The <A href="http://forums.equipped.org/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=276358#Post276358">21st-centuries migrant's checklist</A> got me thinking about charging technologies that can be used "on the go". I don't want to hijack the thread, so I created this one.
By "On the go" I mean: 1) Small/Light enough to carry in an INCH backpack along with the rest of your stuff. 2) Does not required anything supported by infrastructure (i.e. electrical sockets, car jacks, etc.).
To the best of my knowledge, there's 1) Direct solar chargers - Charges the device directly from solar panels 2) Indirect solar chargers - Charges a battery from solar panels, which is then used to charge a device 3) Direct crank chargers - Charges the device directly from soa hand cranked dynamo. 4) Indirect crank chargers - Charges a battery from a hand cranked dynamo, which is then used to charge a device 5) Thermo-electric - practical power PowerPot V. Turns your dinner into a battery.
While not quite independent of infrastructure, worth a look anyway 6) Disposable battery adaptors - Commercial or homemade. When mixed with a couple of battery adaptors, can charge the device off of commonly available batteries. 7) Big honking (>10Ah) backup battery - Can extend the battery life by a factor of 6 or more.
6) Disposable battery adaptors - Commercial or homemade. When mixed with a couple of battery adaptors, can charge the device off of commonly available batteries.
Some time ago there was a post on a 4 AA battery charger mentioned, and I bought one. Used it a couple of times while traveling, and it worked fine. The key is, IMO, AA batteries are available all over the place, and usually cheaply. So when I travel, the AA powered charger goes with me.
And always wondered why cordless tool power packs never had usb charging ports... but seems nowadays you can by adaptors for the battery packs from the major makers.
I plan to use an "indirect solar charger" (Goal Zero) as a supplement to a vehicle on an upcoming project which will be out on the boonies and off the grid.
Hikermor... AFLM recommended a Fujicell SCH808F controlled charger and it works well with either 12vdc (from my GZ 7watt panel via the cigarette receptacle) 12vdc from a cigarette plug, 120vac from the wall, and 5vdc USB... don't know if they are available any longer... I got mine thru Amazon/UK IIRC... you might look at similar chargers... if you have not already got your Goal Zero kit, be sure that you get the newer Guide 10 Plus pack... my older non plus will not charge my older phone... there is an adapter pack if you get Goal Zero AAA cells that work with the Guide 10 pack so you can charge the AAAs in the AA charge well... or you can make a AAA adapter with a couple of coils of 3/8 wire
10+ absolutely is what I have, along with the AAA adapter. In a situation without 12V DC or 110, I should be able to keep phone, lights, and GPS humming along.....
AFLM... is the Fujicell SCH808F charger still available in the UK? I have not seen it listed, and would like to get one for a friend
I can't seem to find them unfortunately but I would go for a Nitecore D2 or D4..It charges everything (including Lithium Ion, LifePo4 and NiMh etc) and the price is good at the moment for what you get! Will also charge using an 12V auto cigarette charging point.
http://www.amazon.com/NITECORE-version-I...rds=notecore+d4 c It won't charge from USB but a USB to 12V step up onverter can easily be made! I am currently using one to step up 2x18650 cells to a 12V rail power system for a home made Night Vision Sight System for a Crossbow.
Various Buck/Boost step up/step down Converters modules;
Each of my car kits contains a WakaWaka Power+. It holds 3750 maH, can recharge our phones (but not tablets), recharges itself in almost any natural lighting conditions, and of course provides a light as well. I'd carry something with more solar wattage if I expected more use than "charge the phone and call someone".
I can't seem to find them unfortunately but I would go for a Nitecore D2 or D4..It charges everything (including Lithium Ion, LifePo4 and NiMh etc) and the price is good at the moment for what you get! Will also charge using an 12V auto cigarette charging point.
I have a D4 at my desk and a D2 in my car. Highly, highly recommended.
