12v Solar powered chargers.

Maplin are selling them for £9.99, plus 2.99 postage.

The details are --> HERE <--

Do they actually work?

[Stu]

Yeah Grinch, will it work on my bike parked in the garage?

I thought about that. I was gonna extend the lead so that i could mount the panel on the outside of the garage....

Originally Posted by Colby

I thought about that. I was gonna extend the lead so that i could mount the panel on the outside of the garage....

Put it on the roof so the light waves will have less distance to travel!



oh gawd. I'm turning into Cuffy....

Originally Posted by Kinvig

oh gawd. I'm turning into Cuffy....

You wished!

It's only supplying a small current 125mA MAX (in FAQ), but I am not sure how a bike battery would cope with that over long periods … it’s designed round a 100+A car/leisure battery not an ikle bike battery?!?!!? You might end up overcharging it … there doesn’t seem to be any charge level detection stated in the spec, so all I can assume is that it is a ‘dumb’ charger and will keep charging until the battery goes ‘pop’ …

I also find 17.5v disturbing (specs) … 14.5v is the max you would want really …

I used to work at a Maplin store. The number of units like this one (not this exact one mind) we had returned was shocking.

Not enough power output from it during a normal day. The specs are quoted for bright blue skies when you're sitting on the equator pretty much. Doesn't happen in the UK.

If you want a solar panel, fork out for a decent one, and spend around £100 on it. That way, you'll get the over-charge protection, and a decent amount of juice out of the panel.

Originally Posted by Baph

If you want a solar panel, fork out for a decent one, and spend around £100 on it. That way, you'll get the over-charge protection, and a decent amount of juice out of the panel.

I don't think it would fit in my blender

God dam it...