# Useful solar charger? 12V for camera batteries + USB ideally



## Jim Saunders (Sep 13, 2014)

So further to my plan to invade Europe I had a look for a charger I could lash to the back of a backpack; I've seen a couple which will put out 12V which is enough to run a travel charger for an LP-E6, all fine and dandy.

My question is: Has anyone actually done this? Is it worth the bother? I don't mean for it to be my only means of charging batteries, but to lessen my need to find an outlet as much.

Jim


----------



## Valvebounce (Sep 13, 2014)

Hi Jim. 
I think you will find many if not all of the solar panel battery chargers deliver pulsed 12v, for sure the one I have does, I stuck my tongue on the contact!  
Your camera battery in car charger is expecting to "see" 12v continuous so any solar panel would need to be smoothed by feeding a (small) battery to then feed your charger. 
I don't know of any solar monkey type device with its own battery that has any more than 5v USB output, but I am aware I don't know all the products! ;D 
We do have a laptop power brick that does up to 18v but whether it would be viable to charge the camera battery from it I don't know! (Time to charge, current draw, other unknown factors). It is mains rechargeable but might be able to charge a camera battery several times from one mains charge? It would require an interface adaptor from laptop to cigarette socket or cut wires and make it so you could remove and replace plugs sockets etc. 

I can find it out and give details if you are interested. 

Cheers, Graham.


----------



## JPAZ (Sep 13, 2014)

I have a friend who uses one to charge an accessory battery that he then uses to recharge his phone. He says it works pretty well. Sorry I can't be more specific but he is not reachable for a month or so (trekking in Asia). So perhaps charging the supplemental battery (about the size of a fist) and then using that battery to charge his phone offsets any voltage fluctuation. But the output resembles a USB charger. Will that work?


----------



## Jim Saunders (Sep 13, 2014)

Valvebounce said:


> Hi Jim.
> 
> I don't know of any solar monkey type device with its own battery that has any more than 5v USB output, but I am aware I don't know all the products! ;D
> 
> Cheers, Graham.



Hi Graham, thank you for the reply. I looked at one of these because it appears to have the features necessary, viz 12V out from a battery and a USB port. I'm not sure if it can deliver 12V and power the USB port simultaneously, but the Watson brand LP-E6 chargers from B&H have a USB port of their own.

I plan to take my tablet, my phone, a couple of those WD portable drives with the SD card slot and two LP-E6 chargers, one for a spare. Given that I have better things to do there than screw around on the internet, I expect the camera will be the biggest load. 

The battery in solar charger at the link states 72 W·h against 13 W·h for an LP-E6 so even without any power input I should be able to recharge a camera battery three or four times? That is only a reasonable guess at the efficiency of the process.

Long story short, it appears to me that it should keep me from looking for an outlet for at least a day at a time; I have no wish to be obliged to sit around waiting for something to charge!

Jim


----------



## Jim Saunders (Sep 13, 2014)

JPAZ said:


> I have a friend who uses one to charge an accessory battery that he then uses to recharge his phone. He says it works pretty well. Sorry I can't be more specific but he is not reachable for a month or so (trekking in Asia). So perhaps charging the supplemental battery (about the size of a fist) and then using that battery to charge his phone offsets any voltage fluctuation. But the output resembles a USB charger. Will that work?



It would for everything except the camera; if I remember anything from school the stated input current to an LC-E6 amounts to about 21 watts which easily exceeds USB 2.0 and is borderline for USB 3.0.

Jim


----------



## Mt Spokane Photography (Sep 13, 2014)

Solar panels do not output pulsed voltage. Using a tongue to test it is likely a result of the known properties of a solar panel. When you draw more current than the rated value, the voltage collapses, and then recovers to its full value. If the overload is still there, it will collapse again. This may make it appear to be pulsed, but its really because the panel is being abused. This may also happen if a 12v charger pulls more power than the panel rating. A proper panel avoids this issue.

