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Portable solar panel suitable for charging smartphone/ipad/kindle etc?

  • 06-08-2012 9:45pm
    #1
    delad
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 511 ✭✭✭


    I am thinking about buying this and wonder would it be suitable for charging the following products I have- a samsung smartphone, an ipad 3, a kindle, and a portable dyson vacuum. I haven't a clue about voltages or anything like that, so hopefully someone here can let me know if it would be suitable for those devices and would it charge the devices in the same time that plugging it into the electric would?

    Also can someone tell me roughly how much euros of electric it would cost to charge something like an ipad, as I am trying to work out whether this device would be good value in the long run?

    Here is the device:

    Sunset PX 85, 85W Solar Panel Kit, Off Grid
    http://www.conrad.com/Sunset-PX-85%2c-85W-Solar-Panel-Kit%2c-Off-Grid.htm?websale7=conrad-int&pi=110273&ireusocl=1


Comments

  • #2
    pljudge321
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,129 ✭✭✭pljudge321


    delad wrote: »
    Also can someone tell me roughly how much euros of electric it would cost to charge something like an ipad, as I am trying to work out whether this device would be good value in the long run?

    Ipad battery size is 42.5 Wh. Electricity costs about 10c per KWh if you are on a night save plan so charging the Ipad should cost you ~0.425 cent. If you charge once a night for a year it will cost you ~€1.60.

    We could do the sums for the payback time of that charger but I'm just going to take an educated guess that its probably over 100 years.


  • #3
    delad
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 511 ✭✭✭delad


    pljudge321 wrote: »
    Ipad battery size is 42.5 Wh. Electricity costs about 10c per KWh if you are on a night save plan so charging the Ipad should cost you ~0.425 cent. If you charge once a night for a year it will cost you ~€1.60.

    We could do the sums for the payback time of that charger but I'm just going to take an educated guess that its probably over 100 years.

    well there is a 20W, 12V one for 70 euro, would that be suitable or would that take too long to charge the devices?


  • #4
    pljudge321
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,129 ✭✭✭pljudge321


    delad wrote: »
    well there is a 20W, 12V one for 70 euro, would that be suitable or would that take too long to charge the devices?

    Do you need to charge them in a location where there is no plug available? If not then the cheapest option is going to be simply plug them into the wall. Any pv unit that size will take literally days to charge anything.


  • #5
    delad
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 511 ✭✭✭delad


    pljudge321 wrote: »
    Do you need to charge them in a location where there is no plug available? If not then the cheapest option is going to be simply plug them into the wall. Any pv unit that size will take literally days to charge anything.

    No there is a plug, just trying to be more energy efficient. Maybe I should just go for the 80W one and use it for my tv, xbox and modem as well? I only watch about 2 hours tv a day so hopefully it would be enough for that?


  • #6
    pljudge321
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,129 ✭✭✭pljudge321


    delad wrote: »
    No there is a plug, just trying to be more energy efficient. Maybe I should just go for the 80W one and use it for my tv, xbox and modem as well? I only watch about 2 hours tv a day so hopefully it would be enough for that?

    If you want to be more energy efficient then investing in a new boiler or better insulation for your house is by far the better option. They're boring options admittedly but they provide actual energy and money savings. You won't be able to use that panel for those things, it only provides a 12 V dc output so it's limited to small portable gadgets really.


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  • #7
    delad
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 511 ✭✭✭delad


    ok thanks, I rent so I'll not bother about it since its not feasible/worthwhile for those things


  • #8
    pljudge321
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,129 ✭✭✭pljudge321


    Slightly off topic but I'd recommend reading this: http://www.withouthotair.com/download.html

    Its an excellent read if you are interested in the area and it'll give you an idea of what areas actually make a difference.


  • #9
    Capt'n Midnight
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 94,268 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    85W is on a good day like today.

    On a bad day in winter you might be lucky to the equivalent of an hours full sunshine.


    The variation in the length of daylight over a year (6 vs. 18 hours ) and the weather - full sunshine to total cloud cover and bucketing rain for a week - mean that solar panels need large backup batteries and both panels and batteries need to be over speced.


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