HumanEdgeTech final: expedition power, the latest buzz
HumanEdgeTech solar panel range customized for Kayaks (click to enlarge).
The generator. Add 16 gallons of gas plus battery.
Feather: charge straight to your iPhone/iPod/Satphone and more.
Power 50: recharge from solar power ranging from 1W to 100W and choose voltage. Tips included.
A complete BC comms and power pack from HET. All images HumanEdgeTech.com (click to enlarge).
Now if only we could harness some of this little guy's energy. Pic from the new skateboard ramp at Venice Beach in Los Angeles, ExplorersWeb. (Click to enlarge).
11:35 am CDT Oct 29, 2009
(HumanEdgeTech.com) Yesterday we covered walk-and-charge, cranks and small wind generators among unusual ways to generate expedition power.
Today, the more traditional and most efficient technologies to juice up in the wild.
Gas
All explorers work with some sort of gas (bhutan, white gas, etc) for cooking while for other needs, many expeditions have lugged bulky and noisy generators around in the past.
A highly efficient unit such as the Honda will produce 1800Watt and use 2 liters of gas if run for 2 hours per day. An average 2 month expedition will thus transport 60 liters of gas (plus the container weight) in addition to the generator.
A 300 Watt solar system would give the same energy output at 6 hours of sun, so unless you are on a winter expedition, solar panels are a very good option. Panels cost more but will last for years and typically weigh less than 10 kg for the full system (excluding battery which is needed for both generator and solar).
Solar Energy
The sun is our most abundant energy source. Filtered in the atmosphere, solar energy hits Earth with an effect of 1000Watt per square meter per hour. Perfectly harnessed, an area of 6 by 6 meters would be enough to power an American household indefinitely. Today, we can only capture around 5-20% of this sunlight but the technology is fast evolving.
Converting sunlight to electricity is called Photovoltaics and has been around since the fifties. Basically, this is how it works:
When light energy (photons) hit a semi conductive material electrons are knocked off from their atoms, creating an electricity flow in the material (such as silicon). The cells are interconnected and protected by a coating; the voltage is arranged to give an output of normally 15V (fluctuates) and controlled by a diode to power a battery.
Solar panels
As mentioned in yesterday's entry, power becomes a different animal when away from wall outlets. Explorers need solar panels offering the most energy at the least weight and at the best price. For the lightest panels, thinfilm is king with amorphous silicon the best among them. Extremely thin and often bendable, manufacturers typically apply thinfilm to rollable and foldable panels.
HumanEdgeTech carry 12 thinfilm amorphous silicon solar panel models in two series. The lightest panels available in the world today; Feather range from 1.5Watt to 60Watt. Multiple panels can be linked for up to 320Watt of power.
Feather fold small enough to be stored in pockets and backpacks without protection. Water resistant but not water proof, they will take some rain and snow. Feather have been out on all the 7 summits and most 8000ers including K2 and Everest.
Ideal panel for kayakers, rowers and polar skiers; the rollable Survivor is based on the same thinfilm technology but waterproof (top image).
Small electronics - up to 10Watt
A while back PCMag wrote that tech today is sold for style, not function. The most wildly promoted small charging device on the market right now, Solio sports a cool design but is far from the best product. Not surprisingly, Solio buyers at Amazon.com apparently also buy a big pack of Energizer batteries.
Small electronics, such as iPhones, iPods, satellite phones and PDA's can often be charged through either a 12V car charger (same outlet as in your car) or through an USB cable (5V). Solio has a very small solar panel and uses a built in battery to create power enough to charge a phone. The solar created power typically ranges between 0.6Watt to 0.9Watt so Solio can also be charged from a wall outlet; a much needed feature for city folks but less useful on a big hike.
In comparison, the new Feather USB + AA charger gives twice the power (1.44Watt) of the Solio, at roughly the same price and much lower weight. Charge straight to your iPhone via USB plus 2 AA batteries for your GPS, camera or other electronics.
HumanEdgeTech recommends Feather 5 for the serious hiker/camper/traveler or better yet (slightly heavier but up to 20 times stronger than a Solio) the bestselling Feather 10.
Battery - all about the brain (and size)
Contrary to small electronics, a Netbook or a Laptop will always need a battery in between the solar and the computer. Not only do you risk overcharge if plugging straight to solar; a laptop needs a steady current while the sun's energy fluctuates.
A battery with one single setting such as 14 Volt will eliminate most computers, or require complicated adapters. The biggest feature of HET P50 is that it allows you to choose voltage power from 5-19 V, which is important as many computers require 16-19 Voltage for charging.
Vastly smaller and lighter than the deep cycle batteries of the past, HET Power 50 also recharges from solar power ranging from 1W to 100W and will therefore work with a small solar panel. In other words, a way at last to charge a laptop from solar.
HumanEdgeTech is a unique, no-nonsense virtual expedition tech warehouse for satellite communications and edge technology. Created by explorers for explorers, the store is user-friendly with no-hassle pricing, expedition-tested gear, expedition-ready hardware, fast delivery and payments. HumanEdgeTech.com accepts most international credit cards, and delivers worldwide within 72 hours. For technical and import advice email team@humanedgetech, call 212-966-1928 or order direct at HumanEdgeTech.com
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