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  • Portable chargers based on solar panels are perhaps the most popular portable chargers for phones in places where there is enough sunlight. But what to do in places where there is not much sunlight during the day, for example, in northern latitudes, but there are quite turbulent water flows.

    Estream is not the first portable hydro turbine charger, offered by Enomad. The previously known HydroBee and Blue Freedom also offer similar functionality and portability, but the Estream is more convenient and practical, and also has a larger battery capacity.

    The turbine is made mainly of ABS and polycarbonate. When folded, the charger has dimensions of 24.5 x 6.5 cm, and as soon as the turbine blades are folded outward, the diameter increases to 21 cm. The total mass of the device is about 800 g.

    To generate electricity, the user needs to remove the cover of the Estream, unfold the blades and lock them into place. Anchor the turbine in flowing water, where it will be driven by the flow. The device is capable of operating in shallow, low-speed streams and can also be towed by a kayak or boat.

    Portable charging - the turbine is capable of delivering from 2.5 W to 5 W of power. The accumulated energy is stored in lithium-ion battery capacity 6400 mAh. Enomad claims that it will take about 4.5 hours to fully charge the battery using running water. In addition, the battery can also be charged through the input micro USB. A full battery is enough for three times iPhone charging 6. The Estream design is shown in the following photo.

    For greater ease of use of the portable charger, it can be disassembled into a turbine module and a battery module. The Estream has three USB outlets so you can charge up to three phones at once, with a 7.5W output allowing you to charge mobile devices twice as fast.

    Estream can also be used as a flashlight, with four operating modes - dim light, bright light, SOS and strobe. The lantern is IPX8 waterproofed, which means it can be used as an underwater light source.

    The video below reveals the operating features of the device.

    Maintaining mobile charge levels electronic devices can become a non-trivial task for a modern tourist and traveler. Harvesting electricity from Mother Nature in the form of wind and solar power is the simplest and preferred option for many - there are many portable solar and wind generators on the market that can satisfy the need for charging gadgets. The latest development is the Windpax device - a folding portable wind generation system, convenient because it does not take up too much space in a backpack or luggage.

    According to Windpax, the beauty of the system lies not only in its portability, but in the fact that it is foldable, lightweight, flexible and, importantly, inexpensive. Currently, the creators of the system are trying to raise $50,000 through the Kickstarter collective funding system. The Windpax system can generate electricity when solar charging stations are powerless, such as at night or on cloudy days. True, Windpax is also useless when there is no wind.

    The Windpax system has a vertical type turbine, which, using vertical bowls, causes the turbine to rotate, which, in turn, generates electricity using a generator located in the housing. Gadgets such as mobile phones or any other devices that can be charged via USB can be charged directly from the turbine or from a removable battery.

    According to the creators, their system can be installed in less than two minutes and has the ability to be placed, for example, on a tree or hung upside down, being attached to any object, and can also be attached to a table or vertical surface thanks to removable clamps with a rotating ball mechanism. This gives the system a variety of interesting placement options.

    For safety reasons, Windpax developed a system with flexible plastic blades to reduce injury in the event of a person or object accidentally colliding with the turbine blades. And in the event of strong wind, the blades that fly away from the main part of the turbine become flat, which does not allow them to fly far.


    The Windpax wind turbine can be assembled in less than two minutes and can be attached to a variety of surfaces

    This device is designed to fit easily into a backpack. It weighs 4 pounds (1.8 kg), and when folded is 14 inches (355 mm) long and 3 inches (76 mm) in circumference. Once assembled, the turbine dimensions increase to 24 inches (610 mm) in length and up to one foot (304 mm) in diameter. The total height of the structure, including support, is 6 feet (1.83 m).

    The device is capable of producing 25W at average wind speeds and the company claims that the design can provide enough power to charge six mobile phones simultaneously. The system's battery also has a built-in LED, allowing it to be used as a flashlight or ambient light, and can charge three batteries simultaneously. mobile phones, being fully charged.

    The older brother, called Breeze, is more intended for long-term excursions or camping. Weighing in at 9 pounds (4 kg), the camouflage-patterned turbines have a vertical stacking height of 10 feet (3 m) when assembled, with 24 inches (610 mm) of wind-capturing height. According to Windpax, the Breeze wind generator can generate 100 watts of power in average wind conditions and comes with a 12-volt adapter in addition to the standard USB connectors.

    The collective fundraising campaign on the Kickstarter service will last until June 17, 2014. The minimum cost of participation is $120 for the simplest version of the wind generator. The more powerful version of Breeze requires a minimum deposit of $245. If all goes according to plan, the wind turbines should reach their first customers in September this year.


    Wind turbine from Windpax in action

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    Waterlily's portable microturbine can be placed in a river or windy area and still be able to generate power for any device.

    Going out into nature is a great opportunity to get rid of the annoying noise of crowded cities and disconnect from the digital world. That said, today's outdoor enthusiasts may still need to post some snaps to social media. Time battery life smartphones are usually limited by such luxury, but all kinds of chargers come to the rescue, of which there are countless numbers on the market. Among them is a new one, which has every chance of taking its place in any hiking backpack. The Waterlily charger is a portable turbine that can use both wind and water energy.

    Away from the central power grid, there are many possible sources of energy, and camping gadgets have found ways to obtain it from the sun, fires, muscle power, winds or rivers. The last two are exactly what Waterlily uses, while conventional camping generators only master one of them or combine technologies that make the device prohibitively expensive.

    The portable Waterlily Micro Turbine is compact in size (180mm diameter x 75mm thick) and weighs just 800g. It is designed so that it can be placed in a river or windy area, and can still generate power for any device that charges via USB. (5 or 12 volts).

    According to the manufacturer, the portable generator starts working in water flowing at a speed of 1 km/h, and its maximum permissible speed is 11 km/h, but the maximum power of 25 W is achieved at a speed of 7.2 km/h. To generate energy in the air, it will require a minimum wind speed of 10.8 km/h, while it reaches peak performance at around 72 km/h.

    If there is no river nearby and there is no wind, the authors of the project say that they plan to add a handle to the kit, which will most likely help the battery not “die” rather than being fully charged. The company also says it has tested its device on a bicycle and a tow rope, so the turbine can be pulled behind a boat or mounted on a bike.

    The Waterlily charger is currently accepting pre-orders, and the first microgenerators will be shipped to customers in August. The first models will cost around $99, while the retail price will increase to $149. published


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