I vote scam on this one

TDSolarguy
TDSolarguy Solar Expert Posts: 31 ✭✭
in Solar Skeptics, Hype, & Scams Corner #1
I ran into this Pocket socket thingamabob this morning. These things pop up like mushrooms in a forest. I wouldn't spend a dime on this thing. Would anyone here know how long it would take to charge a cell phone? I know my small solar setup takes about 45 minutes when my cell phone is really low. I cant imagine cranking on this thing for that long to do the same charge up.
http://www.infowarsshop.com/The-Pocket-Socket_p_673.html

TD Solar Guy
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Comments

  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #2
    Re: I vote scam on this one

    Wow. Ten whole Watts of 120 VAC at 2 Hertz!
    Technically not a scam because it will do that, but a lot of people are going to be surprised at just how useless that is.
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  • inetdog
    inetdog Solar Expert Posts: 3,123 ✭✭✭✭
    #3
    Re: I vote scam on this one
    Cariboocoot wrote: »
    Wow. Ten whole Watts of 120 VAC at 2 Hertz!
    Technically not a scam because it will do that, but a lot of people are going to be surprised at just how useless that is.

    120VAC at 2 Hertz would be truly useless. But this is 120 VDC at 2 Hertz. (?!?)

    I suspect that the original specification was for a cranking speed of 120 RPM and somebody converted that to 2Hz.
    SMA SB 3000, old BP panels.
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  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #4
    Re: I vote scam on this one
    inetdog wrote: »
    120VAC at 2 Hertz would be truly useless. But this is 120 VDC at 2 Hertz. (?!?)

    I suspect that the original specification was for a cranking speed of 120 RPM and somebody converted that to 2Hz.

    As you know DC doesn't have frequency, so I just assumed they meant AC and that 2 Hz was what you could expect to achieve hand-cranking.

    Frankly the whole site seems to be full of ... inaccuracies, shall we say? :roll:
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  • inetdog
    inetdog Solar Expert Posts: 3,123 ✭✭✭✭
    #5
    Re: I vote scam on this one
    Cariboocoot wrote: »
    As you know DC doesn't have frequency, so I just assumed they meant AC and that 2 Hz was what you could expect to achieve hand-cranking.

    Frankly the whole site seems to be full of ... inaccuracies, shall we say? :roll:

    But pulsed DC does. Do they have a diode in there? Or is it a commutated DC generator? Or, as you suggest, is it just a typo.
    Inaccuracies is too gentle a term, IMHO.
    SMA SB 3000, old BP panels.
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  • waynefromnscanada
    waynefromnscanada Solar Expert Posts: 3,009 ✭✭✭✭
    #6
    Re: I vote scam on this one

    Not so fast making fun guys!
    I got one of these a couple of years ago and find it awesome! Took off the hand crank and any time I want to recharge my cell phone, I hook the device to my cordless drill and away we go. It only drains two drill batteries to recharge the phone, and lots of times I have nothing better to do than sit there holding them while they spin. Love watching little machines do their work, so it definitely has my vote. Hahahahahahaha
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  • boB
    boB Solar Expert Posts: 1,032 ✭✭✭✭
    #7
    Re: I vote scam on this one
    inetdog wrote: »
    120VAC at 2 Hertz would be truly useless. But this is 120 VDC at 2 Hertz. (?!?)

    I suspect that the original specification was for a cranking speed of 120 RPM and somebody converted that to 2Hz.

    I think you got it right.

    Are cell phone chargers AC/DC ??

    The problem that I see with this, except maybe for extreme emergencies, is that you would have to be cranking this thing
    for a long time to get a phone charged and I would think your hand an arm would get very tired, fast.

