Does anybody use camping/traveling solar panels to recharge the devices. If so which one do you use and what do you think? Planning on doing some camping over the summer and thought that using one of these would be a good things. One of the brands I was looking out is the Goal Zero small adventure kit.

 

Goal Zero small kits are 3.5 or 7 watts. Definitely in the cell phone/laptop category. They look great if that is enough power for your purposes. They appear to include a storage battery, which is good, but heavy if you are back packing.

If you are camping close to the Jeep, it would make sense to put a small solar panel on the hood or roof and let it trickle charge the Jeep's battery. Then use the Jeep's battery to charge your stuff. If you go this route be sure there is a charge controller between the panel and the battery to keep the battery from overcharging.

 

You're camping. Leave the city stuff at home and enjoy the quiet. Your iPod will last a few days and your phone will do fine without you.

 

Music is awesome if you can't make your own bring music. And in the real world we have to have cell phones.

 

Well when I am camping. I don't use cell phones or anything. However, we do think to listen to music. So instead of wasting the battery in my Jeep. Like to try solar power. Keep things running. And I can't play a musical instrument to save my life. And you don't want to hear my sing.

 

I'm currently running a 4- 100CCA red top battery bank on a 45w solar panel with a charge controller. The system is in 12v parallel and used to run a camper. Anyone else work in the DC solar world?

 

I'v got the 45w HF deal for $150 bucks. Works great I'v been using it to charge 2 batteries for my Deep freezer so if the power go's out for an extended period of time I'm not out $1,000 in steaks, chicken, bacon etc...

I check the voltage once a week but its been keeping them charged.

 

Check out GoalZero, lots of great options and super people to deal with. Plus they run TeraFlex suspension under their JK.

 

My system works great and lasts a long time. I was running a 800w peak inverter, but it's only pushing 100v. I can only assume this is because I'm not even touching 100w in power draw.

I'm trying to do this project as "in the garage" as I can. The only overhead I really had was $130 for a panel/ controller.