Low budget solar power

[APX808]

When you start reading about solar power you find people with their houses? roofs covered in solar panels, battery
banks filling entire rooms and tons of money invested, that?s totally discouraging if you are on a budget and soon you
forget about it or just keep it as a long time goal.

Those solar powered houses allow you to keep a modern lifestyle being off the grid, but if you look at the matter from
a SHTF/Prepping point of view you?ll discover that what you really need is to cover your basic needs, from the top of my
head those needs would be lighting, commo, news, entertaining, and covering those needs can be really cheap.

When I started thinking about solar power, I soon realized I wouldn?t go with the full blown approach, but something
cheaper and portable.

The idea is to use a 12v battery that is recharged with a small solar panel, from that battery you can get the power to
reload small batteries or rechargeable devices using car cigarette lighter sockets or USB interfaces, to keep it modular I
use a 4 way splitter and to monitor the battery charge I use a voltage meter.


http://dx.com/p/4-way-car-cigarette-lighter-socket-splitter-12v-73834


http://dx.com/p/1-2-lcd-cigarette-lighter-electric-voltage-meter-for-auto-car-battery-dc-12-24v-91235

Solar Panel
For solar panel I bought a chinese panel used to keep car batteries topped when you leave the car parked for long
 times, you can find better and more powerful ones, but you get more weight and the panels get expensive.


http://dx.com/p/solor-power-panel-auto-car-battery-charger-71635

Battery
You need to use a battery in the middle because the power required by the reloading devices can easily be bigger than
the solar panel output and also the output from the solar panel is intermittent depending on how much sunlight hits it.
You can use a  car battery or something smaller like I did, I got a house alarm gel battery 12v 7A.
The battery/ies you chose will depend on your power consumption and solar panel capabilities.

Charge controller
The solar panel will generate bigger voltages than 12v in order to be able to recharge the battery, so you?ll need  a
charge controller, the charge controller will:

1. Generally keep the battery on full condition.
2. Prevent the battery from over-charging.
3. Prevent the battery from over-discharging.
4. Prevent the battery from supplying power to solar panels during nights.



http://r.ebay.com/gRCAmg

Small batteries recharger
I get gadgets that use AA or AAA batteries, for the same reason you have guns in standard calibers... On a SHTF
situation you will find AA batteries around, but forget about those fancy CR123A batteries.
I have a lot of rechargeable batteries and to charge them I have two devices, one works with 12v or USB input, and
the other one has its own mini solar panels and a USB input.


http://dx.com/p/1-2-lcd-usb-car-cigarette-lighter-powered-aa-aaa-battery-charger-72831

http://www.camelionbattery.com/index.php?option=com_sobi2&sobi2Task=sobi2Details&catid=22&sobi2Id=65&lang=en

USB adapters
These devices give you a USB output with 5V 1A from the cigarette socket, be careful I saw some that give you 500mA,
 with those an IPhone or similar won?t charge.


http://dx.com/p/mini-car-cigarette-powered-1000ma-usb-adapter-charger-black-dc-12v-48925

Gadgets
No matter what device, get one that runs on AA/AAA batteries or you can recharge it using an USB port or car charger.

I got a car charger for my Yaesu VHF handy and also an adapter that allows your radio to work using 6 AA batteries.

For lighting you can get LED lights that give very good light with really low consumption.

I would like to mention specially the Kindle or similar device, you can store a shitload of books in it and reload it using a
USB port. With it you can get entertainment and also you?ll have a library in your pocket in case you have to bug out.

[EJR914]

Wow, awesome APX, plus one for that.  Now I've got to try and understand it all.

[gecko45]

Good info Bro  [URL=http://www.smileyvault.co The only other thing you need to survive is a Glock! Stay Frosty!!

[thedigininja]

I'm just leaving a comment here so that I can find this post easier. Gonna come in handy with my new project.

[APX808]

Cool, I can update this post mentioning that the 12v to USB adapters I mentioned in the OP aren't the best ones as they can't charge well some smartphones, I'll rather get a 2A adapter.
Please let us know what you find thedigininja

[JohnyMac]

Yup a oldie but goodie.

[thedigininja]

I love your idea with the kindle. I'm doing just that but using a rugged smartphone (currently have the Samsung galaxy xcover 2 and it's a tank). I've heard of a company named Doogee (terrible name) that makes more affordable phones and a few that are rather tough. Want look into that and see if I can stock pile a few,  may come in handy even for possible trade.