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Digital Camera Charging : postcards from the edge
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Charging digital camera batteries while out in the wilderness is one of the most common applications for solar power systems. The configuration of your power system will depend on the type of camera and the accessories available for it. For example, a digital camera that uses AA batteries will afford a different charging system than a digital camera that uses its own proprietary battery pack. In this article, we will explore the various options available...
Many consumer digital cameras utilize AA or AAA size batteries for their power. In these cases, charging the camera is a very simple matter of using a solar panel & DC battery charger combination such as SunLinq 6 panel with Brunton BattJack charger. Plug the charger into the panel and you're ready to charge. The charger will take whatever power is available from the panel, and will charge the batteries with it. The charger contains circuitry that protects the batteries from overcharging & other issues.
The speed with which the panel charges the batteries will depend on both the power rating of the panel, and the capacity of the batteries. You could expect a 6W/350mA panel to charge a set of 2500mAHr batteries in as little as 3 hours depending on solar intensity. During the summer this means that you could rotate a set of 4 batteries each day.
NiMh (Nickel Metal Hydride) batteries are the recommended choice not only for their excellent performance in digital cameras, but also for their rechargeable characteristics & resonably eco-friendly chemistry. The alternative NiCd batteries, although much improved in recent years, contain toxic Cadmium, and therefore should be avoided whenever possible.
Common Question...
"Can I use an AC inverter with a solar panel so that I can use the battery charger I use at home?"
The answer is yes, but only if you provide a battery pack like the Outpost Power 4 between the solar panel & the inverter. A solar panel by itself cannot drive an AC inverter, not to mention that a 6 Watt panel cannot create the power needed by even the smallest 75 Watt inverter. The battery pack in between will allow the inverter to draw all the power it needs, while also storing all the power provided by the panel.
For digital cameras that are capable of charging their battery pack when connected to a computer USB port, there is a very simple charging configuration available. Simply plug your camera's USB cable into any of the solar modules we carry that offer a USB output port. Products such as the Brunton SolarPort, Solar Uno, Solar Mio, & Solio provide a USB port. While some of these products do not have built-in batteries that will enable your camera to operate as if it was plugged into a computer, all of these solar chargers will charge your camera's internal battery when the camera is off. Other products, such as the EverLite solar LED lamps provide USB outlet options plus the convenience of having a handy light source for the camp.
Continue to part 2 of this article...
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