Power when the switch doesn't work.

[JR]

Ok, so we have a little SHTF or just a friendly EMP or even just that prolonged blackout after whatever.

So how do you keep your food fresh, batteries charged or even listen to the radio. Now depending on if you prep at all, this may not concern you, sure the Gov will fix it, right?
How is that working for you now?

Anyway power will be like gold when there is none, so plan to have some. You need to generate something, being you have your kid peddle a generator, have a real generator or maybe a small solar setup. 

I have 2 generators, 1 in a trailer with lots of gas and a couple deep cycle batteries, but gas does not last forever. I also have a 5k backup sitting in the shed that has served me well a couple times. But then again we are talking at the most maybe 2 weeks of fuel if run say 1-2 hrs a day. Now if you have diesel, that time may double and you can burn alot more than just diesel most of the time.

Some of you may have solar on the house, great. If all you do is use it and sell back, you are selling your self short. You need to have storage for that juice you make in the form of batteries and for the price it is hard to beat a good ol golf cart 6v battery. 4 of these would probably get you through a night easy. Sure you can get sealed batteries with no maintenance but they are pricey and don't really last longer.

I have played with solar some (hey it is cool) and am now looking at a 1-2kwh unit right now. That is as simple as 4-8 panels on a shed out back which will run my pool and some AC in the summer. Charge a few batteries and then you can use that converter at night for lights, radio and the fridge.

If something does happen there will be batteries everywhere as cars don't get used when gas goes away, so don't threat over how much storage you have, just know you can have it.

Remember too that if you have lights on when no one else does for any period of time, you may become a target. If you have light, you may have food, ammo or whatever.

What do you have, thoughts?

[Flyin6]

Good thinking, JR

I have been looking at those 6VDC batteries as well.

I have a 35 w solar cell on a charger on my camper...On a single 12 volt deep cycle battery, and it is all it needs with me needing it just once in a while

When I get somewhere where it's family reunion time, then I fire up my very thirsty 5500 gas generator and it does the thinking...but that is running the ac, frig, lights, stereo, tv, hair dryer, and who knows what else!  Several years ago I did it in a tent with a small 800 watt HF gen that ran all day on like an ounce of gas vapor. Ran some lights and a fan.

In addition to the plan JR, I was going to set up a "Power Shed" down on the farm. I am trying to collect fork lift batteries...nearly dead, then have them ultrasonically shaken nearly to death then boiled...restores them to new (Did you know that?) New electrolyte and off you go to the races.

Charging them I wanted a sufficient amount of solar cells, augmented by wind generators, homemade style. Check it out: You can snag huge 24 volt generators that weigh what, 50 pounds, off heavy equipment. I had the last one rebuilt for $90. Now hoist that up a flag pole and whittle up a decent 72" two blade prop from some spruce, coat well with something and wait for the wind

On my farm one ridge is the 5th highest place in the county. I have never seen it without some breeze. 4 knots is the magic number for a 72 incher with the proper shape and chord. Building the tower is just hoisting and stick building from pressure treated stuff, finished off with a mast. My mission height varies from 28 to 40 feet, which is achievable. Use it also for your sat TV, FM and digi-TV antennas as well as your HAM mast. Add a blind to it and shoot at things out of it from time to time

Sorry, JR, I had to add the redneck, no kali compliant version to de-plan of yours.

[JR]

I had thought about the wind generators, but not converting a gen and doing it myself. As you I have a good understanding of how propellers work and they work 24hrs a day.

Something like that on a mast for the trailer along with a panel or 2 and you could self sustain you power needs for some time.

[JR]

Well, I have just picked up 2500 watts in solar panels. That was just around 2k, about .85$ which is a fair price.

I will start a thread when this gets going. These all go on a shed out back for supplement my pool heater and AC. Just learning much of this as I go with inverters, grid-tie and off grid.

What I like is the grid tie setups where you just plug into the wall outlet and use your power first.

[Flyin6]

I'll follow that install with interest

Not reliable all year around here because of overcast and snow fall, but any time you add an option, you just made your situation better.

Smart move

[JR]

The mono panels work well in shade, but not covered for sure.

[TexasRedNeck]

I'm glad to see this thread.  I have been looking at grid tied, and off the grid.

I thought I read that you can buy dry batteries and store them long term and then activate them when you need to convert from grid tied to off the grid. 

I'd like to have solar and wind and just spin the meter backwards during the day to offset costs, but then if the grid goes down, have the equipment at the ready to move to a battery bank set up.

From what I have been reading, Rolls is the go to battery.  Any experience with this aspect of a PV system?

[JR]

Before we get to side tracked here I will start another thread.

Looks like the interest is there for sure.

[Sammconn]

I have an off grid cabin out on an island on our lake, four miles by boat from land. I'm running 60 watts solar, yes it's a bit too small but runs cell booster and tv/sat all day with no battery loss. Tied into it is 400 watts of wind generation. It's a cobbled together mess that I am not at fault for, with transfer switches to run off generator.
I'm running four Trojan 105 golf cart batteries as storage. These things are tough as we frequently see -40 in winter and 90-100 in the summer, and they don't have any issues. Due to snow loading on the roof I built a mast to raise the panel a couple feet up and have tilt provisions to aid in shedding snow off the panel.
The wife and dogs spent the better part of the summer out there and depending on what all loads were running easily two days without the need to start the generator. Now once you load up the inverter its a different story. Ammeters and voltmeters are your friends and watching loading is key.

[JR]

Doing lots of research now. Spending $$ on good panels and cobbling the rest. My panel will have LCD readouts when the whole system is up, looking at the Morningstar MTTP controllers.
I am looking at running the pool heater off season and the AC when its hot. With what on the grid runs here it will pay for itself soon enough. Plus having that backup peace of mind.