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2ifbyC 
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Joined: March 30 2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 533 |
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 Posted: May 08 2006 at 1:30pm |
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MAJDAD,
Sorry, when it comes to solar power my 'wattage' dims. The co$t has prevented me from jumping in with both feet. I did read that the minimum panel wattage for MAINTAINING (read trickle charge) a 12VDC battery charge is 15 watts.
A 15 watter should do fine for the smaller batts with the appropriate charger/
As to the TV and CB, get a proper voltage AC/DC adapter(s) or add up the wattage and use an inverter. Both would be powered by a 12 VDC batt. That way you're not at the mercy of the sun as with a direct-power solar panel. Note that you will use more wattage when you transmit on the CB. 'Receive only' comsumes very little power.
My best recommendation is to Google solar panels and if you have any questions afterwards please feel free to contact me. There is a ton of info out there.
Good luck!
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Survival does have an 'I'!
Dodging 'canes on Florida's central Gulf Coast |
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MAJDAD
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Posted: May 08 2006 at 9:04am |
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2ifbyC:
You seem to be the brightest one here on this subject. I want to set up solar panels to keep 2 or 3 12 volt batteries charged. I want to run a small (9" AC/DC) TV and a CB Radio on it. What size panel would you recommend and what site. What hoops do I need to jump though to make it happen.
I also want to set up to recharge D cells, 123 cell (photo batteries) and AA batteries all on solar ( 36 D Cells 6 123 3 Volt and 30 AA batteries) again what size panel would you recommend and how would I set that up.
Thank you for all your help
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Major Dad hopes you are all alive and well and looking out for each other
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maryk
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Posted: May 04 2006 at 10:34pm |
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For heat this winter My family has made one of these |
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Posted: May 04 2006 at 1:55pm |
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Thanks for clarification 40. In my head I was only figuring on a couple
bulbs. You will find standed wire will carry a little more that
single wire though.
I also forgot to clarify to make sure battery connections are tight. Don't just wind the wire around the terminal. Marine terminal adapters should be crimped securely on the wire. |
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40acrediesel
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Posted: May 04 2006 at 1:42pm |
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Also, be sure to calculated required amps. Low voltage bulbs require high current to make wattage( V = I x R and P = I squared R). A 25 watt bulb would take about 2 amps of current. A string of 5 bulbs would require 10 amps. 18 gauge wire is only good for about 5 - 7 amps, 16 gauge is only good for 10 amps. 14 gauge is good for 15 amps, 12 gauge for 20. Be sure the fuse/breaker is coodinated with the wire, else you will make the wire into your fuse & have a meltdown/fire.
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40acrediesel
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Posted: May 04 2006 at 1:37pm |
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Please be sure to fuse or use a 12VDC rated circuit breaker on any of these hotwiring projects. Short-circuiting an automotive battery can have explosive results.
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Posted: May 04 2006 at 1:19pm |
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You can buy regular sized light bulbs in 12 volt. By using a lamp
or two and rewiring to a car battery, which is easily rechargable, you
can light the place for lots of hours. Buy real cheap 16 or 18 gauge
extension cords and strip the ends down to use.
I'm buying an large tractor battery with more reserve amps to use. Be careful to set it outside as acid gas is not good to breathe and never bring inside to recharge. Be careful that windows are properly covered when lighting at night so prying eyes can't see you have lights. |
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dundeels01
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Posted: April 27 2006 at 8:42am |
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Sorry for the length of this post, but I found this situation to be very educational to myself and my parents. So my folks had a small wake up call last night as to why I encouraged them to get a backup generator for their house. They got a very nice 7KW Honda and got it wired into the house(by an electrician) via a Gen Tran transfer switch. We also had a custom made 50' 10/4 cable made so they can keep it clear of the house for carbon monoxide concerns. They live in a hurricane zone, so this large expense was justifiable. Funny thing is that Dad had me "pickle" the engine at the end of last year's hurricane season so that he wouldn't have to start it every month as reccomended. When I pickled it, I "fogged" the engine with Bombardier Storage Oil, stabilized the fuel, drained the carb, placed the battery on a tender, and all that other good stuff so that my father would not have to deal with the generator on a regular basis.
