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Solar-Panel Backpack and Case!! Amazing.

P

pyromaniaque

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Nov 16, 2008
267
0
Well..Ask your mother.
Watch this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ly3vzxztxA

Voltaic Solar Converter Backpack

You can google the specs, but it will charge most small devices from the sun's energy.

http://www.voltaicsystems.com/bag_converter.shtml
black-converter.jpg

VoltaicConverterSportsBackpack-TDG-GreenSport-fb.jpg

converter_open.jpg



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Voltaic Solar Generator
http://www.voltaicsystems.com/bag_generator.shtml
WILL CHARGE MACBOOK PRO AND MOST OTHER LAPTOPS

generator-silver.jpg

generator-corner.jpg

generator-open.jpg
 
I saw these years ago when I was working in a bicycle shop in Portland, OR. A rep came into the store to cold pitch it to us. I haven't heard a word about them since then until now.
 
I think they seem awesome because they come with built in battery packs to store the sun.

So let's say you battery back is full,
throw your macbook in there, and it'll charge, with or without sun... thanks to the battery pack.

I'm gonna look into this....Might be a worthy investment
 
Looks great, but...

bit too expensive and I wonder how long they will last till breaking down and also the price is MUCH too high $100.- you have deal.
 
From their website:

Avoid Recharging Laptop Battery: It is preferable to run the laptop from the Voltaic battery rather than recharge the laptop battery, since energy is lost in recharging (approx. 15-30%). It can be hard to see whether a laptop is charging. Open the battery window and note the power remaining. If running, this percentage will remain constant until the Voltaic battery is depleted. Dell laptops also show the hours remaining over 1,000 (not accurate) when drawing external power.

When the Laptop Battery Charges: For some laptops the battery can be removed and the laptop will run from the Voltaic battery e.g. some Panasonic Toughbooks. For others (e.g. Apple laptops) the battery can't be removed so the laptop battery charges then depletes (sometimes at a slower rate than normal). Overall the use time is still extended.

So, really, it's just a really big and expensive ($500 for the laptop "charging" model) second battery.
 
pyromaniaque said:
They're like waterproof or whatever, and high build quality, so I'd assume it'll last a while.

Solar power doesn't "deteriorate"
Click to expand...

No, solar power does not deteriorate. But, if something happens to even one of the solar panels then it could diminish the effectiveness greatly. Wonder how much replacement panels are? Didn't see that in the ad
 
Talk about dorky!

Might as well stick a ghostbusters proton blaster on the back of that backpack. LOL.
 
If I were to buy one of these, i'd probably buy the case instead of the backpack. The case doesn't look "that bad".

Since I'm at school all day and sometimes leave my stuff outside, I guess it might be kinda useful actually.
 
gathart said:
bit too expensive and I wonder how long they will last till breaking down and also the price is MUCH too high $100.- you have deal.
Click to expand...

Any good quality backpack will run you $80 - $120. This has the battery charger, and solar... Even a battery backup for the iPhone is between $50 and $100. I think the price is pretty fair actually. I think they would sell more at a price point of $160, but $199 is fair.
 
jonbravo77 said:
No, solar power does not deteriorate. But, if something happens to even one of the solar panels then it could diminish the effectiveness greatly. Wonder how much replacement panels are? Didn't see that in the ad
Click to expand...

Replacement panels are $30 a piece. It's on their website.
 
well thats good. i like the idea. but the voltaic technology is just a little to inefficient to be throwing them on backpacks to charge your laptop. its like putting them on sunroofs for cars.
 
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