This forum group has demonstrated a wide range of knowledge that can potentially help Puerto Rico during it's apparent long "black out". Any comments/ideas on the following is appreciated:
Puerto Rico is going to need literally thousands of cell phone chargers (probably Solar) at some point (telcom has to be a top priority and could precede utility power by many months?). I'm trying to figure a realistic/pragmatic solution, working with a local advocate group. It seems many of the "foldables" stop charging at the first cloud - that's no good - and they are quite expensive. I'm wondering if a Solar system that is just large enough to use the small, UPS batteries (5-7 ahr, 12v SLAs) with cheap cigarette lighter USB assemblies might be an answer, but it has to be large enough to charge these completely discharged batteries (which I'm sure is the current state of most server/UPSs on the island). And it needs to happen quickly or all those batteries will die sitting completely discharged (if the UPSs are not gen backed up). Maybe some combination of a generator to do the initial recharge and then the small maintenance Solar chargers to distribute to the remote areas. This is just a thought.
Thanks in advance,
Mark
Puerto Rico is going to need literally thousands of cell phone chargers (probably Solar) at some point (telcom has to be a top priority and could precede utility power by many months?). I'm trying to figure a realistic/pragmatic solution, working with a local advocate group. It seems many of the "foldables" stop charging at the first cloud - that's no good - and they are quite expensive. I'm wondering if a Solar system that is just large enough to use the small, UPS batteries (5-7 ahr, 12v SLAs) with cheap cigarette lighter USB assemblies might be an answer, but it has to be large enough to charge these completely discharged batteries (which I'm sure is the current state of most server/UPSs on the island). And it needs to happen quickly or all those batteries will die sitting completely discharged (if the UPSs are not gen backed up). Maybe some combination of a generator to do the initial recharge and then the small maintenance Solar chargers to distribute to the remote areas. This is just a thought.
Thanks in advance,
Mark