# Solar generator / power station for charging while camping



## the_fixer (Mar 31, 2021)

Hello,

Need help understanding how many charges I can get from different devices really confused by the different ratings of Ah, Wh and voltage.

We frequently camp in areas where gas generators are not allowed and I have been considering how to recharge the bike.

An additional levo 700wh battery is about $1200 USD at the moment, I am not opposed to buying a spare but I am not sure even that would be enough for the amount we ride on a week long trips (30 + miles a day with lots of climbing) so looking at power stations or maybe a combination of a spare battery and power station.

It all adds up and is a bit lubricous but this is something we enjoy together and I also see it being used as a backup for power outages at the house as well as charging other devices while camping.

($999) Jackery 1000 and am guessing I would get about 1 full charge on my battery out of it?
1002Wh (21.6V, 46.4Ah) Jackery Explorer 1000 Portable Power Station

($1499) Maxoak bluetti EB240 2400wh guessing I would get around 3 charges but not sure as I do not see Ah listed just Wh listed?
Bluetti EB240 2400Wh/1000W - Maxoak

($999) Ego power station with 2 7.5 Ah 56v batteries estimating just over 1 charge with the 2 standard batteries it can hold 4 total. I like that you can add batteries so you could expand it however far you want and use them in other devices but it adds up quick.
POWER+ Nexus Portable Power Station (3000W) | EGO (egopowerplus.com)

Do the estimates above look correct? My understanding is that the Levo battery is 48v 20Ah


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## Gutch (Dec 17, 2010)

the_fixer said:


> Hello,
> 
> Need help understanding how many charges I can get from different devices really confused by the different ratings of Ah, Wh and voltage.
> 
> ...


There is a member here named Bigwheel. He or she knows all this type of info. I would try a PM. Let us know as I'm curious as many are, how to pull this off.


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## RickBullottaPA (Mar 4, 2015)

the_fixer said:


> Hello,
> 
> Need help understanding how many charges I can get from different devices really confused by the different ratings of Ah, Wh and voltage.
> 
> ...


I use the EGO Power+ Nexus for a bunch of stuff, but you can also use the Nexus Escape for charging an eMTB with a lower draw charger. That's what I usually do. I have a bunch of EGO batteries from my various tools (lawnmower, snowblower, chainsaw, trimmer(s), pole saw, blower, etc) so it was a natural choice.

The Jackery setup with the two solar panels looks super interesting for off-the-grid stuff though.

EGO Power+ Nexus Escape 120 volt 150 watt 1 outlets Power Inverter - Ace Hardware


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## TooTallUK (Jul 5, 2005)

How about a bigger alternator and one or two deep cycle (leisure/RV) batteries added somewhere in your vehicle (if you have the space). You could end up with a way bigger and better system for a lot less money.


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## the_fixer (Mar 31, 2021)

TooTallUK said:


> How about a bigger alternator and one or two deep cycle (leisure/RV) batteries added somewhere in your vehicle (if you have the space). You could end up with a way bigger and better system for a lot less money.


I have thought about it but have held off for the following.
1. We want to have the ability to run some devices at our house if the power goes out. Micro, fridge and charge devices
2. We have 2 different vehicles and depending on where we are going use one or the other. I have an MTB style van that is 2wd that we load up and sleep in for short trips that do not require 4x4 and the nissan 4x4 truck for when we need ot get back further or drive to a another state t ride in the winter.
3. It would be nice to have the option to be portable vs tied to the auto.


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## TooTallUK (Jul 5, 2005)

the_fixer said:


> I have thought about it but have held off for the following.
> 1. We want to have the ability to run some devices at our house if the power goes out. Micro, fridge and charge devices
> 2. We have 2 different vehicles and depending on where we are going use one or the other. I have an MTB style van that is 2wd that we load up and sleep in for short trips that do not require 4x4 and the nissan 4x4 truck for when we need ot get back further or drive to a another state t ride in the winter.
> 3. It would be nice to have the option to be portable vs tied to the auto.


Then you could have the batteries box mounted and have the wiring routed from an alternator to wherever you want or charge them at home and take them with you.
I'm throwing ideas in here instead of the very expensive LiPo battery options these charging stations bring. I just couldn't bring myself to drop over 4 figures on something that's smaller and lighter but lower capacity.