Last night the power went out for about 10 hours and it was time for him to fire it up. Unfortunately, because I mummified this generator and my father didn't have to use it on a regular basis, he was not comfortable using it at all. So this whole system went unused when they could have really benefited from their purchase. It had basically become just another tool in the garage that sits in the corner. They have 15- 5 gallon gas cans that were all empty. Soooo, the bottom line here was that they were "ready" but they were not really ready at all.
Fortunately for my parents, I had left my smaller EU2000is Honda at their house and they were comforatble using that for the computer, satellite tv, and a couple of lights. They just ran the extension cords into the house and plugged directly into the generator. This worked fine, and luckily, I had it fully gassed up(1 gallon tank runs 15 hrs!). After talking them through the process on the cell phone, they were back in business. This finally made them realize the importance of having fuel and being very comfortable and knowledgable about running a generator.
The next time that I get down there, in the very near future, I'm going to go through Generator 101 with them again. It really is something that most people should review on a somewhat regular basis, it probably would not hurt to actually perform a test run either if you have never done so in the past. Many people take for granted that they will be able to run these things, but when it comes down to it, it is often not that easy or as safe as one would think. That's why you always hear of the carbon monoxide deaths of home owners and electrocutions of utility workers when these things are not used properly. The only advice that I can give from my parents experience last night, is it is extremely important to be familiar with your equipment and know how to use it because you never know when you just might actually need it.
Edited by dundeels01 - April 27 2006 at 11:31am |
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Posted: April 22 2006 at 11:16am |
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Breadbox oven:
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Posted: April 19 2006 at 9:04am |
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Using one deep cycle battery on a range top will kill it in a matter of minutes.
I had two deep cycle golf cart batteries hooked together, hooked up my inverter (3000 watt), plugged in my vaccume cleaner..... it lasted for about 15 minutes. And a range top uses a lot more power.
AS 2yfbic said, unless your rich, don't waste money on solar panels. Buy a small generator and stock up on gas.
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2ifbyC
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Joined: March 30 2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 533 |
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Posted: April 19 2006 at 8:24am |
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sand,
Not knowing your battery reserve capacity in Amp Hours, I can't give you a definitive answer. But here is the simplfied Cliff notes version:
(xAmps + yAmps + zAmps) x time in hours = Amp Hours (2A+3A+4A) x 5 hrs = AH 9A x 5 = 45AH 450 AH reserve capacity battery / 45AH = 10 hours Keep in mind that the inverter itself comsumes power. So the total will be a little less than the 10 hours above.
You must determine how much power your single burner appliance requires. Chances are that the appliance will require much more wattage than your inverter can supply. Plus any inverter is a POOR device for any type of heating application. I would highly recommend using a fuel type stove.
As for the TV, if it is rated for a typical 100-150 watts with the above 450 AH battery you would be good for 15-20 hours. Your smaller TV would probably run longer.
HINT: LCD TVs require much less power than one with a picture tube (CRT) of the same size.
 The only way to recharge a battery without electrical service would be a $olar panel $y$tem (notice the $$$).
 That's why I have a generator!Here is a terrific site for those with inverter questions: http://www.donrowe.com/inverters/inverter_faq.html#how_long . There are wattage charts, formulas, etc.
 Let me know if you have any other questions. Take care and have fun!
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Survival does have an 'I'!
Dodging 'canes on Florida's central Gulf Coast |
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Posted: April 19 2006 at 4:16am |
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Thanks to all for the power inverter idea. I bought a 700? and a deep cycle marine battery yesterday. Haven't tried it out yet. Can you tell me how many hours of power we can expect from the battery? Really just planning to cook on a single burner appliance and maybe a bit of tv - small one just 9". And, is there a way to recharge the battery without electrical power?
Thanks!
s
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2ifbyC
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Posted: April 15 2006 at 3:22pm |
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Aw shucks... Just trying to ante up on all the great info I've retrieved from the rest of ya'll.
I am a gadget guy. During our 'canes down here I have a TV, shortwave radio, police scanner and computer going just 'bout 24/7. Y2K was my first attempt at 'being prepared'. I still have and use items that come in very handy when the lights go out.
