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  1. #1
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    Default New charging option - Hydro power

    Just saw this
    https://waterlilyturbine.com/store/
    It's interesting, and can be used with moving water or wind. I've seen backpacking wind turbines, but are awkward to carry and fragile and need wind. Running water is sometimes more dependable. Weight it too high at close to 3 lbs for most backpacking situations, but could be useful in some situations.

    It would be nice to set it up in the stream at night to recharge and have it fully charged by morning, or even top off at lunch by a stream, and water should have that power.

    Perhaps future versions of this will shave the weight down.

  2. #2
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    Nice try, IMHO.
    One of the possible issues might be debris and leaves getting into the turbine while submerged in the water.
    I'm running a tiny private hydropower here and the leaves in autumn are giving me the most headache.

    Claiming for 15W peak output when used for wind seems to me off by a huge factor though.

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by Leo L. View Post
    Nice try, IMHO.
    One of the possible issues might be debris and leaves getting into the turbine while submerged in the water.
    I'm running a tiny private hydropower here and the leaves in autumn are giving me the most headache.

    Claiming for 15W peak output when used for wind seems to me off by a huge factor though.
    Look at the windspeed required to get that 15W, might be possible.

  4. #4
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    Went into the formulas and have to admit:
    When you're able to keep the airflow (inside the turbine) at the rate according to the specs, you could get an output of 15W.

    My gut feeling tells me different, and I'd love to see the power output in a sample setup.

  5. #5
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    Default

    I'd love to see something like this work but its going to have to get down to about 1lb before its worth it to me. For the same weight (2.86lbs) I could carry at least 50,000mAh of battery packs which would keep my devices charged for weeks, even with heavy use.

  6. #6
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    I live off grid . Have for over 30 years . Not a big fan of wind power.

    Thom

  7. #7

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    My last 5 day hike, my phone had 60% charge when finished. And i watched 4 downloaded tv shows at night. If you cant get by on small backup batt, you doing it wrong

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Adfischer View Post
    I'd love to see something like this work but its going to have to get down to about 1lb before its worth it to me. For the same weight (2.86lbs) I could carry at least 50,000mAh of battery packs which would keep my devices charged for weeks, even with heavy use.
    Not that new an idea. Devices that tried to charge via water or wind were available when I was planning a 2016 JMT thru. MAYBE the only thing unique here is it works with wind OR water (but even then I'm not sure that's unique).

    But in any case, the nearly 3lb weight pretty much means this is a useless device to hikers. Would only be practical for a small group that's "camping".

  9. #9

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    I just chatted with someone at the company that developed this. I thought that I might have a use at my off-grid cabin, but the flow in our cove is not enough (min. of about .7 mph required). He said that their primary marketing audience is campers staying several days where there is good wind or water flow.

  10. #10

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    Quote Originally Posted by Adfischer View Post
    I'd love to see something like this work but its going to have to get down to about 1lb before its worth it to me. For the same weight (2.86lbs) I could carry at least 50,000mAh of battery packs which would keep my devices charged for weeks, even with heavy use.
    Erin “Wired” Saver is a serious long distance hiker that really, really, likes to stay connected, hence her trailname “Wired”. I remember that she used a solar panel on the PCT, or maybe the CDT, but she now just carries a 20,000 mAh Anker Powercore.

    https://www.walkingwithwired.com/gear

  11. #11

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    Okay, I don’t know where to post this. Why must one even carry electronic devices when everyone else is carrying them? Why can’t we borrow and share?

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by mewmew View Post
    Okay, I don’t know where to post this. Why must one even carry electronic devices when everyone else is carrying them? Why can’t we borrow and share?
    Because I'm no one's Sherpa. Carry your own gear that YOU want to use, just like I carry MINE.

    So, by YOUR reasoning, NO ONE will be carrying because EVERYONE will be planning on some one ELSE'S.

    Emergency: of course.

    Because you are too lazy or an ultra-light enthusiast: not a chance.
    Old Hiker
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    Hányszor lennél inkább máshol?

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by mewmew View Post
    Okay, I don’t know where to post this. Why must one even carry electronic devices when everyone else is carrying them? Why can’t we borrow and share?
    OK, I'll let you use my phone, but you are carrying the beer.

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by mewmew View Post
    Okay, I don’t know where to post this. Why must one even carry electronic devices when everyone else is carrying them? Why can’t we borrow and share?
    I'm doing something similar on a regular basis, hiking in the Middle East deserts.
    When one of my desert hikes comes closer to its end, I share the charge left in my powerbank with locals.
    In reverse, there had been years when the locals had their old Nokias, but I had none, so I asked one every now and then to send a short message to my loved ones back home.

  15. #15

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    No one carry’s all that stuff anymore, they all beg & borrow

  16. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by rocketsocks View Post
    No one carry’s all that stuff anymore, they all beg & borrow
    Well there would be no need for that if all the trail maintainers would stop cleaning out the shelters of the useful items left, and perhaps pack in some thing in need of replacement instead.

  17. #17
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    Seems that you come closer to our concept of Alpine huts, where you can charge your devices for free.

  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by Leo L. View Post
    Seems that you come closer to our concept of Alpine huts, where you can charge your devices for free.
    Actually, that would be really cool if there were a battery charged by solar panel as part of the shelter system on the AT, Adirondacks, etc. Then I could have yet one more reason to stay away from certain overused trails.
    I'm not lost. I'm exploring.

  19. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by mewmew View Post
    Okay, I don’t know where to post this. Why must one even carry electronic devices when everyone else is carrying them? Why can’t we borrow and share?
    Because Noro Virus.
    AT: 695.7 mi
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  20. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by nsherry61 View Post
    Actually, that would be really cool if there were a battery charged by solar panel as part of the shelter system on the AT, Adirondacks, etc. Then I could have yet one more reason to stay away from certain overused trails.
    Maybe if it becomes a more common practice to start the hike with a sturdy solar panel, which people dispose of after realizing that its too heavy - by this solar panels would spread slowly starting from the southern terminus?
    Make solar panels a hype, and the task will be done within a single season, maybe.

    On a more seriouse note, we had a similar solution for the supplies of the Alpine huts in the old days, before cable railways and copters were common:
    There were loads prepared at the end of the road, and everybody who picked up a load and carried it up to the hut was free of charge for the night.

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