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## the_fixer (Mar 31, 2021)

RickBullottaPA said:


> I use the EGO Power+ Nexus for a bunch of stuff, but you can also use the Nexus Escape for charging an eMTB with a lower draw charger. That's what I usually do. I have a bunch of EGO batteries from my various tools (lawnmower, snowblower, chainsaw, trimmer(s), pole saw, blower, etc) so it was a natural choice.
> 
> The Jackery setup with the two solar panels looks super interesting for off-the-grid stuff though.
> 
> EGO Power+ Nexus Escape 120 volt 150 watt 1 outlets Power Inverter - Ace Hardware


Do my estimates sounds reasonable for the ego from your usage? I looked at the escape but discounted it thinking that it would not charge the levo will have to take a second look at the specs.


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## RickBullottaPA (Mar 4, 2015)

the_fixer said:


> Do my estimates sounds reasonable for the ego from your usage? I looked at the escape but discounted it thinking that it would not charge the levo will have to take a second look at the specs.


I think the Levo super charger is just a bit too much for the Escape (tops out at 150W, and the super charger outputs 168W so probably draws closer to 200W).

Your EGO Nexus estimate sounds about right (one full charge or so). The EGO setup was appealing to me because I already had a bunch of their batteries. The batteries themselves are expensive, so I'm not sure that's a great option unless you also plan to leverage their tools (which are great BTW). I can run a 55 inch LED TV for about 24 hours with my Nexus FWIW.


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## the_fixer (Mar 31, 2021)

TooTallUK said:


> Then you could have the batteries box mounted and have the wiring routed from an alternator to wherever you want or charge them at home and take them with you.
> I'm throwing ideas in here instead of the very expensive LiPo battery options these charging stations bring. I just couldn't bring myself to drop over 4 figures on something that's smaller and lighter but lower capacity.


I appreciate the input and always happy to spend less I am thick in the head when it comes to understanding all of the different ratings between them especially lead acid when you factor in not being able to fully discharge them. Electrons are not my jam.


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## Mojave G (Jan 30, 2015)

Excellent thread, I do off grid camping and riding alot and have an ebike on the way and was thinking this exact subject! Having a solar generator to bring along or use at the house when needed sounds so convenient. But I don't know a watt from a volt or whatever those things are lol. Wanting to put a solar panel on top of camper shell and be able to easily remove the generator/battery in and out of the truck and into the house for emergencies or using power tools or whatevers.


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## pushie (Aug 3, 2020)

If your camping, what vehicle do you use?

Here in Australia most people who camp often have dual battery systems in their 4wd's (Americans call them 'trucks') and a solar panel on the roof. You can install a large second battery or bank of battery's and hook an inverter to them to power anything you want, including your ebike charger. The battery can also be hooked up to the alternator so is charged from the vehicle too. 

You can make these systems portable if you want by putting the battery in a battery box and using a fold up solar panel to charge it. 

The off the shelf solar generators are quite expensive, though convenient. You will probably get better value building your own system using off road accessories. There is an advantage in a more modular system too in that if a part fails its much easer to replace it.

A 200Ah 12V deep cycle agm battery will be able to deliver 1200wh (100ah usable capacity at 12v, ah x v = wh) fairly easily discharging it to 50%.

~$200 200ah agm
~$150 1000w pure sine wave inverter
~$200 300w solar panel with charge controller.

You could spend more on the components if you wanted the best quality. You could also use a 12v lithium battery but you spend more but get a smaller and lighter battery. 

In full sun with a panel like that you'd recharge that battery from 50% SoC to full fairly easily every day, depends on the weather and location though.


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## Bigwheel (Jan 12, 2004)

Gutch said:


> There is a member here named Bigwheel. He or she knows all this type of info. I would try a PM. Let us know as I'm curious as many are, how to pull this off.