I do have an electronic background but that just allowed me to buy my gadgets!
Somewhere on this site I've stated that I'm a lazy 13 year old trapped in a 59 year old bod. So I'm always looking for a way to 'do it better, do it cheaper'.
Have fun!
ETA On those DC adapters, just remember that you will need one for each of your electronics. You can buy these to expand you capability: http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062269&cp=2032056.2032136.2032154&pg=2&parentPage=family Edited by 2ifbyC - April 15 2006 at 3:26pm |
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Survival does have an 'I'!
Dodging 'canes on Florida's central Gulf Coast |
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prepmeister
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Posted: April 15 2006 at 12:09pm |
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2ifbyC,
You must have electricity in your blood. You are awesome! What a great idea. I'll be buying these items as well. It really gives you more flexibility to have this setup as well for portable electronics. Thanks for teaching me this. Who knows, your knowledge could end up making a big difference for my family. I really appeciate it.
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2ifbyC
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Posted: April 15 2006 at 8:48am |
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We have been discussing the merits, uses and selection of generators, inverters, chargers and batteries. Now I would like to introduce the subject of DC power adapters. This allows you to run some devices without using an inverter. First, many of our smaller devices are powered by an AC (Alternating Current) adapter that plugs into the wall outlet and provides DC (Direct Current) voltage, normally 3-12 VDC. Any device with a DC power jack can be powered by a battery and Universal DC Adapter, saving your AA/AAA/etc. batteries for when you are out and about. What you need: 12 VDC battery Universal DC adapter – i.e. http://www.laptoptravel.com/Product.aspx?ID=2019 . This adapter comes with a set of the most common connection adapters and is 3-12 VDC selectable. Power Adapter with Battery Clips - http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10001&&storeId=10001&langId=-1&productId=189015&ref=81902 . Determine the proper voltage by looking at the device data label or the AC adapter. Select the proper voltage on the universal DC adapter. Determine which plug adapter to use for your device. Clip the female adapter battery clips to the 12 VDC battery observing proper polarity. Plug the male DC adapter into the female adapter. Now you’re good to go. It’s easier to do than to describe. Maybe this will help: Edited by 2ifbyC - April 15 2006 at 8:52am |
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Survival does have an 'I'!
Dodging 'canes on Florida's central Gulf Coast |
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prepmeister
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Posted: April 15 2006 at 3:12am |
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I found what looks to be a fairly fast small battery charger that accomadates C's an D's NiMH batteries in about 2-5 hours that would probably be good if you need these type of batteries. Most NiMH 15 minute chargers are only for AA/AAA batteries. Could possibly hookup to an inverter if needed. It is a bit pricey though. This might be good for those rainy days that solar battery chargers fail you.
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prepmeister
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Posted: April 15 2006 at 2:15am |
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The Guy (good friend) will be moving in about 2-3 weeks. He said he will bring a truck to my house wiht the generator at that time. He did say it was in excellent condition. I can't wait. For now I am trying to get everything else in place.
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2ifbyC
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Posted: April 14 2006 at 8:13pm |
Nice! I wasn't aware that they have progressed that far. My charger is about 6/7 years old.
Have you nabbed that gen set yet?
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Survival does have an 'I'!
Dodging 'canes on Florida's central Gulf Coast |
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prepmeister
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Posted: April 14 2006 at 7:43pm |
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2ifbyC,
Thanks for the info, as you recommended, I went out tonight and found a deep cycle Black and Decker charger that even has a mode that you can select if it is a GEL battery or even AGM. Although it has 15/10/5 amp capability.
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2ifbyC
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Posted: April 14 2006 at 3:13pm |
Deep cycles (D-C) DO NOT like rapid charges. That will reduce the number of recharges the batt will take in it's lifetime.
Unfortunately deep cycles require a stepped and slower charging protocol. Be sure to buy a charger with the deep cycle capability and at least a 10 amp setting! Mine has a 20/10/5 capability. Your D-C batts will reward you with hundreds of recharges.
I have had no issues with just recharging for a few hours to top 'em off.
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Survival does have an 'I'!
