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Solar Powered Remote

Add solar panels to the remote control
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Remote controls don't use a lot of power, a couple of AAA batteries can last ages. However when they do run out, this can be irritating. Why not have a small battery as a back-up or for use in the dark then either on the back or the blank section many have at the bottom a good solar panel. Calculators run fine with about 2 square cm of solar panel, we can get about 8x that on a remote easy, then leave it in the ambient light while you're at work and you'll never need remote batteries.
bs0u0155, Dec 06 2007

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       Nice idea - the more generic form of this would be the Solar-Powered Battery. This would be exactly the same size and shape as a AAA battery but would have a flat ribbon cable coming out of the side, to be connected to a mini solar panel. Thus, you could put these in your TV remote control, thread the flat ribbon cable through the side of the (closed) battery cover and connect it to the strip of solar panel which you've stuck onto the top of the remote control.
hippo, Dec 06 2007
  

       I've often wondered about this myself. With a 3v lithium-ion cell and a small photovolatic it would be very simp;e to do - I have considered modifying a remote to test the idea.   

       The only problem I have is that his isn't a half-baked idea.. it's really good !
8th of 7, Dec 06 2007
  

       May need more than two models, as I've seen remotes with the cells both back to back and sitting parallel.
RayfordSteele, Dec 06 2007
  
      
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