mobile phone solar charger

[Mark B]

I bought a 1.5 watt trickle charger for a 12 v car battery and was wondering if I can use it to charge a mobilt phone if I use a car cigarette lighter plug?

Thanks Mark

[MKG]

Whoops - nearly gave you wrong info!!!.

Car batteries are 12V. Most phones are 5V. You can see the problem.

If you're talking about plugging in a voltage converter designed to charge your phone from a cig. lighter socket, then fine - but a direct connection via the lighter socket would probably damage your phone.

Mike

[Mark B]

So you think it will work? Trickle charger to cigarette adapter then to the phone?

We havnt had enough sunshine yet to try it out but if it works it could be an easy way to keep things charghed when we go camping without expense of a purpose made charger.

Thanks Mark

[MKG]

Yes. How well it works (ie how long it takes to charge the phone) depends on what's inside the adapter which goes between the cig. socket and the phone. You've got 1.5W at 12V to play with, which is a current of 125mA. A 100mA charge rate for a phone is SLOW. Some of the supply current is going to be lost within the adapter. What comes out the other end is anyone's guess unless you know exactly what's going on within the adapter.

On the other hand, the 1.5W at 12V rating may be nominal only, in which case the current capability of the whole thing will go up.

There's one way to find out.

Mike

[Mark B]

Thanks for the replies, shall wait for some sunshine to try it out.

Thanks Mark

[MuddyWitch]

...or you could treat yourself to one of these:

http://www.nigelsecostore.com/acatalog/ ... rgers.html

MW