Power Outage Heater

Its freezing cold and the power is out for who knows how long.

Even if you have solar power with a battery back-up it won't last long using an electric heater.  A 100 Ah 12 VDC Battery will run a 1,500 watt heater for about 48 minutes. So here is what the author of the Prepper Handbook recommends.

This is a top rated heater that doesn't use electricity. It is safe for indoor or outdoor use.  This Mr Heater is one that I've tested and found to work great during cold winter nights.  I even used mine in a car when my heater was out. 

It uses these small propane bottles below  One bottle will last 6 hours on low and 3 hours on high, and produce about 2.6 times more heat than a 1500 watt electric heater.  Walmart sells these fuel bottles for $3.50 each.You can often get a multi-pack for even less per bottle.

Six of these cost about $21 and will keep you warm for 24 hours. This makes a good Prepper Gift for someone who does NOT have a fire place AND wood or natural gas.  If they have a fire place and NO wood or natural gas, they need help. They are also good for running a cooking stove.  For under $150, you can stay warm and cook your food.  These are also great for camping. 

For more information:
Blog Table of Contents
Power Outage Preps
Power Outage Heater
DIY Solar System 
The SHTF Day One
Survive a 2 week Power Outage

List of Top 10 Lists 

Top 10 Prepper Websites 

Top 10 Posts 

See similar topics by clicking on the labels below

Starter Solar System

A typical solar power system has several main components as shown below:

1. Solar Panel - converts sunlight to electricity. Price starts at about $200.
2. Charge Controller - controls battery charging (included with panel)
3. Battery - stores electricity.  Price starts at $65 - $75 for a 12 VDC 35 Ah Deep Cycle battery
4. DC to AC Inverter - converts DC battery power to 120 VAC.  Prices start at $80

Total cost for a low cost DIY starter solar system is about $350 in 2015. Compare this with an equivalent cost generator.
  
Generator - a good low cost generator (~$350 - $400) that in theory produces 3,500 watts per hour (as long as you have gasoline) is the DuroMax XP4400E from Amazon:

•  http://www.amazon.com/DuroMax-XP4400E-Portable-Generator-Electric/dp/B001BMDFPS/ref=sr_1_cc_2?s=aps&srs=3029212011&ie=UTF8&qid=1440988768&sr=8-2-catcorr&keywords=small+home+generator&pebp=1440988775486&perid=016H4S4X12V05YQYWYQZ

 

 It has a 4 gallon gas tank that reportedly lasts about 8 hours. A model hooked to your propane tank or natural gas might be a good option too.  Either way, this generator is a good deal, For a few hours it is very practical as it produces more than 10X the power of an equivalent costing solar system. But its worthless when there is no gasoline.  I would figure on having three 5 gallon cans of gas per day which costs 30 to $45 per day at $2 - $3 per gallon.  This equates to about $1,125 per month at $2.50/gallon. This is very expensive, and gasoline with ethanol has a short shelf life (6-12 months) so you can't store too much with out rotating it.  Propane on the other hand has an indefinite shelf life.

After buying one of these generators and several cans of gasoline to cover my short term needs, I would get the solar panels below.

 Solar Panel - Here is a sample 100 watt solar panel below.  A 100 watt solar panel can in theory run a 100 watt bulb while the sun is shining directly on it.  The charge controller is included with this unit and shown in the upper left hand corner of the picture below.  This controller will handle 3 - 100 watt solar panels allowing for expanding your power generation. 

https://www.amazon.com/Renogy-Watts-Volts-Monocrystalline-Starter/dp/B00BFCNFRM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1440805119&sr=8-1&keywords=solar+power+system

Battery - A 12 volt 35 Amp hour (Ah) battery will provide 12 X 35 = 420 watt-hours of power.  This in theory will power a power a 100 watt bulb for 4.2 hours or take 4.2 hours for one 100 watt solar panel to charge it.  To preserve the life of the battery, you only want to use a maximum of 50% or 210 watt-hours.  So to recharge your half discharged battery would only take about 2.1 hours of sunshine and your 100 watt light would only run for 2.1 hours.

Often the battery cannot hold all the power the solar cell can generate.  If you don't use this extra power, it goes to waste.  So the remaining power from the solar cells after the battery is charged could be used to power other things during the day.  Only the battery is used to power things at night.  Note that such systems are only about 70% efficient. 

