
The Concept
We have used solar panels in Nepal before, but back then battery demands were less. Battery sizes have grown as our cameras and communication gear becomes more power hungry. Solar panels are a great idea but can be problematic to keep pointed at the sun while traveling or in camp. We wanted a solution that could handle the intermittent challenge of strapping a solar panel to a guide’s backpack or the bags on top of a yak or dzokyo (a hybrid between a yak and a cow). We also wanted a system that is easy for guides to use so they aren’t spending time hassling with gear instead of instructing guests.The Gear






The Tests
We tested this setup during the summer as our batteries became depleted from normal use. We also used it to charge various Apple products, like an iPhone 6 and an iPad Air 2.


The Results
We calculated the power pack lost 25% of its power (signified by one of the four power LEDs going out) when charging two Canon LP-E6N batteries (1885 mAh each) from 40% to 100%, one iPhone 6 (1800 mAh battery) from 25% to 100% and one iPad Air 2 (27,000 mAh battery) from 75% to 100%. Those are the average results from various tests and since we can’t measure the actual storage capacity of the power pack, we’re forced to use some guess work.


Conclusion
Bringing two RAV Solar Panels and two Power Packs will help us ensure our six guests are never without power to get the shots they want. Not only that, it will give them piece of mind when they want to go crazy or in situations where there is a large draw of power, such as astrophotography or use of video recording.




