Forum Index > Gear Talk > Goal Zero - opinions anyone?
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moonspots
Happy Curmudgeon



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moonspots
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PostSat Jan 04, 2014 10:42 am 
Whilst perusing the shelves at the Seattle REI the other day, I ran across what looked to be a nice solar charger, the Goal Zero setup. Anyone here have any personal experience with this one? I have a couple of Solios, and they work fine, but seem to take a long time to re-charge a phone. Most likely due to small capacity. I do like that their internal batteries don't drain (much) while sitting idle in the closet for months. What interested me about the GZ was the solar panel(s), they appeared to be flexible, and that's a plus. Thanks in advance for sharing experience, opinions.

"Out, OUT you demons of Stupidity"! - St Dogbert, patron Saint of Technology
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Canon Shooter
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PostSat Jan 04, 2014 5:02 pm 
I purchased an SOS charger last year via Kickstarter. They will be delivered next month and will be available for anyone else to purchase. It has an internal 200 mAh battery and hand crank also. It is pretty inexpensive also so it is worth trying. Here is the link: http://www.soscharger.com/

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renegadepilgrim
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PostSat Jan 04, 2014 8:16 pm 
I've got the Goal Zero Switch 8 and it works great.

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Frango
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PostSat Jan 04, 2014 9:09 pm 
I've used a goal zero 3.5 nomad and battery pack for a couple of years now. It weighs about a pound, clips to my pack and charges the battery pack during the day. When I make camp, I can top up my phone, charge my camera batteries, charge my headlamp - anything that will charge from a USB. I think they make a more powerful one, but for my needs, this does the trick nicely.

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Backpacker Joe
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PostSat Jan 04, 2014 11:05 pm 
I have both their Yeti 400 and 1250 solar generators with four of their 30 watt panels. Costly, but good products.

"If destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen we must live through all time or die by suicide." — Abraham Lincoln
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GeoHiker
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PostSat Jan 04, 2014 11:11 pm 
I found a new Goal Zero 10 at Goodwill earlier this summer and bought a 5,000 mAh battery pack at Monoprice for backup and was impressed with the setup. I can get about 2.5 charges with my HTC droid smart phone from the battery pack and the GZ keeps the battery pack topped off if I can keep it in the sun for 3-4 hrs. Solar charge system is limited and dependent on how much sun you have, so you won't get optimal charge unless you are at a stationary location for a decent length of time. The charge rates, ah, watt ratings with solar panels are best case conditions, so you won't get full charge at all times. GZ does a good job. It will charge on a cloudy day, but at a much lower rate. What are your power requirements? Cost of the GZ is about $80-$120, so for that price you could buy 2-3 of the battery packs and have plenty of backup power. If you aren't out for more than 3-4 days I think the battery packs would be the best choice and the least amount of hassle if you are moving often. If you have the time and sun, then a solar pack works well.

You call some place paradise, kiss it goodbye......Eagles
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509
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PostSun Jan 05, 2014 10:58 am 
Goal Zero stuff is eye candy. Designed to sell at a premium price. If you have money to burn it is fine. I own 24 solar panels and even run a house on 18 of them. You are much better off buying a "real" panel, charge controller, and adapters for different uses. I run a house, solar powered fishing boat, various telescopes, computers, and sorts of camping stuff off my panels. I suppose if like poorly constructed toys Goal Zero gets you into the game it might be worthwhile. However, solar can do a lot of neat stuff and for isolated locations it is definitely more than a toy. I would start with "real" solar. Here are a couple serious retail outlets: http://www.windsun.com/ http://www.backwoodssolar.com/ I would buy a 30 watt panel, charge controller and a 12 volt jumper battery that has a 12 volt charging circut. With this you can do ANYTHING that can benefit from solar charging. I would also get a volt-meter so you can learn from your experiences.

Retired Forester....rambling round www.usbackroads.blogspot.com
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Daryl
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PostMon Jan 06, 2014 8:08 am 
the goal zero is fantastic for hiking/backpacking and other outdoor away from it all activities. I can charge my phone or ipod touch in a few hours of good sun and it easily attaches to your pack so you can charge while walking (provided you are in good sun and it has good exposure...). In a pinch i can even run my etrex gps off it. It could probably charge some cameras? I recently got the switch but haven't tried it yet. It would suck for trying to run a house or cabin though.

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btspman
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PostMon Jan 06, 2014 9:40 am 
It's awesome. Don't hesitate if you're thinking of buying one

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Bedivere
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PostMon Jan 06, 2014 3:12 pm 
509 wrote:
If you have money to burn it is fine.
Or your knowledge of electronics is suspect and you're not really interested in spending time trying to figure out how to spec, assemble, and package a system that is reliable, user friendly, and convenient for backpacking... I'm the last person to knock DIY (I have traditionally done almost all maintenance on my cars, for example)- if you know how and like to do this kind of stuff then more power to you but there is a very good reason we have "consumer electronics."

