[IAEP] [support-gang] Questions About Solar Panels

[James Cameron]

G'day Caryl,

Mike is right, some panels are incompatible with an XO-1.  They just
won't charge if the sun is too bright.

To discharge the batteries, one way is to break into the ok prompt, and
leave it on there.

To answer your questions though,

On Thu, Nov 01, 2012 at 10:27:31PM -0700, Caryl Bigenho wrote:
> 1) Why the XO-1.75 would not even complete the start up using the
> solar panel with the battery out?

Because there was insufficient power from the solar panel.  You might
fix this by either (a) using a more powerful solar panel, (b) tilting
it toward the sun, or (c) wait for midday sun.

> 2) What the high pitched whine on the XO could be when I tried to
> charge it and whether it indicates a malfunction that could damage
> the machine?

It is not a malfunction.  It is expected, in that it may occur, or may
not.  Nothing to worry about.

(Unless you have the little black ants that haunt my outback area,
which think the high pitched whine sounds just like breakfast ... the
same noises are made by dying insects flapping their pathetic wings.)

It is called switching noise, and is emitted by components of the
switching regulator.  I've found it may change pitch as the invisible
clouds scud by.

-- 
James Cameron
http://quozl.linux.org.au/