Field Test Report: ICP Solar Technologies Exponent Flex 5 and BattPak

 

**This report is intended to be read in conjunction with my initial report on these same products.

Contents

1)      Reviewer Information

2)      Manufacturer and Product Information

3)      Test Methodology

4)      The Results

5)      Overall Impressions

6)      Further Testing

1) Reviewer Information

 

Name: Jason Dolman

Age: 27

Gender: Male

Height: 6 ft (1.83 m)

Weight: 145 lb (66 kg)

Email address: nolonger@canada.com

City, State, Country: Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Date: October 3, 2004

 

Backpacking Background: I have camped since I was 13 and have backpacked as a traveler since I was 21.  I have enjoyed numerous bike, canoe and camping trips throughout the United States and Canada, and backpacked in Australia, Europe, South East Asia and South America.  I backpack as light as possible.  My travel pack holds 30 L (1830 cu in), so each piece of clothing/gear is selected to be multipurpose and durable. 

2) Manufacturer and Product Information:

Manufacturer: ICP Solar Technologies

Year of Manufacture: 2004
URL: http://www.icpsolar.com/

 

a)      Flex 5 (Model#: 50200)

 

Unit Size as measured (folded): 8.5 x 5.5 x 1 in (21.6 x 14 x 2.5 cm)

Unit Size as measured and as stated by manufacturer (unfolded):

8.5 x 28 x 0.25 in (21.6 x 71 x 0.6 cm)

Unit Weight as measured and as stated by manufacturer: 9.2 oz (260 g)

Unit Weight as measured (incl. 12V socket): 12.3 oz (348 g)

12V Cigarette Lighter Socket (female) wire: 1 ft (30.5 cm)

Extension Cord: 8 ft (2.5 m)

 

Rated Power: up to 5W

Max current: 300 mAmps @ 14.8V     

Operating Voltage: 16.5V

Open Circuit Voltage: 23V

Operating temperature: -40 F to 140 F (-40 C to 60 C)

 

Warranty: 2 years

MSRP: US $99.99

 

b)      BattPak (Model#: 22001)

 

Unit Size as measured and as stated by manufacturer: 7.5 x 3 x 1.2 in (19 x 7.5 x 3 cm)

Unit Weight as measured: 6.2 oz (177 g)

Unit Weight as stated by manufacturer: 6.3 oz (180 g)

12V cigarette lighter adapter (male) wire: 3 ft (0.9 m)

12V cigarette lighter adapter weight: 1.5 oz (41.1 g)

AC adapter wire: 5 ft 8 in (1.7 m)

 

Operating temperature: -40 F to 176 F (-40 C to 80 C)

 

Warranty: 2 years

MSRP: US $29.99

3) Test Methodology:

 

The products were tested in and around the city of Montreal, in open air spaces to allow for available light.  The tests were performed in temperatures ranging from 72 F (22 C) to 21 F (-6 C).

 

The Flex 5 was tested in full and partial sunlight by using it to power either the Battpak or a 4^th generation iPod.  The iPod tests determine how well the Flex 5 can supply power to play music and how long it takes to charge a dead battery.  The solar panel connects to my iPod through a Macally* car adapter.  The iPod power indicator features a lightning bolt when it is being charged and the Macally adapter emits a blue light when receiving power.

 

In addition to charging batteries, the Battpak was also used to charge and run that same iPod using the same car adapter.  The Battpak tests illustrate how well the Flex 5 can charge different kinds of dead batteries in a variety of temperatures.  The eight batteries I used inside the Battpak were RadioShack Ni-Cd AA, 700mAh, 1.25V rechargeables.

 

Both products were subjected to normal amounts of abuse to see if they have structural weaknesses that might cause a problem on the road, in the bush or on the water.

 

*The Macally iPod Car Charger connects the iPod Firewire cable to a 12V cigarette lighter socket for charging by providing a female Firewire socket on one end and a male cigarette lighter plug on the other end.

 

4) The Results

 

4.1. General

 

Temperature has made no difference in the operation or output of either product.

 

4.2. The Battpak

 

4.2.1. The LEDs

 

            I like that the manufacturer has chosen to slim down this product as much as possible.  The status lights on the side of the unit are a simple and no-frills way of communicating to the user that the unit is receiving power (red light) and that the batteries are charged (green light).  I find that the lights are difficult to see in daylight, however, requiring the user to completely shade the Battpak (inside a jacket for instance) in order to see which lights are on.   As well, the colors are not as intuitive as I would have liked.  I keep expecting the red light to turn off when the batteries have finished charging.  It would make more sense to me if both LEDs were green.

 

4.2.2. The Lid

 

            When I first played with the lid of the Battpak, I was a little concerned that it might flip open by accident and break off easily.  I am happy to report that neither of these possibilities has shown themselves to be likely.  In fact, the lid is sometimes difficult to open.  The latch sometimes holds on too well, requiring that the user push a thin prod (such as a business card) under the lid to unhook it.  It does not happen often, but I could see that being an issue if you really needed to get at those batteries.

 

4.2.3. The Power

 

The Battpak works as promised.  It is difficult to time the charging process, because different batteries and conditions require different charge times.  The Battpak was able to charge my batteries from a wall outlet and from solar power, each source taking only two to three hours to cause the green light to turn on. 

 

The unit was also able to charge my iPod or maintain a full charge during its use.  At least 7 batteries were required in order for the iPod to receive power.  I used eight batteries and was able to charge a dead iPod battery for approximately three hours.  According to Apple, the iPod is 80% charged after two hours and fully charged after four.  One might assume therefore that the Battpak was able to charge the iPod battery to approximately 90%.  However, after being plugged into the wall, the iPod continued to charge for another two or three hours!  Because it is not considered good practice to fully drain the iPod battery on a regular basis, further tests will be completed over several months to evaluate as close as possible how much power is being transferred.  My next tests will look at a list of songs played to determine how long the iPod is actually able to play on a full charge (from AC) and how long from the Battpak charge.

