Solar Battery Charger? Does such a beast exist? What do people do if on a multi-day outing, with no AC available? I looked on Amazon, the Canon website, B&H. I found one item on B&H...

wesm Loc: Los Altos CA

Does such a beast exist?
What do people do if on a multi-day outing, with no AC available?

I looked on Amazon, the Canon website, B&H. I found one item on B&H, https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1297985-REG/nitecore_ucn1_usb_travel_charger_for.html
Has anyone used one of these, or the Nikon equivalent?

Inquiring minds want to know.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

wesm wrote:

Does such a beast exist?
What do people do if on a multi-day outing, with no AC available?

I looked on Amazon, the Canon website, B&H. I found one item on B&H, https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1297985-REG/nitecore_ucn1_usb_travel_charger_for.html
Has anyone used one of these, or the Nikon equivalent?

Inquiring minds want to know.

home depot, lowe's, walmart, costco, harbor freight, amazon all carry solar chargers. Most are for car batteries but there are others for the D, C, AA etc. The stores that sell wilderness and survivalist gear also sell them.

Google "solar battery charger" and then wade through the way too many results, some of which have nothing to do with the subject. You will also find the home sites of the people who make/sell them.

JPL

I think most people just carry extra batteries as needed. Works better than charging the battery when it is empty.

blackest Loc: Ireland

wesm wrote:

Does such a beast exist?
What do people do if on a multi-day outing, with no AC available?

I looked on Amazon, the Canon website, B&H. I found one item on B&H, https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1297985-REG/nitecore_ucn1_usb_travel_charger_for.html
Has anyone used one of these, or the Nikon equivalent?

Inquiring minds want to know.

The problem with solar is there is never enough of it. Tends to require a weeks perfect weather to replace 1 days worth of charge. Mostly they can serve to trickle charge a battery which isn't being used. Panels seem to give a peak rating which might be 4 x what you actually get. So in practical terms you need a huge panel to provide enough energy to make it work. rechargeable battery packs are pretty useful especially when there are different devices needing charging usually you want one with 2 to 3 x as much capacity as the batteries you want to charge. It may be cheaper and simpler just to carry spares of the batteries you need and take every opportunity to recharge them when you get chance.

St3v3M Loc: 35,000 feet

Solar Charging dSLR Cameras http://www.modernoutpost.com/portable-solar/solar-charging-dslr-cameras
How to Charge Your Batteries from Solar http://danbaileyphoto.com/blog/solar-charging-solutions-for-your-camera-batteries
Photography Solar Buyers Guide https://www.voltaicsystems.com/solar-camera-charger
Solar Kits http://www.goalzero.com/photography

boberic Loc: Quiet Corner, Connecticut. Ex long Islander

If I were going to go to an area with no electricity, I would get a battery grip and take a bunch of AA batteries with me.

wesm Loc: Los Altos CA

St3v3M wrote:

Solar Charging dSLR Cameras http://www.modernoutpost.com/portable-solar/solar-charging-dslr-cameras
How to Charge Your Batteries from Solar http://danbaileyphoto.com/blog/solar-charging-solutions-for-your-camera-batteries
Photography Solar Buyers Guide https://www.voltaicsystems.com/solar-camera-charger
Solar Kits http://www.goalzero.com/photography

Cool links. Thanks.

St3v3M Loc: 35,000 feet

wesm wrote:

Cool links. Thanks.

I backpack so I'm looking at the same. I think extra batteries are easier, but I'd like to power my phone too so solar seems the way to go.
- Google the pros and cons before you commit and especially look at the amount of power you'll need based on what you bring with you.

Let us know what you decide of course! S-

sb Loc: Florida's East Coast

boberic wrote:

If I were going to go to an area with no electricity, I would get a battery grip and take a bunch of AA batteries with me.

Totally. Solar chargers would take several days of bright sun to charge a battery.

cthahn

They take spare batteries.

Screamin Scott Loc: Marshfield Wi, Baltimore Md, now Dallas Ga

boberic wrote:

If I were going to go to an area with no electricity, I would get a battery grip and take a bunch of AA batteries with me.

Better idea than a solar charger...

StanRP Loc: Ontario Canada

wesm wrote:

Does such a beast exist?
What do people do if on a multi-day outing, with no AC available?

I looked on Amazon, the Canon website, B&H. I found one item on B&H, https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1297985-REG/nitecore_ucn1_usb_travel_charger_for.html
Has anyone used one of these, or the Nikon equivalent?

Inquiring minds want to know.

A hand charger?? Not dependant on sun and is small.
This one generates 120 V at 10 Watts and can drive your own battery charger.

https://www.amazon.com/K-TOR-Pocket-Socket-Generator-Portable/dp/B00658Z3UI

Screamin Scott Loc: Marshfield Wi, Baltimore Md, now Dallas Ga

StanRP wrote:

A hand charger?? Not dependant on sun and is small.
This one generates 120 V at 10 Watts and can drive your own battery charger.

https://www.amazon.com/K-TOR-Pocket-Socket-Generator-Portable/dp/B00658Z3UI

Interesting but I'd be leery of it's ability to recharge a battery any faster than a Solar charger. That said, it reminds me of my hand cranked flashlights....

StanRP Loc: Ontario Canada

Screamin Scott wrote:

Interesting but I'd be leery of it's ability to recharge a battery any faster than a Solar charger. That said, it reminds me of my hand cranked flashlights....

Charging a flat battery take time regardless of solar or hand-crank - however, depending on camera use, topping a charge up now and again may be all that is needed. Personally, I would take enough charged batteries.

lightyear

I used a solar charger which worked well. It was on the car dashboard when driving, on a window sill when not active. It 'topped up' often enough to keep the spare battery charged. All rechargeable lithium batteries lose charge even when not in use. I bought the charger a few years ago from REI ( sporting/hiking/backpacking supply store), and no longer have it. It had a 110 V AC outlet that I plugged the charger into.