Solar Powered water bottle

[Gabbles]

Does this seem like a practical investment for the playa?



Two essentials for survival (besides a kick butt broadband connection) are water and light and this bottle enables you to conveniently carry both. Up to 32 oz. of water can be stored in this vessel as well as up to 10 hours of LED light. Clean water and clean solar power combined together in a single nifty bottle - perfect for any outdoor camping geek or keep it in the backseat of your car for emergencies.

The solar power unit is totally sealed - molded in from the top (outside) of the cap so there’s no possibility of the contents of the bottle coming in contact with the electronics. A handy waterproof switch on the cap lets you change from the white LED (bright), to red (preserves your night vision), or turn it off completely. Leave the red light on all night (with minimal energy draw) so you can easily find the bottle; then switch it to white if you need a light!


* Handy waterproof switch on the cap that lets you change from the white LED (bright), to red (preserves your night vision), or turn it off completely
* On a full charge (12 hours in direct sun) the white LED will last 8-10 hours and the red LED will last 16-18 hours
* 3" wide mouth makes it easy to fill, mix things, clean and dry, and drink without hitting your nose
* Bottle is dishwasher safe, but cap requires light handwashing
* Uses two rechargeable AA Ni-Cad batteries (replaceable)
* Dimensions: 8.25" tall and 3.75" wide
* Weight: 10.8 oz.

http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/lights/91e8/[/img]

[Snapovski]

Depending on how much this would set you back, it sounds like a really nifty device! Actually, it sounds like a nifty device regardless of the price, but whether if would be a good investment does depend on what this would cost ya.

(:

[Gabbles]

$24!

[AntiM]

Cool, I like it. Make a tag for it though, like a luggage tag, and a sticky label in case you lose it. Have your camp location and name on it, as well as a real world contact info. That way it has a chance of coming home if you misplace it .... if I found that as unlabeled MOOP, you bet I'd keep it!

[Hoolie]

It's a very clever combination of existing products. I'm just mad I didn't think of it first.

I think it would be useful. Maybe you could make a loop from a string or strap and hang it on one shoulder with the bottle hanging down by the opposite hip. It would keep you visible when walking around at night...and it will be handy for a drink.

[EB]

You could pick up a similar bottle at a camping store, some ready-to-go El Wire at an auto parts store, some glue at a glue store and you'd have yourself a pretty cool "night" bottle for about half the cost.

Custom-made to boot.

EB

p.s. And no, I'm not shilling for the glue store.

[theCryptofishist]

So what happens if you spill the water? Or need to emmerse the bottle to wash it? I hope they thought that through.

[Dork]

If you have money to burn go for it - you won't loose your bottle in the dark and you'll be a little more visible as you walk around. You'll still need additional lighting on you and your bike, though.

[gyre]

I suggest a headlamp for a primary light and blinky stuff to make you visible.

The best deal I've seen is the 3 watt brinkmann at target.
There are much better ones out there, if you're interested, with dimmable lights that are efficient.
Those start at $80- $100.
There are some lithium powered too.

[Snapovski]

Also, not that you can avoid having to drink hot water (I guess), it seems a bit illogical to have to put your bottle in the sun in order for it to charge the battery for the light... unless you consider drinking tea (which works wonders against thirst, by the way).

So, maybe it's not such a bad idea after all.

[capjbadger]

Also, not that you can avoid having to drink hot water (I guess), it seems a bit illogical to have to put your bottle in the sun in order for it to charge the battery for the light... unless you consider drinking tea (which works wonders against thirst, by the way).

So, maybe it's not such a bad idea after all.

Ummm... Tea has caffeine (also called "theine" when in tea), which is a diuretic. Diuretics of course dehydrate you...

Badger

[Snapovski]

Well, yes, but not everything that's called 'tea' is actually made out of tea-leaves and if I'm not mistaken, hot tea actually helps cool your body down. It might have been some urban legend people told me when I was a kid, but I have the feeling it does work.

Oh well.

[thirt33n]

i like it.

ok?

[Cassidy]

good lord, we're talking thirst-quenching, not re-hydrating, right? Hot water would really be gross so just stick the bottle on your bike with some sun tea in it during the day and light it up at night!!

I think it's a really cool product too and (to me) seems fairly cost-effective at $24. I do like the other products that have adjustable light levels a bit better because they save energy when you only need just a bit o' light. But, yeah, they also cost more.

I've also decided to go with solar string lights (not from China) at my camp and battery-powered EL wire on my bike, mostly because I don't want to damage the little solar panel when I crash into the 3 ft dunes at night...

[Rusted Iron]

Where do you get solar string lights not from China?

Retail, I mean.

[Cassidy]

Yeah, I was surprised too... I called the company and verified that these particular ones are not made in China and are made by a US company:

http://www.exterior-accents.com/sostli28bu.html

Some other products I asked about were made in China (spp. the solar chinese lanterns). I suppose they could alway be fooled by a US company selling them as a supplier and not a manufacturer, but the guy on the phone said they were "manufactured" by a US company, so, until I can actually read the label, I'm believing it.

[gyre]

The dodge is often "made from parts made in _____"
Until they tighten the rules, this often means they stuck it in a box here in the usa.
Worth checking.

China is now farming work out to places with lower pay!!

[Captain Goddammit]

Well, yes, but not everything that's called 'tea' is actually made out of tea-leaves

This is true... especially when it's from Long Island...

[oleg8888]

I actually found one of these on my art car last year.
Any claimers?

[azad]

I have owned two of them for almost 3 years and have been almost 100% satisfied. They were super-awesome for my last burn...charge in the day, have a super-cool renewable energy glow-thingy at night. They don't put out much light, but they make great mood lighting and work in a snap for finding stuff if you can't easily access your flashlight/headlamp. They also make a perfect night light. Even if you leave them inside your tent, the cds cell will shut them off when the sun starts blazing in the morning.
The batteries still work as well as the day I bought them.
My only complaints are 1) the strap that holds the lid on broke on one of them and 2) they have an odd size/shape, so they don't always fit accessories that are intended for your typical Nalgene bottle. Another thing that you can't really complain about but is worth noting is that, because the light is in the lid, you can't really cast light lantern-style and drink out of it at the same time.