Krank/batteries DAB/FM radio

[Odin]

My first post and the question most likely has already been asked in the past.

Has anyone had some experience on the topic, and could share, with the radio in question. I was looking up on Amazon, and find quite a lot negative reviews on radios I liked. Any input much appreciated.

[pseudonym]

Hi Odin, thanks for sharing.

Could you please post an introduction thread as stated in the Forum Rules.

Many thanks

[Yorkshire Andy]

Crank stuff is almost useless as the amount of winding Vs use time well your arm will get very sore... Your almost as well getting one with usb charging. That way you can go for a big power bank / big solar panel / cat charger / mains charger

Example

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mycket-Portabl ... QC2FSISNXQ


I've one of these but the sound quality is awful

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Solar-Power-Ba ... YXRm&psc=1

[Odin]

Thanks,

I don’t believe those tiny solar panels would really work, and what if it’s not sunny outside at all for days. But a wind up one — as a last resort, if I run out of batteries or other power sources. Now I see the Midland ER310 or ER300 (for the EU market) are mentioned by CNN as best in 2024.
However, it seems to be for lithium rechargeable batteries and not normal AA, so people say. Will look into it.

Thanks for the links!

[Yorkshire Andy]

In not talking about small solar panels I've one of these for example :


https://www.amazon.co.uk/Portable-Folda ... d_source=1

[Odin]

In not talking about small solar panels I've one of these for example :


https://www.amazon.co.uk/Portable-Folda ... d_source=1

Yes, I know. I was referring to those in radios.

[jennyjj01]

Thanks,

I don’t believe those tiny solar panels would really work, and what if it’s not sunny outside at all for days. But a wind up one — as a last resort, if I run out of batteries or other power sources. Now I see the Midland ER310 or ER300 (for the EU market) are mentioned by CNN as best in 2024.
However, it seems to be for lithium rechargeable batteries and not normal AA, so people say. Will look into it.

Thanks for the links!

Hi Odin,
My limited experience with a hand crank/solar 'last resort' radio is that they are a very poor investment. Crank run time is minimal and painful and the built in solar panel is laughably useless. Even on a bright sunny day, you might get 20 mins run time per day from solar alone.
Invest instead in a solar panel about a foot square and the bits to make it charge batteries. This can be done for extremely little cost and you never need to be low on charged batteries.

We have lots of interesting posts on here about solar and batteries including what to buy and what to avoid..

[Odin]

Hi Odin,
My limited experience with a hand crank/solar 'last resort' radio is that they are a very poor investment. Crank run time is minimal and painful and the built in solar panel is laughably useless. Even on a bright sunny day, you might get 20 mins run time per day from solar alone.
Invest instead in a solar panel about a foot square and the bits to make it charge batteries. This can be done for extremely little cost and you never need to be low on charged batteries.

We have lots of interesting posts on here about solar and batteries including what to buy and what to avoid..

Thank you so much for the advice—it’s given me plenty to think about! I’ll definitely take a step back and reconsider the initial plan. Truth be told, it was the crank mechanism that initially caught my attention. There’s something oddly satisfying about the idea of powering something with a few good turns of a handle, almost like a throwback to simpler, more self-reliant times. Maybe it’s my inner gadget geek, but the crank seemed so... ingenious.
That said, I’ve realized I might have been romanticizing the idea a bit too much. I was referring to those tiny radio solar panels—those postage-stamp-sized ones that look like they’d be better suited to powering a toy car than handling a real-world emergency. I had my doubts about them from the start, and the more I think about it (and hear from knowledgeable folks like you), the more I realize they probably wouldn’t perform well—if they work at all.
It’s back to the drawing board for me, but I’m thankful for the nudge in the right direction. The crank might still have its place in my plans — for a back up torch perhaps? But I’ll definitely take a closer, more critical look at the other features and capabilities next time. Better to find out now than when I’m counting on it!

[Yorkshire Andy]

The small panel keeps a charged battery topped up from losses like the clock running ...

Left on a sunny windowsill for example

[jennyjj01]

The small panel keeps a charged battery topped up from losses like the clock running ...

Left on a sunny windowsill for example

Y_A might confirm: If left unused for long enough for the battery to go dead, the built in battery might become useless, then the radio becomes useless.