During the last 3 nights camping, I had a great success with the same as Les' GoalZero Solar panel + Guide 10 + similar to Chaos' WakaWaka 3Ah LiPO with small solar panel on the side (but about 5 times cheaper ;)). They were charging Samsung Note 3 phone, Samsung 10.1 tablet, and a midrange LG Android phone - all being in intensive use only in the evening time (3-4G Internet, BT, GPS, Maps, Games, Movies), and charging in the sun most of the day time. I have never saw less than 50% charge left on either of the three. For emergency calls I'm keeping a fully charged spare battery for my Note 3 - it's really small, and also another 4 AA eneloops for the Guide.
All of that is riding either in my tiny Canon camera backpack (along with camera gear, including 3 Lenses), or in the even smaller hydration backpack, surely with all the other essential survival gear and supplies in both cases.
Also, I have the 22Ah gel battery in the car's emergency jump starter (upgraded the regular 12Ah Husky jump starter once). Oh, and another 6V SLA battery is in the mattress air pump. I have spliced its charging cable, so I can easily draw power from it in case of emergency.
I have a crank power flashlight with the 12V cigar lighter socket somewhere deep in the car as well, however it's not powerful enough to charge a modern phone directly, should probably try it with the Guide 10 instead.
One of the sources missing is chemical energy. Trying to procure russian salt water flashlight-generator: http://veslo.ru/2006/snaraga/svel/svel.html (in Russian) still no luck.
And thanks for the NiteCore tip. Found it on eBay for just $9.59.
[censored][censored]" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.ebay.com/itm/Green-House-Salt...=item4aef8e3342 No specs, but there is a same "120" number on the image of the box.
Sure thing it's just a weird option. And not a very sustainable one (if you run off the supply rods...). I believe modern solar panels are the way to go, just don't rely too much on small ones, get a 150W one, it works in overcast. For portability I'd go for film panels.
Here's a simple question. I have not sat down to figure this out. Suppose you want to carry enough solar panels to charge your cellphone in a convenient time. How much area do you need for the solar panels? I am talking about a charging time of say ... 45-60 minutes. For a modern cell phone, like an iPhone 6 or an Android.
I am trying to see how practical this is. There are small "portable" solar cell units that are sold in wilderness stores. They actually roll up into a convenient carrying package. But I am not clear if they will really charge a cell phone in an hour. If it takes all day - that is far too long.
Just for an example: An iPhone 6 can be charged to 90% in two hours with an 2.1A power adapter. I would not try to reduce the time with higher currents due to thermal issues. A 45W panel has a nominal output current of around 2.1A at an area of roughly two by four feet. A 20W panel has roughly 1.1A nominal output current at an area of roughly two by two feet. The charging times will depend on how far you deplete the battery. The actual output depends on the panels technology and may differ from numbers above. It still should give you an idea on how practical it is.
That's fairly simple. Example: my Note 3 battery is rated 7.4 Wh, so a 7W panel I have (Goal Zero Nomad 7, 9"x6.5" folded) should charge it in a bit over an hour under perfect conditions. In reality, I cannot draw 7W out of its USB port, as it's rated for 5 Watt only. Plus, unavoidable loses due to various voltage conversions in the phone, not ideal atmospheric conditions, etc, so I would double or even triple that time. But 3 Hours is not that bad at all, especially if you have a battery buffer, such as the Guide 10 (11Wh) to accumulate the solar power all day (in fact, 3-4 hours, so a second batch of 4 AAs can be charged). By the way, I plan to make an adapter, fitting the Nomad 7's pocket to charge my phone's spare battery on the go.
The specs sheet looks similar to the Russian model (120 hours on one cathode), but like 10 times more expensive.
And another one (smaller and cheaper): http://goo.gl/Dwe376 No specs, but there is a same "120" number on the image of the box.
Sure thing it's just a weird option. And not a very sustainable one (if you run out of the supply rods...). I believe modern solar panels are the way to go, just don't rely too much on small ones, get a 150W one, it works in overcast. For portability I'd go for film panels.
