I received a GoalZero Light-A-Life and Guide 10 Plus Adventure Kit for Christmas. Not wanting to spend $200 on their power pack, the Escape 150, I built my own.
It will be used to power camp light(s) and charge iPhones/iPads. All of the accessories (battery monitor, wall charger, solar charging adapter) fit in the case. It would take a long time for the small solar panel to charge the batteries, but it should be useful for providing a trickle charge.
List of items I used:
UB1250 12V 5Ah SLA Batteries (qty 2 - wired in parallel)
$21.35
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007PT865A
12V Battery System Monitor
$15.88
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000EVWDU0
12V SLA Battery Wall Charger
$7.76
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001G8AIMU
12V Twin Power Outlet
$6.28
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000WEMH4G
12V Solar Charging Connector (to connect to Goal Zero solar panel)
$3.59
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0016LG0CY
1 x 4 x 6 Kiln-Dried Hemlock Board (for case)
$4.98
http://www.lowes.com/pd_128565-99899-2_ ... Id=3603008
Door Pull (for case handle)
$3.67
http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R ... ogId=10053
Miscellaneous Wire and Connectors
~$10
Approximate Project Total: $73.50 (not cheap, but building it was a ton of fun!)
To match the Escape power pack specs more closely, add the following:
+$10.00 for two 12V 7Ah batteries instead of 12v 5Ah batteries.
75w 110v AC Inverter
$15.99
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003Q54V88
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