Natty little charger (Freeloader Portable Solar Energy Charger)

Member Name: goosey

Product:	Freeloader Portable Solar Energy Charger
Date:	16/06/09 (69 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: sturdy, lightweight, efficient

Disadvantages: no indication of when fully charge by solar energy.

I bought my Freeloader from Oxfam.
An ingenious gadget which comes with two cables, thirteen different adaptors, ( the box label claims only eleven adaptors inside ) and a small but very comprehensive booklet of instructions, with some useful contact numbers should one need help or have any related problems.

One of the cables is (yet another) USB cable, used to fully charge the Free Loader for the first time, (takes about three hours) after which solar power is all that is needed to fully recharge it once its power has been transferred into your device.

The second cable is used to connect the Free Loader to the device that needs charging. Mobile phones, iPods, Digital cameras, Sat Navs, and MP3 players are just a few of the many devices this neat little gadget will charge - for free.

On one edge of the gadget are the two cable connection ports and on the opposite side are three tiny LED indicator lights, to confirm its charging or discharging state when connected to USB or device and also when charging from solar energy.
The two Solar panels, when not being used to recharge from the sun, are closed together (panels facing inwards)and plugged neatly onto the base holding the battery. (battery case)
When in use, each panel has a slot, one on either side of the battery case.

My mobile usually needs charging every three to four days and can be charged by the Free Loader in just over an hour.
The Free Loader takes about eight or nine hours to recharge from solar energy when left in direct sunlight outdoors. Apparently, some windows have UV filters and so prolong the time needed to recharge.
I don't think my windows have filters because the Free Loader recharged in a day behind glass.

When charging the F.Loader from the USB cable, the LED lights will indicate when fully charged. The cable should then be disconnected to prevent harming the battery. However, when charging it by solar energy there is no indication of when it is fully charged, but no matter, the battery will not be harmed when left recharging in the sun. It can take much, much longer to recharge on cloudy days.
If a full charge is required before taking off on holiday, it can be checked by connecting up to the USB system, the indicator LED lights will then show if fully charged.

~ DEVICES WHICH THE FREE LOADER WILL CHARGE~

(I have copied these details straight from the Free Loader literature.)

The old 3.5 mm jack adapts the Nokia phones.
The new 2mm jack adapts: LG Chocolate, LG Shine and Prada phones.
Samsung A288 and D800 current series phones.
Sony Ericsson K750 and K800i current series phones.
Nintendo DS lite.
iPod (compatible with with most iPod devices including iphone)
There is a 4mm jack for Sony PSP, Tom Tom, most digital cameras, PDAs, and 2-way radios.
Mini USB is for Motorola, Blackberry, Qtec, Smartphone, iMate, digital cameras and Bluetooth headsets.
The USB female adaptor is for PDAs, mp3 players, most digital cameras and most devices which can be charged through a USB
Additional cables, adaptors and accessories can be obtained from retailer or www.solartechnology.co.uk

I haven't tried this gadget on any other devices as yet, so cannot comment on the efficiency or charging rates for anything other than my mobile.

Apart from reducing electricity bills, the Free Loader is an ideal gadget to carry around when travelling - a bit like a first-aid kit for when batteries run low. Only one cable and the appropriate adaptors need be packed and no matter where you go you can be sure that your mobile, ipod, MP3 player or whatever will be kept fully functional. It certainly beats packing a variety of cables, plugs, bulky adaptors and the need to search for a suitable electrical power source, especially when abroad.

I think it would be unwise to expect it to be ready quickly enough to recharge multiple devices. The rate of readiness will depend on the availability of our sun.

Summary: Isn't it lovely to find something in life that is free