Can't Decide on Small 12-volt or USB Power Packs

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  • sherpa1d
    Junior Member
    • Aug 2016
    • 2
    #1

    Can't Decide on Small 12-volt or USB Power Packs

    I've had some ideas for a solar generator for the house but not quite ready to jump in yet. In the mean time I was thinking of a small portable kit to travel with MOSTLY for USB stuff. I have a small Pelican 1200 sitting around so I thought of getting an Allpowers 28-watt folding panel that would fit on the inside of the lid, then get 1 or 2 USB battery packs and run with it. I got to thinking about and relised that using USB battery packs really limits me to only USB stuff. I've found some small 12-volt batteries that would fit and leave some room in the case, I think the best so far is a 12-volt, 20 AmpH.

    I'm still learning about storage capacity and I do understand how to calculate the watts and such on the 12-volt battery. I however don't know how to on those USB batty packs. I'm trying to figure storge vs uses. I know the 12-volt will give me more options with a lighter adaptor but do 12-volts have the same storage capacity as the USB battery packs, I know they are different types of batteries. The battery pack I was looking at is 26800-mAH which if I'm correct converts to 26 AmpH but besides the out put volts of 5, I can't find any other data to calculate the watts to compair the 2.

    I know the 12-volt system will cost me more and include some work but like I said I'm planning on a bigger system in the future so I figure it would be some practice. I just want to make sure my storge capacity would make it worth while.
    Last edited by sherpa1d; 08-20-2016, 09:46 PM.
    Tags: None
    • Mike90250
      Moderator
      • May 2009
      • 16020
      #2
      A 12V 25Ah pack contains 300watt hours of power
      5V 50Ah pack contains 250watt hours of power.
      The 12V system could recharge a laptop via a 12V laptop adapter.

      BUT,
      your 28W panel will need how many hours in the sun to recharge a half empty pack ?
      ( hint 150watt hours / 25w of usable PV = 6 hours of sun, or about 2 days )
      Powerfab top of pole PV mount (2) | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
      || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
      || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

      solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
      gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister

        Comment

        • littleharbor
          Solar Fanatic
          • Jan 2016
          • 1998
          #3
          As to your usb needs you can buy charge controllers with usb outputs. Many of the recent offerings on ebay have this feature. usb cc.jpg
          2.2kw Suntech mono, Classic 200, NEW Trace SW4024

            Comment

            • sherpa1d
              Junior Member
              • Aug 2016
              • 2
              #4
              Ok, cool. Guess I have some more math to work on, I looked over figuring out the solar panel to charge the battery part

                Comment

                • Mike90250
                  Moderator
                  • May 2009
                  • 16020
                  #5
                  I would guess you would want about 75A to be able to recharge the battery in less than a day, Be sure you are getting an AGM battery and not a GEL battery, Almost the same, but the GEL battery can only accept a very slow charge rate and is not suited for solar
                  Powerfab top of pole PV mount (2) | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
                  || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
                  || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

                  solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
                  gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister

                    Comment

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