Preparedness for when

Frugalsod

sb44 wrote: »

Splutter! How much! :eek:

Thanks for the link but was looking for something that costs a little less.

Yes it is pricey but it does cover all possible requirements and is suitable for bugging out with if necessary. For me it its the overall combination of parts that is most useful. I am planning some long camping trips and the ability to carry a filter rather than gallons of water is what is its main purpose and the carbon filter to remove bad tastes is the other main unit that I will be using.

So in a crisis situation where there is no mains water this offers a good solution for what is a reasonable amount when you consider the costs of boiling lots of water.

Karmacat

nuatha wrote: »

You're very welcome.
My solar panel (4.8AH) was about £20 delivered and the powerbank was even less (I think £12). The Nook charges in 2-3 hours (depending how just how much reading I've done that week) and my phone takes a similar time, thankfully I have an older smartphone that generally manages about 5 days between charges.

Nuatha - I'm really sorry to bug you, but could you please lay out exactly what you've got? A solar panel, the power bank (porta pow) and what sort of cable connecting them?

I'm starting to work hard on my electrical needs, and I'm really finding it tough. The only book I've ever found where I understood what was being talked about is David Crossley's book Bugging In, but even so, it might be nice to start small, with something that can charge my kindle and my mobile phone, and it sounds like this combo that you're describing might do the job ...

nuatha

Karmacat wrote: »

Nuatha - I'm really sorry to bug you, but could you please lay out exactly what you've got? A solar panel, the power bank (porta pow) and what sort of cable connecting them?

I'm starting to work hard on my electrical needs, and I'm really finding it tough. The only book I've ever found where I understood what was being talked about is David Crossley's book Bugging In, but even so, it might be nice to start small, with something that can charge my kindle and my mobile phone, and it sounds like this combo that you're describing might do the job ...

Its not bugging me, sorry I was vague in the earlier post.
My Portapow is this one currently £11.99.
My power bank is this My solar panel for this setup is a noname device bought off ebay. Its a cheaply made minimal plastic case without any stand that works fine sitting in my office window - I might look for something more robust if I was planning on field use.
My Nook uses micro-USB, my phone uses USB mini so that's two cables that need carrying. The Portapow can also charge AA and AAA cells, but thats a USB A to USB A cable, so that's a third. (Downside of the Portapow, it can get hot charging batteries).

Generally I don't go anywhere without the Nook (reading is how I pass for sane) so the powerbank and two cables are everyday carry. My phone is ancient as far as smartphones go being a 2007 XDA Orbit, (it has Satnav with full European maps, FM radio, Wifi and Bluetooth, it doesn't do 3/4G, synchronises with my 'puters and doesn't do cloud, its also reliable, rebuildable and typically gives me 5 days of use between charges). My principle camera uses AA cells, so the Portapow gets added to the carry when the camera goes out - but gets charged from the laptop in that scenario.
I use MR 1250mAH AAA NiMH cells (torches, Herself's Sony Reader and my Palm handhelds) MR 2000mAH AA cells, (main camera) and Duracells when the rechargeables are less practical. These live in plastic cases of 4 cells (either AA or AAA, not mixed) for safety.

Hindsight and future plans: I'm looking at upgrading my camera, there is only one model under consideration that uses AA cells, I may well have to move to Li-ion batteries and therefore charging them out of the camera may need a customised battery charger and a heavier duty powerbank. I can run the netbooks off a powerbank/solar cell for an hour or so per day, however I would like to substantial upgrade the solar panels and be able to run the laptop(s). I need to take another look at lighting and it makes sense to move to a low powered system that could be run from a powerbank charged either from solar or wind.


HTH

Karmacat

Thank you for that! I bought this intelligent AA/AAA charger yesterday https://www.7dayshop.com/products/7dayshop-hq-multi-mode-illuminated-lcd-intelligent-ni-mh-battery-charger-for-aa-and-aaa-up-to-3000mah-WH2-DS-127 (along with some eneloops batteries, which are all the rage, apparently ).

