I have a question along the same lines. I have a few different AA rechargers, the ones that come with a USB port, so you can charge the AA batteries, then plug in your ipod while out of the house and recharge it. Also, you can recharge anything USB, like your cell phone and digital camera. The AA batteries are obviously too small for recharging your laptop.
I basically charge the AA power packs off of a few different solar kits that I have. To sum it up, my ipod has been off the grid for 4 months now. I know, it's a little start, but I'm happy about it. Recently I upgraded my solar kit and can now recharge my cell phone directly off the solar panel, not needing to go through the AA power pack.
My question is this. Can I patch into the AA battery recharger and instead charge some D cell batteries with it? I can buy D cells with 9000 mAh, instead of using AAs with 2700 mAh. If so, wouldn't I be able to leave my solar panel out in the sun for longer, basically saving up electricity all day long, instead of for just a few hours like I do with AA batteries? My solar panel supplies 422 mAh, so a 9000 mAh battery would take a few days to fill, right?
I know, you're going to say, just buy some deep cycle batteries like they have at the boat store! But I live in Taiwan and we don't have any boat stores, or even hobby shops, that I know of. We do have some golf courses, so maybe I could find golf cart batteries (6 v x 2 = 12 volts). And deep cycle batteries cost a couple hundred dollars, compared to D cells which can run me about $10 each. What I'd really like to get my hands on is rechargeable lantern batteries, 6 v or 12 v.
I've got another solar kit on the way, and I already own a power inverter and charge controller. Until that kit arrives, what do you think, can I clip some D cells into my AA battery recharger and get results?
I basically charge the AA power packs off of a few different solar kits that I have. To sum it up, my ipod has been off the grid for 4 months now. I know, it's a little start, but I'm happy about it. Recently I upgraded my solar kit and can now recharge my cell phone directly off the solar panel, not needing to go through the AA power pack.
My question is this. Can I patch into the AA battery recharger and instead charge some D cell batteries with it? I can buy D cells with 9000 mAh, instead of using AAs with 2700 mAh. If so, wouldn't I be able to leave my solar panel out in the sun for longer, basically saving up electricity all day long, instead of for just a few hours like I do with AA batteries? My solar panel supplies 422 mAh, so a 9000 mAh battery would take a few days to fill, right?
I know, you're going to say, just buy some deep cycle batteries like they have at the boat store! But I live in Taiwan and we don't have any boat stores, or even hobby shops, that I know of. We do have some golf courses, so maybe I could find golf cart batteries (6 v x 2 = 12 volts). And deep cycle batteries cost a couple hundred dollars, compared to D cells which can run me about $10 each. What I'd really like to get my hands on is rechargeable lantern batteries, 6 v or 12 v.
I've got another solar kit on the way, and I already own a power inverter and charge controller. Until that kit arrives, what do you think, can I clip some D cells into my AA battery recharger and get results?