Folding solar panel
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Hi All
I just ordered 2 solar panels from Northerntool.com to experiment with. These panels are on close out and are rated at 5 watts. They appear to be about 4x5 when folded and fold out into 5 sections. It has a weather proof nylon shell with grommets at the corners for mounting. This looks like a great little panel for backpacking or other portable use. They are only $35 on sale now catalog number 339974-1615. I have seen similar panels go for much more than this and these are higher power than the popular VW panels. A small 2-5 amp gel cell and one of my low power solar controllers would be great for a K1 or KX1. You can also easily charge a 10 cell 2000-2500 mAH NiMH battery pack without a controller as long as you did not leave them on charge too long, about 4-5 hours with full sun. Usual disclaimers no connection with Northern Tool Don Brown KD5NDB _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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What would be interesting for portable use is a whizzo box where I can
connect a Ni-MH battery and a solar cell and ensure that I neither overcharge the battery nor provide too high a voltage to the radio (in my case K1 or IC-703). Ideally I can then connect battery and solar cells as inputs and take the Ni-MH's 12 to 13 volt (or so) output. Simon Brown --- http://blog.ham-radio.ch/ ----- Original Message ----- From: "Don Brown" <[hidden email]> > > I just ordered 2 solar panels from Northerntool.com to experiment with. > These panels are on close out and are rated at 5 watts. They appear to be > about 4x5 when folded and fold out into 5 sections. It has a weather proof > nylon shell with grommets at the corners for mounting. This looks like a > great little panel for backpacking or other portable use. They are only > $35 on sale now catalog number 339974-1615. > > I have seen similar panels go for much more than this and these are higher > power than the popular VW panels. A small 2-5 amp gel cell and one of my > low power solar controllers would be great for a K1 or KX1. You can also > easily charge a 10 cell 2000-2500 mAH NiMH battery pack without a > controller as long as you did not leave them on charge too long, about 4-5 > hours with full sun. Usual disclaimers no connection with Northern Tool > _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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I think NorthernTool also sells a solar panel charge controller. I
bought one with the same solar panels that Don got but I haven't used it yet. It is in the box waiting for the sun to come back out someday, HI HI! When I bought the folding flexible solar panels I was thinking they might go well with backpacking for portable QRP operation. I also bought a pair of smaller panels that folded like a book. They came with a variety of adapters, presumably for charging a cellphone or something, maybe a K2. It also had a compartment for AA batteries (I think). Again, it is still in the original shipping box with the other items I bought about 6 months ago, but there are some plans to use them someday. Mark, NK8Q Simon Brown (HB9DRV) wrote: > What would be interesting for portable use is a whizzo box where I can > connect a Ni-MH battery and a solar cell and ensure that I neither > overcharge the battery nor provide too high a voltage to the radio (in > my case K1 or IC-703). > > Ideally I can then connect battery and solar cells as inputs and take > the Ni-MH's 12 to 13 volt (or so) output. > > Simon Brown > --- > http://blog.ham-radio.ch/ > > ----- Original Message ----- From: "Don Brown" <[hidden email]> > >> >> I just ordered 2 solar panels from Northerntool.com to experiment >> with. These panels are on close out and are rated at 5 watts. They >> appear to be about 4x5 when folded and fold out into 5 sections. It >> has a weather proof nylon shell with grommets at the corners for >> mounting. This looks like a great little panel for backpacking or >> other portable use. They are only $35 on sale now catalog number >> 339974-1615. >> >> I have seen similar panels go for much more than this and these are >> higher power than the popular VW panels. A small 2-5 amp gel cell and >> one of my low power solar controllers would be great for a K1 or KX1. >> You can also easily charge a 10 cell 2000-2500 mAH NiMH battery pack >> without a controller as long as you did not leave them on charge too >> long, about 4-5 hours with full sun. Usual disclaimers no connection >> with Northern Tool >> > > _______________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Post to: [hidden email] > You must be a subscriber to post to the list. > Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): > http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm > Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com > _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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