A 12 volt AGM Deep Cycle rated in 100 Ah battery costing about $250 will store 1200 watts-hours of electricity (12 volts X 100 amp hours).  Recharging a half discharged battery would only take about 6 hours of sunshine for 600 watt-hours to use each night.  Two (2), 100 watt Solar panels would recharge this 50% spent battery with 3 hours of sunshine leaving several hours of power while the sun is still shining to run other things.

http://www.amazon.com/DEEPCYCLE-SOLAR-ENERGY-STORAGE-BATTERY/dp/B008D5YG3G/ref=pd_bxgy_86_text_y

Ideally, you should get the largest battery you can afford.  A 12 VDC, 250 Ah battery costing $550 will provide 12 x 250 = 3,000 watt-hours.  To recharge your half discharged battery (1500 watt-hours) would take about 15 hours of sunshine.  You can add 2 more solar panels (3 total) to charge it in 5 hours of sunshine and have an hour or more per day of additional power. 

DC - AC Inverter - takes your 12 volts of Direct Current (VDC) power from the battery and converts it to 120 volts Alternating Current (VAC) like you use in your home.  Below is a 1,000 watt 12 VDC - 120 VAC Inverter.  It is inexpensive and has battery cables that can be connected to your solar battery OR your car battery, which is why this would be my first purchase.  This will power about 8 amps of 120 VAC electrical devices.  This will work for a starter system, but it is what limits how much you can run at one time so you may want to get 1,500 to 2,000 watts later on, especially when you have more than 2 - 3 solar panels.

 

http://www.amazon.com/BESTEK%C2%AE-Outlets-Inverter-Notebook-Cigarette/dp/B007SLDDHQ/ref=pd_bxgy_86_text_z

Now what can you run with this?  Lights, a refrigerator or a freezer OR a small water pump can each be ran off this system (not at the same time) for as long as your battery can support it. Any lighting should be 25 to 40 watt LED bulbs.  Do not use incandescent bulbs, heaters, A/C's or microwaves as they use too much power.

To be safe, figure on about 6 hours of sunlight per day.  If it takes 2 hours to recharge your batteries each day, then you have 4 hours of additional solar power you can use for other things.  Each 100 watt solar panel will in theory generate 100 watts per hour of direct sunshine or 100 watt-hours.  Keeping your panels pointed directly toward the sun will increase your output.

Here are some typical things that we need to run on solar power during power outages:

A new modern small refrigerator uses about 800 watt-hours per day.  An old large refrigerator or freezer will use up to 1500 watt-hours per day.

So with the 35 Ah battery, you could keep your small refrigerator running for about 6 hours each night and about 4 hours during the day. The large refrigerator would run about 3 hours each night and about 4 hours during the day. This would cover you for a short power outage which might save your food for several days.  If my power was going to be out for an extended period, I would also turn my refrigerator temperature setting up (45F) to use less electricity and keep things cool longer. 

With the 100 Ah battery, you could keep your small refrigerator running for about 20  hours each day. The large refrigerator would run about 9 hours each day.

With the 250 Ah battery, you could keep either refrigerator running all day as long as you have 3 solar panels (300 watts) to charge them each sunlight hour of the day.  This will deliver about 38 kwh (kilowatt hours) per month on average and more in the summer.  So let's look at some other things.

1. A 1/3 HP well pump uses 500 - 1500 watt-hours per day, depending on how much you use it.  For drinking water only, you could figure 300 watt-hours per day.  Add  one tub of water per week for laundry, bathing, etc. and you should figure 400 watt-hours per day.
2. A ceiling fan, portable fan or can opener would use about 100 watts while running.  So if we run a fan for 8 hours per day, it uses 800 watt-hours per day.
3. Charging a radio or cell phone for an hour uses about 4 watt-hours and running a clock radio uses about 7 watts while running.
4. Lighting has a lot of variation:  a 60 watt incandescent bulb uses 60 watts; a 60 watt florescent bulb uses 18 watts.  Even better, down size your bulbs to a 40 watt LED bulb that uses 4 to 7 watts.

Here is a good link to show you the power requirements for most items in your home:
http://www.wholesalesolar.com/solar-information/how-to-save-energy/power-table

Let's look at some electricity consumption for the following items:

1.  Running a small efficient refrigerator at a low temp setting - 800 watt-hours per day;
2.  Drinking well water at 300 watt-hours per day
3.  Using 4 - 40 watt LED light bulbs for 4 hours at night or  80 watt-hours;
4.  Radio at 7 watt-hours per day. 

