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Solar Charging

I'm going camping soon, and I need to be reachable 24/7, so I thought maybe a solar charger would work. Has anyone had any experience with these? How is the charge rate?
Any other cheap solutions? A charger that uses batteries would cost too much in batteries.

I tried a cheap eBay solar charger on my previous phone (HTC touch cruise). It was a charger with internal battery. So you could charge it during the day in sunlight and use it to charge your phone at night. At least... in theory. A full solar charge (about 1 week in the sun) gave my phone 10% extra juice I haven't tested it with my desire, but I expect it's even worse since the battery capacity is larger.
I'm not an expert, but I think the "mAh" capacity of the solar charger should be a lot higher (like double or more) than the device you're going to charge. For instance, if you connect it to a notebook (with battery capacities from 4000 mAh and up), the power will be succesfully transferred. But even then, I don't think you can fully charge your phone without draining the notebook battery completely. The Desire battery has 1400 mAh.
I would advise to look for better quality (and more expensive) alternatives. Like the solar chargers they use on campers to power a TV or fridge. Especially if you want to be reachable 24/7. If you want an emergency charger to give you enough power to make one phone call a day, a cheap solar charger will be sufficient though.

I'm a new user so I can't post link. But try googling "High Capacity Solar Charger and Battery w/ Flashlight (11200mAh)" and click on the 1st result. Bought that and am very happy with it. the charge rate is almost the same, if not the same, as the wall charger. it's got flashlight and mosquito repellent too.
theoretically it can charge the desire from zero to full 8 times before you need to charge it again. but you know it will be lower than that.
if you're looking for a cheaper solution then try googling "Solar Charger USB Hub" and click on the 4th result. but the charge rate will be substantially lower though. hope that helps.

I usually use the SOLIO solar cgarge, maybe a little expensive than the ebay but work very well, i use it about from 3 years and never had a problem.
I've testet him in very extrem condition.
You can see it on the solio web site, i have the classic version.

one of the best used by forces in iraq etc is the "solar monkey" make sure if tyou get one you choose the correct type for your device as different devices are more power hungry than others, i'd go for the top link the power traveller
links here
https://powertraveller.com/iwantsome/primatepower/powermonkey-explorer/
https://powertraveller.com/iwantsome/primatepower/solarmonkey/
https://powertraveller.com/iwantsome/primatepower/

Have a car charger and will be near your car when camping? Then just use that. Worked fine for me during a 5 day camping trip.

mouth said:
Have a car charger and will be near your car when camping? Then just use that. Worked fine for me during a 5 day camping trip.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No. We're going backpacking. Tents and sleeping bags on our backs and sleeping in the outdoors. <3
Thanks for the links guys. I will check them out. I could attach the charger to my backpack with the cable going into phone which is in my pocket, so I can charge it while we're hiking. I'll look extremely geeky, but it'll work I hope.
I need to be reachable for work. I'm also bringing my laptop with me in case there is an emergency at work. Hurray for tethering!
It doesn't really do "camping in the wilderness" any justice though.

If you are in the UK i wouldn't waste your money on a solar charger...i'd spend the money on some nice waterproofs lol.

Got this here: Energy Trends ET 3000
Wondering why they don't have a language selection... http://www.energy-trends.eu But you can see it here:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ET-3000-Solar-Power-Cell-Phone-Device-Battery-Charger-/220641737521
Also described here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=7093929&postcount=13
But I assume that they don't deliver to the UK.

Portable Backup Power / Solar Power

Trying to find gadgets of the type "external portable power".
That is power sources that is light enough to carry in a backpack or pocket, and have a battery (or in my dreams a fuel cell...) that can be plugged into SGS mini usb port for "emergency" power.
Also of interest is solar powered solutions, maybe to charge said portable power device while relaxing at the beach.

I believe this is what you are looking for:
spider-foot. com/1900mah-extended-backup-battery-power-charger-for-cell-phones-with-micro-usb-charging-port-1900mic-p-759.html
Ive seen a solar + wind up one as well, but not sure how good that would work.

There are few micro usb backup battery packs. Some are sealed rechargeable batteries (like the one in above post) while others allows you to use standard AA size ones (these are good in an emergency).
But IMO better to have a spare battery. That way you don’t have to wait for the phone to charge, you get instant power. Since SGS s batteries are very small you can even carry one in your pocket.