Hmm, some sort of a glitch with that post happened, a part of it is marked as Censored in the original post and in the quoted text, replaced ebay URLs with shorturls.
To me, an INCH event is where things are really messed up and quite possible that supporting infrastructure is already gone or in bad shape. Meaning, would there still be a need to charge a cell phone? Carrying a few extra batteries for a flashlight is doable depending on supposed INCH event.
Depending on cellphone, carrying extra batteries which are lightweight would be my preference. 4-5 batteries ($50.00 and 8 oz total weight) for my phone would give about 16,000 mAh of battery time and could last months with careful usage. Again, depending on the INCH event, having a 12 volt to USB cable will give a lot of charging options from many sources such as car batteries etc. The 12 volt end of the cable can easily have a cigarette type connector added to it also. I have a similar cable but it has 2x USB connectors and has come in handy and mostly recently during a 32 hour power outage here at home which was caused by a windstorm.
Although the foldable type of solar panel products are decent (there is some real garbage though), they are really not suited for on the go unless you plan to stop for to allow the charger to have enough sun time to charge the batteries. Also what happens if it rains and there are clouds for days on end? Solar charge time may stretch into 10's of hours, if not more.
As for SLA type batteries, they can hold plenty of power but are heavy and not really suited for on the go travel. A better solution especially if you have a phone such the Apple iPhone in which they don't have a replaceable battery, might be the Anker 26800mAh charger Anker is a very reliable brand and makes quality products. One or two of these chargers in a backpack will give plenty of charging capability.
Itīs not that simple. If the battery has some sort of lithium based technology it wont be very forgiving when you violate the loading specs. It might catch fire or explode.
Itīs not that simple. If the battery has some sort of lithium based technology it wont be very forgiving when you violate the loading specs. It might catch fire or explode.
Are you talking about the Solar charger for the spare Note 3 battery? Most likely, I will just pick a cheap official USB charger for that battery with proper connector and 3D print a different casing for the circuit, so it fits better in the Nomad's pocket. Most of the chargers I see are quite bulky looking and/or seems insecure for charging on the go (slot type) when Nomad is hanging from the backpack unfolded.
Some lithium technologies are more tolerant than others. Paraphrased from http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?317698-Lithium-IMR-vs-ICR-vs-IFR:
ICR == LiCoO2 == What most people think of when they say "Lithium Ion batteries" == can be prone to "venting with flame" when violating the loading specs. Be sure to use high-quality, protected cells.
IMR == LiMn == Good for high-drain use but has less capacity == Can overload but significantly less likely to go into thermal runaway and also less likely to hurt you or your equipment if it does. Always use high-quality cells, nobody makes them with PCB protection as far as I can tell (because you don't need it).
IFR == LiFePO4 == Longer cycle life, better power density and safer than ICR, needs a LiFePO4-aware charger in order to charge safely. Be sure to use high-quality, protected cells.
Most of my rechargeables are NiMH or ICR, but I do have some IMR cells for specific applications. I also only buy high-quality cells and use a high-quality charger.
Cell Choice is important and pretty dependent on the application.
For example if you need to see in the dark then a torch might be required. If you want to see quite a distance in the dark then a high Lumen torch is required with a large high drain cell such as a 26650 Lithium Ion Cell. Flashlights with powers exceeding 10W may allow you to see a few hundred yards and last around 2 hours.
You can take a different approach and use an Image intensifier tube.
An Image intensifier tube may use around 0.2W and a single 26650 Lithium cell would last 100 Hours.
The power requirement is 50 times less. The charging requirement is 50 times less. The size and weight of the flashlight and Intensifier tube may well be similar.
Rechargeable Alkaline Cells could then even be competitive against rechargeable lithium ion cells with their better low self discharge rates of 4% per year compared to 40-60% for the Lithium ion.
It is also about the charge time calculation. The charge time calculation needs to take in account that your permissible charging current is limited. With an official charger for the battery you should be on the save side.
