apparatus & technology firegeezer on 10 Mar 2008 12:56 pm
Solar Chargers For Portable Radios
THE SAN RAFAEL, CALIFORNIA, FIRE DEPARTMENT installed a $260 solar panel on the roof of Engine 52 back in October. It is wired in to recharge the batteries of the portable radios, the onboard computer, thermal imagers and cell phones.
Marin Independent Journal photo
The engine is busy enough that they spend so much time on the streets that they oftentimes cannot get the batteries on their portable equipment up to full charge. The panels keep the batteries topped off while they are on the apparatus.
The trial program has been such a success that they are already planning on installing the panels on Engine 51 which operates out of the downtown station. The firefighters in San Rafael predict that before long there will be an option from the fire truck manufacturers to have them installed during construction.
Read more about it in the Marin Independent Journal HERE.
on 10 Mar 2008 at 1:30 pm 1.Eric Fetcho said …
What I am missing here?
If the apparatus is out on the streets, the engine will be running. Thus charging the portables batteries from the engines alternators, which would provide much more charging amperage then any solar panel could do.
Unless they are out on the streets parked with the engine shut off. Then the solar could power/charge the computer, tic, etc. But even then, they would have the portable radios/cell phones with them.
With that said, leaving the engine on would accomplish folds more amperage for charging per minute than any solar could do.
I feel like there is something I’m missing.