Dodging 'canes on Florida's central Gulf Coast |
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2ifbyC
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Posted: April 14 2006 at 3:04pm |
You jump on that puppy like a bird on a June bug!!!
When you get it home, fill with freash gas, start it and let it idle for 10 mins. This warms the engine prior to loading after sitting for so long. Then plug in at least 2000 watts of equipment one at a time and run for 30 mins. Do not start the gen set with equipment plugged in. Do this at least every two or three months.
After your first run, change the oil! I use synthetic. Then follow the recommended oil change interval.
Let us know how it works!
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Survival does have an 'I'!
Dodging 'canes on Florida's central Gulf Coast |
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Posted: April 14 2006 at 2:36pm |
Ski Bunny,
A LOT of manufactured homes are shipped from the factory with propane powered stoves and heaters. It must not be an unsafe practice or H.U.D. would not certify the homes for Fnma loans. During the Hurricanes of 2004, we got hit 3 times, and burned the Coleman indoors with no problems. Also, almost 100% of Recreational Vehicles use propane for the range/oven, hot water AND refrigeration. Must be pretty safe!
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Posted: April 14 2006 at 2:29pm |
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I'm thinking of getting a couple of Deep Cycle batteries for minimal lighting when the generator is off. I only plan on running it 3-4 hours a day, just long enough to wash clothes, catch up on the news and get some hot water. Any suggestions for a FAST battery charger to use while the generator is running?
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prepmeister
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Posted: April 14 2006 at 2:02pm |
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2ifbyC,
40 hours is very good. I'm off to find a D900! Thanks for checking on this. It has been very useful.
By the way, I found a guy looking to get rid of a generator that he only used once a couple years ago. He said is is a 5000 watt unit and he only wants $50 for it. He is moving and can't afford the weight.
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2ifbyC
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Posted: April 14 2006 at 1:53pm |
I really don't know in that I recharge my batts at least every other day during an outage. I have at least one TV on at all times. I just ran a test on my 32” LCD TV and the cable box. I used a ‘KILL A WATT’ meter which reads voltage, current, wattage and Hertz (cps). Great little unit that costs under $30. Sure lets ya know what your equipment requirements are. TV = 139W @ 1.4 Amps CB = 24W @ 0.4 Amps So for my batts I would say at least 40 hours, probably more just for the TV and cable box. There is a little power consumption within the inverters also. |
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Survival does have an 'I'!
Dodging 'canes on Florida's central Gulf Coast |
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prepmeister
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Posted: April 14 2006 at 12:38pm |
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2ifbyC,
How long can your 1000 inverter/Gel cell keep your large screen setup running given a full charge?
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2ifbyC
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Posted: April 14 2006 at 12:14pm |
I currently have 1000, 400 and 300 watt inverters. The smaller ones are for fans and small TVs primarily. The 1000 is for large screen TV, computer, tabletop shortwave radio, fan and a some lighting if needed. I haven't found a need for more at this time. So you look 'good to go' if your situation is simular to mine.
With the inverters you have, size really isn't an issue with the larger batts. Now I do have a couple of smaller lawn tractor batts for the fans since they are so portable.
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Survival does have an 'I'!
Dodging 'canes on Florida's central Gulf Coast |
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prepmeister
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Posted: April 14 2006 at 11:50am |
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2ifbyC,
What size inverters do you have? I currently have a 500 Watt continous/1000 Watt surge, and a smaller 200 watt cig. lighter one. Do you see a need to buy an even larger one? Based on your experiences from Florida, what size was the most practical connecting up to your GEL battery?
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2ifbyC
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Posted: April 13 2006 at 11:54am |
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prepmeister,
I have the D900Ms : http://www.dcbattery.com/optima_blue.html . I purchased mine year before last via the web. I can't remember where! I had to search hard for 'em for at that time there was a shortage. I think the military had pretty much consumed most of 'em.
Another nice thing about them is that they store very, very well and they have excellent recovery.
Shop around for the best price with shipping. They are heavy!
Now in all honesty, you can go with less expensive batts and probably meet your needs. But I didn't want to cut corners when it came to hurricane outages.
Again, good luck!
