At last, I have bought Pentax K-3. Although K-30 was ideal, because it can be driven by AA batteries, I did not satisfied with its image quality. I examined miller-less cameras; for example Olympus OMD E-M1 and FUJIFILM X-T1. But, I could not tolerate for an electronic finder. As a result, I selected Pentax K-3. Its finder is excellent and It is built as dust and water resistant. However, it is a little heavy. The major problem was the charge of the lithium-ion battery.
Pentax K-3 system
メーカー推奨の方法
The recommended technique by the maker.
Nomad 13という大型のソーラーパネルとSherpa 50というリチウムイオン電池内蔵のリチャージャーを組み合わせる方法である。Nomad 7でも動作は可能である。ただ、Sherpa 50 は重さ500gram, 価格は24000円前後もする。重すぎると高価過ぎる。他の12V出力可能な安価なリチャージャーもあるが、重さは400gはある。ハイキング用途では、この組み合わせは除外せざるを得ない。
The recommended technique by the maker is the combination of Nomad 13 solar panel and Sherpa 50 the lithium-ion re-charger. Sherpa 50 works slow with Nomad 7. But the weight of Sherpa 50 is 500 gram, and the cost is around 24000 yen. It is too heavy and too expensive. There are several cheap re-charger which have 12 V output by other maker, but their weight may be around 400 gram. It is not recommended for hiking usage.
シガーソケットで12V出力と直結
Direct connection to the 12V output by cigar socket
シガーソケット用充電器を太陽電池パネルNomad 7の12V出力に接続してテストした。充電器のランプは点灯しなかったが、シガーソケットのインディケーターは点灯した。電気は流れているはずと確信し、日光の直下に一日おくと、バッテリーのレベルが1/3上昇した。バッテリーのレベルを計る機材がないので、カメラのインジケーターである。つまり、晴天下に3日程度置いておけば満充電が可能らしい。
I connected with the 12V output of solar panel Nomad 7, and tested the charger from cigar socket. It hardly turn on the lamp of a charger. However, the indicator of cigar socket was turn on. Then I convinced that it was possible to charge. The level of the battery rose one step in one day, putting directly under the sunlight. I have no equipment which measures the level of a battery, I used the indicator of a camera. That is, seemingly, the full charge may be possible if it will be placed about three days under the sunlight.
何が必要か
What device be needed?
写真にすべての装置を示す。必要なのは、ソーラーパネルの12V出力をシガーソケット用ケーブル(Nomad 7に付属)とシガーソケット用の充電器。これは中国製の安価な物で、たったの1090円だった。100Vと12-24V DC電源に対応している。Pentaxの充電器はシガーソケット対応ではない。
All the devices are shown in a following photograph. Required one is a cable for cigar sockets connecting 12V output of a solar panel (It was attached to Nomad 7), and a charger for cigar sockets. The charger was a cheap Chinese-product, its price was only 1090 yen.
The right side parts are unnecessary.
The direct connection cable between GoalZero and the charger.
12V直流電源を作るには、単三乾電池 10本用のバッテリー ケースを使えばよい。ニッケル水素充電池が1.2Vなので、直列で12Vとなる。ケースはたったの 980円だった。残念ながら、DCプラグの径が大きい。変換プラグだけで1000円程度するので、余計に買ったシガーソケット対応充電器のケーブルのプラグを取り付けた。この方法の利点は小さなソーラーパネルを利用して電池を充電しておけることである。単三電池は1本25グラム前後なので、10本で250グラム前後となる。この方法の利点は充電器のランプが正しく点灯することである。
In order to make 12 V DC power supply, it is the simplest way to use 10 AA battery case. Since the voltage of re-chargeable AA battery is 1.2 V, the voltage of 10 batteries which were connected serially becomes 12 V. The battery case costed only 980 yen. Though regrettable, the DC plug is large. I changed to the small one using unnecessary cigar socket cable. The strong point of this technique is that the batteries can be charged by small solar panel. The weight of AA battery is around 25 gram, therefore, 10 AA batteries weigh around 250 gram. It also turn on the indicator of battery case rightly.
