Solar power pack for bike touring

[ukjules]

Just checking if there is now a solar option for power on travels on a.motirbike.
My last tour of EU I simply had a battery to mobile charger rigged up that could also charge a phone or power pack. This worked fine and only a few times was I stuck bit if I was near my horse (the bike (the gs550)) power was always there.
(the phone also acts as the GPS)

This time just wanted to know what others use.
I use flexible packs tied to rear of bike and a solar panel could sit on top of that in the day while stationary and on the move ?

So a flexible , compact solar to - some useful output to charge phone and bike battery when stationary.
I have a trickle charger I bought on my last tour which I used in bars on long stay overs .....

Any experience out there on the move ?

 

[ukjules]

I am now thinking :
​​​​​​(for my 5k trip round Europe on the GS)
a) a solar panel pack that only charges the phone / battery pack etc via usb. This is ideal but doesn't charge a bike battery .

￡39.73 | JMUYTOP Outdoor powerful Portable Solar Panel 5v 21w 40W battery phone charger PD 20w QC 3.0 9V 12V For USB A C Power bank
https://a.aliexpress.com/_EJ5ly3p​

or
b) a solar panel pack that charges the battery but can't charge a mobile etc direct . Has to charge a battery back first ....
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/22493214...sspo=Glsa5u8aTF2&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=jdLBxpri TU-&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

- units have to be small as not much room on tours

With the help about en route it is almost the fact one only needs to charge phones , battery packs etc.

what have others done on big tours ?

 

[ukjules]

AND
yes I have a 12v to usb charger from bike battery so can charge phone on bike and perhaps battery pack at same time.
This a nest of wires under seat but worked on last trip .

I just think when stationary for few days on campsite it is so useful to get things charged up.

 

[Grimly]

Be aware that the power output quoted by the maker is at full sun and is a lie anyway.
Also be mindful of the effciency loss if charging the bike battery then charging the phone from that via another converter.
Won't be all that much of a problem if you're stopped in one spot for a few days.

 

[ukjules]

Yes agree.
I think however I only need it when stationary for few days. Like my usual break down in Amsterdam or the likes. It is so useful to have say the power pack or mini speaker being charged direct while sat in the sun ..... lazing about listening to Taylor swift.... I mean Bad Company .

So way forward (for mega tours)
So rather than my cats sprawl of wiring under the seat to charge phone I think this cleaner / trimmer method while on the road.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12603009...dLBxpriTU-&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

and ignore the battery charge and have a solar method to charge usb devices only while at camp for few days. (Def not for quick stop offs of course )

(after all any charging problems this site has all the facts of stators , regulators and charging tests I need)

pic of camping test.
was cold at 11deg so need new sleeping bag.

 

[ukjules]

And this for charging in day at a campsite. Various USB devices or at least keeping them going.
Mobile power bank , mobile , usb speaker

I'll test with dead mobile and see what happens on a sunny day in UK.
Never used these devices but any charge in an emergency is good when alone out and about .

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/204844552350?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=pmkpy35msig&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=jdLBxpri TU-&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

 

[Rob S.]

...a sunny day in UK.

Goo-goo-ga-joob! (I am the eggman.) :glee:

 

[ukjules]

I have ordered the sun to be out .....
I rarely get it wrong when ordering things ....... so expect a heat wave for next week .

​​​​​​Will arrive imminently and cannot wait to test.
Very impressed with the usb handlebar charging unit. Two outputs (fast charging ) , off / on switch and can you believe .. it has a led display of the battery voltage !!!!

This be useful for people who are daft enough to put in incorrect stators and have charging issues .....
Hard to imagine anyone who could be that daft but always good to be prepared .

 

[ukjules]

Solar panel arrived.
Oddly cloudy here in UK, Somerset ! almost looks like rain to come !

Anyway 10?, small flexible panel that will fit in any pack , and a single usb-a outlet.
Says its a 6w, 5v output.