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Survival does have an 'I'!
Dodging 'canes on Florida's central Gulf Coast |
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prepmeister
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Posted: April 13 2006 at 11:24am |
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2ifbyC,
Thanks for your help! One other thing, for your Gel batteries, what AH rating do you recommend? The higher you go, the pricer they get. I thought you might have a good feel for what size to get (is AH84 good enough or should I go higher?). Thanks again.
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2ifbyC
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Posted: April 13 2006 at 8:36am |
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First of all, add the wattage of all the devices you plan on powering with your gen set. Most generators have a ‘surge’ and ‘run’ wattage rating. Buy a gen set that has a ‘run’ rating at least 20% higher than your total wattage. Depending of your age and physical capability, you might want to consider an electric start. Last year I aggravated an old ball injury in my shoulder starting a gen set. I now have an electric start and the old unit is my back up. Besides if the weather is bad I can have my bride of 37 years start that sucker. Buy a good electronic battery charger that has a deep cycle capability. Start the gen set, connect the charger to the batt, plug the charger into the gen set and then turn on the charger. That’s a good price on the PEP Boys unit, but remember you get what you pay for. Google around for gen set comparisons and find what meets your needs. Good luck! |
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Survival does have an 'I'!
Dodging 'canes on Florida's central Gulf Coast |
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prepmeister
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Posted: April 13 2006 at 8:10am |
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I am looking for an affordable generator. Does anybody have any recommendations? I plan to only use it for a small chest freezer, maybe a few lights, or small appliances (bread maker) etc. I also want to use it to charge marine deep-cyle batteris. Do I need to look for anything special for this? Pep Boys has a sale on a coleman 3125 peak watt, 2500 watt continuous gas powered generator. One gas tank runs 10 hrs at 50% load. It only costs $239.00 after a $20 rebate. Any thoughts? Perhaps I should go more wattage or another brand? Honda's are extremely expensive.
One other thought, do I connect the generator to a 12V battery charger and then connect the battery charger to the battery? Or do you connect straight from generator to battery terminals? I've never had a generator before so please bear with my idiot like questions. Thanks.
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2ifbyC
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Posted: April 10 2006 at 7:12am |
May I suggest that you buy the marine deep-cycle (D-C) type batteries. They will provide power for longer periods and withstand recharging much longer than an automotive battery. Get the gel cells if you can afford 'em. The money you spend on deep-cycles will save you $$$ in the long term.
They are large and heavy. I have a small wheeled tote/wagon that holds two of the D-Cs and two small lawn tractor batteries which makes for easy mobility for recharging.
I also live in Florida, central Gulf Coast, and have lost power many times for up to two weeks. Besides 5 gallon gas cans I also have a boat with a 35 gallon tank. Normally I have enough gas for the normal outage. But since the BF could last much longer I'm in search of 15 gallon plastic barrels to extend my gen set time.
Edited by 2ifbyC - April 10 2006 at 12:12pm |
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Survival does have an 'I'!
Dodging 'canes on Florida's central Gulf Coast |
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Bridge Lifter
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Posted: April 09 2006 at 8:26pm |
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I am debating wether to use propane or a dual fuel stove for cooking.
Any suggestions? Thanks! |
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Posted: March 31 2006 at 11:17pm |
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I read a post somewhere on this site suggesting the Cobb cooking system for cooking: http://www.cobbamerica.com/ It only needs 5 to 10 charcoal briquettes and with good ventilation can be used indoors after being lit outdoors. Used outdoors, it wouldn't be as conspicuous to the neighbors as a propane grill would be. I bought the Cobb from the Canadian site: http://cobbcanada.ca/ I posted on their message board asking about boiling water and received this response:
I don't have any charcoal yet so I'll have to wait to give that a try. If I used the Cobb in winter when there was no electricity, I'd probably try using it in my attached garage with the garage door partly raised. I'd want to conserve as much heat as possible inside my house and I can't do that with the windows open for ventilation.
By the way, does anyone know what a "billy" is?
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Daydreamer
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Posted: March 31 2006 at 7:11pm |
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We will be using ours inside most of the time. We will just open a window to be on the safe side.