There are a ton of great "Battery Banks" on the market that give you the ability to carry several days of charge.
Beyond that, Solar (150w) in a fold up pack that can be mounted to a backpack that charges a "Battery Bank" while on the go would probably be my next choice.
I have also seen some "Fuel Cell" options out there, that look good, still have the limitation that once you run out of "cells", your stuck. The energy density is better than batteries, but your still capacity limited.
A lot of brands have already been mentioned here, but I have fondness for Anker. They are price competitive, and have a wide array of Banks/Panels and Chargers for every need.
I personally own several of their products, and have never been disappointed.
To me, an INCH event is where things are really messed up and quite possible that supporting infrastructure is already gone or in bad shape. Meaning, would there still be a need to charge a cell phone? Carrying a few extra batteries for a flashlight is doable depending on supposed INCH event.
INCH event = Current conficts in North Africa, Middle East, and the Ukraine that is resulting in mass exodus of refugees to Europe. Refugees, once they're out of the conflict zone, will have access to mobile networks with the purchase of a local SIM card.
From what I have seen in the news pictures, the refugees are carrying any combination of casual backpacks, medium size conventional suitcases, and/or large cloth-bound bundles (I'm assuming regional carry technique).
Originally Posted By: Am_Fear_Liath_Mor
Cell Choice is important and pretty dependent on the application.
For example if you need to see in the dark then a torch might be required. If you want to see quite a distance in the dark then a high Lumen torch is required with a large high drain cell such as a 26650 Lithium Ion Cell. Flashlights with powers exceeding 10W may allow you to see a few hundred yards and last around 2 hours.
You can take a different approach and use an Image intensifier tube.
An Image intensifier tube may use around 0.2W and a single 26650 Lithium cell would last 100 Hours.
Entry level, brand name, "International" smart phones can be had relatively cheap. I paid $60 for a previous generation LG (non-international). It lacks the bells and whistles of the more expensive phones, but I can call, text, navigate, and access the web on it. The only things I don't have, but wish I did is OTG capabilities
Image intensifier tube = night vision goggles? Expensive option for anything newer then a Gen1 and about the weight of a 3D or 4D maglite. Unless you want to use it to bribe someone, there are better INCH options.
Expensive option for anything newer then a Gen1 and about the weight of a 3D or 4D maglite.
I measured the power draw on a Gen1 P8079HP tube @ 0.192W using a 6V supply i.e. a couple of 3V RCR123s.
I'm having some fun with the tube (about Ģ90), the picatinny rails and the epoxy.
It works quite well with a 50mm C mount CCTV lens (about Ģ25), IR Lasers and I'm looking to get a collar adapter machined up to do some digiscoping with a Nikon Coolpix P310 camera and FSB-series Digital Camera Bracket digiscope adapter to hunt for UFO's I'm currently waiting for a faster Russian 85mm M42 F1.5 lens to be delivered, with much more light gathering capability.
It also works with a 940nm pill on a T50 illuminator.
you need to see in the dark then a torch might be required. If you want to see quite a distance in the dark then a high Lumen torch is required with a large high drain cell such as a 26650 Lithium Ion Cell. Flashlights with powers exceeding 10W may allow you to see a few hundred yards and last around 2 hours.
I never really get why people need a huge amount of lumens. I do a lot of outdoor things and the most I need are: quick short term higher lumen output for navigation (100 - 200 lumen), a lower output to see in front of me and a even lower one for stationary things. Easily done with regular AA or AAA batteries. The only moments i need a higher lumen light is while MTBing or trailrunning in the dark.
Originally Posted By: RNewcomb
Beyond that, Solar (150w) in a fold up pack that can be mounted to a backpack that charges a "Battery Bank" while on the go would probably be my next choice. Rod
150watts? Really that much? I don't think a average pack has enough surface area for 150watts of panels and how much battery banks do you want to carry? A panel big enough to supply the maximum amount of batterybank input most of the time is large enough. Maximum batery input for lithium batterybanks are generally only 2.1A.
