I have noticed that the BLF LT1 Lantern project has brought in a large number of new members over the last year! Iâm guessing because its opening up a project that is needed to fill a gap in the portable area lighting/lantern market that had little to offer when compared to the features & performance this light has. The increase in interest is staggering since Toykeeper began posting the first real photos of the factory sample prototype. In the mean time while i am eagerly awaiting for the arrival of the sample test unit so i can get to work and begin the vast testing and picking the bones out of it, I will have a drink at my bar with the original two design prototypes, as they await for their production version to be evaluated against.
I have built many solar chargers and solar power supplies, probably the cheapest i have built, was using three 5-watt ,5 volt panels, added a USB cord with a blocking diode in the circuit, and it can charge the V1 prototype lantern from 50% charge to full in a day or less of light. (All parts were sourced from either E-bay or Amazon, the total cost was around 20 bucks.
I have tested and use many other factory solar chargers that work well too, one of my favorites is the 10-watt Eceen folding panel, which works well with charging any devices fof1.5 watts or less, for more capacity or charging multiple devices at once, (2 or 3 lantern at the same time) i use a 40-watt folding PowerAdd solar charger. ( I have also built several rigid units, both 12 volt & 5 volt.