Date: Tue, 30 Apr 2002 08:30:39 -0700 (PDT) From: "Kevin McClelland" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: [LIB] Solar Panels
On Mon, 29 April 2002, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote > > Date: Mon, 29 Apr 2002 16:39:54 -0500 > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: Solar Panels > > There was some interest in using the Libretto with solar panels a > while back. I think I might have found some that will work if the > information I found is accurate. First I found out that the Libretto > takes about a amp of current from the AC adapter when it isn't > charging and is being used. Second I found that when the Libretto > is off and charging it uses about .6 amp. Has anyone measured the > current that can confirm these measurements? So with this I found > some setups that might work. They provide about 1.2 amps or > greater which would be enough to run but you'd really want to shut > it off to charge otherwise it'd take about three days to fully charge > the battery. In fact the libretto might not even charge when running > since the method of terminating charge is when the current drops > and the panel might not provide enough current to get over the > limintation. Anyway two of the panels I found are sold by > Realgoods. I think the url is > http://www.realgoods.com > > The first one is the Sun Catcher Professional part # 11586 cost 345 > This one looks pretty good, it comes in a case and uses Kyocera > solar cells. Should get 20 years of life from them. One advantage to > this one is it comes with a voltage regulator which limits the panel > voltage to 12 volts so you can simply plug in the auto adapter and > use it. Under full sunlight they claim about 1.3 amps but from my > experience with solar if they claim 1.3 you'll get 1.1 or so useable > under full direct sunlight. > > The second is a 10 watt panel that is sold with a prewired cigarette > lighter socket. You'd need two of these. Cost is 129 for one and > part # is 06-0384. They claim about .6 amps with one panel so a > person is looking at about 1 amp useable under full bright sunlight. > This one doesn't come with a regulator so a person would have to > set something up since the panel is rated for 16.5 volts and might > reach as high as 20 which would completely shutdown any aoto > adapter > > The third is called the Notepower and like the Suncatcher comes in > its own case. Its 250 and doesn't come with a regulator. That is > sold seperately for an extra 100 bucks. It is rated like the others. I > lost the companies name that sells it but will dig it up if anyone is > interested. > > All of these are packable and only weigh a couple pounds. > > John There was a guy who did rig up a solar power system for his libretto, and used it on a bicycle touring trip a couple years back. However, he had the solar rig hooked up to a 12v battery system and powered the libretto off that so he could get extra run time in the evenings, just had to cheat the libretto into thinking it had 15v. Here is the link if you want to look through the info. There may be something you can use. http://briandesousa.com/bicycling/bikecurrent/solar.htm ------------------------------------------------- Get your free @Elvis e-mail account at Elvis.com! http://www.elvis.com ************************************************************** http://libretto.basiclink.com - Libretto mailing list http://www.silverace.com/libretto/ - Archives -------TO UNSUBSCRIBE------- Reply to any of the list messages. The reply mail should be addressed to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] - Then replace any text on the message's subject line: cmd:unsubscribe --------TO UNSUBSCRIBE DIGEST------ Do above but with this on subject line: cmd:unsubscribe digest **************************************************************