Wrong number


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## Lambow (Sep 29, 2013)

I have the EGO power station with 4 7.5 amp batteries. I have used it on several occasions to charge up my bike. I have only run my ebike 500wh battery down to one bar, and it take about 5 hours to charge back up with the EGO. The bike charger only puts out about 90 watts and then tampers down to 25 watts as it nears full so its slow. I estimate I could get three charges under those conditions. No solar charger for the EGO as of yet, but one is planned. The last time I used it, it took 400 wh to charge it back up (bike), but it took 700 wh to charge the ego up afterwards. You lose efficiencies at each end of the process. I also have a 450wh righthand powerstation, I can get 3/4 of a charge with that. As a side note I was able to power my refrigerator for 9 hrs + with 2 ego 7.5ah batteries. The high peak power of the EGO handles the high power surge of the fridge easy. One of the downsides of the EGO besides the cost, is that after 30 days of non-use it self discharges down 60% (Increases the battery life). So you have to keep on top of that or you'll find that your low on power in an emergency. All in all I am happy with it.


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## Gutch (Dec 17, 2010)

Bigwheel said:


> Wrong number


My bad, sorry


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## the_fixer (Mar 31, 2021)

pushie said:


> If your camping, what vehicle do you use?
> 
> Here in Australia most people who camp often have dual battery systems in their 4wd's (Americans call them 'trucks') and a solar panel on the roof. You can install a large second battery or bank of battery's and hook an inverter to them to power anything you want, including your ebike charger. The battery can also be hooked up to the alternator so is charged from the vehicle too.
> 
> ...


How many times could I charge the 700wh Levo battery (48v 20Ah) with the 200Ah setup you mentioned without recharging the system? I am coming up with one full charge is that correct? 100Ah @ 12v need 20Ah at 48v so basically divide by 4 right so that is 25Ah at 48 volts plus factor for loss going through the inverter and charger.

I am not aware of any 200ah 12v batteries here in the US, I will have to look around and see what they cost or if they are available.


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## the_fixer (Mar 31, 2021)

Lambow said:


> I have the EGO power station with 4 7.5 amp batteries. I have used it on several occasions to charge up my bike. I have only run my ebike 500wh battery down to one bar, and it take about 5 hours to charge back up with the EGO. The bike charger only puts out about 90 watts and then tampers down to 25 watts as it nears full so its slow. I estimate I could get three charges under those conditions. No solar charger for the EGO as of yet, but one is planned. The last time I used it, it took 400 wh to charge it back up (bike), but it took 700 wh to charge the ego up afterwards. You lose efficiencies at each end of the process. I also have a 450wh righthand powerstation, I can get 3/4 of a charge with that. As a side note I was able to power my refrigerator for 9 hrs + with 2 ego 7.5ah batteries. The high peak power of the EGO handles the high power surge of the fridge easy. One of the downsides of the EGO besides the cost, is that after 30 days of non-use it self discharges down 60% (Increases the battery life). So you have to keep on top of that or you'll find that your low on power in an emergency. All in all I am happy with it.


so 3 charges would be 1200Wh for your scenario (500wh battery partially discharged took 400wh to fill x3 =1200wh)

I wish I was better with this stuff - Back to watch more videos by Will Prowse and maybe I can figure out how many changes that bluetti 240 would do seems like the Ego with 2 batteries and the Jackery are about the same price and would do 1 full charge. Ego with 4 7.5Ah batteries would get me 2 charges (and a partial) but would put the price closer to $1700 and lacks the ability to charge from solar or 12v car

Anyone out there please correct me if the estimates are wrong.


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## Lambow (Sep 29, 2013)

I think a good way to estimate is amp hours times voltage x 80%. For the EGO with 2 7.5 ah batteries its 15ah x 56 volts x .8 = 672wh. That should be good for one full charge on a 650watt battery. I have a plugin watt meter that keeps track of time, draw in watts, total watt hours and surge. Like you I studied all this stuff out before buying. I went with the EGO because of the high 2000 watt/3000 watt surge mostly to be able to run my refrigerator in a power outage with out having to start up my gas generator. Its seems to be working fine with my ebike, but I have yet to use it on a a multi day trip.


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## Lambow (Sep 29, 2013)

I just looked at the Bluetti 240, based the formula above you'd be able to get 3 full charges. I not sure if you'd be able to run your refrigerator with it as the surge rating is lower than what (at least mine) refrigerator requires.


