candle charger

This kickstarter campaign wants to build a device for $99 that will safely allow you to recharge a phone in a power outage.

at first I thought it was a joke picture

I have an emergency radio that you can 'crank' if the batteries die. Seems like that is a better idea for this situation.

I remember seeing a documentary about third world countries where those crank radios were mentioned. They're a big thing there.

I agree that a crank charger makes more sense than the candle device.

Quote: Pacomartin

This kickstarter campaign wants to build a device for $99 that will safely allow you to recharge a phone in a power outage.

This is a joke, right?

Back in the late 70s, power outages were a common feature included at no extra cost in Mexico's government-owned utilities, especially around the rainy season in summer. Candles and candle-holders were a fixture in every home (I still keep around one candle and a flashlight in my room at all times).

Inevitably when huddled around the inadequate illumination provided by candles, someone would joke "Hey, let's plug the TV to a candle and watch the game!"

Discussion about terminating POTS last February

Quote: DJTeddyBear

I agree that a crank charger makes more sense than the candle device.

While these hand cranks are available for less than $10, I don't know what it takes to completely recharge a phone battery. They may just get enough power to make a single call.
This more ambitious $200 device may be the minimum required to recharge a phone.

There may be room in the market for a $100 device that runs on candlepower and requires no exercise.

I recall seeing crank-powered radios and flashlights. I think each full crank of the spring was good for 30 minutes of operation.

For phones, I'd recommend keeping an external battery charged at all times for every phone one has. You can also drain a laptop battery through the USB port to charge a phone; though you need to keep the laptop on, I think. perhaps it can still charge the phone in sleep mode? That would transfer more charge to the phone.

What would be neat is a fuel cell for such emergencies.

Another lighting solution for the 1 billion people in developing countries with no electricity infrastructure is the Gravity Light. Fill an empty bag with dirt/sand, attach it to the Gravity Light, hang it 6 feet in the air, and as the bag slowly falls (at a rate of 1mm per second), the kinetic energy is converted into electricity for powering a light. Depending upon how high you hang it, the light lasts 25 minutes or more. Totally re-usable with no candles, no kerosene, no cranking, and no batteries to replace.

It's a fantastic idea, though the big flaw is that not everyone in developing countries lives in a room with a ceiling strong enough to support 20 lbs of weight. On the other hand, a decent tree branch ought to be able to handle that weight.

It's funny that everyone worries so much
about their phones when the power is
out. It's my laptop battery I get concerned
about. It lets me watch DVD's and read on the
Kindle for 4 hours. It's never in the laptop
except to fully charge it once a month.
They say leaving it in hurts it's charge
life a lot, better to leave it out when not
in use.

Quote: Evenbob

It's funny that everyone worries so much about their phones when the power is out. It's my laptop battery I get concerned about.

Quote: Nareed

You can also drain a laptop battery through the USB port to charge a phone; though you need to keep the laptop on, I think. perhaps it can still charge the phone in sleep mode?

Nareed has good advice. Purchasing an extra laptop battery instead of a dedicated device to power up the phone is probably a good use of money since the battery has double use. Ultimately the phone is more important, but a small inexpensive generator will keep the laptop powered up as well.

In Mexico City there is not the concern of being snowed in for three days, but it is an issue in the North East.