Personally I'd prefer something that used AA/AAA batteries. That way I can carry LSD batteries, and I can use a proper conditioner/analyser/charger on them to keep them in decent condition. It also means the phone doesn't need to get turned off at any point - I find mine isn't great after a restart for quite a while. Finally very high quality batteries are not that expensive for AA/AAA and you know what you're getting, aftermarket mobile batteries can be a little bit risky and performance can vary.

I use a solution from Philips, it is called Power2Go. I use the SCE4430. Works great, only thing is that it does not support micro usb out of the box. But a standard micro usb cable does the trick. Used this also on a Nintendo DS.
http://www.philips.co.uk/c/universa...UNIVERSAL_POWER_SOLUTIONS_SU_GB_CONSUMER=true

[Q] Solar Charger
Hey guys,
First post here and it may end up costing me a bit soo..
Would it be possible to harvest one of these solar phone chargers you see on ebay and build it into the backplate of the phone?
I know it may not be powerful enough to charge your phone, but maybe we can extend the life when we just need those few extra hours.
So, really, does anyone know what we would need? I have little to know electronics experience so not sure what i'm looking for but i'm more than willing to actually do it if someone is able to explain what/how its done.

No, it's enough for you to charge a phone, even other more powerful device. But first of all you need a good solar cell.

i got one from DX it works fantastic!
4200mAh Portable Dual-Panel Solar Power Battery Pack for Cell Phones and USB Gadgets
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.40210
just leave it by any window, or light source and it turns it back into energy, then just plug your phone into the pack for recharge
you can easily recharge twice with a full charge
red light = charging
no light = off
green light = in use
comes with all the plugs for our phones
and a build in LED flashlight
it can also be charged via USB if you are in a hurry, and can't take advantage of the free light source recharge
i use it mostly for long outdooring like camping / picnics, and you know that even 3x1500 mAh will not last you for a day/week
you can get a full charge in just 1 day (from sun rise to sun down) even on a cloudy rainy sky

But what about physically attaching a panel to the back so I don't have to carry extra stuff? Is it possible? How would I wire it up?
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA App

that works, but you wont be able to use the phone for like a whole day meanwhile waiting for it to charge, and be drained almost instantly

Have a look here>>>http://tinyurl.com/y2nrvsv
I have ordered one of these will do a small review when it arrives>>>http://tinyurl.com/2fun3k6

I have this traditional solution for emergency charging: http://www.portablepowersupplies.co.uk/
They have Solar Charger, too.

that solar one from portable uk is okay, i only like the "bag" idea of it, but it's shy in power & recharge rate when competing againts the 4200 mAh beast from DX

mini/micro portable power pack
check this out
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320572770657&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT
I have one, it has to be charge via usb, but I do that while I am on my laptop, and the bonus is that it will charge anything that connects via a mini/micro connection,

Applecrusher said:
But what about physically attaching a panel to the back so I don't have to carry extra stuff? Is it possible? How would I wire it up?
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And leave the phone under the sun ?? A very bad idea, the heat will surely damage your phone.

PhoenixFx said:
And leave the phone under the sun ?? A very bad idea, the heat will surely damage your phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agreed
I don't think a little solar panel on the back of the phone will be capable of putting out that much power
I don't know about you but my phone spends most of its time inside my pocket so it is rarely out in the sun for the solar panel to work
Just carry a spare battery or get yourself the Samsung extended battery
mobilefun
.co.uk/genuine-samsung-galaxy-s-extended-battery-case-p25834.htm
It will extend your battery life without having to leave the phone lying in the sun

Solar charger for SGS and other mobiles.
Few days ago I was searching for the Solar charger for my SGS in India.In local stores I brought 2 solar chargers but these are the china made chargers with very low quality internal battery.
Then one of my friend suggest me the Amzer 3500 mAh Battery Backup Solar Charger and Solio Emergency Mono Solar Hybrid Charger.
I ordered the Amzer 3500 mAh Battery Backup Solar Charger and believe me, the charger is one of the essential accessory for every mobile phone.
Also this Charger is available in India, USA and UK regions.
For India, take a look at this, http://www.fommy.co.in/Amzer-3500-mAh-Battery-Backup-Solar-Charger-P83981.htm
For USA and UK, visit http://www.fommy.com/

the one i mentioned back in post #8 is way better and cheaper
and free shipping with tracking number
trusted site

actually i hv read all the backup power all u guys suggest but i found that these all are just rebranding some chinese low quality products and it cant survive for long and there r some potential hazard that may end up damaging our sgs...i hv tried solar charger and some portable backup power before, the solar charger dun hv a high efficiency to exchange solar energy to electrical energy...it takes me too long time to charge it and it can only recharge the battery once. for the backup power, the mAh thing is not accurate, u need to try it yourself n c how many cycles u can charge the stock battery in order to estimate the true backup power battery capacity