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## pushie (Aug 3, 2020)

the_fixer said:


> How many times could I charge the 700wh Levo battery (48v 20Ah) with the 200Ah setup you mentioned without recharging the system? I am coming up with one full charge is that correct? 100Ah @ 12v need 20Ah at 48v so basically divide by 4 right so that is 25Ah at 48 volts plus factor for loss going through the inverter and charger.
> 
> I am not aware of any 200ah 12v batteries here in the US, I will have to look around and see what they cost or if they are available.


Number of charges would depend on the efficiency of the inverter and charger, likely one charge and a bit left over for camp lighting, phone/laptop charging etc. I don't think your battery is 20Ah. If it's 700wh and 48v it's more like 14.5Ah.

If the sole purpose of the battery is to charge the ebike, probably better off with a 12v charger for the bike battery. A DC to DC charger will be much more efficient than going from DC to AC and back to DC again I would think.

Big 12v batteries are available in the US. They might be more expensive, not sure, but they are very heavy. They are not portable outside of being stored in a truck. You'd need to spend more, something like $300-$700 (price impacts quality and warranty etc) on a 100Ah lfp battery for something remotely portable.


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## the_fixer (Mar 31, 2021)

pushie said:


> Number of charges would depend on the efficiency of the inverter and charger, likely one charge and a bit left over for camp lighting, phone/laptop charging etc. I don't think your battery is 20Ah. If it's 700wh and 48v it's more like 14.5Ah.
> 
> If the sole purpose of the battery is to charge the ebike, probably better off with a 12v charger for the bike battery. A DC to DC charger will be much more efficient than going from DC to AC and back to DC again I would think.
> 
> Big 12v batteries are available in the US. They might be more expensive, not sure, but they are very heavy. They are not portable outside of being stored in a truck. You'd need to spend more, something like $300-$700 (price impacts quality and warranty etc) on a 100Ah lfp battery for something remotely portable.


I am not aware of a 12v charger for the specialized.

The 20Ah was something I found listed either on here or emtb so it could be incorrect but 14.5Ah would make more sense as the math @ 20Ah would put the battery at 960wh not 700.

Easy math but if anyone wants a tool where you can just pop your number in this one works well
Convert Amp hour to Watt hour (Ah to Wh) (convert-formula.com)


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## the_fixer (Mar 31, 2021)

Lambow said:


> I just looked at the Bluetti 240, based the formula above you'd be able to get 3 full charges. I not sure if you'd be able to run your refrigerator with it as the surge rating is lower than what (at least mine) refrigerator requires.


That is something to take into consideration RE the fridge, they also offer the ac200p with a 2000w inverter but less capacity (2000Wh Vs 2400Wh) and it is more expensive by $200. That one would put me just under 3 charges where the 240 would get me just over 3 (not sure about real world on either with loss)
Bluetti AC200P 2000Wh/2000W Power Station - Maxoak


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## Dirtrider127 (Sep 17, 2010)

I built out a Chevy express van for off grid camping /riding trips. Just got back from 4 days in Tucson and heading to S. Utah in 2 weeks.
It has 4 100watt panels wired in series/parallel (yes, that's correct) coming into a 1800 EcoFlow Delta power generator. If I did it again I would use 2 200Watt panels to save on roof space. I charge my Levo 2 times a day on these trips. It draws 171 watts for about 2 hours, drops to 50 watts for about 20-30 minutes before fully charged. My 12V refer/freezer draws 30watts when it kicks on so there is a bit over 200watts draw not counting any other draws. If you didn't have any solar panels, I would guess you could get 4 full charges out of the EcoFlow, add a couple folding solar panels to slowly recharge and you would probably be fine. 
My setup brings down about 360watts (during daylight of course) so it more than offsets the draw while charging. Running off the van with a 12V lead produces about 132watts at 10amps to charge it. Works well but can't keep up with a higher draw and it should be running. Using it this way will draw down the van battery so beware. I did that once but was able to run a 120 charger to jump start it 
A couple of notes for any other setup:
1. It has to be a pure sine wave inverter ONLY
2. Cheaper small ones running off the vehicle draw the battery down quickly and produce a lot of heat. Not good
3. Do it right or not at all. You run the risk of damaging expensive parts of the bike, a $200 charger, and the vehicle.
4. If you get any power generator (EcoFlow Delta, Jackery, etc) pay close attention to how many amps/watts that it can bring it and the max output for your needs. 