So I don't need the Porta Pow for its battery charging effect; I *might* need it for its power bank facility, but my 7dayshop charger blurb says "Includes USB 5v Output port to capable of charging mobile phones, tablets etc. Accepts 100~240V Ideal for Worldwide use." I'll check it when it arrives, but it sounds like that might do the job. If, and its probably a big "if" at my level of expertise, if I can figure out a way to charge this new charger from a solar panel.

And, um, I confess - I have a solar panel, never unpacked from a private purchase last year, just before I got ill, for pennies on the pound. It says its a "portable 13W solar generator, includes a 4A charge regulator, and charges 3V, 6V and 12V appliances

The EC power bank charger looks *really* interesting. That can charge a device directly, yes? Or does it have to go *through* something like the Porta Pow? I have a free portable power bank from my mobile phone people, but they just sent me a text saying some of them go on fire, so I'm not keen to use that :eek:

This is what I mean by paying attention if I'd done proper research before I bought *anything*, I'd be a lot more confident in what I've got. I've unwrapped the solar panel, anyway, and I'll get it out of its box right now

Karmacat

The panel is recommended to charge a 12V deep cycle battery, one of the leisure ones ... so thats the next purchase?

ALIBOBSY

So the endless boiling goes on, but they reckon the UV will finish off the job "soon".

The old solar charger we have was a cheapy thing from Aldi and doesn't seem to work well, so interesting to see others mentioned on here. My Amazon wishlist has started again lol.

I don't know if people recall but a while back in the thread I mentioned some friends who have some land attached to the back of the house and OH bought a half lamb off them and then helped with the turkeys so we got a free, free range norfolk black ourselves (crimbo 2013). Well last year they had stopped keeping any livestock as a developer had said they wanted to purchase the land. Basically said developer has messed them around over and over and finally made a pitiful offer a few months ago. So not now happening and they are using the land again.

So we now have our own "lamb", will be having turkey again. tbh though learning how to take care of the animals is just as useful.

Don't think we will ever be in a position to buy our dream of a farmhouse and land, but as we live in a semi rural area maybe in a position in a few years to buy some land of our own and those skills will be very handy.

Ali x

nuatha

Karmacat wrote: »

Thank you for that! I bought this intelligent AA/AAA charger yesterday https://www.7dayshop.com/products/7dayshop-hq-multi-mode-illuminated-lcd-intelligent-ni-mh-battery-charger-for-aa-and-aaa-up-to-3000mah-WH2-DS-127 (along with some eneloops batteries, which are all the rage, apparently ).

Looks good (and rather tempting)

So I don't need the Porta Pow for its battery charging effect; I *might* need it for its power bank facility, but my 7dayshop charger blurb says "Includes USB 5v Output port to capable of charging mobile phones, tablets etc. Accepts 100~240V Ideal for Worldwide use." I'll check it when it arrives, but it sounds like that might do the job. If, and its probably a big "if" at my level of expertise, if I can figure out a way to charge this new charger from a solar panel.

That may be the problem, or actually one of two. If the multicharger can charge USB from batteries, excellent, if not its just another mains charger from the phone point of view. In theory you could run an inverter to give mains output to then charge the batteries from a leisure battery or similar, however that wastes a huge amount of juice as well as adding another element that could overheat.

And, um, I confess - I have a solar panel, never unpacked from a private purchase last year, just before I got ill, for pennies on the pound. It says its a "portable 13W solar generator, includes a 4A charge regulator, and charges 3V, 6V and 12V appliances

Is that one of the briefcase types? A friend uses one of those to keep his yacht batteries running. 3V is a pair of AA cells and 6V would be four. Its quite feasible to actually make a charging cradle for your batteries that would do the job.

