I think I have solved my iPad charging woes with this little dubrey wotsit.
It’s called the Griffin Technology PowerJolt Micro and enables me to get the maximum charge rate of 2.1A from my solar devices/ batteries and my car power socket etc.
Before using it my iPad would say ‘not charging’ but was in fact charging at the lower speed fed by a ‘normal’ USB 2.0 connection. It could take some time though. With this the iPad charges at the same rate it would when plugged into the wall.
In the photo below I have my iPad charging with my MiniGorilla. The PowerJolt micro is so ‘micro’ I had to cut a couple of notches into the cigarette lighter socket that is plugged in to the MiniGorilla battery. I think this is because the socket Powertraveller supplies is deeper than the norm.
Although I have been able to daisy-chain charge devices from the mains. I’m yet to effectively use the SolarGorilla into the Power or MiniGorilla and simultaneously have them charge the iPad. (I’d love to know if others have got this to work.)
This may be a good thing as it’s way safer to leave your battery charging in the sun and recharge the iPad later, than leave the sleek black iPad out in the hot sun. If you do, it shuts down with an over heating icon and won’t work till cool again.
At the moment as the battery in the iPad means it will run all day I can charge my batteries in the day and top the iPad up at night.
Incidentally the PowerJolt Micro comes with a really heavy duty apple lead for iPod/iPhone/iPad connectivity, way better quality than anything Apple have supplied me. I ordered them from Cancom for £11.95 who gave me next day delivery and really great service.
I’ll keep playing and experimenting and let you know what works and what doesn’t.
If you have any mobile off-the-grid power experiments with the iPad or suchlike please let me know in the comments below or through my twitter account.
Awesome thanks! I just got my miniGorilla and powertraveller equivalent of this PowerJolt thingamygig. Guess at £12 I’m not going to break the bank.