Solar Panels for XO 4- please help

[Kishwer Aziz]

Hello all,

I need urgent help in sourcing solar panel chargers for XO 4 Touch that we
have obtained from Australia for use in remote areas of Pakistan. On amazon
I can find solar chargers for smartphones and tablets with USB sockets. I
cannot find one with a laptop power adapter.

Can anyone tell me what works best or give me a link to something they have
used or can recommend? I need this information urgently for budgeting and
planning a deployment in a remote village in the Thar Desert.

Please help

Regards

Kishwer Aziz
Mobile/ WhatsApp: +44 07725816209
Skype: kishweraziz

[Rob Bosch]

If I have a look at the specs for XO4 touch it says:

>DC power input: anything from 11V to 25V is accepted; 6 mm power input
connector w/ 1.65 mm center pin

So, I guess your solar panels are 12V. Then you only need to find a
connector to connect the solar panel to the laptop. I hope the 6mm DC
power plug with 1.65mm center pin is just one of the standard connectors
that should be available plenty.

regards and let us know if you can find a decent solution.

robb

Op 28-10-2019 om 11:59 schreef Kishwer Aziz:

[Kishwer Aziz]

Rob,
Thanks for responding. However my problem is the solar panel chargers all come with USB ports for smart phones. How do I plug it into an XO 4 power socket.

Regards

Kishwer Aziz
Mobile/ WhatsApp: +44 07725816209
Skype: kishweraziz

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[T Gillett]

Hi Kishwer

I have successfully used 12Volt / 10 Watt and 12Volt / 20Watt solar panels to charge and run XOs.

Here are some typical examples of panels on eBay:

    https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/10W-12V-SOLAR-PANEL-BATTERY-CHARGING-KIT-CARAVAN-CAMPING-POWER-MINI-HOME-AU-POST/231717124515

    https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/20W-12V-Car-Boat-Yacht-Solar-Panel-Trickle-Battery-Charger-Power-Supply-Outdoor/143373230875

The 10Watt panels will provide 0.5Amp in bright sun, and the 20W panels will provide 1Amp current.

The XO uses around 1Amp in normal use.

So both types will charge the battery if the XO is not in use, and the 20W panel will run the XO without depleting the battery.

The 20W panel will charge the XO from flat in around 3 - 4 hours, and the 10W panel will take twice as long.

Often the battery is only partly discharged after class use, so the time to top up is obviously less.

Of course the 20W panels are proportionately bigger and cost more that 10W panels, so you have to decide what is appropriate for your usage.

Note also that some panels are sold with a charge regulator included, which you don't need as there is one built in to the XO.

With regard to the connector, it is very unlikely that you will find a panel supplied with the XO type connector.

I think what you will need to do is purchase panels (with leads), and purchase connectors separately, then attach the connectors somewhere in the delivery chain.

Example of the connectors:

    https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/30pcs-2-1x5-5mm-Male-Barrel-DC-Power-Plug-Socket-Jack-Connector-Black-VQX/273964165424

    https://www.amazon.com/iCreating-Connector-Adapter-Security-Rearview/dp/B06Y4YXRMC

Note: The connector on the XO is specified as having a 1.65mm centre pin, which is not a commonly available size.

Mains chargers used with XOs commonly have a socket designed for a 2.1mm centre pin, which is a more readily available size.

It would pay to evaluate candidate connectors before purchasing in large quantities.

Hope this helps.

Regards

Terry

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[Sam Rossiter]

From the plug spec
http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Battery_and_power#Mechanical

It looks like this would convert to standard 2.1mm
https://www.amazon.com/uxcell-5-5mm-Connector-Female-Adapter/dp/B07C7CT4H7

So you could then connect through this
https://www.ebay.com/itm/2-1mm-x-5-5mm-Home-DC-CCTV-Power-Coupler-Male-to-Male-Extender-Adapter-Connector/371723144567?hash=item568c6d0d77:g:YmcAAOSwHPlWg5Az

To a panel like this
https://www.ebay.com/itm/20W-Solar-Panel-12V-to-5V-Battery-Charger-USB-for-Car-Boat-Caravan-Power-Supply/153247257920?epid=19020031591&hash=item23ae3f9540:g:iJEAAOSwy7hb3-XX

Probably worth checking with the panel vendor it is 2.1mm but the vast
majority will be.

Thanks

Sam

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