On Sat, 23 Jun 2012 18:02:38 +0000 (UTC),
wrote:

Much obliged. I like the idea of solar, but I doubt it charges well
enough. Tried solar clocks in 1985 and 1990 do dismay.

Solar works for me. I have a solar calculator, solar am/fm/sw
emergency radio, solar powered calculator, solar camera battery
charger, and various solar chargers. Note that not all of these work
in the same way. For example, the solar calculator is an either/or
proposition. It either runs on solar or silver-oxide battery. The
battery is NOT charged by the solar cells.

The limiting factor is the battery type and the self discharge rate,
not the solar chargers output. If you use NiMH batteries, which tend
to self-discharge at a rather high rate, the solar charger is unlikely
to keep up. NiCd are better, but not much. Lead acid are marginal.
Supercaps suck. However, Li-Ion and LiPo batteries work quite well
for such things.

If you want to play, you'll need a LiPo charger that will work with a
solar cell. This is what I use:
http://www.sparkfun.com/products/10401
Note that the LiPo battery is a nominal 3.7VDC. Fortunately, most
"atomic" clocks run on two AAA batteries, which is close enough.




--
Jeff Liebermann
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558