[Yr7-10it] charging laptop off solar etc?

[forster at ozonline.com.au]

> hello all
> 
> anyone know any good shelf solutions for charging laptops from solar etc?
> 
>   (for extended usage over several days at location with no power)
> 
> is adapter off  lead acid battery (ie stand alone car battery?)  a possible solution? - i know it works in car but not sure how it would last without recharging - instinct says laptop is a trickle feed so should be ok if battery was in good nic?

You will get 2-4 hours out of a car battery. A solar panel produces approximately the equivalent of 4 hours a day at its rated power so you would need quite a big panel. 

All the efficiencies multiply, panel x battery x inverter x laptop charger x laptop battery so if each was 80% efficient theres still not much left at the end.

Need aggressive power management, minimum hard drive time, minimum backlight etc. A netbook might be lower power. The OLPC XO laptop has been designed specifically for this application.

Tony