New solar panel on nerdiest gadget of all time

which drove a fan motor. It looked terrible and never moved enough air ont o the user's forehead to actually do anything. After a while I got the im pression that the panel was no longer giving out ANY power.

ith a more modern one which actually works?

ould I try looking for? Or am I kidding myself that I might get this thing to work? Is that why no one has tried putting these things back into produ ction?

Solar cell efficiency certainly has improved, but not enough (in the cells available to you) to make any difference in that gimmicky hat.

So, even after 25 years of solar panel development, the most i can expect (if I replace that el-cheapo rectangular panel at the top) is to restore it to its former lousy operational state?

Are you sure the problem is a wimpy solar panel? Does the fan blow adequately if you power it from batteries? If you look on ebay, you can find lots of sellers of solar cells, fans, and caps, both separately and combined.

which drove a fan motor. It looked terrible and never moved enough air ont o the user's forehead to actually do anything. After a while I got the im pression that the panel was no longer giving out ANY power.

ith a more modern one which actually works?

ould I try looking for? Or am I kidding myself that I might get this thing to work? Is that why no one has tried putting these things back into produ ction?

Monocrystalline panels are more efficient than polycrystalline. Motor effic iency & power consumption also varies. You could spend on it if you want, b ut not wearing the hat would move more air.

NT

Yes, I suppose there's lateral stinking for you but I like the peak keeping the sun out of my eyes.

In the event that I do rebuild it, I should therefore address the general question of filling in that hole in the centre of the peak

You might consider a battery holder instead of a solar cell. "Function over form."

The battery cover is a better idea if the panel cant be replaced and properly hidden in some curve or other.

It is probably why there is a still imperfect newer version of my hat, but with two tiny solar panels on either side of the fan, which weighs the peak down so's you cant actually wear the thing!