A neighbor of mine recently build a solar-powered battery charger out of a variety of parts, including an old computer monitor stand as the stand for the solar panel
He was particularly proud of his energy efficiency, his use of predominantly analog components, even for tasks that seem akin to "logic", and the various clever tricks he used to achieve zero quiescent current
He admitted that a more digital (and, particularly, microprocessor-based) design would have been easier and more flexible, but contended that the level of efficiency he achieved would have been impossible to reach with anything other than analog design
His device had a serious of modular adapters for different levels of power, including USB, Sony laptop, an extra laptop battery, and a household-voltage AC adapter (capable of running a fan
Unfortunately he didn't have circuit diagrams to share, having designed most of the thing primarily in his head, and directly in circuitry.
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