Solar Power

[Alphonse]

So I need some help. I want help with some solar power options. I will tell you what I am looking for then my situation. So I am not trying to power my entire house or anything. I just want to have a way to plug in ac power into my solar power. I have searched online but I feel as though I am missing so many of the extra stuff I need to actually be able to make it all work. Say I wanted to power like a small stove, or charge some stuff up. It would be cool if it could be used for powering actual survival stuff. The reason I am looking small scale is because I live in an apartment so I am very limited. Luckily I have a good amount of storage. So if something small and portable isn't an option then its okay because I have a place to store supplies. Thank you for taking the time to read this and help!

 

[Brent S]

Harbor Freight sells a complete package, all you need to add is a battery, that's fairly reasonable. There's multiple sizes available. I'm not sure about the quality of the setups, but I am pretty sure the panels are the same as you would get anywhere else.

 

[Maverick]

This is on my list: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...RG22A&linkCode=xm2&tag=survivalistblogshop-20

All I need is batteries and inverter, though not sure how this would work out in an apartment setting in your case.

 

[Brent S]

This is on my list: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...RG22A&linkCode=xm2&tag=survivalistblogshop-20

All I need is batteries and inverter, though not sure how this would work out in an apartment setting in your case.

Nice, be sure to check out harbor freight pricing as well. I think with my tax return I'll be able to get a 400 watt setup this spring. I guess it's a start. I just hope that nothing happens before I get situated to be off the grid completely. Yes I could live without power, but who the heck wants to!

 

[Maverick]

I was checking out harbor freight because of the prices, it was almost a crapshoot on reliability in the opinions I have read around the internet but then again a lot of people liked them.

 

[Alphonse]

This is on my list: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...RG22A&linkCode=xm2&tag=survivalistblogshop-20

All I need is batteries and inverter, though not sure how this would work out in an apartment setting in your case.

I live in san francisco and if there is a big earthquake i will want a way to charge my phone, wifi (though this may be down depending on what gets damaged) and computer so i can stay in touch with my family. The way my window faces most of the day i have a lot of light coming into my apartment. we had to get really good blinds and curtains to block out the light so it would charge very easily. Plus I feel very secure in my high rise building after the 1989 earthquake all the surrounding building had cracks all over them and mine didn't have single one.

 

[Gazrok]

Check into solar leasing. Probably pretty big in your area. Basically, they own and install the equipment, and you pay a monthly fee. Hopefully (usually) the fee is less than how much you save on the electric bill. The nice part though, is prep-wise, if the SHTF, they won't likely be going around taking it all back....LOL.

This way, you're not out of pocket on the deal.

 

[Alphonse]

Check into solar leasing. Probably pretty big in your area. Basically, they own and install the equipment, and you pay a monthly fee. Hopefully (usually) the fee is less than how much you save on the electric bill. The nice part though, is prep-wise, if the SHTF, they won't likely be going around taking it all back....LOL.

This way, you're not out of pocket on the deal.

If I lived in a home or rented a house I would do this 100%! But with where I live and the building I am in this isn't an option.

 

[Graynomad]

power like a small stove, or charge some stuff up.

Charging "stuff" is easy, but don't even think about things like cooking and heating, even with a huge system very few people to that.

You can charge batteries with a system that (almost) fits in your pocket, I go bushwalking with people who carry solar chargers for their camera batteries.

 

[Gazrok]

That's why any solar we do will likely be little by little.
We can't do enough to power appliances or the AC, at least not without a TON of money into it...so concentrating on specifics is more key.

First priority, is a solar powered well pump.
Next priority, is a solar charging station for any items that can be recharged (tools, car batteries, batteries, small electronics, etc.)

 

[Silent Earth]

I read a snippet from a US Magazine where a chap bought a crashed but almost new motorhome that was a write off from the insurance company, he stripped out Fridge, Freezer, Microwave, Electric heaters, Water heaters, Air Con unit, self contained toilet and fitted them into his small rural home. All being 12Vdc he powered them with three 100 watt solar panels and a micro wind turbine also salvaged from a sail boat. The batteries he used were also salvaged from a company that serviced electric golf buggies.

He toilet was a new imported job from Sweden I think that was waterless and had a biocomposting box underneath to recycle the waste.

