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Solar power for a Sirius Radio cradle?

PattiB

Patti B
I have an older Sirius radio (Stratus 4) that only needs 5 volts and less than an amp to be powered. I was thinking of trying to hook it up to a solar recharger that I bought on Ebay that looks like a wallet and it unzips and there are two solar panels in it and underneath is a lithium battery hookup (I think).

I just can't find the right adapter that would plug in the back of the cradle (G adapter) and would have a regular size USB at the other end to plug into the solar charger.

I think it would make sense to use the sun since we are out in the sunshine riding. I don't ride at night and this way I would get no interference from the bike's alternator in my ears.

Oh, let it fly..............:dunno
 
Not to rain on the parade ,but the solar panels probably will not be enough to run the radio when your riding.Shadows,trees,buildings will interfere and drop the power level on the radio . Mine is wired into the bike 12 volt. I am using ear buds with a boosteroo amp for the buds. A radio shack headphone set in line volume control finishes it off.

Work good!!

Perry
 
I have an older Sirius radio (Stratus 4) that only needs 5 volts and less than an amp to be powered. I was thinking of trying to hook it up to a solar recharger that I bought on Ebay that looks like a wallet and it unzips and there are two solar panels in it and underneath is a lithium battery hookup (I think).

I just can't find the right adapter that would plug in the back of the cradle (G adapter) and would have a regular size USB at the other end to plug into the solar charger.

I think it would make sense to use the sun since we are out in the sunshine riding. I don't ride at night and this way I would get no interference from the bike's alternator in my ears.

Oh, let it fly..............:dunno
I have found it really difficult to actually remote power anything off a solar panel due to the "specsmanship" of the ratings. The solar panel ratings vs performance make me wonder what I read wrong. The package ratings seem to have been taken on the sun. If alternator "whine" is your primary concern, if all the plug/coil wires are up to spec that a trip to a car stereo installer may be the ticket. There are various filters that can be installed inline that will help. The radio should also be wired direct to the battery to eliminate another source of the RFI (radio frequency interference) HTH Gary
 
To supply 1A at 5V you need a panel with >7V output voltage and a 5V regulator. Most portable panels are made for >12V output. With a regulator you can bring that down to 5V but you still need the 1A coming in from the panel (and the regulator dissipates the extra volts via heat). So that makes it 12Vx1A ~ 15W. A 15W panel is typically 12"x24" - not a small item for a motorcycle unless you can also use it as a windshield :clap.

Solar panel on a motorcycle?...not a suitable match in my opinion.

/Guenther
 
Thanks

I knew it was pie in the sky, but I just needed somebody else to tell me I was nuts.
Thank you!:thumb
 
I knew it was pie in the sky, but I just needed somebody else to tell me I was nuts.
Thank you!:thumb
Not nuts, it's just not that easy to accomplish. One of the long distance riders that I know had a good sized panel on top of the tail case as a charging supplement. That location with the larger size with a clear view straight to the sun did help. Gary
 
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