Long Term Report: ICP Solar Technologies Exponent Flex 5 and BattPak

 

Review Date: April 18, 2005

 

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

Contents

1)      Reviewer Information

2)      Manufacturer and Product Information

3)      Test Methodology

4)      The Results

5)      Overall Impressions

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

 

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).

 

            While this author did venture outside Montreal during the course of testing, the reader may notice a lack of detail regarding backwoods conditions.  This is because the Flex 5 solar panel is not an appropriate item for use under a canopy of trees or while hiking, due to a lack of available sunlight.  As well, the charge times required and the simplicity of both products require that they be just be left alone for hours on end to do their thing, wherever that may be.  Thus, they cannot be incorporated into many classic backwoods activities in a manner that would be meaningful for testing.

 

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.  The Battpak tests illustrate how well the Flex 5 can charge dead batteries in a variety of temperatures.

 

In addition to charging batteries, the Battpak was used to charge and run the iPod using the same car adapter indicated above.  The ten 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

 

            My observations have not changed much since the field report was posted.  While 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), the illumination is difficult to see in daylight.  I will only add that the green light provides very little information as to how charged the batteries actually are.  See section 4.2.3. for details.

 

4.2.2. The Lid

 

            My observations have not changed since the field report was posted.  The lid is still in good condition and has not proved to be a problem.  I have had no further issues getting it to open properly.

 

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. 

 

Previous tests with 8 batteries were not able to fully charge my iPod battery, although the iPod was able to play music and maintain its existing battery charge while connected to the Battpak.  I therefore filled the Battpak to capacity by adding 2 more batteries of the same type and ran the tests again. 

 

The first tests involved charging the Battpak batteries, using either a wall outlet or the Flex 5 solar charger.  The Battpak was able to charge my AA batteries from each of these sources, taking only two to three hours before the green light turned on.  The green light, however, may not be the end of the story.  According to the instructions, it “indicates that charging is complete and that batteries are being trickle charged.”  In short, the user has no way of knowing when the batteries are fully charged.  What’s the difference between a complete charge and a full charge?  In my case, the difference became apparent in the second phase of tests.

 

The second phase involved using the Battpak to charge a dead iPod battery.  My tests have shown that, even though I had gotten the green light charging the AA batteries, the Battpak would run out of juice before it had finished charging the iPod battery.  However, leaving the Battpak plugged in overnight allowed enough “trickle charging” to charge the dead iPod battery fully and completely in three and a half hours, which is exceptional for any power source.  My conclusions are that the unit works great, but includes no accurate indicator of how charged the batteries are.

 

4.2.4. General Durability

 

None of the Battpak parts have broken or cracked in the past six months.  The unit has held up well, especially considering the low weight and price. 

 

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.

 

4.2.5. The DC out socket cap

 

            As mentioned in the initial report, the Battpak DC out socket is plugged with a rubber cap.  This cap is not attached to the unit with any sort of leash and I have temporarily lost it a number of times.  If the manufacturer provided this cap for an important purpose, such as moisture or dust protection, it would be a good idea to secure it somehow.  If it is purely cosmetic, then this is not an issue.

 

4.3. Flexing the Flex 5

 

4.3.1. Quality of Sunlight

 

I am still impressed with the ability of this product to harness sunlight.  In direct sunlight, the Flex 5 charged the iPod battery from dead to full in four hours flat.  The electrical outlet on the wall can’t do it any faster than that.  It also provides enough power for the iPod to maintain its charge while playing at high volume.  Incidentally, the Flex 5 also draws power from synthetic light, such as my desk lamp, although not enough to power the iPod.

 

When using the Flex 5 to charge 10 Battpak batteries, it took about two to three hours for the green light on the unit to illuminate.  The Battpak was attached directly to the Flex 5 extension cord, without the cigarette adapter.  As mentioned in section 4.2.3., however, the green light should not be understood to mean that the batteries are charged to capacity.

 

4.3.2. General Durability

 

            The Flex 5 has held up very well over the past six months of folding and unfolding, packing and unpacking.  The stitching has not unraveled or frayed.  The creases are not cracking or showing any signs of wear.

 

            The Flex 5 is indeed “fully weatherproof”, as described in the instruction manual.  Obviously, for lack of sunlight, it will not generate electricity in a downpour; however it does withstand a thorough wetting without any adverse effects and operates fine when the sun does come back out.

 

5) Overall Impressions

 

5.1. Things I Like

 

Weight, size, dependability, simplicity.

 

5.2. Things I Like Less

 

            The green LED on the Battpak offers little information to me in terms of how charged the batteries actually are.

 

Thanks to ICP and BackPackGearTest.org for the opportunity to test these products!