I connected with the 12V output of solar panel Nomad 7, and tested the charger from cigar socket. It hardly turn on the lamp of a charger. However, the indicator of cigar socket was turn on. Then I convinced that it was possible to charge. The level of the battery rose one step in one day, putting directly under the sunlight. I have no equipment which measures the level of a battery, I used the indicator of a camera. That is, seemingly, the full charge may be possible if it will be placed about three days under the sunlight.
Tested in my house
何が必要か
What device be needed?
写真にすべての装置を示す。必要なのは、ソーラーパネルの12V出力をシガーソケット用ケーブル(Nomad 7に付属)とシガーソケット用の充電器。これは中国製の安価な物で、たったの1090円だった。100Vと12-24V DC電源に対応している。Pentaxの充電器はシガーソケット対応ではない。
All the devices are shown in a following photograph. Required one is a cable for cigar sockets connecting 12V output of a solar panel (It was attached to Nomad 7), and a charger for cigar sockets. The charger was a cheap Chinese-product, its price was only 1090 yen.
Nomad 7 solar panel, the cable of cigar socket, and the cheap charger
which enables to charge both by 12V DC and 100 V current
重量を削減するには
To reduce the weight
ソーラーパネルの12V出力のプラグと接続するシガーソケット用DCケーブルと充電器のシガーケーブルが余計である。DC出力のメスプラグに変換プラグを差し込み、充電器と直結すればよい。ところが、GoalZeroの出力メスプラグは特殊で、合うプラグアダプターが見つからなかった。
To reduce the weight, the DC cigar socket cable which connect to the output of 12V and the cigar cable of the charger should be removed. For that purpose, the female conversion plug of DC output may be needed. But, the female output plug of GoalZero was special, I could not find a suitable plug adapter.
それで、ケーブルを思い切って切断して直結した。GoalZeroのケーブルの色も独自で、赤と白を繋がないといけなかった。シガーソケットとプラグとケーブルを取り除いたので、50 gram 軽くなり、嵩が減った。つまり、GoalZeroと充電器を直結するケーブルができた。
Therefore, I cut the cable and connected directory to the plug. The colors of inner cables were special, so I had to connect the white and the red cable. I removed the cigar socket and plug parts. They weighed around 50 gram and became compact. That is, I made the direct connection cable between GoalZero and the charger.
To reduce the weight, the DC cigar socket cable which connect to the output of 12V and the cigar cable of the charger should be removed. For that purpose, the female conversion plug of DC output may be needed. But, the female output plug of GoalZero was special, I could not find a suitable plug adapter.
それで、ケーブルを思い切って切断して直結した。GoalZeroのケーブルの色も独自で、赤と白を繋がないといけなかった。シガーソケットとプラグとケーブルを取り除いたので、50 gram 軽くなり、嵩が減った。つまり、GoalZeroと充電器を直結するケーブルができた。
Therefore, I cut the cable and connected directory to the plug. The colors of inner cables were special, so I had to connect the white and the red cable. I removed the cigar socket and plug parts. They weighed around 50 gram and became compact. That is, I made the direct connection cable between GoalZero and the charger.
もう一つの方法
Another technique
In order to make 12 V DC power supply, it is the simplest way to use 10 AA battery case. Since the voltage of re-chargeable AA battery is 1.2 V, the voltage of 10 batteries which were connected serially becomes 12 V. The battery case costed only 980 yen. Though regrettable, the DC plug is large. I changed to the small one using unnecessary cigar socket cable. The strong point of this technique is that the batteries can be charged by small solar panel. The weight of AA battery is around 25 gram, therefore, 10 AA batteries weigh around 250 gram. It also turn on the indicator of battery case rightly.
バッテリーと充電器のスタッフサック
Stuff sack for the battery and charger
不要の小さなスタッフサックから作成
I made from an unnecessary small stuff sack.