Phone, (head)light and maybe a GPS. What else do you want to carry with you? The more you bring, the slower you are.
There are a lot of useful comments here. If someone can recommend good-quality solar panels (preferably those that roll up) ... that would be useful.
The SIMPLE thing I got from this discussion ... don't try to charge your phone directly from the solar panel. This takes too long. Instead, buy a couple of rechargeable batteries. Leave the solar panel so that it is constantly charging one battery for the entire day (e.g. leave on the roof of your vehicle or cabin). Carry the other battery(fully charged) as a backup. And this way there is always an opportunity to re-charge your phone if you need to.
The only solar panel devices I have experience with are WakaWaka and Goal Zero. The former comes in essentially one, small size, suitable for charging a single smartphone. It works a treat. Goal Zero comes in a variety of sizes and form factors depending on your needs. Neither rolls up and I'm not aware of any high-quality solar cells that do.
I have experience with solar monkey (underpowered for the marketed use and expensive), Goal zero (expensive, but works well) and some small cheaper ones. But the solar power industry has exploded the last few years, so too many new choices these days.
Phone, (head)light and maybe a GPS. What else do you want to carry with you? The more you bring, the slower you are.
As far as electronics go: I'd add a pocket or emergency radio, try to get a light with a very low power mode to prolong the battery life (you only need about 2 lumens to avoid stepping on someone on the way to the bathroom), and a power source of some sort (solar, power bank, battery charger).
Phone: 1/2 lb with charger (required) Headlight: 1/4 lb (required) Pocket radio: 1/4 (sports) to 3/4 (crank) lb (optional. Made somewhat redundant by a smart phone, but not vulnerable to network congestion and with wider coverge) GPS with charger: 1/2 lb (optional, same reason as radio) Solar charger (10W) or 10Ah power pack: 1 lb (required) External hard drive (remember that this is a one-way trip): 1/2 lb (optional. Copies of critical files can be carried on a smart phone memory card)
So figure that a full e-load is going to run from about <2 - 3 1/2 lbs.
To me, an INCH event is where things are really messed up and quite possible that supporting infrastructure is already gone or in bad shape. Meaning, would there still be a need to charge a cell phone? Carrying a few extra batteries for a flashlight is doable depending on supposed INCH event.
INCH event = Current conficts in North Africa, Middle East, and the Ukraine that is resulting in mass exodus of refugees to Europe. Refugees, once they're out of the conflict zone, will have access to mobile networks with the purchase of a local SIM card.
From what I have seen in the news pictures, the refugees are carrying any combination of casual backpacks, medium size conventional suitcases, and/or large cloth-bound bundles (I'm assuming regional carry technique).
I would think if the refugees can purchase a SIM card in whatever European country they have fled to, they also have access to mains power to charge their phones which this image shows. The image was taken recently at the Keleti Railway Station in Budapest, Hungary.
I would think if the refugees can purchase a SIM card in whatever European country they have fled to, they also have access to mains power to charge their phones which this image shows. The image was taken recently at the Keleti Railway Station in Budapest, Hungary.
That image kind of demonstrates my point. There are how many hundreds or thousands of people waiting at Keleti? And, each outlet is only supporting about a dozen phones, with each phone taking 3-4 hours to charge. The mathmatics aren't real encouraging.
That image kind of demonstrates my point. There are how many hundreds or thousands of people waiting at Keleti? And, each outlet is only supporting about a dozen phones, with each phone taking 3-4 hours to charge. The mathmatics aren't real encouraging.
I guess we are not seeing this the same so I will make my last comments on this.
These desperate people are refugees from Syria, South Sudan, Iraq, Libya and other war and politically torn countries. I would doubt that before they fled their homeland that they really thought about how they were going to charge their phones or batteries while on the go or when they hit Europe.