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moonspots
Happy Curmudgeon



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moonspots
Happy Curmudgeon
PostMon Jan 06, 2014 8:28 pm 
Chainsaw_Willie wrote:
and you're not really interested in spending time trying to figure out how to spec, assemble, and package a system that is reliable, user friendly, and convenient for backpacking...
I'm not....really interested in re-inventing that particular wheel, although I am capable. It's just that my time is worth much more than the ~$100 an already assembled system would cost me. I might (no, make that probably - if it wouldn't require destructive dis-assembly of the gadget) go through it and make the connections meet my standards (that I learned at Boeing). That's where most consumer electronics fail completely - hastily assembled connection points. I like the "off the grid" solar websites supplied by 509, I believe it was. Useful information, interesting. Thanks, all.

"Out, OUT you demons of Stupidity"! - St Dogbert, patron Saint of Technology
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hikerman
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PostMon Jan 06, 2014 9:36 pm 
It is not solar powered but you could also go with a Minty Boost for a low cost option. It runs on a couple AA batteries. Looks like you can build one with more batteries or even C's or D's now. Minty Boost I came across it, I think, on this thread a couple years ago. https://www.nwhikers.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=7994458&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=mintyboost I had ordered the kit and put one together. Actually, I think I built 2 of them, one for a friend too. I use it to charge my phone and other miscellaneous devices. Always carry some extra batteries anyway and then have the charger if needed.

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Daryl
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PostTue Jan 07, 2014 7:49 am 
What I think the OP brought up is the goal zero nomad which is a small and light folding panel that has a USB output, costs about $70 (more with the switch or battery pack) and is just excellent for hiking/backpacking if you want to charge a phone or other stuff. link: http://www.rei.com/product/851177/goal-zero-switch-8-solar-recharging-kit What 509 brought up is more cabin, home or car/base camp set up. very good stuff, but not really comparable to the goal zero hiker set up. Goal zero does make some base camp solar stuff. I haven't used it so no comment, but I'd bet the stuff 509 posted would be a better investment.

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509
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PostTue Jan 07, 2014 12:00 pm 
Most of my camping is base camp for extended periods of time. You can get a 30-watt panel for about $100 and a 12 volt jumper battery for about $50. That's really all you need to completely run a campsite in summer. BTW.....since we camp in isolated areas. Here is what I run off my solar charging system. cell phone/data amplifier (if you run a business you need this) cell phone computer e-reader plus charger IPAD...outdoor guides live here now. DSLR charger IPOD speaker system and IPOD charger (tunes) Battery charger for lights, shower pump. Battery charger for trolling battery Solar for solar powered boat Lights for fly tying Charge all the astronomy stuff like telescope motors, etc. Good citizenship collar and controller for dog water pump to fill water filter bag So you can see why I not a fan of Goal Zero. All the adapters, chargers and gizmo's you need can be found at any truck spot. I never go past a Pilot without checking out the 12 volt accessory section. I don't recommend solar for a large industrial society. For a extended campsite they are a godsend. I wish I had all these toys in the 1970's when I was camped out for several months at a time.

Retired Forester....rambling round www.usbackroads.blogspot.com
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GeoHiker
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PostTue Jan 07, 2014 8:35 pm 
You certainly pay premium $$$ for plug and play solar setups. Ouch BPJ! eek.gif Not everyone is willing or able to do the research, so Goal Zero is a popular option. It works well for hikers looking for a portable setup. I believe what the OP was looking for. There are lithium-ion battery packs that offer much more charge power than solar and weighing less, so I think those are a better choice for hikers and costing less. It helps to know what you are trying to power. Cell phone, camera, LED lights? Small power requirements are easily handled by Goal Zero and pretty much plug and play. I'm similar to you 509, I like to setup a base camp and go from there. 7-10 days is my normal time out. You can be quite comfortable without a huge outlay of $$$. Buy a quality deep cycle battery, Optima AGM is a good one ($130), 400 watt AC/DC converter, ($25) Solar panels from China are flooding the market and the prices are dropping like a rock. 100 watt Renogy panels are going for $150. Solar controllers are inexpensive. I started out with the 3 panel 45 watt Harbor Freight system for $125. That's a good start into solar, but current technology and efficiencies are heads above that now. Thin film technology is hitting the market and you'll see some very efficient portable setups hitting the market the next couple years. There was an interesting segment on the solar technology market that was on 60 mins this past Sunday how our country is giving away the bank to China, but that's not appropriate here, so I better not comment..... paranoid.gif

You call some place paradise, kiss it goodbye......Eagles
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