Solar solution to recharge laptop, please help.

So guys the last I seen of any netbooks small enough in design and internal spec to recharge via solar was the Gyy but all I can find are year-old press releases. Google doesn’t even seem to index the Spanish company’s site anymore.

So instead I find a how-to – here

I don’t know much about electronics offhand but for those who are is such a system possible?

I appreciate those enthusiasts who are probably horrified at taking all this electronic junk but for me personally I *need* to bring a machine, not for staying in touch but for saving data etc while out in the wilderness.

The first question that comes to mind is: is a laptop the right device?

Hugo, you said you wanted to use Google Earth coupled with a GPS device. Can you use Google Earth in an offline mode without access to the Internet and still have the map detail you need?

Secondly, I think an iPhone or iPad could meet your needs but I'm guessing you don't want to spend $500 for the solution.

Mike

Hi Nick:
I am very interested in your comment on a tent trailer with solar that allows you to be self-contained indefinitely. Could you please provide a company name, or any additional information? Thanks! I travel self-contained by bicycle indefinitely, so this would be great for me! Diane

If you have a tent trailer with a lead acid battery, you can get a solar panel intended for home use – maybe 50 watts, $200, 3 feet x 2 feet, battery is maybe 50 amp hours so it takes maybe a couple days to charge, you can connect it directly to the battery – at least that's what I do – you have to disconnect it during the night or if it gets fully charged – helpful to have a volt meter to see when battery is charged fully so you don't over-charge

Find an article in some RV magazine

If you are going to use a solar panel of 50 watts, then you really want to hook it up to the battery with a charge controller. That way, you don't need to fool around with night disconnections, volt meters, and all that.

It works like a voltage regulator.

–B.G.–

I will be trying this out labor Day weekend. I will post up my thoughts. They do claim that their recharge rates are based on real world experience, not simply specs.

@ Brady
Did you ever get the three solar panels to work in series?
http://www.bgmicro.com/PWR1241.aspx

Curious if you have any instructions for the rest of us looking to do something similar :)