    Other than that I have a feeling that it works in a pinch. Would be nice to know what the hell they mean by
    Power output: 10W 120V DC @2Hz though.

    boB
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  • Photowhit
    Photowhit Solar Expert Posts: 6,006 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #8
    Re: I vote scam on this one

    I've never seen this creature, but I do have a very nice lantern and a nice hand crank flashlight, both gifts from well meaning friends who must think by living off solar, I don't have better more consistant electric than they have. No Sun'King' didn't send me one!

    The lantern and flashlight both have batteries for short term storage of electric and both have attachments for cell phones. I've not used them solely for this use but have checked them out and they will work in a pinch and the flashlight, seams to charge from the 2 AAA batteries, though I haven't a clue how, for a short while after you quit cranking. Do NiCd battieries maintain a higher state of charge after being charged? for a couple minutes? The lantern quites showing charge when you quit cranking.
    Home system 4000 watt (Evergreen) array standing, with 2 Midnite Classic Lites,  Midnite E-panel, Magnum MS4024, Prosine 1800(now backup) and Exeltech 1100(former backup...lol), 660 ah 24v Forklift battery(now 10 years old). Off grid for 20 years (if I include 8 months on a bicycle).
    - Assorted other systems, pieces and to many panels in the closet to not do more projects.
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  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #9
    Re: I vote scam on this one

    Someone gave me one of those "shake to charge" flashlights once. Quite possibly the most useless invention ever. :p
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  • inetdog
    inetdog Solar Expert Posts: 3,123 ✭✭✭✭
    #10
    Re: I vote scam on this one
    Cariboocoot wrote: »
    Someone gave me one of those "shake to charge" flashlights once. Quite possibly the most useless invention ever. :p

    It gets even more useless when the supercapacitor dies. Then it becomes a shake to flash light. :-) It did last close to 10 years though (5).
    SMA SB 3000, old BP panels.
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  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    #11
    Re: I vote scam on this one

    i always thought a shake to charge flashlight has a better appearance if a woman does it.:-):p
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  • waynefromnscanada
    waynefromnscanada Solar Expert Posts: 3,009 ✭✭✭✭
    #12
    Re: I vote scam on this one
    niel wrote: »
    i always thought a shake to charge flashlight has a better appearance if a woman does it.:-):p
    Haha I once investigated one of those stroking flashlights and was rather shocked to find it was in reality, powered by a couple of button batteries, and that the pretty coil etc was only for looks, to help sell it. People THOUGHT that by stroking or shaking it, they were supplying power for the light. Sucked in again! They worked till the button batteries went dead, which usually took longer than the short warranty. The batteries were not a rechargeable type and there was no useful capacitor to store the results of stroking.:D:blush:
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  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    #13
    Re: I vote scam on this one
    waynefromnscanada wrote: »
    Haha I once investigated one of those stroking flashlights and was rather shocked to find it was in reality, powered by a couple of button batteries, and that the pretty coil etc was only for looks, to help sell it. People THOUGHT that by stroking or shaking it, they were supplying power for the light. Sucked in again! They worked till the button batteries went dead, which usually took longer than the short warranty. The batteries were not a rechargeable type and there was no useful capacitor to store the results of stroking.:D:blush:

    so you are saying the real stroking was to the customer?:blush::roll:
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  • inetdog
    inetdog Solar Expert Posts: 3,123 ✭✭✭✭
    #14
    Re: I vote scam on this one
    niel wrote: »
    so you are saying the real stroking was to the customer?:blush::roll:

    No, I think that was the real shafting. :-)
    SMA SB 3000, old BP panels.
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  • techntrek
    techntrek Solar Expert Posts: 1,372 ✭✭✭
    #15
    Re: I vote scam on this one

    I saw one of those scam flashlights, and noticed the same details. Amazing that the coil also wasn't even connected to anything.
    4.5 kw APC UPS powered by a Prius, 12 kw Generac, Honda EU3000is
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  • SolaRevolution
    SolaRevolution Solar Expert Posts: 410 ✭✭
    #16
    Re: I vote scam on this one

    Hey,

    Is that a socket in your pocket?...:blush:
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