COLORADO BOB Posted April 22, 2006 Report Share Posted April 22, 2006 A solar panel that is 12" wide and 57" long, weight 17oz.You can roll it up like a throw rug.It puts out 14 watts.They say that its good for charging satelite phones, video cameras, DVD players and other eletronic devices. They [Cabelas] have two others.A 9 watt and a 4.5 watt.Its called a Solar Roll Charger.Bob T. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grubstake Posted April 22, 2006 Report Share Posted April 22, 2006 I saw one of those on a website also, looks like you could keep one charged, I have 4 batteries of the coiltek lith. sysytem, should be able to keep one charges all the time, especialy if you hooked a small minelab type 12 volt battery to it, it would keep it charged and all you would have to do is put a cigarett lighter plug on it. Grubstake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed in SoDak Posted April 23, 2006 Report Share Posted April 23, 2006 Sounds pretty compact and easy to pack.If you have more space to haul a spare auto-type 12 volt battery, a cheap 300 watt inverter hooked to it could run any typical AC battery charger and any small AC gadget. Faster recharging and no sunshine needed. You could hook the solar panel to the battery and keep the system running longer.-Ed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlakMagnet Posted April 24, 2006 Report Share Posted April 24, 2006 Hi Colorado Bob,I have a Brunton 25 watt folding solar charger that I have not used much (yet), but it's unbelievable compact and seems well made.I originally got it because it can power a sat. phone.(now I just have to save alittle more for THAT...sigh).http://www.backcountry-equipment.com/acces...n_solaris25.phpIf you want to take a look at it...regards, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Placer Piper Posted April 24, 2006 Report Share Posted April 24, 2006 A solar panel that is 12" wide and 57" long, weight 17oz.You can roll it up like a throw rug.It puts out 14 watts.They say that its good for charging satelite phones, video cameras, DVD players and other eletronic devices. They [Cabelas] have two others.A 9 watt and a 4.5 watt.Its called a Solar Roll Charger.Bob T.<{POST_SNAPBACK}> Hi Bob, I was talking to someone just the other day about the roll up solar panels. I keep up pretty good on solar energy and researched these about a year ago. The new pliable, roll up solar panels put out about 30% more power than the standard rigid silicate solar panels and store alot better. The other nice thing about them is you can put them anywhere, the dash, on top of your tent. Heck, I even knew someone who put one on the top flap of his backpack when treking. It's the way to go if you are treking into the wilderness and you don't have a vehicle handy. Please let me know how it works for you, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
COLORADO BOB Posted April 24, 2006 Author Report Share Posted April 24, 2006 Flak,That fold up solar is quite a neat package.Piper talks like the roll-ups may be a little better. I dont know as I have never used either one, but may, one of these days.Piper, I don't own one, just saw them in Cabeles catalog and kind of filed it for the future.Bob T. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlakMagnet Posted April 24, 2006 Report Share Posted April 24, 2006 Bob and Piper,I agree, the info I have read says the same thing; the roll-up panels put out more energy and of course, their flexibility is a great bonus.It's just that I have curious kids...lol. The zip-up package makes it alittleless worthy of messing with, and 25 watts seemed adaquate at the time...fwiw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garimpo Posted April 24, 2006 Report Share Posted April 24, 2006 Hi Flak, welcome back to civilization!I've thought a lot about the solar panels also but have been wondering if any one has run this idea and the spec by the Minelab repair center for their input. I would for one would be interested in what they might have to say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garimpo Posted April 24, 2006 Report Share Posted April 24, 2006 Just looked at the Brunton solar panel, sure looks like it would work. Have you by any chance tried it on a ML battery with the car charger? Thanks for the info. that's something that could be very workable down here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin nuggethunting Posted April 24, 2006 Admin Report Share Posted April 24, 2006 Hello Guys, I know a lot of the Aussie's in the Bush use those Solar Panels, but not sure what model or size. I know they charge their batteries and other stuff since their out in the bush for months at a time. Rob Allison Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlakMagnet Posted April 24, 2006 Report Share Posted April 24, 2006 Garimpo,Nice to be back. I had a heck of good a time.I am planning to run tests with the solar recharging deal next time I go out hunting.I will give you a full report when I do.regards, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garimpo Posted April 25, 2006 Report Share Posted April 25, 2006 Thanks Flak, since yours is a 25 watt unit how long would it take to fully charge a half discharged ML battery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlakMagnet Posted April 25, 2006 Report Share Posted April 25, 2006 Yup, that's what I'm interested in too Garimpo,I'm betting it takes a long time though... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
