Solar power

[Lostagain]

Any recommendations for solar chargers for charging a power bank, for use whilst touring?

 

[Ajax Bay]

https://www.cycletourer.co.uk/cycletouring/electrogadgets.shtml

 

[andrew_s]

https://www.cycletourer.co.uk/cycletouring/electrogadgets.shtml

Seems good to me.

The main thing is that if you are to rely on the solar panel, rather than just treat it as additional top-up when you don't get quite enough mains charging, you need a decently sized panel, rated over about 15 W, preferably well over.

When considering panel ratings and actually charging things, bear in mind that the rated power is a maximum - i.e. mid-day summer sun in the south of Spain, with the panel arranged square on to the sun.
Move to the UK and an hour or two off noon, and you can halve the rating. Put the panel flat across the panniers on the back of the bike, pointing whichever way, and you can halve it again. As for clouds or time of day, a good guide is to use the old sunny 16 photography rule, taking f16 as the rating for UK sun and the panel position, and f11 as being half that, f8 being a quarter, f5.6 being an eighth, etc.
So, using a 16W panel in the UK on the back of the bike on an overcast & rainy day, your 4W for a sunny day goes down to a half watt, and less than that if it's mid afternoon or particularly thick overcast.

Personally. I use dynohub charging, and endeavour to reduce my power requirements - keep phone use to essentials, a kindle for entertainment, 2 packs of AAs for the GPS (just about covers two weeks touring) etc.

 

[HobbesOnTour]

If you do a search you'll find more info.
They used to say on Diet Coke that it was only useful as part of a calorie controlled diet....ditto for solar panels - only useful as part of an overall energy control system.

As said above, a dynohub is far more reliable (once above a certain speed). A solar panel is useful when stopped and in bright sunshine, rarely when actually moving on the bike.

Depending on your needs and style a powerbank or banks may be the optimum solution.

 

[HMS_Dave]

I'd also consider a combination of charging devices, depending on what kind of touring you do, all are pretty lightweight...

 

[Baldy]

I've used one for years to charge my phone, inReach and camera batteries. This is for backpacking in Scandinavia where I'd be away from mains electricity for a couple of weeks at a time. A 15W works just fine, I've just upgraded to a 20W but not used it yet due to lockdown. The midnight sun does help.

 

[Blue Hills]

I've used one for years to charge my phone, inReach and camera batteries. This is for backpacking in Scandinavia where I'd be away from mains electricity for a couple of weeks at a time. A 15W works just fine, I've just upgraded to a 20W but not used it yet due to lockdown. The midnight sun does help.

backpacking maybe different than cycletouring - spend more time stationary?
all the reports I have read about the things, apart from folk who sound suspiciously like zealots, sound very disappointing.
Dynamo hub and powerbank plus strategic sitting in spoons etc when open better I think?

 

[Baldy]

Not used it cycle touring, if you're cycling you're likely on roads. If you're on roads you're never far from mains power, at least in Europe.

 

[Lostagain]

Thanks everyone for your advice.