- Test at 5.36v on my east facing window in the afternoon on a dull day.
(I had to strip the wire on a usb cable to get down to two wires to test )

The bottom line is outside on a day as described above it immediately starts to charge the power pack or phone. So for emergency use it ticks the box already for long remote rides on a old bike !!!!!
​​​​​
As I'd like to know
a) what is the output on a cloudy day (it's working today !)
b) on a sunny day

I have bought this :
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/394559555911?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=eqwwvFHxTPe&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=jdLBxpri TU-&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

will report but I think this is a good backup.

 

[ukjules]

USB voltage test wire ....

 

[ukjules]

I can tell the interest in this post .... so I must continue .
Now as I can't know what amps are coming out of the solar device in different sun strengths until I get my meter all I have is this .

Analysis:
mobile phone
from 11% to 17% took 30mins.
in good sun

it did state that it was not fast charging.

But for an emergency and for day charging up / topping up usb devices it seems to be ideal. The bike does the fast charging on the move.

q) wish I could understand volts and amps.
I suppose by logic as per my old battery on motorbike you can have 12v but barely any amps......
So here I get 5v even when cloudy but that provides less amps. When sunny again 5v but seems to charge quicker .

Do step in on this .... I can't be the only hopeless electrickery person who wants to understand.

 

[grcamna2]

I can tell the interest in this post .... so I must continue .
Now as I can't know what amps are coming out of the solar device in different sun strengths until I get my meter all I have is this .

Analysis:
mobile phone
from 11% to 17% took 30mins.
in good sun

it did state that it was not fast charging.

But for an emergency and for day charging up / topping up usb devices it seems to be ideal. The bike does the fast charging on the move.

q) wish I could understand volts and amps.
I suppose by logic as per my old battery on motorbike you can have 12v but barely any amps......
So here I get 5v even when cloudy but that provides less amps. When sunny again 5v but seems to charge quicker .

Do step in on this .... I can't be the only hopeless electrickery person who wants to understand.

Yes,I am interested in charging stuff up while motorcycle camping.
I like your thoughts and solar charging plans.

I'm still in the 'open planning' phase of the idea;I have considered purchasing a sealed emergency lighting/scooter battery for some time and use that as my main power source to keep a few other things charged during camping.
I like to camp and use a laptop and phone plus recharging anything else would help.
I might be best served to purchase two of those batteries?
I want to hook-up the 12vt-12AH? lantern battery to a pigtail on my motorcycle to charge it,which was my idea all along.
I only hope I don't over-charge the battery.
I'm wondering if there's a sure-fire procedure for knowing just how long to ride the bike until the 12vt/12AH sealed wet-cell battery is fully charged?

I like your idea of using the solar cells to help add more to your batteries while using them during camping in the bright sunlight.
I could possibly use a similar set of cells to keep my 2nd lantern battery topped-up,while putting the 1st one to task.

 

[LAB3]

Currently I charge my main phone, a backup phone which is used for the FM radio, an LED miner style light and my main LED light for use on my tent. There's a 12v outlet I mounted in my fairing which also gets used for inflating my air mattress and compressor when needed. Although I have considered getting a solar panel I've never really been able to justify the cost since I've never been in a position to where I thought my battery needed it. I've gone 4-5 days between engine startups charging all this on a regular basis and my 18ah AGM battery is currently over two years old. If I where to get a panel I'd keep it simple and go with a 12v unit, hope this helps!

 

[ukjules]

ok all noted .... being slick when camping is a art for sure.

Assume I am on my 1980 GS. This is the bike to take on a tour !!! hard but cool . Iv done one 5000 miler with only a single bike usb charge outlet and a normal wall socket trickle charger that I never used .
I wanted more resilience still however as alone.

I have to make an assumption that my bike 12v battery is always fully charged. Stator etc all tested to work pre bike tour .
This with my eBay two output usb fast handlebar charger can keep the phone and one other device fully charged when riding. (a power pack , speaker , second phone , torch )

All my camp lights are usb led. pushbike torches are good for this as last for ages. A lantern too for the tent . all small !

I agree when many days between start ups things get out of charge. This is where my solar test comes in.
​​​​​​I didnt want a ,12v one as don't need to charge the bike battery ! iv made an assumption on that and if I did have issues I'd draw on outside help. I can always bump start bike.
My GS 550 can be bump started fully loaded ! and put on center stand with minimal effort fully loaded.