I love my PORTAPOW
Received it yesterday.
5000 mAH USB rechargeable battery in a piano black case.
Fantastic.
This means I can go out on an all-day hike with GPS on.(Yep, I'm that sad)
The phone battery would last 2- 2 1/2 hours max with GPS (and MyTracks or similar on) while hiking.
Really good build quality.
Really good price.
(PS I am in no way connected with the company etc...)
HTML:
http://www.portablepowersupplies.co.uk/portapowPremium.htm

Alternative to Spare Batteries

I like a lot of people use my phone very heavily yet I don't have an opportunity to plug my phone into an AC charger until I return home. A great remedy to the problem is this handly little AA charger.
http://www.igo.com/accessories/powerxtender-charger/invt/ps002640004/
The reason I like it so much is because cheap portable battery packs usually pack under 1000mah of power. Thats not even enough to give you 1 full charge. And the more expensive 2000mah+ packs are often on the large side and well... expensive lol. On the other hand this little bugger is cheap and small enough to sit in my pocket without being a bother. What I find is the best part of it is the fact that you can choose what kind of AA batteries you put into it. I opted for Energizer rechargeable which are rated at 2450mah EACH for a total of 4900mah of power. Thats the equivalent of 3 G2x batteries. Keep 2 more batteries in your backpack/desk/purse thats an additional 4900mah. If that can't get you through the day you have more than just phone issues
Originally bought it for my Vibrant but quickly found it was awkward because the the product doesnt come with a cable adapter. This meant it was hanging and putting much strain on the usb port of the phone. Out of fear of breaking it I stopped using it. However since the G2x charges from the bottom there is absolutely no problem espcially seeing as I bought a 20cm micro usb extension cable so that the charger can sit in my lap or on a table while using the phone.
Just thought I'd share this since we can't get legit replacement batteries yet and even when they do become available they will cost a pretty penny. Got mine from Staples but they can be had on amazon also along with the usb extension able and rechargeable batteries.

This one works very well, too:
Well I'm a new member, so not allowed to post outside link. Therefore goto
Amazon
Duracell Instant USB Charger with Lithium ion battery
Pick the very first one
You don't need to by batteries or an extra charger. You can recharge it via your G2x power supply or any computer.

This was my favorite (coming from g1)
Too bad theres no new version for the micro usb's now..
http://www.amazon.com/Motorola-9878...?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1304363010&sr=1-16
This can be added on, though it wouldn't be very convenient since its a slide in/out connector
http://www.amazon.com/Motorola-Mini-USB-Micro-USB-Charger-Adapter/dp/B0018L4GOQ/ref=pd_sim_cps_1

hire4blood said:
This one works very well, too:
Well I'm a new member, so not allowed to post outside link. Therefore goto
Amazon
Duracell Instant USB Charger with Lithium ion battery
Pick the very first one
You don't need to by batteries or an extra charger. You can recharge it via your G2x power supply or any computer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I almost bought one of those until I saw how low the capacity on it is. Looks tiny though which is nice.

J&R has Veho 5Ah external battery for $35 and I have 2 of them.
Just use regular microUSB cable to charge the phone and leave the original cable secure.

I'm thinking about getting the i-up 13,200mAh pack.

regP said:
I almost bought one of those until I saw how low the capacity on it is. Looks tiny though which is nice.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They have a bigger version for 32$ as well. The 22$ version gives me a full charge from around 30%.

Just received my Pebble XT 5000mah pack. Won't be able to put it through its paces till next tuesday. Upon first impression, i think im in love with this thing already. its small enough to sit in pocket without having much presence. extremely lightweight. and the cord is long enough to be able to have the charger in your pocket and phone in hand (thank you lg for putting the usb port at the bottom). All info I have read indicated that it really does output 5000mAh of power so even a heavy user such as myself will have no problem getting through a full day of use.

