[pct-l] Pct-L Digest, Vol 33, Issue 17

[greg mushial]

> Message: 9
> Date: Sun, 5 Sep 2010 05:11:14 -0700
> From: "William A. Chavez" <wctrekker at dslextreme.com>
> Subject: re: charging device
> To: pct-l <Pct-L at backcountry.net>
> Message-ID: <30002104-6BB0-4001-B067-674F3FB0030C at dslextreme.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed
>
> http://www.npowerpeg.com/
>

Does anyone have more details/specs on this device. The website talks about 
500ma charge rate, but that I assume is from the contained battery. Anyone 
seen any specs on the actual charge rate from the rattle generator? Not 
wishing to speak badly of another long distance walker, but at 9oz it seems 
heavy. 9oz outweighs my 1.5oz flashlight, 1.2oz extra battery and .5oz 
solarpanels + charge control electronics.
[I've been building/futzing with led + NiMH lights since the mid '90s... 
and although the panels work on zero days, they don't work in the rain ... 
tradeoffs, the essence of life..]

Related: for charging cell phones: with the flashlights, one can trickle 
charge the batteries just fine [at a 20hr rate] (actually saves a lot of 
electronics in nothing having to protect against overchaging/destroying the 
battery(s) etc)...  has anyone experimented with cellphones and likewise 
trickle charging them? The std USB port is 500ma, but a 500ma panel is, 
although not large, isn't trivial like my 1.5x3.5" flashlight charging 
panel...  has anyone looked at charging at a 50 or 100ma rate - will the 
charge controllers work correctly, or will try still try to charge at the 
500ma rate and drag the panel voltage down below usable levels? With the 
flashlight charger, I get approx 30mins of use per 1 hr of direct sunlight 
exposure, on one flashlight; and 10-12 mins per hour on the larger one. [the 
small light (2 led) will go 10-12 hrs just from the battery, the larger one 
(6 led) 2ish hrs...  so I can go a couple/several days without direct 
sunlight and still have working flashlights.]

TheDuck