The one I bought 10? can go in any day bag, is flexible and raises a mobile phone 7% in English semi sunny day in 30mins. It works on speaker too and all other usb devices.


My mobile battery is 3000ma and my power pack is 10,000 ma. LED lights I have , some can be done quickly.

There is a app called 'ampere' that hells you the amps on phone being charged from.any outlet.
I got 50-400ma on a dullish occasionally sunny day.
3000/400 = 7.5 hours from flat to fully charged .
(yes it is not 100% efficient )
For emergency use it is ideal. I saw 800ma in full sun but need to test this more as I'm in England !!!!!!

Will check amperage and report when sunny !

-Would be interested in a solar panel that could trickle charge the bike battery AND without the need for bulky inverters charge the usb devices ?
(I do have a 200w inverter that I use off a car battery at my lockup. This of course could attach to the bike battery and work fine whilst it was trickle charging.

- be interested to have similar to my one 5v one but have fast charging so an output over 2000ma
(my current one does 800ma max I reckon)

 

[ukjules]

noted re your 12v AGM battery takes the strain charging on up to 4 day stays. !!! (my battery is similar but 14.5 ah)
iv never risked charging heavily when stationary. guess they are more powerful than I thought.

- one thing my test on a cheap panel shows you may as well have one ? as takes no room

 

[ukjules]

Test 1: 100m trip to fairford airshow.
Madly sunny - midday sun.

I got to say my 10? 5v (supposedly 6w) solar panel is ideal for the roaming traveller with no room.

​​​​On a sunny day I get about 400ma charge.
This is enough to charge phone , keep in charge when not riding. Can also charge all other bits like - led torches, spare phone , power pack (slowly)

This with the backuo bike usb charger connected to battery pretty safe and content !

Issue:
The only issue is I'd like to be able to charge the bike battery ? Probably overkill as have never done this yet.

Nuts question : Can a panel such as mine (5v) at 0.5a charge a 12v bike battery ?

I could easily make a lead from a usb socket ?

Any thoughts ?
or any recommendations for 12v small trickle solar chargers that can also charge phones from panel.
Or
​​​​​​​I suppose I could just run all charging off the bike while trickle charging battery .....

 

[Grimly]

The only issue is I'd like to be able to charge the bike battery ? Probably overkill as have never done this yet.

Nuts question : Can a panel such as mine (5v) at 0.5a charge a 12v bike battery ?

You can easily get a buck/boost converter from ebay or aliexpress.
5V in, 12V out.
Bear in mind there's no free lunch, if the current x voltage going in isn't sufficient, there will be little to no output.

 

[grcamna2]

noted re your 12v AGM battery takes the strain charging on up to 4 day stays. !!! (my battery is similar but 14.5 ah)
iv never risked charging heavily when stationary. guess they are more powerful than I thought.

- one thing my test on a cheap panel shows you may as well have one ? as takes no room

My original idea was using the cycle only to charge the 12vt AGM lantern battery,after it's been depleted;a good reason to take a ride on the bike and tour the surrounding countryside. I like your 'solar plan' and it could be a 'bright idea' on a sunny day

 

[ukjules]

The bottom line is as my 10? solar panel does work and takes no room it is a must for us camping riders .It did charge too in cloudy times but less amperage. I will not be without it it now.

I tested car and van campers near me too with larger panels. One 50? 5v fold up one was still only chucking out 0.4amps. - the same as mine.

As G says I found this
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/15579774...dLBxpriTU-&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

So I could increase this to 12v but there is a but:
- I'd have to convert the output wire usb cable a bit to stick into device. this is easy but the usb wires are so thin unless you can get monster usb cables.
NO

I will test in current setup this year but keep half an eye on a 12v a4 sized solar panel that has outputs to charge bike battery and usb devices.

like this device I saw here from a solar panel
pic attached.

​​​

 

[ukjules]

and finally : my cheapo 10? solar for usb devices fits in a A4 pad . I always carry a pad anyway so tis ideal.

(gonna start another thread of
- what is the best mobile holder - for GPS on a motorbike.) that is easily viewed ?
I simply can't see it clearly on my handlebar plastic coated device or plastic coated tank bag.