Just wondering how everyone's batterys are working out for them?
Also how many full charges did you get?
Also any likes or dislikes of product they decided to buy?
Sent from my LG-P999 using XDA Premium App

Just wanting a update???
Sent from my LG-P999 using XDA Premium App

That looks like something that might be good out camping or something where you needed to charge your phone without touching it. But I would figure actually picking it up and putting that much weight on he usb port a very bad idea... This should come with a extension cord to charge while using, even texting or something would be pretty difficult to hold both...

motorola p793

Check this site for power packs, all kinds 5000mah for around $20
http://www.tvc-mall.com/details/660...r-Cell-Phone-Tablet-PC-PSP-etc-IPHONE-4-7095/
Micro usb 1900mah
http://www.tvc-mall.com/details/Por...AZR2-V8-HTC-BlackBerry-and-etc-Black-MCH-615/

ImaxPower IMP500 (5000mAh) External Battery
I've used an IMP500 Rechargeable (5000mAh) external battery pack for a few years with great sucess. They make them as large as 11000mAh (or more?) and even have solar-rechargeable options. Just take a look at New Trent or other similar products on Amazon or eBay.
The best part about the IMP series is that they have multiple adapters for iPhones, mini/micro USB, PSP, DS, and other devices so you can charge your phone and anything else you might be carrying around with you.
Link to NewTrent for info on models
I'd recommend buying elsewhere because you can find them for 30-50%+ off.

Why will you buy Anker / Onsite 2600Amp battery + powerbank suggetsion?

Hi Guys,
1)
i am not able to understand why will people buy Anker / onsite or any other brands 2600 amp battery which is equivalent to samsungs battery ??
> Will it not give me the same life ?? If same life then should i not buy samsung ??
2) Can someone please suggest me a good powerbank - 6000 amp and above (those who have used and is worth)

anuj291 said:
Hi Guys,
1)
i am not able to understand why will people buy Anker / onsite or any other brands 2600 amp battery which is equivalent to samsungs battery ??
> Will it not give me the same life ?? If same life then should i not buy samsung ??
2) Can someone please suggest me a good powerbank - 6000 amp and above (those who have used and is worth)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well for the first, people get extra batteries so that when the first one dies(OEM Samsung battery that came with the phone) they can just pop in the new one by anker etc. And keep on chugging without charging. Hope that helps. Also, after so many charges the OEM battery loses some of its MaH amps so people will purchase a cheaper(anker tends to be about 10-20 bucks less) to replace it. Price is always a deciding factor to most consumers, especially phone owners.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app

I get extras because I hate charging my phone. When one dies I pop in a fresh one and go. I am getting two ankers Monday so ill have three batteries.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk 2

From Note 2 experience, Anker OEM replacement battery performed and lasted longer than Samsung battery. Period! Plus, as some others pointed out, you can use external charger to juice it up, and just swap batteries on the go.
For external battery banks, Anker is also the way to go. Go to my Review Link in the signature where I have reviewed and posted detailed write up for close to a dozen of power banks. 6000 mAh is a thing from the past. Right now new power banks have 10,000 to 15,000 mAh of capacity in the same footprint as old one. Plus keep in mind, the actual capacity of external charger will be 30% due to usb port conversion (going from internal cell of power bank 3.8V to 5V usb port, and back to 3.8V on your phone through usb port - close to 30% loss due to efficiency).

Yes that 6000 mah power bank will give you only 1 full charge, and the charging speed is equivalent to USB. If you are doing NAV or some other heavy power draw, the external battery may not keep up.
And if I have to carry a spare, the internal battery is smaller and I know exactly what I am going to get in terms of performance

im finding that the anker 2600 batteries i bought are better than my two samsung batteries. i have two samsung batteries because 1 came with my phone and 1 came with the brand new insurance replacement after i smashed that phone. pretty happy with anker. no need to add bulk to the phone with an extended. just keep a spare battery when needed. i have 1 in my camera bag, 1 in my backpack i take to work, and 1 i can slide into my wallet if it's just me and the phone.

I bought Anker 2600 dual battery and external charger pack. Love it. Been using it and swapping batteries out every morning instead of being tied to a charger. Good for trips where I make heavy use of Cell phone to watch videos and such.
Had one issue. the internal connector that the pins that connect to the battery kinda broke on mine. The piece the pins are attached to fell inside the charger case. No problem though just opened it up and hot glued it back in place. All that keeps it there from the factory is glue and mine just came undone. Happened while traveling with charger in a bag with a battery in it, possible something pushed it hard.

