Solar AA battery chargers?

Posted by Neil W on August 1, 2006, 8:19 pm

I'd like to start off small with my solar experimenting. Can anyone
recommend a good solar AA battery recharger?  I have read a number of
reviews about products that simply don't work.  Can anyone recommend one out
of first hand experience?  Thanks.

Posted by Randy on August 1, 2006, 11:10 pm

I usually sneak out to my front yard when my wife is not looking and swap
out the batteries from the malibu solar lights:)
They charge quite nicely.
(do it before dark though)

Posted by Blue Cat on August 3, 2006, 9:23 am

I don't even need a commercial recharger. Just set up a charging circuit
with the charging current equal to one tenth the battery capacity. If the
rechargeable cell is rated 1.5 amp-hours, charge it at 150 ma. Use the
formula below:

Series Resistor = (PV panel voltage - battery voltage)/(Charging current)

The PV panel voltage is not the open circuit voltage, but the voltage at the
charging current.

Posted by Bob on August 4, 2006, 10:36 am

Check the AA Battery Solar Charger at
http://www.globalsolar.com/military.htm . I think this unit is avialable
to the consumer market as well.

Bob Butcher

Neil W wrote:

Posted by andybenn on August 5, 2006, 2:55 am

Dear Neil

I found a good recharger from: solarpanelsonline@yahoo.co.uk

I live in the UK and the charger has done well will 4 x 1300mAh batteries
over the course of a sunny day this summer. I've only had it 2 months so
not tested it over the winter, but got it principally to ensure I have
batteries for my digital camera where-ever I am. Cost just under �12.

Andy