| How To Prepare |  |
How To Survive |
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How To Survive A Long-Term Power Outage You Will Need An Energy Source |
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Why Will You Need An Energy Source?
Because without an energy source, our world comes to an instant halt. There will be no refrigeration, laundry washing, lighting, motion detectors, security cameras, internet, computers, cell phones, televisions, medical devices or any other devices or appliances that require batteries or electricity to operate. Our survival depends on electricity and other fuels such as gas, diesel, oil, and propane. In the event of an extended, long-term, or catastrophic power outage, you will need a source of energy to replace the loss of energy from the power grid and fossil fuels. Gas and propane stations will be closed, oil will no longer be delivered. Gas and propane type backup generators will eventually run out of fuel. A Generac full house battery or fossil fuel type backup generator will last for a day or two or until the batteries are dead or fuel is depleted. When the power grid fails, the only reliable energy replacement option is a solar generator or solar panel system with a 12v, 24v, or 48v battery bank. The available energy will be limited to the size or capacity of the battery bank, but a solar system will continue to provide electricity every day for up to 25 years or the rest of your life. Note: If you own an electric vehicle (EV), that electric vehicle's battery bank can power your house with electricity for a very long time. But, you will need some solar panels and a charge controller to recharge the electric vehicle's batteries.
Heating systems will not run without electricity no matter whether your fuel is heating oil, natural gas, propane or obviously, electricity. Like most modern appliances, your furnace needs some amount of electricity to power the components, like the electronic ignition, pump, and the fan that pushes the air throughout your home, to operate. Whether you have an older furnace with a gas pilot or a newer system that uses electronic ignition, there's no way to keep a furnace running without any means of electricity. Unfortunately, this means that your furnace will not work during a power outage. You should learn how to safeguard your heating system for those times when the power goes out. A small solar generator or solar panel system with battery backup will run your non electric heater until the fossil fuel is depleted. Are solar-power generators better than backup gas generators? Gas backup generators were once the go-to for power outages, but many homeowners are now considering solar-powered options. While gas generators are effective, they are noisy, fuel-hungry and must be used outdoors to avoid harmful fumes. In contrast, solar-powered generators are emissions-free, safe for indoor use and much quieter, ensuring they will not disrupt your household while keeping everything running and can be daisy chained to more battery packs for even more energy with even longer runtime. Some significant points to note are that a fuel generator runs pretty much at a constant pace depending on the load while an electric generator runs according to the load. Example: A fuel generator will continue to run no matter the load wasting valuable fuel, even when there is little or no load. An electric generator only runs to supply the load demand, no load - no fuel loss. And, when energy is no longer needed, you must go outside and shut off the fuel generator. With an electric generator you simply turn the power off within the home. But make no mistake, a fuel generator does have much merit. We own both an electric and several gas generators, but the larger gas generators are rarely used. Solar-powered generators have only been around for a few years, but they've quickly become a key part of many homeowners' emergency preparation plans. These portable power stations can keep appliances like refrigerators and furnaces running during emergency outages - but they are also handy for campsites, construction sites and RVs. While they are designed to be charged by solar panels fueled by the sun, they can also be powered up by wall outlets or even off your electric vehicle's battery if necessary. A solar system kit or portable solar generator kit appears to be the only real energy source solution that will help provide reliable unlimited long-term energy from the sun. And, a wood stove or fireplace might be the only source of cooking food and boiling water, and heat during the cold winter months. Therefore, a wood shed and plenty of seasoned firewood is always a good idea. Think of a solar system as prepaid electricity and self-reliance rather than an expense. At minimum, you will need a solar system kit or portable solar generator kit that includes a solar panel, charge controller, battery, and inverter. A solar system can also charge AA, AAA, C, D, and 9v rechargeable batteries to power your essential devices for a very long time. Rechargeable batteries will become more valuable than gold.
