Information about Freeloader Pro - Professional Solar Charger

Freeloader Pro uses its high power solar panels or USB (cable supplied) to quickly charge its internal battery (7 – 9 hours in sunny conditions). Once fully charged Freeloader Pro is capable of delivering enough power to give a mobile phone 70 hours of standby time, 5000 page turns on an eBook or a 100% full charge for a digital camera battery.
Also by switching its Multi voltage switch to “9.5v” Freeloader Pro is capable of charging power hungry, high voltage devices such as MP4 players, portable DVD players and SLR camera batteries.
The metallic push button “Power Halo” indicates how much power is in Freeloader Pro’s battery.
Made in tough aluminium and finished in a stylish “piano” black, Freeloader Pro is the perfect companion for adventure travellers, journalists, explorers, expeditions, the armed forces and anyone who demands the best!
 
CamCaddy is a unique power cradle supplied with Freeloader Pro. CamCaddy accepts virtually every type of camera battery whether a simple compact digital camera, professional SLR or a video camera battery. CamCaddy suits all sizes of battery (3.2v to 7.9v) using its variable slider bar and adjustable contact pins.
Light weight and rugged CamCaddy is the ONLY camera battery charger capable of powering virtually all camera batteries.

FAQ 

FreeLoader Pro

1.     My FreeLoader Pro has been outside, in the sun but when I connected it to my device, it only charged for a short time and did not deliver much power?

• Please ensure the first charge is given by the USB cable.
• Please make sure you have removed the protective film from the solar cells as this will radically reduce the effectiveness of the cells.
• Please ensure FreeLoader Pro is given exposure to sunny conditions for between 5 to 10 hours.
• Ensure the FreeLoader Pro is outside, facing south, in an un-shaded position and ideally tilted at a 45 degree angle.
• If FreeLoader Pro is connected to a device that has a near full battery (if for example you were testing FreeLoader Pro from new), FreeLoader Pro would, potentially, not deliver power because if the battery in the device has more or equal power than the FreeLoader Pro,. In such circumstances FreeLoader Pro will not be able to deliver power. Wait until the device to be charged is 25% to 50% full.

2.     How do I know when the FreeLoader Pro is fully charged and can I use the power from FreeLoader Pro even if it’s not fully charged?

• FreeLoader Pro needs to have its centre button pressed to show an indication of its charge. FreeLoader Pro will deliver power whatever state of charge is in its battery hub except if the hub is completely empty.

3.     What performance I can expect from FreeLoader Pro?

• After 1 day, outside in full sun (9am to 6pm) the FreeLoader Pro will be pretty much fully charged. When connected to your device it will deliver power for 20minutes to 1.5 hours depending on the device.
• If FreeLoader Pro is positioned behind a window in sunny conditions the time needed to fully charge FreeLoader Pro’s battery will be up to 3 days. The reason for this increase in time is that most glass incorporates UV filters, which naturally reduce the amount of irradiation needed to enable the solar panels to operate effectively.
• In cloudy conditions, FreeLoader Pro may take approximately 2 times longer to charge than the above mentioned times, but this is depending on the time of year, density of cloud etc.

4.     Can I charge my FreeLoader Pro from the Sun whilst at the same time powering a device?

• No. If FreeLoader Pro is empty you will not be able to simultaneously charge and deliver power. The reason is that FreeLoader Pro delivers power to a device approximately 10 times quicker than its solar cells can charge up its internal battery

5.     Will charging FreeLoader Pro from its solar cells behind glass cause me any problems?

• Not really a problem but it will increase the time needed to charge, sometimes up to three times longer than if outside.

6.     I have FreeLoader Pro positioned on a shady windowsill. Will the FreeLoader Pro still charge?

• Yes the FreeLoader Pro will still be charged by its solar cells but it will take a lot longer compared to being outside in full sun - up to 4-5 days longer in fact.

7.     Can I leave the FreeLoader Pro out in the rain?

• No we do not recommend getting the FreeLoader Pro wet, however, should this happen accidentally, please dry in an airy position away from children and food stuffs. The solar cells should be fine; however, the Main unit may be damaged. A trial will soon tell, however, we would recommend this trial be done outside by the solar cells only and NOT connected to a PC. Should the test prove the Freeloader Pro has been damaged Solar Technology International Ltd may be able to repair the unit. Please contact support@solartechnology.co.uk for more information.

8.     How do I connect and charge a device not supported by the adaptor tips included in this pack?

• Assuming Freeloader Pro is capable of charging the device, there are two options;
• 1) order the required tip on www.solartechnology.co.uk or
• 2) if the device was originally supplied with a USB charge cable (most devices are) connect this to your device and to Freeloader Pro via the Power Out socket (5, fig 2).

9.    I have a device that can be charged via my computers USB port can the FreeLoader charge it?

• Yes the FreeLoader Pro should be able to charge it.

10.    I cannot see the LEDs on the unit when it’s in bright sunlight  is it still charging?

• Yes it is. The LEDs are of lower power consumption - you can see that they are on if you cup your hand over them.

11. Can I charge a lap top computer or notebook

• No, Freeloader Pro is not powerful enough to charge such devices. If a device has a voltage demand under 9.5v then FreeloaderPro should be able to charge it

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