The EC power bank charger looks *really* interesting. That can charge a device directly, yes? Or does it have to go *through* something like the Porta Pow? I have a free portable power bank from my mobile phone people, but they just sent me a text saying some of them go on fire, so I'm not keen to use that :eek:

This is what I mean by paying attention if I'd done proper research before I bought *anything*, I'd be a lot more confident in what I've got. I've unwrapped the solar panel, anyway, and I'll get it out of its box right now

The EC Powerbank is effectively a rechargeable battery that will charge devices until it needs to be recharged, its another version of the one EE were supplying. The affected batch is E1-06, if yours is one of these (check here) please return it. If not, then you already have a powerbank, though you'd need to work out just how well it would recharge your phone. (Part of the EE idea as I understand it was that you'd just be able to go to an EE shop and swap a depleted powerbank for a charged one - given they've suspended supply twice that I'm aware of, this aspect has less appeal than it might.)

Karmacat wrote: »

The panel is recommended to charge a 12V deep cycle battery, one of the leisure ones ... so thats the next purchase?

Only if you actually have use for one.
A while back I was considering rewiring the house from the point of view of low voltage lighting, this would be powered by a leisure battery system charged by solar with mains backup. I also wanted to look at what devices could also be powered this way. Unfortunately life got in the way and I'm not convinced we'll be living here long enough to make it worthwhile. Still I should get back to the notes and plans and develop them to the point where they can be installed or built into the next address.

So I'd have a use for a leisure battery or four, but decent ones are expensive and it makes more sense to plan use case scenarios. Can you vent when charging? Do you need the additional stability of a gel type over a wet? Can you justify the additional costs of an AGM type (which is the only one that you would choose to use to jump start a car)? What do you want to run on it and for how long - this determines the capacity you need.

A friend has a 13A suitcase solar panel (hence the earlier question) it outputs 0.5A across a cloudy March day. This would take 2 days to half charge a 20AH battery (you don't discharge below 50% if possible) which would give you approx 7 hours of a single fluorescent light bulb per night. (There are plenty of winter days where you'd be lucky to get 0.5A and then for far fewer hours.)

Aside from anything else, there appears to be a coming shift in battery technology. The guy who created Paypal and is behing the X1 space program and Tesla cars has announced a forthcoming new domestic power storage system which could change the game more than a little. So if you don't need to make that investment now, I'd hold off a little and look at meeting the more immediate needs.

Karmacat

Amazing post, nuatha, you're a star :j:j:j

nuatha wrote: »

Looks good (and rather tempting)

Thats the intelligent battery charger - I'm glad it looks like a good deal to you.

That may be the problem [charging the new charger from the solar panel], or actually one of two. If the multicharger can charge USB from batteries, excellent, if not its just another mains charger from the phone point of view.

I actually understood that sentence :j

In theory you could run an inverter to give mains output to then charge the batteries from a leisure battery or similar, however that wastes a huge amount of juice as well as adding another element that could overheat.

Ah. I thought there might be a catch, and thats it, isn't it.

Is that one of the briefcase types? A friend uses one of those to keep his yacht batteries running. 3V is a pair of AA cells and 6V would be four. Its quite feasible to actually make a charging cradle for your batteries that would do the job.

Yep, its a (big) briefcase. A charging cradle? Gulp ... making it? I may melt ...

The EC Powerbank is effectively a rechargeable battery that will charge devices until it needs to be recharged, its another version of the one EE were supplying. The affected batch is E1-06, if yours is one of these (check here) please return it. If not, then you already have a powerbank, though you'd need to work out just how well it would recharge your phone. (Part of the EE idea as I understand it was that you'd just be able to go to an EE shop and swap a depleted powerbank for a charged one - given they've suspended supply twice that I'm aware of, this aspect has less appeal than it might.)

It is the EE thing, you're right. Luckily for me, they gave me the E1-03, so that should be okay. And they're never going to get their paws on it :rotfl:

Only if you actually have use for one.

Ah. This was my half-query about buying a deep cycle battery.

.....

So I'd have a use for a leisure battery or four, but decent ones are expensive and it makes more sense to plan use case scenarios. Can you vent when charging? Do you need the additional stability of a gel type over a wet? Can you justify the additional costs of an AGM type (which is the only one that you would choose to use to jump start a car)?[/quote]
Just the fact that I have absolutely no idea what those questions mean, tells me that there's no way I should buy a leisure battery such a breath of fresh air to talk to you :j:j:j thank you!