Also I would doubt that most probably do not have the financial means to be purchasing any on the go charging options before they fled and when they arrived in Europe. Even if they had the means, the many options mentioned here in this thread are very niche, not readily available even in Europe or for that matter here in NA.
For example, I live an very large Canadian metro area and I can only think of 3 outdoor oriented store chains that carry any type of good quality backpack style solar panel setups. Of those 3 stores, only one has a real good selection on hand, the other 2 would probably order if you asked. The only other option would be Ebay or Amazon.
For those people fleeing from the many global hot-spots mentioned, I don't think that visiting a local outdoor store or ordering from Ebay nor Amazon is an option...
Finally, for those here. Do not discount making your own backpack solar setup. I made this proof of concept last year for <$20.00. The panels were ordered from Ebay. The case is an old DVD case with the DVD sleeves removed. I already had the wire, wire loom and Schottky diode. In real good summer sun, charging amps is just only about .7 amp. Voltage can hit just under 14. This setup will not charge a phone but can charge a couple of AA batteries at a time, albeit slowly - which is better then none.
Now that the cost of mini flexible panels have dropped, my winter project is to make a 7-10 watt foldable panel setup for <50.00.
External hard drive (remember that this is a one-way trip): 1/2 lb (optional. Copies of critical files can be carried on a smart phone memory card)
I would invest in a bunch of SD (TF) cards in 64Gb capacity each instead. They are dirt cheap today ($6 shipped). And make a library of your files stored by category. That's more versatile, lightweight, and much more reliable than mechanical hard drive. 1TB is usually more than enough for everything one could accomulate in a lifetime (except HD movies library of course ) 1000/64*6 = $93 - less than twice the cost of 1TB HDD and weighting nothing (0.3 oz). They also might have a trade value far exceeding $6.
(preferably those that roll up) ... that would be useful.
I saw a lot of positive reviews for PowerFilm when been researching the subject some years ago: http://www.amazon.com/PowerFilm-Rollable-Solar-Panel-Charger/dp/B001UHAAAC - still on the market - means they are good. Just look around for deals. On other hand, foldable options are also good. The Nomad I have is extremely tough and has a very well thought out design:
[quote=Am_Fear_Liath_Mor] 150watts? Really that much? I don't think a average pack has enough surface area for 150watts of panels
That's probably refers to my opinion on the solar wattage I think is ideal. The folding pack is actually not that big at all: See here (also film based, by the way). The goal is to have enough power even in the evening or in a heavy overcast. I have been considering that one to power my field laptop at the time they were quite power hungry and smartphones too weak for my field tasks...
[quote=Mark_R]I would invest in a bunch of SD (TF) cards in 64Gb capacity each instead. They are dirt cheap today ($6 shipped)..
I have not seen them at this price. Can you list a source? I do exactly what you described and it works well for me.
If it's that cheap, it's probably a low class (slow speed) SD card. You can really notice the writting speed difference between the more expensive higher class cards. So unless you have lots of time left, having a higher class card will make thing easier and there for you will generally update your backup more often.
As for data, I would recommend to seperate files in to: - Important documents (encrypt it) - Memories (pictures and such) - Others, not so important/replaceble (movies, music, etc.)
This allows you to decide which data to copy to which storage solution, if you have multiple storage devices. Having multiple storage devices at differnt locations is pretty handy if a location is effected by something (fire, flooding, etc).
I use a mixture of 2,5 HDD's, USB flashdrives and stored hidden in devices.
As for data, I would recommend to seperate files in to: - Important documents (encrypt it) - Memories (pictures and such) - Others, not so important/replaceble (movies, music, etc.)
This allows you to decide which data to copy to which storage solution, if you have multiple storage devices. Having multiple storage devices at differnt locations is pretty handy if a location is effected by something (fire, flooding, etc).
I use a mixture of 2,5 HDD's, USB flashdrives and stored hidden in devices.