Rechargeable NiMH Batteries Rechargeable NiMH AA, AAA, C, D, and 9v batteries will power most of your essential devices. Alkaline and lithium 1.5v type batteries will eventually lose their charge and become useless. Choosing the right rechargeable batteries to fit your needs can be tricky and confusing. Our research and experience in rechargeable batteries has caused us to purchase and stock Tenergy Centura NiMH rechargeable batteries to provide us the battery power needed for all of our essential devices for years. Despite the hype, lithium batteries are dangerous, they explode and almost impossible to put out the fire. We also purchased the MaximalPower FC999 Universal Rapid Charger to restore rechargeable RAM, Ni-MH, Ni-CD, AA, AAA, C, D, and 9V batteries. This battery charger can help restore alkaline batteries as well. And, the EBL Smart Battery Charger for C, D, AA, AAA, 9V, Ni-MH, and Ni-CD rechargeable batteries with discharge function and LCD display. Tip: 3 AA to 1 D battery adapters and 4 AAA to 1 C battery adapters can be used in place of C and D battery types when C and D batteries are not available.
Complete Solar Panel Kit With Battery And Inverter A Complete Solar Panel Kit is a combination of one or more solar panels bundled with solar panel mounts, a charge controller, a battery, an inverter and all necessary wires and connectors needed to quickly and easily assemble and operate a solar energy generating system - a plug and play solar system. Depending on your energy requirement, determines how many solar panels and solar batteries, and size of charge controller and inverter is needed. Newcomers who want to experiment with or transition to solar energy will find these solar panel starter kits appealing and easy to use. These DIY self-installation solar panel starter kits eliminate the guesswork and the middleman. Some energy is better than no energy at all. Tip: Select a solar system slightly larger than what you think you will need in electricity. A solar system that is expandable and can grow with you is a good choice. You will not be sorry later. Four Basic Solar System Components
Note: The position of the sun changes throughout the year affecting solar collection and weather temperature does affect battery performance. Summer is best and winter is worst for solar energy collection and storage. When determining solar panel and battery capacity for your needs, step it up a bit, you won't be sorry! Tips: Purchase your solar system equipment or components during holidays and seasonal specials and search for discount codes for a significant discount. A complete plug and play solar system is almost always more affordable than buying the solar equipment or components separately. Most solar product vendors sell the same products slightly changing the appearance and charging more or less for the same product. Shop around.
Portable Solar Generators
A portable solar generator works by collecting solar energy through solar panels (DC power) and then storing that energy into a built-in solar battery. A built-in inverter then converts that battery (DC power) energy into alternating current (AC power) before it is released for use in home appliances and other electrical devices. Very similar to a traditional generator except the fuel is the sun rather than gas or propane. With a portable solar generator there is no noise, no toxic fumes and the solar generator can be located inside your home near the appliances without long cords traveling through your home. The cost for a portable solar generator is slightly higher than the cost of a similar capable solar system and a solar system is about the same cost as a traditional fuel type generator. A portable solar generator like the Renogy LYCAN 5000 Power Box or the ECOFLOW DELTA Pro Portable Home Battery are expandable portable power stations that can power a home or cabin with ease by adding as many solar panels and add-on batteries as needed. Tip: Select a portable solar generator that is expandable where a second portable solar generator can be connected to the first generator or batteries (pods) can be added to increase or double or triple overall performance. A portable solar generator that meets your electricity needs and is expandable so it can grow with you is a good choice. You will not be sorry later.
Wind Turbine Generators A wind turbine generator works exactly like a solar panel kit and solar generator except that the energy source is wind rather than the sun. A wind turbine and solar panels can be combined to create energy when the sun shines and the wind blows. The disadvantage of a wind turbine is that wind is required to generate electricity. The advantage is that the wind can generate electricity 24 hours a day and does not require any sunshine. 400W Wind Turbine Generator - VEVOR 12V/AC turbine kit 400w wind power generator with mppt controller. Battery and inverter not included, but easily added to an existing solar panel system. 500W Solar And Wind Power Kit - ECO-WORTHY 500w solar and wind power kit home off-grid system for charging 12V batteries. Includes: 100ah lithium battery + 400w wind turbine generator and charge controller + 100w mono solar panel + 600w inverter. Conclusion If you can afford to be prepared for a long-term power outage, you should. Solar energy is long-term available energy when everything else fails. The energy is from the sun and is stored in batteries that will cost as much or more than the rest of the solar system, but not much more than a good fuel type generator especially considering the fuel and maintenance cost over 25 years or more - if it were to last forever. Solar panels are an issue, where do you install and/or store them? But, if the power grid fails, you will be glad you have them. If you are in the market for a new generator, a solar generator or solar panel system should be something you should investigate and consider for emergency energy. The solar fuel will always be available and free. Other Useful Devices Reliance Controls THP108: Know exactly when the utility power is restored following an outage. |
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