I would go for it and use the setup that works best for you. Riding my eBike has totally changed the game for me and let's me do the rides that my mind wants but the body complained about 
Ride on....


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## the_fixer (Mar 31, 2021)

Dirtrider127 said:


> I built out a Chevy express van for off grid camping /riding trips. Just got back from 4 days in Tucson and heading to S. Utah in 2 weeks.
> It has 4 100watt panels wired in series/parallel (yes, that's correct) coming into a 1800 EcoFlow Delta power generator. If I did it again I would use 2 200Watt panels to save on roof space. I charge my Levo 2 times a day on these trips. It draws 171 watts for about 2 hours, drops to 50 watts for about 20-30 minutes before fully charged. My 12V refer/freezer draws 30watts when it kicks on so there is a bit over 200watts draw not counting any other draws. If you didn't have any solar panels, I would guess you could get 4 full charges out of the EcoFlow, add a couple folding solar panels to slowly recharge and you would probably be fine.
> My setup brings down about 360watts (during daylight of course) so it more than offsets the draw while charging. Running off the van with a 12V lead produces about 132watts at 10amps to charge it. Works well but can't keep up with a higher draw and it should be running. Using it this way will draw down the van battery so beware. I did that once but was able to run a 120 charger to jump start it
> A couple of notes for any other setup:
> ...


Thanks, I might go that way both the van and the truck have racks so I could put a panel or two up there. A daily charge would do it for most times we are camping since we typically keep it under 30 miles around the camp lots of elevation changes and single track / 4x4 trails. We have several trips planned this summer that put me down this rabbit hole that are between 60 and 80 miles on rail to trail style trails and I have my eye on a 160 mile route from Montrose Colorado to Moab

I have an express as well. This was last spring still a work in progress.


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## Dirtrider127 (Sep 17, 2010)

With a power generator and your two vehicles, you could swap it from one to the other as needed.
Is that a water tank inside the van? If so, that's a huge tank from the picture. Are you sleeping in there?


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## the_fixer (Mar 31, 2021)

Dirtrider127 said:


> With a power generator and your two vehicles, you could swap it from one to the other as needed.
> Is that a water tank inside the van? If so, that's a huge tank from the picture. Are you sleeping in there?


Yep fresh water tank It has a hollow area where it sits over the wheel well. It is just mocked up in that picture now it has a bench built around it and plumbed to an RV pump so we can take an outdoor shower, wash the bikes and transfer water to the cabin the spouse is very insecure about running out of water and like to shower every couple of days while camping.

still a work in progress







We do plan on sleeping in it for short trips or at the trail head the night before a ride.


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## pushie (Aug 3, 2020)

the_fixer said:


> I am not aware of a 12v charger for the specialized.


BMW and Specialised released a car charger but it will only charge at 2A charge rate compare for 4A of the AC charger.


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## Lambow (Sep 29, 2013)

Just a follow up on my previous post The EGO ch1800 solar charger is out. Limited availability Around $150


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## the_fixer (Mar 31, 2021)

pushie said:


> BMW and Specialised released a car charger but it will only charge at 2A charge rate compare for 4A of the AC charger.


Thanks for the tip, I have looked around but so far they seem hard to find in the US but I have found a few retailers in the UK / Europe if I decide to grab one.


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## the_fixer (Mar 31, 2021)

Lambow said:


> Just a follow up on my previous post The EGO ch1800 solar charger is out. Limited availability Around $150


Thanks for the update.

I think the EGO would be a great option if you already have other EGO products certainly a plug and play way to go. As I compare the costs between options such as the ecoflow, bluetti and others the EGO adds up to be significantly more expensive when starting from scratch but would probably be less expensive than the others if you were already in the EGO eco system.

At the moment we have a patio home so all maintenance is taken care of or the EGO would be very tempting.


