While there are many ways to go about the task of charging batteries & electronic devices via solar power, we will focus on several solutions that have been tested & proven, and which cover the most common needs. We also recommend using PowerFilm Rollable photo voltaic panels that are the most appropriate on the market for portable marine applications and for strapping to the decks of kayaks & canoes. Step 1: Estimate your power needs The first step in creating a photo voltaic power system for kayak expeditions or canoe trips is to estimate your total power needs, and choose a photo voltaic panel to match. Watt-Hours is a measure of a battery's capacity. For example, most digital cameras require 5-10 Watt-Hours, mp3 players require 5, laptops require up to 65. Next, decide how often you will need to charge your various devices. For example, if you want to charge your digital SLR camera while canoeing or kayaking, and you know that under typical use, you get 3 days from the camera battery before it needs charging, then your needs are 15 WHrs over 3 days = 5 WHrs/day To complete this example, we'll add the need to charge two AA batteries each day for a GPS unit, and an iPod every other day. Total daily power needs: 12 WHrs For portable applications, we like to be conservative when estimating the power production from photo voltaic panels. It is nearly impossible to get ideal exposure for a photo voltaic panel when it is simply strapped to the deck of your kayak, draped over your tent, or spread from rail to rail on your canoe. So, photo voltaic production may be only about half of what a properly engineered roof-mounted system might be. Based on this assumption, we can calculate that a 5Watt panel would meet our needs, minimize costs, and minimize size & weight to carry. Remember that this is our power budget, and therefore we must live within this amount. The other advantage of minimizing the photo voltaic as much as possible is being able to fit it to the deck of your canoe or kayak. PowerFilm Photo voltaic produces a range of flexible photo voltaic panels designed for use on boats. They are designed to take the splashes associated with marine applications, and come equipped with the best connectors we have seen on a portable solar panel. The R-7 7Watt rollable panel is the smallest in this marine-grade line, so that is the panel we would choose for our example system. Step 2: Choose a power storage battery & conectors Next is to choose a battery pack to store your solar power. It should be small & light so as to not load your canoe or kayak any more than necessary. It needs to provide the connectors you need to charge all your devices. It should also store enough power to get you through times when the sun isn't as bright as we would hope. We like to make an estimate that is at least equal to your daily needs. In our example, this would mean a storage capacity of at least 12 Watt-Hours. Want to work direct from the photo voltaic panel, and not carry a power storage battery pack? We'll have to see if the devices you want to charge will be able to do this. Read on... In our example from above, we will need the following connectors... USB: for our smart phone AC outlet: for our camera & AA battery charger. Wait! AC power is not an option in these small power systems. AC power inverters will not operate direct from photo voltaic panels, and the small lithium-based power storage battery packs are not able to power even a small inverter. What to do? Fortunately, many after-market lithium camera battery chargers come equipped with 12VDC car adaptors in addition to AC adaptors. There are also AA chargers that can operate from USB or 12VDC car sockets. So, since we can get 12VDC output direct from the photo voltaic panel, and USB via a car adaptor, at this point it appears that we could choose to charge all our devices direct from solar and not include the power storage battery pack. But, should we go photo voltaic direct? We almost always advise using solar-direct only when the trip is short, the weather forecast is positive (& reliable), and the solar panel is really only needed to top-up your batteries when needed. Having the power storage pack provides an important source of back-up power for times when the sun is not cooperating. It also allows your battery chargers to operate at their best rates instead of limping along at whatever the solar panel is able to get from the sun. You will also be able to capture more of the sun's energy over the course of the day.
Please Rate this Article 5 out of 54 out of 53 out of 52 out of 51 out of 5
Not yet Rated