 

4.2.4. General Durability

 

The Battpak seems durable, but I would hesitate to subject the frosted plastic lid or the handle to any kind of serious stress.  These features are not essential to the functioning of the unit, however, and are not placed is a location that invites abuse.  Frankly, I have yet to even use the handle and would be perfectly happy if it broke off. The rest of the product feels very solid.

 

ICP makes no claims of water resistance for the Battpak and the unit does not appear to have any water seals or other such protective attributes.

 

4.3. Flexing the Flex 5

 

4.3.1. Quality of Sunlight

 

It quickly became apparent when using the Flex 5 that only direct sunlight will be of sufficient quality to generate power to charge an iPod or the Battpak.  Ambient daylight is not enough to allow a strong charge, but only enough to light up the power indicator on the car adapter.  The panels lose effectiveness quickly during sudden obstructions of sunlight, such as a passing cloud.  I tried to use the Flex 5 in a car, under sunroof glass and windshield glass, but to no effect.  Whether because of the angle or coating of the glass, I was not able to get a proper charge, even on a sunny day. 

 

Where there is direct sunlight, the Flex 5 performed beautifully.  It was actually mesmerizing to watch the power of the sun harnessed so effectively.  The iPod was able to hold a full charge while playing music at high volume.  I was impressed.  In separate tests, it took about two to three hours for the green light to illuminate on the Battpak (holding eight batteries), indicating a basic full charge.  The Battpak was attached directly to the Flex 5 extension cord, without the cigarette adapter.

 

I should mention that, while the instruction manual suggests that the Flex 5 can be mounted on backpacks (more information on that below), such a setup would only be useful if hiking in open spaces on sunny days, and facing away from the sun.  Due to the specific solar requirements of this product, I would not expect to use it on a backpack very often.  The instruction manual indicates that the Flex 5 can “act as a load when it is not charging”, and would therefore do more harm than good if connected without proper sunlight.

 

4.3.2. The Output Jacks

 

            I really like the rugged and water-resistant input and output connections on the Flex 5 wires.  The caps are sometimes difficult to remove, but that also provides good protection against the elements.  One thing that bothered me, however, was that the Flex 5 output wire kept falling out of the Battpak input during my setup.  Indoors, I hadn’t noticed any problem, but out in windy conditions I had to pay special attention to the connection to make sure it was still okay.  It would be a shame to return at the end of the day to find that the connection had been lost after only a few minutes of charging.  It would have been nice to have more friction between the male and female connections, or even a notch in the jack to accommodate an elastic band, which could then be looped around the Battpak (or around any charging device).  In a pinch, one could make use of the dangling output wire cap, by using that as an anchor for an elastic band.

 

4.3.3. Setting up and Tying Down

 

            When closed, the Flex 5 is small enough to fit inside the elastic netting found on many backpacks.  While open, the corner grommets make it possible for the unit to be easily attached with carabiners, cord or straps.  With an inside diameter of 1 cm (0.4 in), however, the grommets are not wide enough to accommodate full size climbing carabiners.

 

I have attached the Flex 5 to a backpack, a car and even a lawn chair and found it to be very easy to set up.  My first efforts with rope were unsuccessful, even through I am very familiar with knots.  It was a pain to be tying and untying every time the Solar panels had to be moved to a different location (which may be often, depending on the movement of the sun and the surface to which the panels are tied).  The instruction manual suggests bungee cords, but I have found that compression straps are a lightweight and effective way to secure the Flex 5.  They are cheap, have no sharp edges (safety first!) and are easy to adjust.  With one strap running through the top holes and another strap for the bottoms, setting up the panels is a cinch.

 

4.3.4. General Durability

 

            The Flex 5 is durable and resistant to impact whether closed or open.  It can be crammed folded into a backpack without worry.  It seems suitably reinforced and still shows no wear at the folds or stitching.  While it is possible to accidentally crease a solar panel (the instructions warn against it), the likelihood of it happening is slim, because of the stiffness of each panel.

 

            The Flex 5 has not yet been exposed to rain or snow, but according to the instruction manual it is “fully weatherproof”.  I expect to test that claim further when the Quebec winter sets in fully.

 

5) Overall Impressions

 

5.1. Things I Like

 

Each product is light and pretty compact, so they would not impose a serious burden in a backpack.  They perform very well under optimal conditions and offer flexibility in the products with which they can be used.  The Flex 5 is a feel-good source of renewable energy and just having one makes me feel like a better person.  The Battpak is a dependable product to have in case of emergencies.

 

5.2. Things I Like Less

 

            The LEDs on the Battpak are not intuitive, but this is not a very serious issue.  It is bigger than some of the other charging options available for the iPod, however the strength of the Battpak is its flexibility for use with a variety of products and its low price.

 

In my opinion, a serious limitation of the Flex 5 is its requirement of direct sunlight.  This may simply be due to the limits of current science and technology, however it prevents this product from being a dependable power source. 

 

That said, it is still very useful in those places where sun is plentiful and electricity is not, such as on open water, or on long trips to remote locations where converted electricity and batteries are not available.  The destination will therefore determine whether usefulness is offset by weight.

 

6) Further Testing

 

Winter is settling in, so extreme conditions lie ahead.  The products will be tested in freezing temperatures, in snow and ice.  Similar methodology applies.  I also expect to use the Flex 5 in much warmer and sunnier conditions in the coming weeks.  Thanks to ICP and BackPackGearTest.org for making it all possible!