Good to know that 2600 anker is better than actual battery... I was planning to get the 3k zero lemon but every one suggests is not doing much difference
Sent from S4

Portable chargers, external battery cases, extended batteries etc etc

Hi all, so I've got an S4 and the battery just doesn't do it for me as I'm quite a power user. So I've been looking into various methods of keeping my phone's battery topped up, especially on the go, I've had a look at portable chargers, external battery cases (as I had one on my S3 and it worked great, for about a week and then gave up) and extended batteries.
Now what I'm looking for is ideally something that isn't too bulky, has decent quality and provides a good solid charge to my phone. I also have a bunch of other phones that I want to keep charged, so an external battery case or extended batteries are looking a little weak here as a portable charger would do the trick for all of them, but then again they often seem to be quite bulky.
So my question to you is what would you advice? Ideally I'd like a solution that fits in the pocket and still keeps my phone topped, what would you recommend and have you bought something to satisfy this need yourself? I'm not really looking into extended batteries that add a whole lot of bulk, I'm hearing good things about Anker batteries and these 3,000mAh Zerolemon standard size batteries, but there seem to be so many variations of portable chargers I'm not quite sure what to do. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

TheKeyboardWarrior said:
Hi all, so I've got an S4 and the battery just doesn't do it for me as I'm quite a power user. So I've been looking into various methods of keeping my phone's battery topped up, especially on the go, I've had a look at portable chargers, external battery cases (as I had one on my S3 and it worked great, for about a week and then gave up) and extended batteries.
Now what I'm looking for is ideally something that isn't too bulky, has decent quality and provides a good solid charge to my phone. I also have a bunch of other phones that I want to keep charged, so an external battery case or extended batteries are looking a little weak here as a portable charger would do the trick for all of them, but then again they often seem to be quite bulky.
So my question to you is what would you advice? Ideally I'd like a solution that fits in the pocket and still keeps my phone topped, what would you recommend and have you bought something to satisfy this need yourself? I'm not really looking into extended batteries that add a whole lot of bulk, I'm hearing good things about Anker batteries and these 3,000mAh Zerolemon standard size batteries, but there seem to be so many variations of portable chargers I'm not quite sure what to do. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the Zerolemon battery, it works well, but really, I couldn't tell much of a difference in battery life, and keep in mind, NFC is not included if you go with the Zerolemon.
Go to amazon and do a search for "android portable battery charger" there are a lot of options from small lipstick sized charges to big bulky ones, read the reviews and pick one that works best for you. Personally I am usually close to a charger so I have not found the need to get one yet, but I can see how it would be necessary for those that are frequently away from a wall outlet or car for extended periods. I might pick one up before my camping/float trip coming up this summer. If I did, it would probably be this one. http://www.amazon.com/KMAX-806-Flas...8-5&keywords=android+portable+battery+charger

I have an old external charger that came with a 3 panel solar folder. I used it a few times when camping and I could charge it all day and then use it to charge the phone twice. That was with an older 1900mah batter in the phone

Just a quick update, I eventually decided to settle with this EasyAcc iChoc 5,000mAh portable charger. I've had it for a few days now and it works fantastic, the build quality feels nice in the hand and the dimensions are the same as my S4 (and just as slim mind) it comes with two outputs, a 1A and a 2.1A one (using your own microUSB cable) and the 1A output has a built in microUSB cable. Very pleased with the purchase, it was around £17 on Amazon Prime:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/EasyAcc®-iC...&qid=1397737540&sr=8-1&keywords=ichoc+easyacc
Bear in mind I don't think the actual capacity is anywhere near 5,000 mAh however.

Charges S4 about 1.3 times.... So it's about a 3000mAh
Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk

z50king said:
Charges S4 about 1.3 times.... So it's about a 3000mAh
Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you referring to the EasyAcc portable battery that I posted?

While I think you have made your choice .... I have used the callpod dou charger.... I had 10 of them until I started giving them away cause they were of no use with the phone I had before I got my S4. I have (5) Isound 16,000's 16,000 mah. That will keep my S4 or my wife's Iphone 5 up for about a day of intermittent use.... she can kill one in about 8hrs if she is on her phone and charging her Ipad at the same time. I also have (3) of the power bank 33,000s . 33,000 mah. I am not sure that I have ever killed this battery with my S4 alone. My wife can kill it with her iphone in 2-3 evenings of fairly constant use.... talking on the phone and playing games and I think charging both her iphone and ipad... (flipping back and forth between the 2. This battery will also charge most laptops. Her Macbook will get one full charge out of it.... if the computer is not on. With the computer on it last about 30-40 mins. My Htc Flyer has been on a 33,000 all week with off and on use and is still half full. Finally , I have a hyperjuice 150wh and a 222wh. The wife has been charging her iphone on the 150 and her ipad on the 222 all week and they are still around half full.

I finally got myself the Anker 5200 mAh battery. Does anyone know an app that shows the correct battery capacity? I got the sneaking suspicion that it isn't detected properly...