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Don't put off tomorrow what you can PREP today
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Posted: March 31 2006 at 12:03pm |
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I will be using mine inside...but I have the option of my using my screened in back deck..that is were my bbq is...but if I were to use my coleman indoors I would do so near an opened window....
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co_ski_bunny
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Posted: March 31 2006 at 11:11am |
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I see a few posts here where people are going to use their Coleman stoves to cook. I have one of these...one less thing I need to buy
My question is, I have seen other posts where you can't burn propane indoors. Does anyone know if this is correct? If so, for everyone who has a Coleman, are you going to use it outside? Would using by an open window help?
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Daydreamer
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Posted: March 28 2006 at 12:58pm |
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JaxMax, thank you so much for the tarp idea. You really have me thinking now. I know that they sell tarps big enough to cover huge piles of those large round bales of hay so they would have one big enough to do this job.
I'll have to get enough rope to get to the trees. We do have trees within 10 or 15 feet of our mobile home so it would be a stretch but I think we could make that idea work. We might have to have something at the edge of the tarps to help stabilize it. I'll talk to my husband about this. He's more of the engineer mind. I'm sure he can come up with a plan.
Thanks for sharing this idea.
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Don't put off tomorrow what you can PREP today
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Posted: March 28 2006 at 9:45am |
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Having a large 6500W and a 2000EU genny is good.Run the big one for a few hours during the day to keep freezers/fridge cold, recharge batteries. At night wheb needed a EU can power the travel trailer A/C or a window unit placed in a bedroom to coll instead of running cental air. Having 200# of propane for genny is good, having a natural gas line to genny is great. Having 150 gallons of gasoline for whatever is also good. My outside shed is full.
Running a small quiet genny at night will be a security risk, so it will only be used if it is a neccesity.
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JaxMax
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Joined: March 01 2006 Status: Offline Points: 801 |
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Posted: March 27 2006 at 9:33am |
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Daydreamer-
Here in Florida, after the hurricanes heat and humidity was a problem. (Hurricanes only occur during the summer) All we could do was open the windows and run small battery powered fans and take cold showers. We could run a small fan for about 3 hours on a car battery (12 volt) and an inverter before we had to recharge the car battery with the generator.
I lent these to several friends who did not have generators and without exception using the small fans was the #1 use of the temp inverter power.
If you can attach tarps over your mobile home (tie them to trees or something else) and leave at least 3-4 feet space for airflow between your roof and the tarp, you can reduce your temperature by 10-15 degrees. We did this for friends living in a mobile home and it worked when there is direct sun exposure. Use the silver not the blue tarps. Tarps of all types avaiable at Lowes, Home Depot, auto parts stores.
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He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.Proverbs 13:20, The Bible
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Daydreamer
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Joined: February 24 2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 439 |
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Posted: March 26 2006 at 6:24pm |
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Our neighbor has a generator but he doesn't stock enough fuel to keep it going for very long. I'm not sure if he's planning on storing more fuel or not.
We are planning on using candles, oil lamps, and Coleman lanterns for light. We also have flashlights and battery operated lanterns.
To cook, we are going to use a Coleman dual fuel campstove. We also have a propane grill and we have a firepit in our yard. We could also use our woodstove if it is winter time. Too hot to use for cooking in the summer months.
For heat, we'll use the wood stove. We will use blankets or plastic sheeting to seal off rooms that heat is not needed in.
Now about staying cool. We live in a mobile home so these things are like tin cans and summer heat is not fun. If we have no electricity, we'll be forced to keep the windows open for air and hope for a breeze. It will mean going around in as few clothes as possible to deal with the heat. I am hoping and praying it isn't so bad that we have to keep all the windows closed up cause I don't think I could survive that.
What are your plans for dealing with no electricity? We don't know if it would be a week or months without it. It's a very good idea to have a plan and a backup plan.
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Posted: March 25 2006 at 1:38pm |
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Beth, you might want to take a look at the Solar Ovens thread. You can make one for less than $10 and save yourself a ton of fuel costs, plus, which is even more important, you are not signalying to the whole neighborhood that you have something to cook!