I do a backup of the user directory (Drive letter:\\users\username) except for the download folder. Any downloaded installation programs get copied onto a DVD-R. It's enough to reconstruct things in case of a drive crash. The user directory includes desktop, pictures, movies, music, my docs, contacts, favorites, etc.
Important or sensative documents are already encryted as a countermeasure in case I get hacked. Think of it as a cyber home safe. Like most people here, I prefer to make the odds in my favor.
[quote=Mark_R]I would invest in a bunch of SD (TF) cards in 64Gb capacity each instead. They are dirt cheap today ($6 shipped)..
I have not seen them at this price. Can you list a source? I do exactly what you described and it works well for me.
Check the eBay. To be exact, last time I bought one for $12, but when checked yesterday - there were $6-7 offers. Just ordered one for $5.95 to verify if that's not a fake. The $12 one is class 10. However, most of the data on those emergency cards will be static (documents, photos, home videos, books, music, games). So I would not be concerned much even if that's in fact Class 4. Actually the older slow cards should be a bit more reliable (larger components). Even better to use old 2Gb cards, as they are made by SLC technology (not MLC as modern inexpensive high capacity cards), which data retention time is 10 years (vs 3-4 for MLC).
By the way, keep in mind, that any solid state flash cards/drives (SSD) cannot be stored forever as DVD disks (the later also depend on storage environment a lot, though). It is crucial to have them powered at least twice a year, and rewrite with the data every 2 years, otherwise the stored data may start deteriorating. Also, it is better to use fresh (brand new) cards for long term storage, as with every rewrite cycle the data retention time will be reduced. In that regard ordinary hard drives might look more attractive as they seem to keep data much longer, however, for hard drives, there are three main factors affecting their data retention time: magnetic field breakdown, bad environmental conditions, and mechanical failures. So, it is recommended to rewrite long term storage hard drives (which are sitting on the shelf, not powered) every 2 years as well, including a mandatory low level reformatting procedure.
By the way, keep in mind, that any solid state flash cards/drives (SSD) cannot be stored forever as DVD disks (the later also depend on storage environment a lot, though). It is crucial to have them powered at least twice a year, and rewrite with the data every 2 years, otherwise the stored data may start deteriorating. Also, it is better to use fresh (brand new) cards for long term storage, as with every rewrite cycle the data retention time will be reduced. In that regard ordinary hard drives might look more attractive as they seem to keep data much longer, however, for hard drives, there are three main factors affecting their data retention time: magnetic field breakdown, bad environmental conditions, and mechanical failures. So, it is recommended to rewrite long term storage hard drives (which are sitting on the shelf, not powered) every 2 years as well, including a mandatory low level reformatting procedure.
I've been doing some poking around concerning memory stability vs environmental stresses. Flash memory cards are near indestructible, but the data will start to degrade sooner. They're really ideally suited for transporting, not long term storage, of data. I feel that duplicate flash memory cards are the best solution for scenarios where rough handling is expected, but data only has to be stable for a few months. If you've got the money, an IronKey D250 ($100-$600 ea) is a heck of a way to transport data.
HDD and DVD+/-R seem to be the big ones when it comes to not loosing data. HDD can tolerate slightly higher long term storage temperatures then DVD's, but obviously don't tolerate getting dropped as well as the ligher discs. JVC rates their archival DVDs at -20C to 50C for long term storage and -40C to 60C for <2 weeks, and WD rates their Elements external drive at -20C to 50C. Sandisk rates their SSD internal drives at 0C to 70C.
Alex, thanks for the tutorial. I have been carrying sd chips for years and seem to have had good results, but mostly by random luck.
Redundancy appears to be the best solution. I am an international traveler so in addition to sd cards & a portable USB hd, I keep a copy on the net. Well encrypted of course.
Redundancy appears to be the best solution. I am an international traveler so in addition to sd cards & a portable USB hd, I keep a copy on the net. Well encrypted of course.
