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Sounds great. What's the realistic performance? I've dabbled with solar powered portable electronics. Harsh reality is getting direct sunlight for prolonged pe
by ctdonath 13y ago
Sounds great. What's the realistic performance?
I've dabbled with solar powered portable electronics. Harsh reality is getting direct sunlight for prolonged periods is problematic.
How visible is the screen in full sun? Are the panels' output sufficient for direct powering, or is power buffering required? How long, really, to a full charge (without having to constantly shift it to track the sun)? What percentage of "full sun" is required for direct powering? Are you really willing to leave it lying out in the open for prolonged periods (rain, theft, etc.)? Not trying to bash it, just looking at the gap between "gee, never have to plug it in, that's cool" and real-world concerns.
From prices I've seen, the solar panels + power electronics alone would run $350.
- stephengillie 13y agoHaving a look at the photo where 4 solar panels are folded out, it looks like you have to "deploy" your laptop whenever you use it. I also want to know how long it'll last with indirect light. In some parts of the world, we get more days of overcast & rain than sun.
- D9u 13y agoThe PV panels are detachable and an extension cord can be used to position the panels in an appropriate location, plus most newer PV panels will produce power in cloudy or indirect sunlight, but I too wonder about whether the laptop will operate if the battery is dead and the unit is barely beginning to take a charge.