Author Topic: BATTERIES: How many items do you carry that require them?  (Read 2150 times)

alan de enfield

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Re: BATTERIES: How many items do you carry that require them?
« Reply #15 on: 14:43:12, 21/06/19 »
Point of Information Mr Chairman.  Why do we refer to a 5000mAh battery rather than a 5Ah battery?



I guess its sounds 'bigger' (marketing speak)


Also depends on 'how' it is measured - there are 'powerbanks' on ebay being sold as 50,000mAh. When I tested one it was actually giving 4Ah at 5v.

Patrick1

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Re: BATTERIES: How many items do you carry that require them?
« Reply #16 on: 14:49:33, 21/06/19 »
But, the solar panel will plug directly into your phone / headlight and charge it whilst you are on the move.
Charge your phone 1-day and the headlight the next, then repeat


In theory that works well. In practice, I found that the sunny conditions which were ideal for charging were just those in which I wanted to keep taking my phone out to take photos. Having it tucked away in the solar panel's charging pocket was a pain, and keeping it in my pocket meant leads trailing around me, and often seemed to end up with the plug falling out of the phone and it not charging anyway. Hence my conclusion that I needed a battery pack as well, allowing me to charge the battery pack during the day and the phone, from the battery pack, overnight. From which conclusion its only a short step to find I didn't really need the solar charging at all.


Don't get me wrong, I do think the solar panel has its uses. I still take it when weight is less of an issue - sailing or canoeing for example - and it lets me be a little more profligate with power use. But when backpacking I don't feel it provides enough benefit to justify its additional weight.
« Last Edit: 14:55:32, 21/06/19 by Patrick1 »

Owen

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Re: BATTERIES: How many items do you carry that require them?
« Reply #17 on: 16:06:02, 21/06/19 »
I suppose it depends on how often you intend to stop and resupply. If you're stopping every three days then it's probably not worth having one. I like to keep going and will stop only every two weeks, it is definitely worth having one for that length. I walk mainly on Scotland and Scandinavian when I can, I've always found enough sun to keep things going. Of course having the long hours of daylight helps.


My solar panel is 300g and my power pack is 185g.
« Last Edit: 16:58:46, 21/06/19 by Owen »

Patrick1

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Re: BATTERIES: How many items do you carry that require them?
« Reply #18 on: 16:40:32, 21/06/19 »
I like to keep going and will stop only every two weeks, it is definitely worth having one for that length...
My solar panel is 300g and my power pack is 185g.


Wow. Indeed, if you're carrying the weight of 14 days' food I can see that 300g on a solar panel is going to be neither here nor there! Respect.

jimbob

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Re: BATTERIES: How many items do you carry that require them?
« Reply #19 on: 16:41:34, 21/06/19 »

But, the solar panel will plug directly into your phone / headlight and charge it whilst you are on the move.
Charge your phone 1-day and the headlight the next, then repeat,


My 7-Watt panel only weighs 220g and will output about 1 amp (at 5v) in good conditions, so it will pretty much charge my headlamp (2.7Ah) in a morning & the phone battery (My Samsung is 4Ah) in an afternoon.



O0  That's  how I use mine. Never had a problem except the day I left it and my battery bank behind. Doh!
Too little, too late, too bad......

Litehiker

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Re: BATTERIES: How many items do you carry that require them?
« Reply #20 on: 01:09:01, 22/06/19 »
The PV panels I have actually seen here in the western US have all been flexible and attached to the pack via corner grommets.
I dunno how efficient they are but I think the ones sold by   West Marine  swim to be of the highest quality versus ones at outdoor stores.  


I do know that the US Marine Corps used a large array of these flexible PV panels in at a remote fire base in the mountains of Afghanistan. This was because the resupply route was so dangerous that bringing in batteries was just not worth it. Even ammo was supplied by air.


Eric B.

alan de enfield

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Re: BATTERIES: How many items do you carry that require them?
« Reply #21 on: 11:37:28, 22/06/19 »
An example of an outrageous battery capacity claim 500,000mAh = 500Ah (similar to a large car battery) but weighs only 200-300g.
Its no wonder folks that don't have an understanding of electricity storage get 'taken in'.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/500000mAh-Portable-4USB-Travel-Power-Bank-LED-External-Battery-Phone-Charger-UK/192692430309?

BuzyG

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Re: BATTERIES: How many items do you carry that require them?
« Reply #22 on: 17:19:31, 22/06/19 »
Point of Information Mr Chairman.  Why do we refer to a 5000mAh battery rather than a 5Ah battery?  I see the previous poster refers to Watts. Far more useful IMHO.  How about Wh?
A very good point.  But then why not bhp.  Horses for courses sir. ;)


BuzyG

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Re: BATTERIES: How many items do you carry that require them?
« Reply #23 on: 17:22:38, 22/06/19 »
The only thing I have ever charged on he move is my phone.  Lasts about 6 hours,when, running OS maps and I take lots of photos.

Always have a head touch, but I have walked from dusk to dawn without needing to charge it.  O0
« Last Edit: 20:12:51, 22/06/19 by BuzyG »

ninthace

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Re: BATTERIES: How many items do you carry that require them?
« Reply #24 on: 08:05:02, 23/06/19 »
A very good point.  But then why not bhp.  Horses for courses sir. ;)
SI!   Pun intended.
Solvitur Ambulando

Litehiker

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Re: BATTERIES: How many items do you carry that require them?
« Reply #25 on: 04:59:14, 24/06/19 »
Speaking of batteries, I'm watching CNN's documentary of Apollo 11 (50th anniversary today). I wonder what kind of batteries they had on the command module and the L.E.M.


I has been married all of one year on June 22 when the lunar landing took place.Been married 51 years now. (Yes, she's very patient.;o) 
We watched it on a color tube TV, natch. No flat screens then!


And to think our cell phones today have thousands of times the computing power of the Apollo 11's command module computer. And we still haven't landed on Mars. CR@P!


Eric B.
« Last Edit: 05:06:20, 24/06/19 by Litehiker »

 

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