Plan to pay $$$, and it will likely take a fulld day to recharge a battery unless you have a high capacity solar panel.

http://www.voltaicsystems.com/shop-gear?dslr=37&or_batteries_only=42&or_solar_backpacks=39&or_solar_bags=40&or_solar_kits=41&or_standalone_chargers=38&order=name&smartphones=32


----------



## Jim Saunders (Sep 13, 2014)

Mt Spokane Photography said:


> Plan to pay $$$, and it will likely take a fulld day to recharge a battery unless you have a high capacity solar panel.
> 
> http://www.voltaicsystems.com/shop-gear?dslr=37&or_batteries_only=42&or_solar_backpacks=39&or_solar_bags=40&or_solar_kits=41&or_standalone_chargers=38&order=name&smartphones=32



True, and it is their 10W kit I like; I'd likely sell it on my return, and if I get half of what I paid then I regard it as cheap insurance against missing an opportunity because of a dead battery.

Jim


----------



## Mt Spokane Photography (Sep 13, 2014)

Jim Saunders said:


> Mt Spokane Photography said:
> 
> 
> > Plan to pay $$$, and it will likely take a fulld day to recharge a battery unless you have a high capacity solar panel.
> ...



I think you are right, I was just pointing out the limitation so you did not get surprised.

You might compare the price and weight versus the cost of carrying say 6-10 batteries too. I doubt if you would be 10 batteries away from a recharge. Just be wary of taking 10 of them on a aircraft, and never put them in checked luggage. You can pickup cheap third party batteries when you get to Europe and toss them before heading back.

You might want a dual charger, they typically charge batteries one after the other, not at the same time, but you do not have to be watching for the charge to complete and then manually change the batteries when charged. If you are using a grip with two batteries, its really worth while.


----------



## Jim Saunders (Sep 13, 2014)

Mt Spokane Photography said:


> I think you are right, I was just pointing out the limitation so you did not get surprised.
> 
> You might compare the price and weight versus the cost of carrying say 6-10 batteries too. I doubt if you would be 10 batteries away from a recharge. Just be wary of taking 10 of them on a aircraft, and never put them in checked luggage. You can pickup cheap third party batteries when you get to Europe and toss them before heading back.
> 
> You might want a dual charger, they typically charge batteries one after the other, not at the same time, but you do not have to be watching for the charge to complete and then manually change the batteries when charged. If you are using a grip with two batteries, its really worth while.



I appreciate the input! I plan to employ three batteries for the camera; one in it, one charged, one in the bag being charged off the device. I hear you about traveling with many of them, I've seen what they can do. I should have my new 5D3 in my hands this time tomorrow to start gathering battery life data.

The other thing I get from this device is a USB port to charge everything else I plan to take, which is no small thing. It might make a convenient sun shade as well given suitable support - I can tan under an incandescent lamp, so everything helps!

I'd take a grip but if I can charge one battery on the move then I expect I can do without it, and so gain the option of a slim bag for the camera and two lenses.

Jim


----------



## Halfrack (Sep 13, 2014)

I'm tempted to say you're better off carrying additional batteries compared to trying to charge while outside. Even if you were in the sun a full day, would you expect to recharge 1 or 2 batteries? 

Check out http://www.hahnel.ie/index.cfm?page=li-ionchargers&id=145&pId=145 - it'll charge 2 LP-E6's at once, comes with Euro and DC adapters, and can even charge USB devices.


----------



## Jim Saunders (Sep 13, 2014)

Halfrack said:


> I'm tempted to say you're better off carrying additional batteries compared to trying to charge while outside. Even if you were in the sun a full day, would you expect to recharge 1 or 2 batteries?
> 
> Check out http://www.hahnel.ie/index.cfm?page=li-ionchargers&id=145&pId=145 - it'll charge 2 LP-E6's at once, comes with Euro and DC adapters, and can even charge USB devices.



That Cube would replace both LC-E6s and a USB charger neatly. However the appeal of the solar device (and its internal battery) is that it should keep everything charged over the span of a day even if there isn't enough sun to fully charge its internal battery; I don't mind making up the difference on the train or at a hotel.

I appreciate all the questions, if this solar device is the wrong way to go we'll find out so I can plan differently.

