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Author Topic: technology for recharging camera batteries away from electric power  (Read 1755 times)

Lisa Nikodym

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In a few months, my spouse is taking a two-week guided camping tour in the Nepalese Himalayas, and will be bringing my camera (a Nikon D300).  The problem is, he doesn't know whether there will be any facilities for recharging camera batteries (and, knowing him, he will probably be clicking like crazy).  Does anyone here know what practical technologies are available, if any, for powering the battery charger?  Are there any small portable solar systems that would do that?  Or anything else?  Or should he just show up with a pocket full of charged batteries?

Also, does anyone here have experience with such tours there, and would know whether electric power would occasionally be available?

Thanks for any advice,
Lisa
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michaelnotar

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maybe a quatum battery pack or the like that holds a charge alot longer. maybe see if there are battery based chargers. perhaps the camera has a vertical grip that can be powered off AAs, which are commonly available, and tho harder should be available in other parts of the country. no matter what battery option, i assume he i assending much altitude and that it will be be colder, making battery life dramatically shorten.
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tom b

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Where is he trekking? From images I've seen of the Pokhara to Muktinath trek there is a power line up the valley. In checking up the trek it appears that you can you can even drive up there. I'm glad I did it in '78, it was a popular Annapurna trek. I still have the mental image of a porter with an expensive backpack on his back and a backpack strapped on either side of it. Some pics here: http://www.jomsommuktinathtrek.blogspot.com (not mine).

LuLa regular Bernard Languillier did a trip there to the Kumbhu area so maybe he will have some info about it, his images here: http://www.light-of-earths.com/Set-Asia-Nepal/E/Host.html

Ah, to be young and fit enough to be doing it now.

So more details about where the trek is are needed.

Cheers,
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Rob C

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Where is he trekking? From images I've seen of the Pokhara to Muktinath trek there is a power line up the valley. In checking up the trek it appears that you can you can even drive up there. I'm glad I did it in '78, it was a popular Annapurna trek. I still have the mental image of a porter with an expensive backpack on his back and a backpack strapped on either side of it. Some pics here: http://www.jomsommuktinathtrek.blogspot.com (not mine).

LuLa regular Bernard Languillier did a trip there to the Kumbhu area so maybe he will have some info about it, his images here: http://www.light-of-earths.com/Set-Asia-Nepal/E/Host.html

Ah, to be young and fit enough to be doing it now.So more details about where the trek is are needed.

Cheers,



I've been thinking that a lot these days... the most energy sapping activity I find at night is unplugging the electric blanket.

Or washing the cars - I did one last evening after having put it off because of a weather warning on Friday. Nothing happened so I washed it (the twelve-year-old one) with the intention of doing some paint restoration today of bits where the last pro re-spraying of parts hadn't been masked properly (no point going back - they'd just eff up another bit) and lo and behold, when I threw open the shutters this morning - more a slow unlocking, but you get the drift - the terrace was soaked. Just my normal luck; it happens often with car washing; almost as if there's a natural law against it.  

Rob C
« Last Edit: May 02, 2011, 03:24:31 am by Rob C »
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Eric Myrvaagnes

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Oh, to be young enough to wash my own car again!
Or carry a two-hundred mile extension cord with me to recharge batteries on a trek.

Eric

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Lisa Nikodym

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Thanks for the comments (well, most of them anyway  ;)).  His tour is from Lukla to Gokyo, but they'll be camping the whole way, so there won't be any power available for two weeks.  Right now it's sounding like carrying some extra camera batteries will be the simplest.   (No real need for the extra weight and cost of a vertical grip since he can always stop to change batteries, and AA batteries may not be available during that two weeks either.)  He remembers seeing some sort of portable solar charger at REI recently, so he's going to go back and take a look at it, but extra batteries are probably the best way to go.

Thanks,
Lisa
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Eric Myrvaagnes

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Seriously (this time), I agree that extra batteries are the way to go.

Eric
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Paul Sumi

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Seriously (this time), I agree that extra batteries are the way to go.

I became a recent convert to Sanyo Eneloop low discharge rechargeables.  Their claim to fame is holding their charge well in storage.  I'm using mine mostly for my handheld GPS but will also use them for my photo speedlight and and walkie talkies.

http://gpstracklog.com/2007/11/eneloop-recharg.html

Paul
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ethanw

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I have seen solar battery charger panels a few years back and I think that the technology is already developed and would already be at your disposal.  There are also portable battery charges but you still have to plug them when they run out of power. Though, it will give you more time to stall while in search for a proper charger. Try looking for solar chargers. I bet they are already available.
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Lisa Nikodym

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Re: technology for recharging camera batteries away from electric power
« Reply #10 on: May 04, 2011, 11:09:50 am »

Thanks for the links, Mike.  I've sent them to the spouse, and he's going to do a weight & cost comparison between a solar charger and just carrying enough extra batteries to last the two weeks.

Lisa
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