diy solar

diy solar

USB to SAE connection

I know it's been said but I really just wanted to rant about that battery pack since I own one too.

Even if you boost that as was pointed out, the capacity of its built in battery is tiny and the "solar panels" are garbage.

Have you ever actually used it? I own one. The same one no less.
It's worthless. That's only a couple watts of solar panel at absolute best, but that doesn't matter because then it overheats in strong sunlight and shuts itself down.

The earlier statement that it has 5w of panels is bunk too. My 10w monocrystalline panel is easily 3x the total area and gives me about 8w when hot.

Neat in theory. Abysmal in reality.
 
That one actually has a 14.4V output you can use to top up your lead battery.
You shouldn't keep encouraging people, especially novices, to charge batteries directly from power converters or from solar panels. It simply is NOT safe.
Chargers and charge controllers exist for a reason... to charge batteries, safely.
 
You shouldn't keep encouraging people, especially novices, to charge batteries directly from power converters or from solar panels. It simply is NOT safe.
Chargers and charge controllers exist for a reason... to charge batteries, safely.
Have I said "directly"?
 
Look in the manual/specs for your solar charge controller. It probably tells you about the amount of solar panel it can handle.

BTW - your 12V 15Ah battery is 180Wh. The little portable solar charger you asked about is 3.7V 25Ah which is 92.5Wh. In theory this means that the USB ports on your ammo case battery will last twice as long as the little solar charger. However, your battery is lead acid and must not be discharged below 50% giving your ammo case battery a useful value of 90Wh. The solar charge has LiPo and I don't know how much useful capacity they actually have but it's more than 50%.
Thank you. That was very informative.
 
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