What do you want to run on it and for how long - this determines the capacity you need.

Moving offgrid a little bit, permanently maybe, and certainly being able to use my kindle, and hopefully my laptop, in any prolonged power cut.

Aside from anything else, there appears to be a coming shift in battery technology. The guy who created Paypal and is behing the X1 space program and Tesla cars has announced a forthcoming new domestic power storage system which could change the game more than a little. So if you don't need to make that investment now, I'd hold off a little and look at meeting the more immediate needs.

That's a relief to hear :rotfl::o Nope, I don't need to make that investment now. I'll look at maximising what I've got.

Thank you for all this!

So basically, I should carry on exploring the purchases I've already made, the freebie EE thing, and the intelli-charger that's about to arrive. And integrate as much of this stuff as I can. And research, research, research!

I hope this didn't take up too much of your Sunday, nuatha, but it's been really valuable for me, thanks again. I'm off for a walk now, since its finally stopped raining.

Apologies to all for hogging the thread.

1Tonsil

Before I go back and read to catch up I thought some of you might like this site http://www.backdoorsurvival.com/slow-cooking-with-the-amazing-wonder-oven/

nuatha

Karmacat wrote: »

Yep, its a (big) briefcase. A charging cradle? Gulp ... making it? I may melt ...

Actually its not difficult, at its simplest and more sensibly. If you don't know reuk.co.uk its worth an explore.
[/quote]
It is the EE thing, you're right. Luckily for me, they gave me the E1-03, so that should be okay. And they're never going to get their paws on it :rotfl:
[/quote]
Excellent, so that an the relevant leads will extend the life of your ereader and phone. After use you may decide you want a higher capacity one, but try it and see how you get on - I believe that will fail to charge an Iphone 5 or 6 due to a higher current requirement (but I could be wrong) The ability to play with these things at the expense of your mobile provider is a real bonus.

Ah. This was my half-query about buying a deep cycle battery.

.....

So I'd have a use for a leisure battery or four, but decent ones are expensive and it makes more sense to plan use case scenarios. Can you vent when charging? Do you need the additional stability of a gel type over a wet? Can you justify the additional costs of an AGM type (which is the only one that you would choose to use to jump start a car)?

Just the fact that I have absolutely no idea what those questions mean, tells me that there's no way I should buy a leisure battery such a breath of fresh air to talk to you :j:j:j thank you!
[/quote]
Sorry to throw a pile of jargon at you. Wet is a lead acid battery, gel uses a gel to replace the acid which makes them spill proof (you can get maintenance free version of wet cells, but these are generally not recommended for longterm heavy use, unlike car batteries where there are now the norm).
I always recommend starting from the other end of the equation; ie I want to do x, so what do I need to put in place (and what other options does that offer me).

Moving offgrid a little bit, permanently maybe, and certainly being able to use my kindle, and hopefully my laptop, in any prolonged power cut.

That's a relief to hear :rotfl::o Nope, I don't need to make that investment now. I'll look at maximising what I've got.

Thank you for all this!

So basically, I should carry on exploring the purchases I've already made, the freebie EE thing, and the intelli-charger that's about to arrive. And integrate as much of this stuff as I can. And research, research, research!

That's my approach. I would think the next step would be to charge the powerbank from the solar suitcase, or to charge batteries from the solar and use them to charge the powerbank. But not until you've got the other bits playing.

I hope this didn't take up too much of your Sunday, nuatha, but it's been really valuable for me, thanks again. I'm off for a walk now, since its finally stopped raining.

Apologies to all for hogging the thread.

I enjoy being made to think. It was useful to me to review some stuff that went on hold and that I need to get back to.
I don't see it as hogging the thread - and if it is I've been as much a part of that as you.
Its been useful to think about something else, now I will get back to writing business plans with a fresh mind (that I'd gotten seriously bogged down in and was dreading)