PowerPot

[Jersey Jeff]

I'm always stressed out when my iPhone's battery craps out in the middle of the woods, especially if I am hiking or camping.

Although it was a bit pricey, I splurged and purchased a PowerPot. The device is a small handled pot with a cord that sticks out of the side. When the PowerPot is placed on a heat source, it generates electricity, enough to power a small LED light or charge your mobile phone.

The device worked great on my gas range at home. We camped at Hawkins Bridge last weekend and tested it in the field. Charging on our Coleman propane camping stove was slow, especially with both burners going simultaneously. We then tried the PowerPot on the campfire grate and that worked as well (again, charging was slow...probably no faster than a cheap 12V adapter used in cars).

I think the device will be more useful if I am backpacking for a few days without any access to a car or other source of electricity.

Here is a photo of the PowerPot in action.

 

[noboat]

When did Hawkins Bridge open up to camping?

 

[Jersey Jeff]

When did Hawkins Bridge open up to camping?

It opened April 1.

 

[Ben Ruset]

The Powerpot seems like a pretty cool idea. Shame that it's so expensive.

 

[Boyd]

It seems like a good concept, but regular batteries are cheap and they don't weigh very much. So aside from being a cool gadget, I don't really see the advantage when you could just back a bunch of batteries.

 

[Ben Ruset]

It seems like a good concept, but regular batteries are cheap and they don't weigh very much. So aside from being a cool gadget, I don't really see the advantage when you could just back a bunch of batteries.

Well, you can't carry extra batteries for your phone. It's basically useful for devices that have built-in rechargeable batteries.

 

[46er]

Well, you can't carry extra batteries for your phone.

Or DSLR camera's.

From what I've looked at, the BioLite works faster and is smaller. But either would be more useful than the solar chargers out there.

http://www.biolitestove.com/campstove/camp-overview/features/

 

[Gibby]

If absolutely have to have your gizmos with you that need batteries, just get a hand crank charger. It is so much easier to carry. A little elbow grease is all you need.

http://www.k-tor.com/hand-crank-generator/

 

[46er]

If absolutely have to have your gizmos with you that need batteries, just get a hand crank charger. It is so much easier to carry. A little elbow grease is all you need.

You mean wrist grease

The Pocket Socket is a powerful charger. It has a 10W generator. The Pocket Socket charges your mobile device at the same rate it would charge in a standard 120v household electrical outlet.

I doubt you would have use of your hands after using one of those to charge a camera battery, unless your hands get a lot of exercise. Might work for a phone. Takes about an hour, or more, using the juice you get out of the wall.

 

[Gibby]

46er, you don't have to charge the battery all at once. Do some here and do some there.

-Honestly, I like both of them but was just offering an alternative. There are only three choices for the most part: solar, hand cranked or hot water generator. Pick the one that suits your needs and budget.

 

[46er]

46er, you don't have to charge the battery all at once. Do some here and do some there.

That would be nice if you could, be it don't work that way. Once you unplug the cycle is broken, sounds like a country tune, and when you replug the cycle begins anew. The shallower the charge, the worse it is for the battery. It's a timing thing in the charger, and it's all Bush's fault.

 

[Boyd]

Well, you can't carry extra batteries for your phone.

When you go camping, do you talk on the phone so much that you need to recharge the batteries? The last time I went camping cell phones didn't even exist, so I don't know.

But I have a little iGo charger that takes two AA batteries and plugs into my iPhone to extend battery time. They make all kinds of gadgets for that: http://www.igo.com/page/home

 

[Ben Ruset]

When you go camping, do you talk on the phone so much that you need to recharge the batteries? The last time I went camping cell phones didn't even exist, so I don't know.

But I have a little iGo charger that takes two AA batteries and plugs into my iPhone to extend battery time. They make all kinds of gadgets for that: http://www.igo.com/page/home

Some folks find it hard to unplug. I was out in the pines yesterday, just hanging out in an idyllic spot, and had a very hard time trying to ignore my phone. I do agree that the iGo is probably way more practical than the PowerPot.

 

[Boyd]

Some folks find it hard to unplug.

That is certainly true in today's world. I used to be like that myself, but not so much today since I'm retired. I just returned from a 4 day business trip to Canada and simply turned my phone off since I didn't want to pay the high international data or voice charges. It felt very liberating actually, not having to carry my phone everywhere I went, constantly checking it.

I think everyone should try this from time to time, even if it's only for a few hours on a hike. If somebody wants to contact you, they will leave a message.

 

[Ben Ruset]

Yeah. I've been meditating over how uncomfortable I am without my phone near me. Even when I left it in the truck as I explored some places yesterday, I felt like I was missing something.

It's something that I need to change, although I rationalize it by saying that I need to be reachable in case there's an emergency with my daughter.

 

[noboat]

Never needs charging

 

[ecampbell]

That is certainly true in today's world. I used to be like that myself, but not so much today since I'm retired. I just returned from a 4 day business trip to Canada and simply turned my phone off since I didn't want to pay the high international data or voice charges. It felt very liberating actually, not having to carry my phone everywhere I went, constantly checking it.

I think everyone should try this from time to time, even if it's only for a few hours on a hike. If somebody wants to contact you, they will leave a message.

If you really want to be free, get rid of the watch! It's very liberating.

 

[46er]

If you really want to be free, get rid of the watch! It's very liberating.

I did that the day after I retired. Not sure how liberating it is, but you do meet some nice folks when you ask the time. And no cell phone, except for an old Tracfone I keep in the truck for emergencies, although I've never used it. But it didn't work during Sandy, so I just may just get rid of that too.

 

[Boyd]

I think the watch is a little different issue. It can't "intrude" like a call, e-mail, text message, tweet, whatever from the outside world. Unless looking at the watch reminds you of a schedule that you must keep, I don't see it as much of a problem. I've worn watches since I was a little kid, and it was sort of a "rite of passage" when my father gave me my first one ("a man must always know what time it is, son").

I also like having a smartphone, but it's frequently turned off. Younger generations who have never known a world without wifi and smartphones are bound to have a different view of the world though.

 

[Ben Ruset]

Younger generations who have never known a world without wifi and smartphones are bound to have a different view of the world though.

Heaven help us.