Re: Charging devices while hiking
 

Is flamestower.com any good?

Re: Charging devices while hiking
 

Cheers M,It works (charges phone) but it's still rather heavy so not really practical.

It would be if I could justify the $99 to Mrs E :D
it's the same principle....that device probably costs about $10 to make.

Re: Charging devices while hiking
 

50,000mAh BACKUP BATTERY USB PORTABLE POWER BANK For IPHONE,IPAD,ANDROID DEVICES | eBay

Is something like this no good for you?...it looks very portable and doesn't cost the earth.

Re: Charging devices while hiking
 

Sorry for the delay in replying M,you know how it is, life getting in the way and what not.
Its a good economical device but i have my doubts about its efficiency (probably cheap for a reason ;)).

Re: Charging devices while hiking
 

It's OK Jason....Thought it was worth bringing to your notice.
I'm sure Aldi was selling something like this recently and it was about a fiver less.
What makes you think it is an inefficient device(only asking so that I can inform myself....even though the likelihood of me requiring something like this is remote)?

Re: Charging devices while hiking
 

i have a 10,000mAH one, works a treat, will charge a couple of decent phones and a tablet on one charge.

for redundancy/resilience, I'd rather have 3 x 10A ones than one 30A one. I'd also suggest that whilst modern top spec phones are good all in one devices, having a basic phone such as an old nokia 6310 where the battery lasts a week easily and then a seperate GPS using would be more efficient at battery utilisation and if one device runs out you still have the other to either call for help or navigate your way out would be a more sensible choice.

Re: Charging devices while hiking
 

I bought the one Margaret suggested a few weeks ago for my cleaner, she doesn't drive therefore she can't charge her phone driving between jobs.
She was very impressed with it so I bought one for myself.
There may be a time I need it when I'm not at home or in my car.
They are very light and take up hardly any space in a pocket and I'm sure they would be easier to cart up a mountain than any fancy gadget.
If making an electronic device for educational purposes was the aim, well done lad.

Re: Charging devices while hiking
 

Russell, that is very good to know.....that they work well.

Re: Charging devices while hiking
 

My phone is the Nokia 6310...the battery charge lasts forever.
Ok it isn't a fancy phone, but I can ring someone and I can send texts, which is all i really want from a phone.

Re: Charging devices while hiking
 

I don't believe that 50Ah, it looks far to small. To many of these devices lie about their capacity. It's a Chinese thing, they write on the box whatever people want to see on the box.

Also with it's stated charge rate of 5V 1000mAh it would take about 3 days to charge from flat

Re: Charging devices while hiking
 

I've just checked mine Neil. It has a more credible 2000mAh. Both input and out put DC 5V 1 amp. Probably true to say it's a bit less output, it must loose something in the process.
It does a good job or recharging the iPhone.

Re: Charging devices while hiking
 

What's wrong with a solar cell backpack?

Re: Charging devices while hiking
 

Cheers for the input folks,I always carry two old Nokia's (one in the car and another in my rucksack).As you say,the batteries seem to last far longer than the modern devices.

I've also knocked together another charging device from a battery pack off a CB radio I bought using a (£1) 12v cigarette usb charger and I'm planning on using it with a multi usb (it might work :D).At the minute it charges my iPhone at a rate of 2% per minute so it'd take about 50mins to charge fully from flat.
Attachment 49329

The contraption using TEG's was really only a little project to see if I could knock something together to charge my devices if all else failed and all I had was a stream and flint and steel but sadly it's too heavy to lug about and the chances of that are slim to none :D

I'll grab one of them powerbank devices too (just as a back up),hopefully it'll hold a charge and won't need charging if left for a few days without use and if it isn't too heavy it can stay in my camping kit permanent.

Re: Charging devices while hiking
 

Do they sell them in poundland Frank? :D

Re: Charging devices while hiking
 

What a horribly rough contraption that is and a waste of the battery from the handheld

Have a look at this ebay video to show you inside one of those supposedly 50,000mAh powerbanks is a 4000mAh battery