Solar panel

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
Psamathe
Posts: 17616
Joined: 10 Jan 2014, 8:56pm

Re: Solar panel

Post by Psamathe »

HobbesOnTour wrote:I tried out a 14W 3 panel solar panel in Spain a number of years ago. Obviously the tech has improved since then.
I found that mounted on the rear of the bike gave minimal output even in bright sunshine.

However, stopped and positioned properly (and moved as necessary) it works very well.......

My modern 3 panel one isn't used on the bike but only when camping where I tend to prop it up on e.g. a waterproof or lean it against a bag to make it roughly perpendicular to the Sun (direct facing).

It's also useful to put the charging device under the panel - helps shade them from the sun. Both this year and last year I had big problems with my electronics overheating. There were a couple of weeks where I could really only use the iPad evenings as it was so hot all it would do is display a panic screen "I'm too hot"; similarly, iPhone refused to charge above 80% when warm - self protecting the battery against damage. I ended-up leaving it in a fridge at one camp site!

Ian
Thehairs1970
Posts: 602
Joined: 11 Aug 2018, 9:30am

Re: Solar panel

Post by Thehairs1970 »

Thanks for all the info. I would prefer a hub dynamo but the pricing of SON means it's out of the question. Are the Shimano ones any good? I've heard mixed opinions.
User avatar
andrew_s
Posts: 5795
Joined: 7 Jan 2007, 9:29pm
Location: Gloucestershire

Re: Solar panel

Post by andrew_s »

The better Shimano dynohubs are all fine (3N72 or better - priced from about £70 up (UK)).
Functionally, there's no difference between them and the SON (i.e. you need lab tests to find the differences).

The main thing about them (in common with other Shimano hubs), is that you should really service them when new, as they fairly often come with not enough grease, and with the bearings set too tight (i.e. OK as a loose hub, but not when built into a wheel and put in a bike).
The connector side shouldn't be undone, as it's easy to break the wires, so it's usually best to push the axle over a bit whilst the bearings on the other side are loose, and inject some grease via a thin, squashy tube through the gap that will hopefully be exposed in the connector side seals. The other side is normal. Adjust so the bearings have a little play when the wheel's out of the bike, which just disappears when the QR is tightened.
Serviced & adjusted, they last well. Used as is, and unlucky, you may only get a couple of years (though they last well if you are lucky).

You'd also need a dynamo charger to convert the AC dynamo output to 5V DC from a USB socket.
User avatar
ConRAD
Posts: 761
Joined: 20 May 2010, 10:55am

Re: Solar panel

Post by ConRAD »

andrew_s wrote:... you'd also need a dynamo charger to convert the AC dynamo output to 5V DC from a USB socket.

Very interesting the last Cinq Plug5 Plus with USB-Type C interface.
Image
yutkoxpo
Posts: 423
Joined: 20 Feb 2017, 5:12pm

Re: Solar panel

Post by yutkoxpo »

Thehairs1970 wrote:Thanks for all the info. I would prefer a hub dynamo but the pricing of SON means it's out of the question. Are the Shimano ones any good? I've heard mixed opinions.


I had a Shimano dynohub before upgrading wheel & hub (Son).

It worked just as well as the Sun from an output point of view, but the Son has a 50,000 mile service point. In other words, it's a long term investment.

Earlier in the year Decathlon had ridiculously cheap Shimano dynohub wheels for sale.

As for a dynamo charger I use a Cycle2Charge unit (from Amazon). Simple, relatively cheap and works well.
Post Reply