Dick Smith purchases

**Crazy Steve** · 9th February 2009, 17:03

I was lying on the couch this afternoon when a Dicksmith Cataloge was thrown at me...

And I saw a Inverter for $90 and a 5watt Solar panel for $50.....I had a dirty old spare Batt in the shed.....(Thinking to myself FREE POWER ! !) Well of course not free silly maybe just a one off payment for now...

I rush down to the Powerhouse in Manukau and brought one of each....

They are now Charging my Laptop/Push bike and two cellphones at the same time.....

Any guesses for how long it will last ? ? ?

Crazy Steve..

**Winter** · 9th February 2009, 17:09

probably not long enough to get your $140 out of it..

Maybe over 40 years?

**nodrog:Me** · 9th February 2009, 17:16

lol, post a proper photo of that bacon wagon in the ditch, looks hardcase.

**EJK** · 9th February 2009, 17:19

Originally Posted by Winter

probably not long enough to get your $140 out of it..

Maybe over 40 years?

I dunno. The hole in the O-Zone layer is quite big these days...

**Crazy Steve** · 9th February 2009, 17:19

Originally Posted by Winter

probably not long enough to get your $140 out of it..

Maybe over 40 years?

Really ? ?

But the Solar panel was only $50....Comes with a 5 Year warranty...

Thats $10 a year for 5years...365days divided by $10...Equals 0.027 3cents perday...Seroiusly how much power does a Laptop etc use in a day ? It must be more than three cents...

Also I can use this inverter and Solar panel while camping..Or at the coldkiwi etc....? ?

Crazy Steve..

**PirateJafa** · 9th February 2009, 17:20

Why would you charge a bicycle? Sounds a bit like me plugging my shoes into the wall.

Apart from the chuckle-potential when friends try to borrow the bike.

**Slyer** · 9th February 2009, 17:22

Headlight or digital display I'm assuming.

**Crazy Steve** · 9th February 2009, 17:23

Originally Posted by nodrog

lol, post a proper photo of that bacon wagon in the ditch, looks hardcase.

Here ya goooooo.

**Crazy Steve** · 9th February 2009, 17:25

Originally Posted by PirateJafa

Why would you charge a bicycle? Sounds a bit like me plugging my shoes into the wall.

Apart from the chuckle-potential when friends try to borrow the bike.

Its an Avanti Electra....

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/List...e&id=201299105

It runs on a Battery..

Crazy Steve..

**chester** · 9th February 2009, 17:31

I might swap my triple for an avanti electra hahahahahahahahahahahahahaahahahahahahahahahahahah ahahahaaha

**alanzs** · 9th February 2009, 17:33

Originally Posted by PirateJafa

Why would you charge a bicycle? Sounds a bit like me plugging my shoes into the wall.

Well were else would you plug them?

**mikeey01** · 9th February 2009, 17:48

Originally Posted by Crazy Steve

I was lying on the couch this afternoon when a Dicksmith Cataloge was thrown at me...
And I saw a Inverter for $90 and a 5watt Solar panel for $50.....I had a dirty old spare Batt in the shed.....(Thinking to myself FREE POWER ! !) Well of course not free silly maybe just a one off payment for now...

I rush down to the Powerhouse in Manukau and brought one of each....
They are now Charging my Laptop/Push bike and two cellphones at the same time.....
Any guesses for how long it will last ? ? ?
Crazy Steve..

Hey Steve, welcome to alternative energy!

FYI, The solar panel will perform a lot better if direct sunlight falls on the cells too.

Panel life...
Expect about 20-25 yrs out of the panel.

Battery life...
Lead acid life depends on many variables, temperature, SOC and also how deep you dis-charge it are just a few.
I might give you some warning though, I wouldn't have a lead acid in a bedroom / enclosed space as they give off a flammable gas when under charge!

So you charge the bike, trip to work or wherever for almost free, the cost to run your mobile is next to nothing, don't ya just love it!

Be warned, this does become addictive!

**samgab** · 9th February 2009, 17:48

Originally Posted by nodrog

lol, post a proper photo of that bacon wagon in the ditch, looks hardcase.

I don't know where to get them from...

but would be keen to get one

**mikeey01** · 9th February 2009, 17:55

Originally Posted by samgab

I don't know where to get them from...
but would be keen to get one

The Bacon wagon as you put it.... was a young fella going through a stage of the Targa rally are couple of years back, he wasn't even meant to be their either from what I've heard, o dear one can only image how much paper work would be involved and the level and depth of shit he got into!

BTW Have some god dam respect for the cops, they've got a shit of a job dealing with scum of the universe and things most of us don't even want to know about!