DIY: Solar-Cell Rechargeable Batteries
Energizer Bunny beware!
Knut Karlsen has created a solar-cell charging battery prototype using flexible solar cells from IFE and some older NiMH rechargeable batteries. The batteries are being coined as “SunCast” batteries and work much like a trickle charger.
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I’m not sure leaving batteries in the sun for an extended period of time is a great idea. But this is a pretty good first start.
Check out the full post: Rechargeable Batteries with Solar Cells
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February 23rd, 2009 at 3:29 pm
As with a lot of stuff I see on here, this is just wasting energy overall (it takes energy to mine materials and manufacture the solar cells). Instead of buying these, which will take days to charge, why not use solar cells to their full potential by putting them where they will always be generating energy when the sun is out? i.e. on a roof or somewhere else hooked into the grid. the same problem arises with solar cells on any small electronics, all of which is gimmicky.
February 28th, 2009 at 1:56 pm
Yea, this is not doable, batteries do not like HEAT or cold for that matter. You do not put any battery in the sun. Plus, it would be better to but the solar cells in a place where the product can use them will the battery is hidden inside what ever product.
That is pretty funny, the batteries we use like the same temperatures as humans, do you think batteries have human DNA?
April 18th, 2009 at 6:54 am
better idea. solar cells on the roof, bank of batteries, power monitors and charge the entire house all day long. not a good idea to leave batterys out in the sunlight as they tend to burst.
April 19th, 2009 at 9:26 pm
is this available for buy now?
June 17th, 2009 at 9:22 pm
OMG! make these, The US market will eat them up, offer them for sale at walmart.
Use a temp stable bat compound like solid Li-Poly, which doesn’t have the memory charging issues. They’d be expensive but should last.
Of course the first post on all groundbreaking technologies which would threaten existing markets are negative, I have never seen a cooler product which would touch upon more markets than this one. Hey dude- Make a website and start selling them. Recharging your batteries on the windowsill is awesome.
February 13th, 2010 at 6:38 am
I’d be worried about the heat, and also I don’t see it as a very viable option. The cost per unit multiplied on a large scale would make this highly inefficient when compared to using a standalone solar powered battery charger. This is a neat idea, but I don’t think it is realistically viable.