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[LaPaglia]

The Kill-A-Watt meter measures AC wattage so its not a good indication of what the XO is drawing from a DC source. Using a Standard DC Amp meter mine draws 15 watts or 1.25 amps while charging from a straight DC source and 14 watts when running and charging.

I am not sure you can quick charge the XO battery because the power management inside will prevent a fast charge.

[Tortuga]

Using my Kill-A-Watt meter, I started with a 85% charged battery and it took 43 minutes to charge to 100%, with the XO running (at idle). The Kill-A-Watt  showed that the AC adapter was drawing 0.29 Amps (18 Watts).

The charger states that it has a 0.8Amp input at 100-240 V and 50-60 Hz, Efficiency Level IV (as of July 2008 AC adapters are suppose to meet the Level IV requirements)

When surfing with a 100% charged battery, the Kill-A-Watt showed the AC Adapter drawing 7-8 Watts and while playing music videos 8 Watts.

Don't know the efficiency of the AC adapter for the XO.

[jono]

Heads up for everyone on this thread this might help, I was just at the http://globalliteracy.net/ fundreasing event and they had the new olpc beta hand cranks with clamps out for sale for $50. I just got around to trying it out this morning and you can actualy power the xo by cranking at a slow speed  with out the battery in...it still takes about 80-90 minutes to fully charge the laptop....but they seem to work pretty well.
Hope this helps.

[GregYohn]

Hello!

A non profit can get a hand crank for the XO, but XO owners can not get one. Thanks for the information on its performance!

[jofesel]

I just emailed Global Literacy asking if they had more hand cranks they were looking to sell.  I will post their response if I receive one.

[bluedragon000]

Rather than a hand crank how about a solar device that can be used to charge anything.  Check out this item www.technologytnt.com/vol4no5/xantrex-xpower.pdf .  Then you are really ready for any emergency.

[LaPaglia]

Rather than a hand crank how about a solar device that can be used to charge anything.  Check out this item www.technologytnt.com/vol4no5/xantrex-xpower.pdf .  Then you are really ready for any emergency.

So its 9 pm on the third day of the storm and its been overcast all the time. How is the solar charger going to help now? Solar is great but it only works when there is a lot of sun. The hand crank works in the middle of the night or when its overcast.

[GregYohn]

Hello!

OK, we discovered that the OLPC Freeplay hand crank will cost about $50, plus shipping if we could buy it from a nonprofit willing to resell it to us.

This week I saw a Frank Sinatra War movie called Never So Few , based in Burma. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Never_So_Few In it they had a 2 handed crank battery charger that allowed recharging with both hands at different speeds.

I found a former Chinese military 2 handed charger available for sale in the USA. There is a UK version available too, but the shipping costs make it too much for the USA. It sells for $90, plus shipping. It includes a seat and can be broken down & placed on your back.

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/MIL2132-55369-1395.html

[Directive0]

that is flipping sweet!  I love how it's a seat too!  Wish I could find some shots of it in action.

[GregYohn]

Hello,

I looked at the spec's.

The XPower™ Powerpack Solar is the first portable power pack that incorporates solar power in a compact, portable power source. Its completely self-renewing, which means the detachable 5-watt solar panel has the ability to recharge the power packs 10 amp-hour battery. http://www.nulime.com/XANTREX-xPower-Powerpack-Solar/p245982#product_description

OK, so you get a 5 watt solar panel and just 10 amp hour battery. The XO needs 15 watts to operate it, so after 3 hours in the sun you get to use the machine 1 hour. Most places average 6 hours of usable sun a day, so you just can use the XO for just 2 hours a day maximum.

Rather than a hand crank how about a solar device that can be used to charge anything.  Check out this item www.technologytnt.com/vol4no5/xantrex-xpower.pdf .  Then you are really ready for any emergency.

[Gabey8]

Hello,

I looked at the spec's.

The XPower™ Powerpack Solar is the first portable power pack that incorporates solar power in a compact, portable power source. Its completely self-renewing, which means the detachable 5-watt solar panel has the ability to recharge the power packs 10 amp-hour battery. http://www.nulime.com/XANTREX-xPower-Powerpack-Solar/p245982#product_description

OK, so you get a 5 watt solar panel and just 10 amp hour battery. The XO needs 15 watts to operate it, so after 3 hours in the sun you get to use the machine 1 hour. Most places average 6 hours of usable sun a day, so you just can use the XO for just 2 hours a day maximum.

Rather than a hand crank how about a solar device that can be used to charge anything.  Check out this item www.technologytnt.com/vol4no5/xantrex-xpower.pdf .  Then you are really ready for any emergency.

What about using it to charge a more potent battery? I have a Tekkeon MP3450 that will run the XO for approximately 6 hours, give or take. (The Tekkeon plus the XO's own battery, once the Tekkeon has discharged to the point where it won't run the XO anymore, combine for about ten hours' worth of use. The XO battery by itself will operate for about 4 hours from a fully-charged state until the red LED goes on at 14%, and it will still run a while longer until it automatically powers down at about 3%.)

I wonder if this solar battery could be used to charge the Tekkeon, which will then run the XO for several hours.

I also wonder if, instead of using the solar battery to RUN the XO, if it would be better to use it to CHARGE the XO while the XO is off. That might make a difference in how much XO-ing time one can get out of the solar battery.

But what I REALLY wonder is how much my wallet is going to be able to stand up to all the doggone intriguing gadgets I see mentioned in these forums. I really do need to hit the lottery or something.

[GregYohn]

Hello,

I would suggest not using a battery to recharge a battery, due to electrical inefficiencies!

If you do want to use a solar panel, why not buy a few 5 watt solar panels for the price of one 5 watt solar panel with a battery? I put together three 5 watt solar panels to make 15 watts. They are 12 inch by 12 inch and I attached them together on bamboo in the Philippines. It was used to directly operate a small fan to allow the charcoal stove used to cook rice daily.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/5kcNif3CSaw" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/5kcNif3CSaw</a>

[Joel]

This guy has lots of information and plans for a pedal-powered generator:
http://www.los-gatos.ca.us/davidbu/pedgen.html

and is cheaper than the Windstream commercial model:
http://www.windstreampower.com/Human_Power_Generator.php

I'm trying to track down more info on this British military unit though:
http://www.camiselectronics.com/handdrivengenerators/handcrankgenerator.php

Probably not cheap, but looks very effective. I'm guessing the US military may have something similar, that perhaps could be floating around in surplus channels.

Joel

[Sieghard]

I like the pedal power much better than the hand crank -- I would like to see something like a foot pump that generates electricity by stepping on it again and again.  Then you could pump to power the machine while your hands are free to use it.

[Gabey8]

I like the pedal power much better than the hand crank -- I would like to see something like a foot pump that generates electricity by stepping on it again and again.  Then you could pump to power the machine while your hands are free to use it.

The only device I've seen so far that fits this bill is the Freeplay Freecharge Weza charger.

http://www.google.com/products?q=freeplay+weza&btnG=Search+Products&hl=en&show=li&scoring=p

It also has a battery in it, so that the foot pedal can charge the battery and then the BATTERY can be used to run the XO (or other devices).