The above items require 1187 watt hours per day and 12 (11.87) hours of sun for one 100 watt solar panel or 6 hours of sun for two 100 watt solar panels.  Considering the system is about 70% efficient, we should figure on having three (3) 100 watt solar panels.  With 6 hours of sun per day and 70% efficiency, this would deliver about 1,260 watt-hours of usable electricity to meet the above.

The 250 Ah battery above delivered 1,500 watt-hours of power, which meets the above needs. The cost is as follows:

1. First 100 watt solar panel and charge controller - $200
2. Two additional 100 watt solar panels - $300
3. 250 Ah 12 VDC AGM Deep Cycle Battery - $550
4. DC - AC Inverter - $150

     Total: $1,200, and you can start with $900 and add the additional 2 solar panels later.

You can get this full 300 watt system, or you can start with the initial 100 watt system at the top for $350 and easily expand it. You can add 2 more solar panels and add additional batteries (in parallel) as you can afford it.  The only thing you might need to replace would be the inverter, and I wouldn't do that unless I had some things that it would not support running.  If you do replace your 1,000 watt inverter with a larger one, you can still use this one with your car battery.

You may be able to use the solar panels to run some of your small household appliances and save on your electric bill to help pay for this.  However, it is not practical and you should NOT attempt to wire it in to your house wiring.  Also, your battery life is limited and should be saved for emergency outages only; not routine use.

Note it is a good idea to keep an extra solar panel and charge controller in a Faraday cage in case of an EMP.  Good luck with your solar system, and post comments to let us know how it is working!!

Please note that I'm NOT affiliated with nor endorsing any of these Solar products and list these brands only as examples that were easy to find and readily available at the time.  I will say that Amazon ratings are generally reliable and usually anything that is rated 4 starts or higher by 10 or more reviewers and has less than 10% rated as 1 star is usually a good product.

For additional information see the following links:

Blog Table of Contents

$5 Solar Battery Charger
Solar Powered Home Design  

Sustainable Living System
Sustainable Lighting

Power Outage Preps
Power Outage Heater
DIY Solar System 
The SHTF Day One
Survive a 2 week Power Outage

The SHTF Day One

THE BIG EVENT HAS HIT, things are in TOTAL CHAOS. Thanks to the Red Flag Warnings, we are safe at our Retreat.

What now?

What do we do first?

1. Set up 24-7 Security with Night Vision and Communications.  Our post on Country Security can help.  If you are stuck in the city, put together a neighborhood security watch.  See Urban Security Plan. and the Security Patrol Pack post.  City dwellers should be prepared for Rioting and Looting.  The Prepper Handbook, available for $4.99 on Amazon, outlines a detailed home security plan.
2. Set up your Intruder Alarm systems and trip wires so you can detect unwanted visitors. Expect a Power Outage soon, if it has not already occurred. If you do have power, black it out at night, so you do not attract people to your home during the most difficult time to defend it.
3. Move your cars to set up a protective cover around your house to better secure the area. Block the road/drive to restrict access to unwanted guests.
4. Distribute Ammo at strategic lookout points and cache some off site for future needs (should already be done).  Hopefully you have enough Ammo.
5. If conditions permit, make one last trip out (armed) to stock up on any last minute supplies as in the future, Salvaging may be the only way left. Use credit cards as long as they are accepted. Then you should have enough cash to cover inflated prices while "Only Cash" is being accepted.  Then have enough Silver and goods for Barter after paper money becomes worthless. First Aid supplies will become important soon.
6. Store all the Water you can.  Fill tubs, pots, bottles, etc.
7. Reach out to your neighbors.  Set up Communications and begin to develop Actionable Intelligence.
8. Initiate Pandemic precautions if necessary. 
9. Rehearse your Group Security Drills (should already be done).
10. Along the road, or near the church, plant some Turnip seeds for the masses, perhaps some other Seeds for Survival. Turnips are cheap, grow well and are ready to eat in 20 days. This is for your defense because if people are starving, they will be willing to kill to feed their children. 
11. Hunker down, stay hidden and quite.  Do not draw attention to yourself.  Communicate only with trusted neighbors.  Try to survive the next few days without any casualties. Then start trying to organize your neighborhood. The Prepper Handbook, available for $4.99 on Amazon, outlines a detailed neighborhood organization plan. 

Later, plant any crops you can for this time of the year. See our post on Vegetable Planting Dates. Start as soon as you safely can because the Vegetable Days to Harvest is 20 to 120 days IF it is the right season.  You must have enough food stored to carry you through to the spring when planting normally occurs for most vegetables.

Do NOT expect to live on Wilderness Survival alone.

