Portable solar battery packs

[jansman]

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre ... 2139531294

Does anyone have any experience of this kind of kit? There seems to be many variations on the theme, all of them are Chinese ( but isn’t everything?) For emergency lighting and USB charging this seems useful.

[Deeps]

Not tried them but looked at something similar in the past, was about a hundred quid so the one you've linked is cheaper.

[korolev]

I've had a couple of solar phone chargers and found them a bit "meh". One of them, a Freeloader, had an external panel, about 10x7 inches, and it didn't put enough into the battery in a day to fully charge a phone at night. This was in August in Turkey.
Technology might have come on a bit but I'm still very sceptical and I think I would go for a hand-crank over solar.

[peejay]

I have the RavPower 24w panel which seems to do quite well. 3 USB outputs so I have 2 USB battery banks anyway & have used it to charge these. Easily get max 2.4a out of it in good sun so capable of charging as quickly as (most) wall-plug chargers.

Advantage of separate panel/power banks is I can add to the power banks if I choose.
Currently £62 at Amazon

https://www.amazon.co.uk/RAVPower-UK-RP ... ower+solar

[Brambles]

£60 seems a lot for a 4Ah battery life. Here is a 7Ah one sold from a UK seller for an extra tenner.

https://powapacs.co.uk/index.php/product/pp07/

I've got my eye on the Atom.

[hobo]

I have the RavPower 24w panel which seems to do quite well. 3 USB outputs so I have 2 USB battery banks anyway & have used it to charge these. Easily get max 2.4a out of it in good sun so capable of charging as quickly as (most) wall-plug chargers.

Advantage of separate panel/power banks is I can add to the power banks if I choose.
Currently £62 at Amazon

https://www.amazon.co.uk/RAVPower-UK-RP ... ower+solar

Ditto. I use a RAVPower 26800mAh power bank. Currently £37 from Amazon.

[Deeps]

I've got a 14W 'camping' panel and a load of power banks and battery chargers that can be usb powered. Great for small devices and I've plenty rechargeable battery lanterns but not so good for stuff that needs a wee bit more oomph. Still need to get my finger out and do my semi permanent off grid line up, World Cup will probably push that back a month now.

Alternatives and spare capacity are never a bad thing though so the set up Jansman linked interests me.

[jansman]

Great info there folks Thanks.I am no technology expert,so I am looking for simple answers.Our power needs will be simple in a powercut.Mobile phones,batteries for lighting and fm/digital radios ( two way if mobiles are out).Freezers will hold for 24 hours,fridge I have a low tech alternative.In Winter ,refrigeration would not be an issue.Heating and hot water would be wood /coal fired.

[Yorkshire Andy]

My "kit"

Folding solar panel from Lidl 2 years or so ago

3x lithium packs 5200mah @3.7v

2 light bulbs from Amazon

And 2 long usb extension cables

Plus assorted USB cables for charging

I've also added a permanent live cigarette lighter socket in my car boot so I can charge stuff via car adaptors

Nothing too technical there I hope

[jansman]

That looks quite simple Yorkshire Andy.So you charge the battery packs directly from the panel? I take it that the USB cable plugs straight into the panel and to the battery? No charge regulator as if it were to a leisure battery?