Solar Batteries

Posted by Queuebot in Science & Tech on February 21, 2009 at 9:34 am


Inventor Knut Karlsen has designed batteries that recharge themselves when they are exposed to sunlight; no electric power source is required! 

Karlsen’s SunCat batteries circumvent chargers completely by integrating solar cells within the batteries themselves. To make these prototypes he attached 1.8V flexible photovoltaic cells onto 1.5V NiMH rechargeable batteries and connected them with a conductive silver pen and a few flat wires. The effect is similar to a trickle charger, which slowly charges a battery and can be left attached indefinitely without overcharging.

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From the Upcoming ueue, submitted by Minnesotastan.


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COMMENT

6 comments to "Solar Batteries"

  1. sw
    February 21st, 2009 at 11:47 am

    I'm first in line if these ever go into production! But seems too cost-effective to the consumer to ever happen, sigh.

  2. Gadget Sleuth
    February 21st, 2009 at 12:26 pm

    Its like solar or electric cars; the makers won't allow this to happen, in a widespread, economical sense anyway. Imagine what would happen to Duracell! The horror!

  3. Kalel
    February 21st, 2009 at 2:47 pm

    What a re-volting idea!

  4. I C Kook
    February 21st, 2009 at 2:47 pm

    Energizer Bunny's suppositories!

    - Teh hee!

    Wink wink nudge nudge...

  5. Josh
    February 21st, 2009 at 5:56 pm

    @Gadget Sleuth
    Rechargeable batteries life is horrible. They would never replace a good battery that will last 3 or 4 times longer. Those batteries would go good in remotes or small devices that do not demand alot of power.

  6. VonSkippy
    February 21st, 2009 at 9:36 pm

    Another tree hugger idea that has NO engineering behind it. Even if you could get the full output of those teeny tiny solar panels (and ya can't, they're wrapped around a cylinder which means half the panel will effectively be in the dark) there isn't enough "oomf" to charge the batteries. It's doubtful they even have enough to trickle charge them to maintain the battery once it's charged to full in a real charger.


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