IF  you are NOT ready, see our Step by Step Prepper Plan to help get you there.

Print this out, along with other key information and save it in a file or note book.
Good Luck!

For more information:
Blog Table of Contents
Power Outage Preps
Power Outage Heater
DIY Solar System 
The SHTF Day One
Survive a 2 week Power Outage

Alone Survival Show Pack Contents

Secret Garden

You can turn your living area and surroundings into a Secret Garden by planting edible perennials around your house, apartment, condo, park, trails, woods, creeks, ponds and any public access area.

Start by looking at your nearby area for garden beds, hedges, planters, etc. to see what you can plant close by.  Then look at a Satellite Map of your area to identify places like trails, waterways, parks, etc. that you can legally get access to. 

Around your area, try and plant some of the following:

1. Fruit & Nut trees; Figs & native pecans are good, but any other low maintenance tree that produces food each year without humans action necessary.  Fig trees can be grown from cuttings, or cutting a finger size limb off of a regional variety that performs well and putting it in moist soil.  
2. Asparagus is a great vegetable that produce early spring food, and continues to produce for several months, as long as it is not over harvested.  It resembles a flower bed or hedge plant that most people would not recognize and can be grown most anywhere.  Plant roots are available to purchase for a few bucks, or Heirloom Seeds or the Mary Washington variety can be planted and grown, but may take more care to get them going.
3. Black berries, blue berries, muscadines, wild plums, and persimmons are all good to plant most anywhere. 
   
4. Jerusalem Artichokes and Sweet Potatoes are a good root vegetable that will be largely unnoticeable by others and can be grown most any place.
5. Spinach is a good cool weather plant that will be largely unnoticeable by others and can be grown most any place.

If necessary, grow some in pots inside, on your patio or porch to get them started. 

Once you know what grows well, begin transplanting some to surrounding areas.  Plant things that will blend in with the surroundings, and look similar to other vegetation in the area.  For example, if a hedge bush dies, replace it with a tea or blue berry bush.  Plant them on holidays, when the apartment staff is off, &/or early in the morning when few are awake.

Look for places that are already dirt surfaces like flower beds, and transplant a single plant there, with a label, or something to show this was intentionally planted, so the Gardner or lawn care people will not destroy them.  Once you get one plant growing successfully, add more. 

In nearby ponds and along creeks, you want to plant Cat Tails and Arrowhead, which are wild edible plants.

Over time, you can develop a large collection of edible plants.  In addition, if there is a park near by, feed the ducks and pigeons there. They would be a great source of emergency food if ever needed. 

Also good to identify the locations of any places that might have food or supplies for Salvaging if necessary.  For example a grocery store distribution warehouse is a good idea.  Keep old paper phone books and maps to use if the internet is down like in a power outage.

We have a number of gardening links below and in our Table of Contents that you should also visit.

For additional information see the following links:

Blog Table of Contents 

 

Gardening Links
Gardening101 – Soil Basics
Green House for year-round food supply
Vegetable Planting Dates
 

Vegetable Days to Harvest Budget Garden Preparations 
Seeds for Survival
Preppers Garden
 

Food Shelf Life

Aquaponics Growing your own food from seed Practice Garden 

Also check out our Prepper Livestock series 

Power Outage Preps
Power Outage Heater
DIY Solar System 
The SHTF Day One
Survive a 2 week Power Outage

https://www.foragingtexas.com/

 

Off Grid Lighting

This is perhaps the most versatile off grid lighting I've seen.

It provides solar powered lighting for the outside AND inside of your home.  In addition, these can be used as a solar battery charger and make great stealth Prepper gifts for family members.  With a package of extra rechargeable batteries, these will provide lighting for years.

Here are a few good passive lights that are solar powered and use common AA so they can double as solar battery chargers:

1)  LED version

2)  Economy version


For more information:
Blog Table of Contents

Power Outage Preps
Power Outage Heater
EMP Survival

Starter Solar Power System 

$5 Solar Battery Charger
 

Solar Powered Home Design  

Sustainable Living System

Sustainable Lighting

DIY Solar System

Rechargable Batteries 

 
The SHTF Day One
Survive a 2 week Power Outage
Complete Sustainable Living Plan
Backup Power Supply
Backup Electricity for under $50
 

List of Top 10 Lists 

Top 10 Prepper Websites 

Top 10 Posts

 

See similar topics by clicking on the labels below

Lessons Learned: Hurricanes

Door to door Looting began in New Orleans 3 days after Hurricane Katrina hit in August of 2005.  This was followed by door to door gun confiscation by the police, putting a dark blemish on civilization and the freedom of this great country.  People were no longer able to protect themselves against gangs of looters who were taking their food and water by force. But then, without a gun, plenty of ammo, and security, or a Neighborhood Watch you are just saving supplies for someone with a gun.