Same guy also has a few batteries he uses to power his Laptop and Ham/ CB radios he charges them each day on his 20 mile commute to work, he had a simple and cheap split charge relay fitted to his F150. The extra batteries fit into a box with QR connectors.

 

[Gazrok]

Interesting. I could see how it would work...

He toilet was a new imported job from Sweden I think that was waterless and had a biocomposting box underneath to recycle the waste.

Those things are expensive as hell though...but worth it for this kind of thing. Probably the most expensive part of his whole setup. I checked into them for putting a toilet out in the barn area, as it is pretty far from the house. For nearly the same money, I could go ahead and put in another septic and drain field! (my end solution is probably just going to be a nice outhouse, to be honest). It won't get used a lot, so should suffice.

 

[Silent Earth]

The bit I liked about the toilet was all it required was an occasional sprinkle of sawdust to make the system work, and the two section tank at the bottom could be emptied one side at a time whilst the other still worked and the waste was rotted down enough to use as fertiliser.

 

[Maverick]

Right now I have a 90 day supply of alkaline's for our needs not including the rechargeable batteries and the portable panels/chargers thus this is primarily for communications and lighting if need be, I really wasn't looking for long term (beyond a year) generally earthquakes and grid failure. I figure beyond a year of a shtf, battery powered devices is going to be of little use to me, since I am not by myself this would mainly be a transitional period (a comfort thing) for those around me. Personally I would prefer to spend my money on warmth that being more wool clothing than psychological things and that is how I view batteries, radios and solar setups and that really is all it is psychological. In my view, the longer shtf drags out the further I am going out (in the mountains) where radios and such wouldn't really be of use.

 

[Gazrok]

Brings up another good thing to stock though, that one may not think about. If you have a septic and drain field, good idea to have a stock of the maintenance bacteria, etc. needed to maintain the system for a good long time. I recently got a case of it for just that purpose, and will be getting even more.

 

[Maverick]

Though the septic requires water, in a post shtf I would prefer to save the water even from my deep well, I would be using the outhouse (I have one on the property been there for years, same hole) the secret to the outhouse is soil, my ground here is a little hard no sand nor is the hole soft enough to allow ground water in and keeping it dry from the rain, I don't use lye, lye prolongs the decomposition period by keeping nature out (fly's and other insects) let nature do what it was designed to do! if you have a problem with the smell then rub a little peppermint or vicks under the nose, decompose waste is harmless to the ground lye is not. The secret is keeping it damp not wet or dry, we have to get out of this mindset 'it's gross' let the fly's in (in the outhouse) my outhouse is roughly 60yrds away.

 

[Gazrok]

If the ONLY electrical thing post SHTF was my well pump, I'd still be a pretty ok camper. I like my running water and using a toilet. And it really shouldn't be too difficult to do. Hot water may be an issue, but can live without it.

 

[Alphonse]

Right now I have a 90 day supply of alkaline's for our needs not including the rechargeable batteries and the portable panels/chargers thus this is primarily for communications and lighting if need be, I really wasn't looking for long term (beyond a year) generally earthquakes and grid failure. I figure beyond a year of a shtf, battery powered devices is going to be of little use to me, since I am not by myself this would mainly be a transitional period (a comfort thing) for those around me. Personally I would prefer to spend my money on warmth that being more wool clothing than psychological things and that is how I view batteries, radios and solar setups and that really is all it is psychological. In my view, the longer shtf drags out the further I am going out (in the mountains) where radios and such wouldn't really be of use.

Yeah I completely agree. You do not necessarily have to prep to survive for more than a year or so because if you make it that long you really won't be relying on electricity anymore. Pretty much anyone still alive at that point will be an expert at surviving.

 

[Alphonse]

If the ONLY electrical thing post SHTF was my well pump, I'd still be a pretty ok camper. I like my running water and using a toilet. And it really shouldn't be too difficult to do. Hot water may be an issue, but can live without it.

Yeah I am with you on that one. I like my running water and toilet hahahah

 

[Cavemanjoe]

We have a portable solar powered battery pack for light when needed, more likely charging cellphones and laptop, in the car I have a converter 12Vdc to 220 Ac for small uses, we use 12 Dc battery lighting inside the Cave Home and charge extra 12V batteries when driving the truck, also compost toilet with drainfield, works all well?
Also carry toolbox and small gas genny in truck at all times, bigger dsl generator in fixed location with 500 ltr. dsl fuel?