Yeah, it really works, as I learned yesterday when the HDD on my 8 year old laptop died (I do most of my work on a desktop), and the net loss of data was zero. I did have a short period of panic when I realized I had misplaced one of the backup DVD's, but found it after a bit of looking. Note to self: remember where you put the backups!
JVC rates their archival DVDs at -20C to 50C for long term storage and -40C to 60C for <2 weeks, and WD rates their Elements external drive at -20C to 50C. Sandisk rates their SSD internal drives at 0C to 70C.
Note that archival is a key term here. The average DVD you buy off the shelf at OfficeMart is not an Archival grade DVD.
Update on that cheap 64Gb T-flash card order. It turned out to be an obvious scum. Got just an empty envelope from them, and a prompt promise to send two cards in compensation for that when had issued a nondelivery resolution request. No problem, eBay compensated 100%.
It is definitely charging like a 30A/h capacity battery (took around 24 hours to top it with the 1.5A charger. However, the phone charging test demonstrated something within a 15Ah capacity so far (I plan to redo it in a more refined environment with the bare battery only tonight, as the phone was charging while online, and with periodic use). Still impressive, compared to what I'm carrying now. The urge to upgrade, besides the increased capacity, was also about standardizing on the micro USB plug, so I don't have to carry an adapter or additional cable, as well as adding more USB ports to charge multiple devices simultaneously.
Compared to many other similar offerings, my research suggests that this is the most slimmest cheap power bank on the market today, which is crucial for my "No Bag EDC" effort. It's very well made, curved corners are pocket friendly, does not produce much heat when charged or discharged, very lightweight, has 2 Amps charging and discharging circuit (important for faster than typical charging times), has over-current protection, has an integrated not a complete nonsense flashlight (two LEDs around 30 lumens total focused spot), cheap.
The solar panel on the side, though inefficient, still good to have (the a bit smaller one on my other similar powerbank was capable to prolong the life of the battery quite noticeably after being left behind the car's sunroof on the open parking lot for the entire day (got almost an additional full phone charge in 9 hours ~3 A/h).
Forget that one. It looks like a total BS. Barely charged the phone twice, also noticed significant self-discharge. The battery is less than 7Ah. Initiated return.
Not at all. I'd rather say I'm a strong believer in the technology. The 30Ah in such a small F-F was definitely an "exaggeration", but 15Ah would be realistic for $15 physically and economically. The same for the T-F card earlier, its manufacture cost is only cents, the rest of the retail price is greed.
I'm buying great electronics off eBay with great success weekly. E.g. just got 2 SoC boards for $3.80 shipped, while they are $7 each everywhere. Or last week I've received 10 fully functional relays for $6, while they are $5 each everywhere. I had no problems buying components for my 3D printer 2-10 fold in price. But I would definitely note that the percentage of scum and counterfeit products from China merchants is growing for the past years, so always watch for the seller's reputation and return/refund conditions carefully while placing an order.
Yep. Good example, by the way. The first panel on your list is only 5W (almost useless power wise, also with an unreliable USB receptacle design), but costs $100, which is two times more compared to the goalzero nomad's like designed (perfect) 15W panel of your second choice (which is 3 times more power!). And they are sold on the same Amazon. Greed. I bet we'll see 10W panels like that for less than $10 pretty soon.
Several months ago I've soldered a high end cells (Sunpower Maxeon) based 15W solar panel (square foot size) which I've got off eBay for just $15 shipped (all the soldering hardware and even special soldering flux included). Today I can see that you can get 36 Watts of them for just $14 shipped: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sunpower-Maxeon-...or/252161621943
For the power bank there are zillions of ugly options on the market. However there is nothing comparable to what I was hoping to get with at least 15Ah, but with the really well thought out design for EDC (by the way, I took a $6 refund instead of returning that PB above, will try to combine 2 batteries inside).
) 1000/64*6 = $93 - less than twice the cost of 1TB HDD and weighting nothing (0.3 oz). They also might have a trade value far exceeding $6.
