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10 Comments

1. Only thing I can see for this gentleman to do is buy a larger generator that burns propane or gas. Costco sells one that is 9500 watts for around $800.00. I own one and it’s a life saver.

2. We all have a “generator” parked outside our homes. That vehicle and it’s battery are useful for more things than going to the grocery store. Buy a vehicle inverter – or several. They come in a range of sizes from 100 watts that will run laptops and charge phones and other small things to 800 watts or more that will run power equipment. It’s not very efficient to charge a phone with a 300hp car engine but so what? If you need power, you need power.
   You can also invest in some golf cart batteries and a larger inverter to run you other important things like a well pump or frig/freezer. Why run your generator for hours a day when an hour or two of battery charging will allow you to run your frig 24 hours?
   I live off grid on solar which for the past week and for at least another week is not giving me any power as it’s completely overcast. 1 hr. a day of genset run time is all I need to live normally.

3. I did this test on one of those cheap portable battery rechargers that you can find anywhere. I know mine was cheap because I got as a “gift” from my school. It couldn’t have been more than $10. I ran my Galaxy s5 to 0% and let it turn off. I plugged it in and checked it every ten minutes to see the progress.

   Time Passed (minutes)	Charge %	% Increase
   10	12	12
   20	21	9
   30	29	8
   40	37	8
   50	42	5
   60 (1 hour)	47	5
   70	50	3
   80	54	4
   90	57	3
   100	63	6
   110	Unit died	?

   Somewhere between the 100 and 110 minute mark, the charger was out of juice. When I turned on the phone, it was at 61%.

   I learned some interesting things while doing a bit of research. I learned that at 2200mAh capacity, you really only get 1380mAh because of energy transfer loss. So you get about 62% of the actual battery capacity going to your device and the rest lost as energy in the transfer. Also, to always store your power bank with at least a 50% charge to prolong the battery life. Storing while completely drained will reduce the capacity of the battery.

   The iPhone capacity is about 1450mAh, Galaxy phones range from 1650mAh to 2600mAh.

   So you should get about 95% of an iPhone charge, but only 53% to 84% of a Galaxy phone. I have another type of similar device that’s a bit bigger, has a full sized charger, can charge my phone 1.5 times, but cost $100.

   I thought it was interesting that it charges much faster until about 40%. I wonder if it’s better to charge to 40% and then use the phone until 0% and then charge again. Maybe the energy loss from transfer increases as the phone battery fills up. Similar to how it gets harder to pack a suitcase as it gets fuller. Just a theory.

   I think for the cost, having a couple of them laying around is a good idea.

   1. The link below is best overview of battery types, pros and cons, and solar requirements/components I have run across so far. I’ ve gone through it a half a dozen times and still learn something new.

      It gets technical but the explanations are clear and use real world examples.

      https://youtu.be/8SuvAKZt0Vs

4. I don’t mean to sound critical,but it never ceases to amaze me that in many of these survivalist articles and comments,the two most important things seem to be, Phones and AC. How did we live without them in the past! Trekker Out

5. To mountain trekker

   I get your observation, and exasperation. We also lived without motor vehicles and electricity, and antibiotics. These modern conveniences make our lives ( seemingly ) easier, but if forced obviously one can do without them and survive. Just a big adjustment period for the snowflake generation, and possibly Less so for the 50-60 something’s. I confess that I would dearly miss ice and pizza the most. But I can hack it without it.

6. I don’t get the generator fetish. I don’t have a generator, well, except for the one on my motor. And the ones on the previous motorhomes. But I never used them. What a pain in the neck they are. Believe it or not you don’t need 4000 watts or 9500 watts. I just bought my latest new motorhome and I tried to get it without the generator and air conditioner (never used them either). But that’s virtually impossible. So I have a nice, expensive, well made (better than you can buy from Costco) generator that I truck around everywhere I go but I never use it.

7. To OneGuy
   Good for you that you don’t need a backup generator to keep your frig. cold so your insulin supply does not spoil. Also great that you can motor around and find water as needed with your motorhome. I learned my wife doesn’t have to die from lack insulin supply, as we keep it right about 35 degrees, and buy all we can. So far, used it over 6 months old with no issues, by keeping cold. And after learning so much from this blog and the Patriot series, I think outside the box. Changed the generator over to propane.

   1. So your position is all of those who have generators are keeping their insulin cold??? Somehow I doubt it.

      A motorhome or trailer is an excellent opportunity to test survival plans. You discover what you can live without and ways to insure you have the things you need. That includes potable water. I can purify or merely filter water without electricity. I also know exactly how much water it takes to cook and consume as well as how much is required to shower and go potty.

      I use Walmart garden walk lights (the small ones that look like spotlights) for reading at night or playing cards. I simple place them outside during the day and I have a place in the motorhome where they mount and shine over my shoulder. I use a small PV battery charger that charges battereis for my flashlight and has a USB for my cell phone. Cheap and easy solutions.

      It is my humble opinion that in general the generator is a mistake. It is an expensive wish fullfiller that is used to live like everything is normal in unnormal times. Besides that they are loud, smelly, and attract attention even in motor home parks where they are more or less the norm.

   2. Type2 diabetes has a 90%+ cure rate see Dr Whitacre

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