Many did not have sufficient food and water to begin with, and after the flooding, could not get any.  Trucks could not even get into the city to deliver anything.  In addition to this, they were not prepared for a Power Outage, especially a two week power outage.

Flooding can drive unique problems and needs for things we may not normally think about.

So what did we learn from this?

1. Disaster can be upon us before we realize it.  New Orleans had survived many hurricanes, but this time retaining walls, that protected the city, broke and the entire city was soon under several feet of water.   So there won't be much, if any warning, and even if there is, most won't recognize it, until it is too late.  Our Red Flag Warnings may help you recognize a potential disaster is coming, or already here, but if not prepared ahead, this early warning will only help you a little.
2. We must take responsibility for our own safety and well-being. We can NOT depend our our government to protect us from everything. Yes, the government had plenty of food and water near by, but could not distribute it for days due to the bad weather and flooding.
3. Advance preparations are essential. Disaster can come in many forms, and in this case, organized gangs and our own law enforcement were an unexpected problem for many. We must expect the unexpected, and it is the enemy from within that is often most overlooked.
4. Security is important, and most all gun & ammo stores will be shut down.  Those that are open, are sold out, even at list price.  So IF you are ever going to want a handgun, or AR and plenty of ammo to protect your home and family, you better do it before you really need it & before it is too late.  Even if / when guns are banned someday, there is likely to be a grandfather clause, allowing exiting owners to keep them for a while, as long as they register them.  Many countries (like Australia) have been through this slow, gradual gun ban process that is achieved incrementally over many years.  Don't wait!  Act Now.  With out a gun, you will just be saving supplies for someone who has a gun, or a large gang big enough to take them. 

So what other supplies do we need?

1. First, look at our Beginners List, then add:
2. Food - In addition to foods that you eat on a regular basis, have some that are non-perishable or have long shelf lives.  Things like beef jerky, canned SPAM, canned salmon, sardines, crackers, freeze dried canned fruits & other foods, are good to have.  Also have a manual can opener.
3. Bottled Water - Bottled water is especially important as it can be easily carried with you and rationed.
4. Off-Grid Lighting is important & batteries.
5. Propane, or charcoal for cooking food on a BBQ grille or camp stove.
6. Have plenty of ammo, and some good Prepper weapons, like a hand gun and an AR.  Because the government may try to seize them, have additional weapons, ammo and supplies stored in a hidden cache.

Each of these Blue links above have a wealth of additional resources, and Knowledge is Free, so learn what you can by reading.

Below is a standard hurricane preparedness checklist of things you will need to help you and your family survive hurricane season.

1. Potable water
2. Non-perishable food
3. Alternative means to heat food
4. Clothing, including rain gear and a good pair of boots
5. First Aid Kit
6. Toys, diapers, etc. for infants and children
7. Pet care kit (food, carrier/leash, immunization records, etc.)
8. Travel toiletry kit
9. Flashlights
10. Batteries
11. Battery operated radio with AM/FM and NOAA reception
12. Critical documents in waterproof pouch (banking info, insurance, passports, birth certificates, etc.)
13. Full fuel tanks in all vehicles along with additional spare fuel cans
14. Blankets and pillows
15. Cash, including small bills (ATM's & credit card machines may be out of order)
16. Portable tool set or a Multi-Tool
17. Fully charged cell phone & charger along with hand radios for communications.
18. Essential medications

It is also essential to have a prepared flood bugout bag, or Backpack you can carry supplies in if you are forced to evacuate.

For more information see:

Blog Table of Contents
Lessons Learned series
Emergency Water Supply
Modern Home Security
Survive a 2 week power outage
Sustainable Lighting  

Riot & Looting Preparations
Natural & Man Made Disaster Preparation
Emergency Essentials Disaster Preparations  
Urban Security Plan

Hurricanes 
Hurricane 101 Review 
Flood Bug out Bag

Backup Power Supply 

Backup Electricity under $50 

Maps for Survival 

Backup Power Supply 

Backup Electricity under $50 

Maps for Survival
DIY Solar System


Beginner Prepper List   
Wilderness Survival Pack (Video) 
Wilderness Survival
Delivering Babies
Global Climate Facts