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## Lambow (Sep 29, 2013)

I agree that the EGO is one of the more expensive options. I considered the ecoflow also. I like the fast charging, and passtru (charge and discharge at the same time) but be aware that many people reported considerably less Wh output than claimed


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## jonyrad (Jul 14, 2019)

the_fixer said:


> Hello,
> 
> Need help understanding how many charges I can get from different devices really confused by the different ratings of Ah, Wh and voltage.
> 
> ...


I am getting ready to tackle this problem too. Going to try using my inverter off one of three toy hauler batteries which recharge off solar panel. Just hit 500 miles on 2021 tazer pro w/503Wh which doesn't last long but the bike rips down hill.


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## Dirtrider127 (Sep 17, 2010)

My EcoFlow Delta has 400 watts solar in and it's charged at 380watts in good sunshine which was surprising to see that much. 1800 watts output and it's been a complete beast without an issue


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## ron t (Jun 15, 2018)

Instead of messing with "Solar Generators", why not just get a real generator?

This 1000w generator will charge you up twice on 1/2 gallon of gas, and weighs only 29 lbs. Fire it up and plug in your stuff:





__





Honda EU1000i Super Quiet Inverter Generator | Honda Generators


The Honda EU1000i super quiet generator offers 1000 watts of power to run small appliances. This lightweight, portable generator is ideal for camping and tailgating.




powerequipment.honda.com


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## Lambow (Sep 29, 2013)

I have two gas generators, and your can't bet them for high power continuous output. However there are limitations, you can't run them indoors. So no charging on the go or charging inside a vehicle. For running appliances and what not when the power goes out, Its nice not to have to go out in the middle of the night in a storm and fire up a generator ,plus its not really recommended to run them in the rain. You might be boondocking, somewhere and not want to call attention to yourself. Best to have both, if you can afford it. I guess there are other reasons, but those where mine.


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## D. Inoobinati (Aug 28, 2020)

Have you considered using a pedal-operated recharging system for your e-bike?

They work at night too.


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## the_fixer (Mar 31, 2021)

D. Inoobinati said:


> Have you considered using a pedal-operated recharging system for your e-bike?
> 
> They work at night too.


Like a hub dynamo? Never considered it assumed that the power generation would be minimal compared to output as people normally use them for lights and such.


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## the_fixer (Mar 31, 2021)

We did a 58 mile out and back this weekend (Frink Creamery > Greenland trail > New Santa Fe trail > pikes peak greenway) there was no way my battery would last that distance with the amount of climbing we were doing so I had to figure something out.
Frink Creamery Trail Mountain Bike Trail, Perry Park, Colorado (mtbproject.com) 
Old Territorial Rd Mountain Bike Trail, Woodmoor, Colorado (mtbproject.com) 
New Santa Fe Regional Trail Mountain Bike Trail, Colorado Springs, Colorado (mtbproject.com)
Pikes Peak Greenway Trail Mountain Bike Trail, Colorado Springs, Colorado (mtbproject.com)

I started by thinking about stopping at a restaurant or Starbucks to eat / recharge but then thought about parks and libraries ETC. I found 2 parks that had power outlets along out route and was amazed by the amount of places I noticed along the way where I could plug in if needed even out in the boonies.

We stopped in a wonderful park and recharged, rested and ate lunch it was great and gives me hope for my future bikepacking asperations. I really want to do the 160 mile rim rocker trail either later this year or next year that will take more planning


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## Lambow (Sep 29, 2013)

What's the wattage of your charger? Its seems like you would have to stop for well over an hour to put a significant amount of juice back in the battery or at least it would with my 90 watt Trek charger.


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## the_fixer (Mar 31, 2021)

4 amps at 42v (so about 168 watts)

We stopped for around 45 mins and I went from 55% to 87% it was enough time to have lunch, lay in the sun for a bit and take a bathroom break. We were in need of a break at that point anyway and it was welcomed.

At home it takes around 4 hours to fully charge and the last few percent seem to take a while like it is trickle charging at the end.


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## Lambow (Sep 29, 2013)

Is that the standard charger for a Specialized Ebike? That's good if it is.


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## the_fixer (Mar 31, 2021)

Lambow said:


> Is that the standard charger for a Specialized Ebike? That's good if it is.


Yep, standard charger as delivered with my new 2020 levo


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