Category: Solar / Power / Energy
How to Get Crucial Emergency Alerts When Power And Cell Service Go Down
In January 1978, a blizzard buried much of Michigan. I was in college then, living in a co-op house with a bunch of other students, and somewhere in the middle of that storm the power went out. That was the moment we stopped knowing anything. There was no television, no radio plugged into the wall,…
How Much Gasoline Should a Prepper Store? Not That Much, As It Turns Out
I keep gasoline around for emergencies. Nothing crazy, but enough that I don’t have to fight everyone else at the gas station when something goes wrong, at least, not for a few weeks. I also keep propane and firewood. I don’t store diesel or kerosene because I don’t have much use for either. Gasoline, however,…
How to Power 12-volt Gear Without a Battery, Inverter, or Charge Controller
I’ve shared something similar years ago, but the video below is about using a Buck converter to directly transform solar panel power into 12-volts; it’s a follow-up on an earlier video of his, but the idea is simple: place the Buck converter inline between the panel and your appliance, and you’ve got power. Granted, he…
Innovative Plug-In Solar Power Solution? Maybe Not.
I like the forward-thinking of products like these, but I’m not sure that this DIY idea is for most people. First, the fact that it appears to just “plug right into the wall” outlet via extension cord is misleading because there’s more that needs connected at the breaker box, including interacting with the mains wires,…
1978: Could You Survive Without Modern Technology?
“Because it’s inconceivable that it won’t isn’t it?” That’s what struck me most in this BBC clip from 1978 further below. Although I recommend watching the entire several minute discussion, that statement is a nightmare for all of us, preppers included. Because as much as I believe in stockpiling supplies, having food storage, and even…
The Middle East Conflict – Oil Hikes, Shortages Abound
It seems like we’ve been watching the oil prices rise for weeks (except that one dip where somebody made a lot of money and nobody will be held accountable, let alone investigated). But as of the March 4th closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the slow-motion train wreck of economic instability has officially picked up…
Natural Gas vs. Propane Generators: Which Should You Choose for Long-Term Survival?
Power is often among the first infrastructures to fail in emergency and disaster situations. Much of modern life depends heavily on electricity, so any outage triggers a cascade of failures. Preppers already know that when the grid goes down, a backup source becomes the survival tool that separates those who can get by from those…
Small Generator “Trick” to Power Your Home
I don’t want you to get the wrong idea and believe that you can magically power your entire home’s needs from a small generator. But like he says, you don’t actually need a lot of power most of the day. And if you’re willing to do without some major appliances (and get an electrician to…
How Long Does Stored Gasoline Really Last?
One of the more common questions I get from people starting their preparedness journey is some variation of: “How long can I actually keep gasoline before it turns into varnish?” It’s a fair question because, let’s be honest, storing gas for “just in case” isn’t exactly cheap, and the last thing you want is to…
