butane phone charger

[anniesboy]

Lets hope the price comes down,if it is any good.
http://preview.tinyurl.com/apesppc

[mrjemm]

Your link doesn't work, but I googled it and got this-

http://www.technologyreview.com/tomarke ... e-charger/

I really really worry about what is said about 2/3 way through this article... Keep devices going on long haul flights. Is that really likely to ever be allowed? I hope not! And I mean the butane charger part, not the devices. OK, it's insulated, but having something operating internally at above 1,000 ºC on a plane?! And compressed flammable gases? This from MIT. The clever folk.

And I am already flightophobic.

[Mick F]

Seems a bit daft to market them for air travel.

As for butane, why?
What's wrong with one of these?
Far safer!
http://www.portablepowersupplies.co.uk/ ... tery-pack/

[jochta]

Seems a bit daft to market them for air travel.

As for butane, why?
What's wrong with one of these?
Far safer!
http://www.portablepowersupplies.co.uk/ ... tery-pack/

Because they'll only do a few charges before you have to find a power supply to fill them back up. The butane charger will (allegedly) do more recharges and you can fill it back up again with a can of butane for lighters without ever needing to find a power supply.

If you're on a cycling tour with very limited access to power supplies and/or no time to sit there for 12hrs waiting for the battery pack to recharge this could be an ideal solution.

John

[[XAP]Bob]

Actually LiON battery isn't that good on an aircraft...

Butane isn't horrible, high operating temperatures aren't always bad.

[kwackers]

I'd be amazed if they allowed it on flights. Doesn't matter how safe the device itself is, what matters is what happens if it's 're-purposed'. Wouldn't need too many of those to make an effective weapon.

[[XAP]Bob]

They don't prevent all sorts of things which "could be repurposed"

[kwackers]

They don't prevent all sorts of things which "could be repurposed"

Yeah, but most things can't be easily repurposed into bombs (and as demonstrated by the liquids ban it doesn't take much).

[Mick F]

I still don't see the attraction of this gadget.

I take the point that a Li battery power-pack to charge your devices would itself need recharging, so why not just have replaceable batteries in it instead? If you need to carry butane to recharge, why not a have spare batteries? Easily obtainable, and no hazard on a plane.

[Brucey]

if you work out the chemical potential energy stored in (say) the gas in a gas lighter, you quickly realise that it vastly exceeds anything you might be able to cram into a battery of similar size or weight. Catalytic combustion of gases is relatively efficient and safe, and stuff like temperature sensitive gas shut-off valves etc is well proven technology in many instances.

So, if you are presently allowed to carry a gas lighter on board a plane (as I currently understand to be the case) then maybe you can construct an argument for a gas -powered device of some kind being equally safe.

I must say that I don't know all the details of said device, so maybe I've got hold of the wrong end of the stick, but I can see how one might work, and why it might offer some advantage.

cheers

[anniesboy]

I dont know my initial link does not open (it does for me)

Its featured in Computer Active their link is

computeractive.co.uk/2235315

[7_lives_left]

They don't prevent all sorts of things which "could be repurposed"

The only thing that makes a lithium battery safe is the thermal fuse. Replace that fuse with a
nail and you will get plenty of heat and light when you short it out. It still even functions as a
battery in the mean time.

Edit: Actually I seem to remember that pressurised canisters/aerosols at one of the things
that airlines don't like you carrying so I doubt you can use the OP's device on a plane.

[Brucey]

or there is this, if you can't stretch to gas, twigs will do for fuel!



http://cooldudestuff.com/2012/11/biolite-the-fire-powered-cell-phone-charger/

Not for use in an aircraft;...

(why? ...no twigs, of course.... )

after several goes (mostly involving the originaly linked webage 'hanging' and consuming 50% of my CPU time which makes me worry about it containing malware)

A butane-powered smartphone charger that can keep an iPhone going for up to two weeks was on show at CES 2013.

Called Nectar, the device uses disposable butane cartridges about the size and weight of a cigarette lighter to fully charge iPhone or Android smartphones up to ten times.

The whole unit weighs only 235g and while bulkier than a smartphone it isn't particularly cumbersome. It can charge any USB 2 device, but will soon be able to charge laptops too.

Nectar has also been certified as safe for use on planes, so can be taken onboard as hand luggage and used to charge devices during long haul flights. It is compatible with phones, media players, Kindle, hand hand games consoles and digital cameras. The USB port on the Nectar can be used to plug in any compatible charging cable.

The standard unit costs $300 (£187) with replacement butane cartridges priced at $10 (£6) each. It will go on sale through Brookstone later this year; the company suggested it should be available for shipment to the UK too.

cheers

[aljohn]

I don't fancy a butane charger, don't really know why! But has anyone used a solar panel charger for their mobile? I saw one in a charity shop but it was sold while I dithered. It seemed quite neat and you could cycle all day with it strapped to a saddlebag or whatever. Just a thought....

[jochta]

I don't fancy a butane charger, don't really know why! But has anyone used a solar panel charger for their mobile? I saw one in a charity shop but it was sold while I dithered. It seemed quite neat and you could cycle all day with it strapped to a saddlebag or whatever. Just a thought....

Yes I've done that on tour strapped on the pannier to trickle charge a Power Monkey that I then use to charge my phone/Garmin. They work OK but not brilliantly, they take far too long to even charge once. I've probably spent as much on solar chargers and Power Monkeys that I could have bought one of these butane chargers which is smaller and lighter.

I really like the idea of this butane charger. It can be a real pain trying to keep stuff charged when touring, most campsites will have power points you can use, and I've used cafés and pubs as well, but this will eliminate the stress of looking for a socket and not having to leave your equipment unsupervised in a laundry room or similar to charge. Several times I've been on campsites with no power points. A small can of lighter butane doesn't weigh much and will last for ages. They are very easy to buy in any garage or newsagent. I don't see any safety issue, I'm carrying gas canisters for cooking already. This solution is much preferable to lugging around battery packs or loose batteries which don't last long enough anyway.

John

EDIT :- just noticed "the device uses disposable butane cartridges" so not refillable? That's less good as you will have to carry spare cylinders and they aren't cheap.