Jim


----------



## Valvebounce (Sep 13, 2014)

Hi Mt Spokane. 
I guess my solar panel may have been defective, but I was alerted to the fact that it was pulsing by the electrical interference it created on the car radio, a rhythmic click, click with about a 1 second cycle, faster in bright light, slower if it was duller, which ceased when the solar panel (one that plugs in to the cigarette lighter socket) was unplugged. 
The tongue test was just a down and dirty attempt at confirmation of a problem which may not have been accurate! I guess I just assumed that was a normal condition, oops! 

Cheers, Graham. 



Mt Spokane Photography said:


> Solar panels do not output pulsed voltage. Using a tongue to test it is likely a result of the known properties of a solar panel. When you draw more current than the rated value, the voltage collapses, and then recovers to its full value. If the overload is still there, it will collapse again. This may make it appear to be pulsed, but its really because the panel is being abused. This may also happen if a 12v charger pulls more power than the panel rating. A proper panel avoids this issue.
> 
> Plan to pay $$$, and it will likely take a fulld day to recharge a battery unless you have a high capacity solar panel.
> 
> http://www.voltaicsystems.com/shop-gear?dslr=37&or_batteries_only=42&or_solar_backpacks=39&or_solar_bags=40&or_solar_kits=41&or_standalone_chargers=38&order=name&smartphones=32


----------



## Hannes (Sep 24, 2014)

My experience with even the high end small solar panels is that isn't worth it unless you go for something the size of a goal zero sherpa 100. The smaller solar panels charge so little that they are great for charging things like ipods but that is about it. If you get something like a solar monkey it can charge a smartphone but not much more, especially now that the batteries are getting bigger with higher capacity. Even at more than 4000m altitude in extremely bright sunshine the power output wasn't great.


----------



## vlim (Sep 24, 2014)

Sherpa 100 kit is the best solution for dslr and it's still compact for its power.


----------



## Don Haines (Sep 24, 2014)

I have done this many a time on long canoe trips....

I use a 35 watt flexible solar panel and charge a sp12-10 10Amp gell cell (I would NOT want to carry it hiking... for hiking I would go for a smaller battery)....

You use the solar panel to charge the gell cell and use the gell cell to charge your devices...

The thing is, it is not light and portable. Lightness and ability to decently charge may well be conflicting demands....


----------



## PrestonP (Sep 24, 2014)

I'm new to Canon Rumors, so Hello! to everyone. 

I often go on extended backpacking trips in the Sierra Nevada mountains and use a Suntactics sCharger-8 solar panel (http://www.suntactics.com/product/scharger-8-portable-usb-solar-charger/) with a Bower LP-E6 USB charger (http://www.amazon.com/Bower-XC-CE6-Individual-Battery-Charger/dp/B0057R2ZJA#). Although the Bower charger is cheap and cludgy, the combination works very well. 

I also use the Suntactics USB battery to charge my iPhone. (Solar panel charges USB battery. When full, USB battery charges iPhone.) The USB battery charges the iPhone faster than when the iPhone is plugged into the wall.

The set up is reliable, but heavy from a wilderness backpacking perspective.


----------



## tomscott (Sep 24, 2014)

Its an nice idea, but its not reliable enough for the power you need. Better off buying a Rav Power 14,000mah external battery about the same size as a 2.5" HDD and buy a Hahnel Pro Cube and a DC to USB adapter.


----------



## PrestonP (Sep 24, 2014)

If you have access to direct sunlight 5+ hours per day (such as in wilderness backpacking), my experience is that a solar panel/battery combination extremely reliable.

If you're going to have access to grid power at least once every couple of days, then a slew of spare batteries and a charger(s) is probably the way to go.


----------



## vlim (Sep 26, 2014)

a video about the sherpa 100 used by an outdoor photographer...

http://www.goalzero.com/solarlife/2014/09/25/andy-mann-shooting-in-greenland/?utm_source=Sept19_List2014&utm_campaign=f855c23960-9-26-14-andymann&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_f649b1a061-f855c23960-288347465&mc_cid=f855c23960&mc_eid=2fcdacfeff


----------

