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Online Discussion: Tracking new emerging diseases and the next pandemic

ELECTRICITY
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    Posted: January 29 2006 at 4:49pm

Important information about electricity and alternate means of power generation.

If we don't have power.

Generators.

Solar Power.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 29 2006 at 5:10pm

candles for light

propane tank  for cooking

generator for electricity

batteries for  cd players radio

in short as many sourses of power for many diferent things
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 29 2006 at 8:35pm

Issues likely to effect electricity:

Storms throughout the year bring down power lines.  Who will repair them and how long will it take if they do have repair crews?  Will they have the spare parts to effect the repairs?  This will be local outages, but if it's your locale it won't matter to you how wide spread it is.

Will the fuel to run the power plants be available?  Will the manpower be available to run the plant?

The power grid is a complicated interconnected web.  Bring down 3 or 4 nodes and we may end up with a cascade outage.



Edited by SophiaZoe
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Points: 295 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote TNbebo408 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 29 2006 at 10:35pm
Get some driveway solar lights, they cheap and work OK, also use a 12 volt jump start unit to power 12 volt lights, take the dome lights from a junk car for this, use a solar charger to keep the unit charged up.

If no one else has lights, the darkness will be your best friend, don't light up and become obvious.

Store gas after treatment, in dark cool place. Sunlight degrades gas, and vaporizes it also.

Only run genset enough to keep freezer frozen. Store just enough gas to maintain freezer operation till the freezer is empty.
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Simple, I know. When it gets dark outside, go to bed. When dawn breaks, wake up! Adapt schedule to the rising and setting of the sun. -- Libby
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You can cover your windows with blackout material or those silver energency blankets.  That would also keep your home warmer.
It's not so much the apocalypse... but the credit card bills ;-)
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Ella Fitzgerald View Drop Down
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Points: 586 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Ella Fitzgerald Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 01 2006 at 11:12pm

Okay, I live in south central US and it gets pretty darn hot during summer time so what is a realistic energy source for an air conditioner?

I foresee that a refridgerator is a priority for electricity if you have it.

 
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Points: 607 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Spoon Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 02 2006 at 7:05am

Ella,

Standard A/Cs and Refrigerators are expensive to power off-grid.  I have very little knowledge about water or wind power, but have been researching solar for the past several months.

Backwoods Solar was a big help.  They start with the basics and then breakdown several popular sample systems.  You can see what it takes, and costs, for your power needs.

Sunfrost makes the best line of high-efficient refrigerators/freezers that work well with solar power.
It's not so much the apocalypse... but the credit card bills ;-)
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I have battery operated Family size Coleman laterns. Candles of all sizes, especially pillar sizes. I bought a battery operated Coleman tv/radio/siren/lamp at Target. Plus, loads of batteries.

We also have a generator that we run when power is out, but it is loud. And we only have so much gas. So not really relying on this.

Firewood, real and store bought.

You can purchasing propane heaters to use for the winter. Will find these in camping supply sections at stores or online.

I still want to get solar battery chargers and batteries,  and a solar powered/ crank radio.
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Two solar panels, four 6v golf cart batteries, 5 gallons of distilled water, several inverters and careful selection of electronic equipment.  Boondock camping 101.  Also add cheap fluorescent lights from Wally World.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 03 2006 at 10:28pm
Here is something to investigate if you are considering powering your house with a generator: 

http://members.rennlist.org/warren/generator.html

http://www.imsasafety.org/journal/marapr/ma5.htm
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Points: 586 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Ella Fitzgerald Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 04 2006 at 3:11pm

Okay, I have ordered a couple of the solar panels below and need someone to teach me how to convert these to produce power. I have put the description of the solar panels below. I have no experience with solar power and hoping someone can help direct me through this.

 Thanks in advance!

12 Volt 12"x12" Solar Panel

 

Power about 3-4 Watts Construction glass plate
Voltage 14-18 Open Circuit Connectors Screw Terminals
Current 250-350 ma Short Circuit Mfg. Chronar in New Jersey
Condition never used, surplus Frame none

Includes 1 Amp Blocking Diode and Power Terminals.

Generate Electricity from the Sun!

An environmentally friendly and cost effective way to produce electricity wherever you are. Perfect for powering electronic devices and charging NIMH and NICAD batteries. The solar panels can be connected in series to increase the voltage, or connected in parallel to increase the current (amps).

Ideal for:

  • Solar Energy Experiments
  • 12v battery charging for your car, boat motor, golf cart, RV, tractor, truck
  • Providing portable power
  • Power up small fans, pumps, lights, radios, cellular phones, fax, and laptop computers
  • Camping, playing at the beach, vacation home, boating, fishing, picnicking, farming, trolling, hunting, game feeders, and gardening.

These are surplus production panels.  There are surface blemishes or color variations on the front or back of the panel. This does not effect the power output. The panels produce the power indicated in the table above at noon on a cool, clear, sunny day. The solar panels look like a piece of black glass on one side and have a conductive silver coating on the other side.

Each solar panel includes a 1 amp blocking diode, clip on screw terminals and instructions. The blocking diode keeps connected batteries from discharging (loosing power) throught the solar panel at night. 
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Here's a link for making power using a bicycle and a automotive Alternator. I ordered the parts needed so if I have to, I have them on hand to build this for recharging batteries. Also so I get my exercise when we are hold up at home. Should also be real quiet.
http://www.c-realevents.demon.co.uk/altgen/altpedgen.htm

Edited by Enumclaw,WA
RB
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Originally posted by Enumclaw,WA Enumclaw,WA wrote:

Here's a link for making power using a bicycle and a automotive Alternator. I ordered the parts needed so if I have to, I have them on hand to build this for recharging batteries. Also so I get my exercise when we are hold up at home.

Oh MAN - You are screwing me up!  All along I've been thinking "The Omega Man" and now you tell me the plot is "Soylent Green."

Dammit.

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Yeah, The plot thickins. Bigtime
RB
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For those that have a portable gas generator and a limited amount of gasoline storage. A adapter kit that allows you to use gas,propane,natural gas on most portable gennys.

 

http://www.propane-generators.com/a-c_kits.htm#tri-fuel
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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.  
He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.Proverbs 13:20, The Bible
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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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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 25 2006 at 1:38pm
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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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.
Don't put off tomorrow what you can PREP today
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