery power than the iSun can overcome, and you get a net battery drain!!! Sinks!! If there were a way to deactivate the auto power up when it connects to power, I think this would work. Full Sun sent enough juice into the ipod for it to detect power. Now I'm off to charge AA batteries with the ipod as my second choice and power with the Belkin. If anyone knows how to overcome this problem, please email me!
# 16 Re: Solar Powered iPod?
OK, here is what I have found that is reasonably priced. The iSun in conjunction with the BattPak from ICP Global. I found that the iSun by itself is not powerful enough to charge the iPod. But, you can charge AA batteries in the BattPak using the iSun as its power source and then recharge the iPod from the BattPak using the car charger. It sounds a little more complicated than it actually is as the BattPak actually connects to the iSun making one unit. It seems to work with use patterns as well, charge the batteries during the day and charge the iPod overnight. I have it charging right now and it works great! I found the best deal at Costco.com (Search iSun). http://www.icpglobal.com/html/isunprod.asp
cvedvr at 2007-11-15 16:21:38 >
# 17 Re: Solar Powered iPod?
cvedvr,
So, in the end it seems that the iSun can be used to recharge the iPod, albeit via rechargeable AA batteries.
Do you get a full charge to the iPod after overnighting it on the BattPak?
Hopefully 'Kilrathi' will now have a solution to his extended time in Chad!
Bob at 2007-11-15 16:22:35 >
# 18 Re: Solar Powered iPod?
Yep. Seems to charge it just like the auto charger would. The BattPak holds 10 AA NIMH/NICAD batteries. Don't know about the NICAD's, but the NIMH's are 1.2 volt a piece. 1.2 * 10 = 12, so it should be the same as charging it in the car.
I get a full charge in about 3.5 to 4 hours.
cvedvr at 2007-11-15 16:23:40 >
# 19 Re: Solar Powered iPod?
Though I'd throw this out. I just picked up a second iSun on Ebay and connected both of them up and sure enough, it's enough juice to charge the iPod through the car charger.
cvedvr at 2007-11-15 16:24:38 >
# 20 Re: Solar Powered iPod?
So let me see if I've got the story on the iSun straight.
You buy the iSun and accompanying BattPak. You use the iSun to charge the BattPak. You then use a cigarette lighter->iPod charger to charge the iPod from the BattPak.
Is that right?
Can you do this in "real time?" In other words, do you have to first charge the BattPak from the iSun, and then, once the BattPak is charged, use it to charge the iPod? Or can you plug the iPod into the BattPak while the BattPak is charging from the iSun?
Just a-wonderin. Sounds like a good solution for camping, etc.
And cvedvr, are you saying that hooking up 2 iSuns together eliminates the need for the BattPak entirely?
Celos at 2007-11-15 16:25:40 >
# 21 Re: Solar Powered iPod?
Yes. Two iSun's will charge the iPod directly. And you were correct that you must first charge the BattPak and then the iPod. I charge the BattPak during the day and the iPod while I sleep. If I need to charge the iPod during the day, I use two iSun's.
cvedvr at 2007-11-15 16:26:36 >
# 22 Re: Solar Powered iPod?
The battery pack and maybe a car charger are your only choices.
# 23 Re: Solar Powered iPod?
Has anyone heard whether the "sun catcher sport" works with the ipod. It produces 4.2 watts while the isun produces 2.2, so I figured that since 2 isuns work, 1 "sun catcher sport" might just do the trick also.
David
(hopeful because I too plan to go to Africa with the Peace Corps soon)
# 24 Re: Solar Powered iPod?
I'm sure all the poor, electricity-less people you'll be helping in Chad will appreciate your elaborate efforts to power a $400 mp3 player. No wonder the rest of the world looks down on Americans the way they do.
bln at 2007-11-15 16:29:46 >
# 25 Re: Solar Powered iPod?
I imagine that comment was meant for the first guy in this thread and not myself because I never mentioned a country.
The guy who will go to chad may have a 400-dollar device, but at least he is donating 2 freaking years of his life to helping others, while your words are just caustic and meant to be flame-bait. Are you helping people less fortunate than yourself, or do you just like giving advice that you never take. And if you *are* volunteering your time, then be happy that you're not the only one willing to help others.
# 26 Re: Solar Powered iPod?
Rwaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh.....you could cut the tension with a knife!
# 27 Re: Solar Powered iPod?
i have a power saver flex 5watt
an isun and a battery pack
the battery pack has 10 1400mah ni-mh batteries
i have the flex connected to the bat-pack power in
im now charging my ipod using an belkin car charger
connected in the bat-pack
works great
im now testing how long the bat-pack keeps my ipod running
snow at 2007-11-15 16:32:47 >
