Seems like a lot of the folks on this forum know how to accomplish some pretty awesome stuff with electronics, so I wanted to offer a challenge.
I know a number of Haitians who use laptop computers off-the-grid in Haiti.
Small solar panels are not particularly expensive, but the cost barrier to getting electricity for your laptop in Haiti is fairly high. I think a number of people on this forum would have an easy time solving this problem, though:
What people do in Haiti currently is this : install 12V solar panels, install some large and expensive lead acid batteries with a charger, and then install a (small inexpensive) inverter to provide 120V AC power, which is converted back to 9.5V DC* for use with a laptop computer.
*I'm saying 9.5V DC, but actually the converters I've seen are either 9.5V DC or 19V DC. However, the ultra low cost netbooks, which also run off of very little power, are made for 9.5V DC. This is what I think is most appropriate for folks who can't spend a lot on a computer or on powering a computer.
So does anybody know how to make a pulse-width-modulating voltage regulator (or something else?) to allow a netbook made for 9.5V DC to run off of a nominal-12V solar panel (apparently 12V solar panels actually produce up to 17+ volts in bright sun)?
If you can do it cheaply, I'd be happy to pay for such a voltage regulator. Or if you can explain how to make one to someone who isn't much good at assembling electronics and hasn't a clue how to create a circuit board, that'd be cool too!
Oh, and if any of you want to try an ultra-low-cost off grid setup for a laptop for yourself, check this out:
EEE PC for less than $140
10W solar panel for less than $40, able to provide enough power to charge EEE PC battery in a reasonable time
I know a number of Haitians who use laptop computers off-the-grid in Haiti.
Small solar panels are not particularly expensive, but the cost barrier to getting electricity for your laptop in Haiti is fairly high. I think a number of people on this forum would have an easy time solving this problem, though:
What people do in Haiti currently is this : install 12V solar panels, install some large and expensive lead acid batteries with a charger, and then install a (small inexpensive) inverter to provide 120V AC power, which is converted back to 9.5V DC* for use with a laptop computer.
*I'm saying 9.5V DC, but actually the converters I've seen are either 9.5V DC or 19V DC. However, the ultra low cost netbooks, which also run off of very little power, are made for 9.5V DC. This is what I think is most appropriate for folks who can't spend a lot on a computer or on powering a computer.
So does anybody know how to make a pulse-width-modulating voltage regulator (or something else?) to allow a netbook made for 9.5V DC to run off of a nominal-12V solar panel (apparently 12V solar panels actually produce up to 17+ volts in bright sun)?
If you can do it cheaply, I'd be happy to pay for such a voltage regulator. Or if you can explain how to make one to someone who isn't much good at assembling electronics and hasn't a clue how to create a circuit board, that'd be cool too!
Oh, and if any of you want to try an ultra-low-cost off grid setup for a laptop for yourself, check this out:
EEE PC for less than $140
10W solar panel for less than $40, able to provide enough power to charge EEE PC battery in a reasonable time