For indoor: A Coleman camping stove seems to be safest. Also, check out all the great idea's KatDoe67 has about using a stainless steel thermos.
Please, be really careful with open fire, you don't want to burn down your home!
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Beth
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Posted: March 24 2006 at 4:56pm |
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I wouldn't know how to fix up a generator and attach it to the mains even if I could afford one. I have been working out how to manage without it. Primarily I have to have a means of cooking - you can't eat beans and rice raw. I'm going to try to find a store that sells firebaskets, and either buy or copy. I'm going to build a coal/wood burning stove. Bricks for the surround;firebasket or grids from and old cooker/barbecue to put the coals on and let the air underneath; another grid to put the pot on.
A pressure cooker to save fuel and cooking time (it won't be much fun cooking in a cold cellar in winter). Thank goodness I don't actually have to do it outdoors in the wind and rain.
One of those metal kettles with a squeeker on the spout so it doesn't boil dry and burn.
And batteries for portable radio.
And lots of woolly jumpers in case there's no heat in winter.
Love Beth
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JaxMax
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Posted: March 21 2006 at 2:38pm |
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Here in Florida we have had numerous electrical outages with each hurricane. We have a 5000 watt Honda generator which is superb, but we actually use the 12 volt batteries and inverters more.
An inverter is a device that converts 12 volt (car battery) to A/C or household power. An inverter is the size of a small box of Kleenex tissues. Semi truck drivers use them to power appliances and they are used on boats. An inverter runs small wattage 500-750 watt household appliances. (Small 12" color tvs, radios, small 10" fans, etc) Buy some 25 watt bulbs and then when the power goes off put them in your regular lamps and they will operate 2-3 hours.
Inverters are cheap and ideal for anyone who can not have access to a generator, such as those living in an apartment. To have 3 -4 hours of standby power for under $100 follow these steps:
1. Buy an inverter at Wal-mart. Usually under $40. Get at least 500 watts. Get one that will plug into a cigarette lighter in a car or directly to a 12 volt battery with clamps. The inverters are in the auto section. You can also buy them at a higher price at truck stops and auto stores.
2. Buy a 12 volt car battery at Wal-mart ($35). Ideally get one the same size as your car battery for emergency use. I get the smaller ones because my wife doesn't like the heavy ones. Also get the maritime black box ($4) so that if the battery ever leaks your flooring will not be harmed. The Coast Guard requires boaters to put the batteries in a waterproof black box to avoid spills and Wal-mart has every size.
3. Connect the inverter clamps to the car battery. Red clamp to positive, black clamp to negative.
4. Thats it. Plug your SMALL appliance into the inverter.
The inverter makes no noise. We got each child their own for Xbox video games. They are very nice at night to run a small fan $10- no larger than 10 inches at walmart.
You can recharge your battery with an AC charger ($30) or from a generator. Be sure the battery charger has a chrage indicator switch showing the percentage charged and that the cord comes out from the side of the chrager-not underneath the charger. Some battery chargers actually sit on their own cord, this causes the cord to fray and renders the charger useless. Check the battery for water.
You can also lend your inverter to friends who do not have a generator.
We charge our batteries every 3 months during non use and they have generally degraded to 80% or a loss of 1 hour.
Everyone who owns a generator should have a carbon monoxide detector even though the generator should ALWAYS be outside when in use. What people overlook until is they also need a carbon monoxide detector if their neighbors have generators. Shifting winds and changes in elevations can kill you with carbon monoxide. After the thrid hurricane over half our neighborhood used generators, and our detector was constantly going off. We got all the neighbors to turn the generators off at night.
Finally, generators are stolen by thieves moving a loud lawnmower next to
the generator at night, then stealing the generator. The constant noise masks the theft, so this is another reason to never run the generator at night.
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He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.Proverbs 13:20, The Bible
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If you have an old metal breadbox, you can use it as an oven, much the same as a Coleman oven that sets upon a stove, drill a hole in the top and insert an oven thermometer to keep track of the heat, and open the door a little or a lot to regulate the heat. You can use this breadbox a couple of ways, one is to place your food on the top rack and place coals in a pan on the bottom, or you can set the entire box on a grill over a bed of coals.