Backpacking Power

[Clarence]

I am planning a hikeing trip on the AT. Not the whole thing but a darn big part I hope. I use a handheld device that magnifies whatever I put under it. It has a LCD display and a camera build into a little case. This is so I can read things like maps and stuff. since my vison is pretty poor. My guestion is does anyone have an idea as to how I can charge this thing on the trail. the power requierments seem to be 12v at 1.25A It does eat the battery pretty quick. 4 hours or so, so I would have to have some kind of reliable method for charging it.
thanks for any and all help.

[Naughty_Pines]

If you walk fast enough you could try a wind generator.
Harbor Freight has a small solar unit you could fasten on top of your pack. Harbor Freight is available on line.

[DavidOH]

A small solar panel might work for you.
Most I've seen were just too expensive.

http://www.gaiam.com/category/solar-living/solar-electric/portable-solar.do
15 watts at about $180

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200329429_200329429
13 watts at about $100

That depends on what size battery you are carrying, and how long you have to let it charge.

I've seen fold up backpacks with solar panels on them at a much greater price.
http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/GSE16009-56152-544.html Military Surplus.......

[12vman]

Clarence..

Does that unit have a charger for an automobile? (Cigarette lighter jack) ???

[edward_4576]

How about a hand crank generator. I know it sounds silly but they have those small hand crank units built into flashlights and you can get them for a quick charge on a cell phone.

In the military we had test equipment that required hand crank generators (megers) and vartious marine emergency radios are hand crank as well.

Just a thought....

[jott]

I was just about the say a hand crank gen. I think LL bean was selling a hand crank radio that had an adapter to charge cell phones. Should not be too hard to modify it to charge your device if they don’t already make a plug for it. If you where counting on the taking a radio anyway this mite be good.

[Clarence]

I was actually just given that L.L. Bean hand crank radio as a gift for my trip. I sent in to get the cell phone adaptor for my call phone. When It gets here I'm going to hook the volt meter to it and see just how much that little crank can put out. I'm going to guess not much more then 5 v at about 300mA but I'm just guessing bassed on what a cell phone draws. The manual for the radio suggests a posible 10 minutes of crank time for 1 minute of talk time on the cell. But after a few tests I'll see what happens.