Chapter 3 — Power Hacks 57

7.Finally, test the connections to make sure that they are sound, and add a small bit of tape around the base of the pot (to cover the paper-clip holes). If you want, you can wrap the entire pot in tape (as I’ve done in Figure 3-19).

FIGURE 3-19: Completed film pot battery holder

That’s it! Project done! These battery packs offer a great lifespan (a good 8 to 10 times the lifespan of normal alkaline AA batteries). Another advantage is that these batteries also perform well in cold conditions, and are far superior to alkaline batteries.

Alternative Power Supplies

What if you could carry something with you that could, under the right circumstances, give you unlimited power, a source that wouldn’t run out. What am I talking about? Solar power, of course.

What you need to harness the power of the sun (apart from clear skies) is solar panels. Don’t worry, you don’t need an enormous panel like the kind on a satellite. In fact, you can find reasonably small, portable solar panels specifically designed to recharge batteries and power small devices. You can purchase a unit similar to the one shown in Figure 3-20 for under $50.

58 Part I — Hardware Hacks

FIGURE 3-20: Solar charger

With these kinds of solar panels, you have power for a variety of applications:

Charging batteries

Outputting a 12-volt supply for use with a power cord, as shown in Figure 3-21

Outputting a lower voltage

All you need, to have all the power you want, is sunlight. If you are traveling from and returning to a base camp daily, then you may be better off using the system to recharge batteries. You can also strap it to your backpack and use it on the move, as shown in Figure 3-22.

You can also use the solar charger system to power other devices too, such as cell phones.

Chapter 3 — Power Hacks 59

FIGURE 3-21: 12-volt output from a solar charger

FIGURE 3-22: Solar panel attached to a backpack. This is an ideal way to position such panels when on the move.

60 Part I — Hardware Hacks

Summary

This chapter described several ways to keep your GPS working for longer when in the field. You learned how to reduce battery consumption, how to build auxiliary power packs, how to use a 12-volt supply, and even how to use solar power.

This chapter has provided you with a variety of options for keeping your system going when the internal batteries are exhausted.

In the next chapter, you’ll move on from powering your GPS to looking at antenna hacks.