Category: Solar / Power / Energy
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Why Lithium Batteries Are So Dangerous
I came across this first video (there are two below) over the weekend and realized it was a good one to share. In it, the man demonstrates just what happens when a single AA-sized lithium battery is damaged in one of four ways: by being submerged in water, set on fire, punctured, and short-circuited. Surprisingly,…
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Battleborn 12-volt Battery Safety Concern
I’d once considered purchasing one or two of these batteries. Glad I didn’t! And now I’m passing this along to you in case you own one or are considering it. But there’s also a catch, because Battleborn has since responded about this issue. You can see the first video below is the warning and the…
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Solar Heater Wall for Free Winter Heat
I’m sure you’ve seen passive solar heaters, like soda can heaters? Well, these people took that idea to a new level, incorporating a solar heater into their workshop. If you’re in a place where you intend to stay, it could be a great way to heat a large area, like a detached garage or workshop,…
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What’s Really Going On With The Power Grid?
I’ve been concerned about the state of our power grid for years, but the recent solar flare scare (and this discussion on EMP effects) got me to thinking about it even more. The sad truth is that our power grid is quite vulnerable to many problems, including severe weather, domestic terrorism, and cyberattacks. The following…
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A 400-Watt Solar Setup Is All You Need?
Most people wrongly believe that they need a massive solar system to live off-grid or for “just in case” the world ends. But that’s not true if you’re careful about what you run and when. If, however, you intend on powering everything you currently use, like the HVAC, clothes dryer, dishwasher, and multiple televisions, then…
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Eye-Opening EMP and Solar Flare Presentation
Not that I’m trying to ruin your Thanksgiving week, but I watched this eye-opening presentation below late last week and, although I knew some of the details, I was shocked at the full scope of the problem should a solar flare or EMP occur. In fact, while I mentioned how problematic a solar flare could…
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Load Shedding Survival Kits
Have you heard of load shedding before? It’s basically the electric company purposefully cutting power to areas during scheduled times in order to avoid bigger problems down the road because of increasing consumer demand, a lack of maintenance, and probably a bunch of other reasons. It’s a common practice in developing countries and even places…
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7kWh (12 panels) for $180?
Thinking that solar is the way to go when the apocalypse kicks off? Maybe. But I can say that having some sort of off-grid solar is usually better than having nothing at all. The problem, as you might know, is that solar is expensive! The panels alone can set you back thousands of dollars (I…
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50 Million Without Power: Would You Survive?
I guess I haven’t been watching the news much lately because this is literally news to me! It’s interesting that he starts the video below talking about food and water as well as shelter (in the form of warmth) and an IFAK kit as your top priorities during a power outage, even before discussing comms,…