COLORADO BOB Posted April 25, 2006 Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2006 Flak, I don't know, but I don't think that it will take a long time to charge up. But dont know what you consider a long time.In the case of the pocket rocket, which comes with two battries, if you put a fully charged one on the detector and a discharged one on the charge system and worked for six or seven hours, I will bet that by then the other batt. will be up and ready to go.In Garimpo's case being out in the bush, I think that it would be necessary to put a small batt. in the system so that there is no variation in current flow.A batt. like an ATV or even a 12 V motorcycle battery. If you had a panel or solar roll that would put out at least 25 W, hooked to the battery and the female end of a lighter plug for the ML battery charger to plug into, I think that it would work.The wire to the charger of the ML or the Pocket Pocket is of a light gage so I don't believe that there is a real heavy current draw from the battery, but don't really know what the draw is. If we knew that it would help a lot.Maybe there is someone on here that is a bit of a guru in electronics. Bob T. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlakMagnet Posted April 25, 2006 Report Share Posted April 25, 2006 Colorado Bob,I'd be interested to hear from someone who knows about that sort of thing too.I have one of those portable "jumper" batteries that would work great as the inline battery you talk about.andI just remembered that I purposly didn't charge up my pocket-rocket battery after the last huntso that I could charge it with the solar panel.If the sun comes out today I'll give it a try and report back - it's been pretty foggy and cloudyhere lately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
COLORADO BOB Posted April 26, 2006 Author Report Share Posted April 26, 2006 Hi Flak,It would be interesting to know what the difference in the charging time frame would be, if any, by charging a battery using solar panel only, versus a solar panel with small battery power supply in line.Be waiting for results. Bob T. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TXKajun Posted April 26, 2006 Report Share Posted April 26, 2006 Nice, timely topic. I just last weekend got a 12 v, 1.5 amps solar panel, about a foot square. I planned to use it to recharge the 12v battery I'm going to get for my recirculating sluice pump. I was thinking of cutting off the plug end of the lead from the panel and putting on a couple of clamps, but reading here has got me thinking that if the lead will go into my Minelab Eureka Gold then cutting the end off might be a bad idea. Anyone know if 12v, 1.5 amps will recharge a Eureka Gold Battery Pack?Thanks and HH, ya'll!Kajun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
COLORADO BOB Posted April 27, 2006 Author Report Share Posted April 27, 2006 TXKajun,I had a set of Arco's that I put clamps on. Didnt like that very much as the clips will sometimes get together and short the panel out. I took them off and put a plug on, same kind as you see on the end of an electric cord. I used a male plug on about 20' of 12 guage cord. Then I took a short piece of cord, about 1 1/2' and put a female receptical on one end and a couple eyelets on the other end. Attached the eyelet end of the pigtail to the battery. Then when I wanted to use the panels I just plug it into the pigtail. Worked great, no more shorts.You could also make a short pigtail like that and splice it into your main line without having to cut the plug end off.I tried my panels on my sprial seperater, which had one motor for the bowl and one for the water pump, and the panels ran it perfect. You need to use a small battery in line as any small shadow, little match sized stick or bird dropping or anything will cause a voltage drop and that is hard on the motors, if not fatal.Bob T. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TXKajun Posted April 27, 2006 Report Share Posted April 27, 2006 Bob, thanks for the excellent ideas! I especially like the idea of a pigtail onto the wires going out to a wall plug and using a female outlet plug and leaving the round plug on the end! And also, it's a great idea having a small battery in between the panel and the large battery to take care of any spikes due to shadows. You're a genius!! HH, ya'll!Kajun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
COLORADO BOB Posted April 28, 2006 Author Report Share Posted April 28, 2006 Naw Kajun,No genius here, far from it. Its just that every once in awhile I have a brain fart and make some dumb mistake so I usually remember it, [sometimes], and try to profit from it. Bob T. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buddy58 Posted April 28, 2006 Report Share Posted April 28, 2006 Hey Bob,it was nice to meet you today,and an outstanding chat! Buddy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
COLORADO BOB Posted April 28, 2006 Author Report Share Posted April 28, 2006 Hi Buddy,Same here and the pleasure was mine.Looking forward to hooking up later for a venture.Maybe we can find that new, never hunted spot.Bob T. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buddy58 Posted April 29, 2006 Report Share Posted April 29, 2006 You betcha Bob Next time I come thru I"ll bring that battery and show it to you,that Coiltek you have sure is nice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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