Mr. Rawles:
I was working through my “List of Lists” yesterday, and a thought struck me like a lightning bolt: Without batteries–lots of rechargeable batteries–I’m hosed. There are so many items that I’ll depend on in an emergency that need batteries: My weather radio, Kenwood MURS handhelds (thanks for that suggestion, BTW), starlight scope, and my flashlights. (And thanks also for your suggestion of IR [flashlight] filters). Without [those battery-powered items as] “force multipliers”, I’d be at huge disadvantage to looters, who could be wandering the countryside in droves, if and when it all hits the fan. So, with that realization, I’m investing in a small [photovoltaic] solar panel [for battery charging], and a boatload of NiMH batteries. Do you still recommend All-Battery [as a supplier]? And who sells a small panel–say 5 to 10 watts–that is reliable and weather-tight?
The battery situation reminds me of that old poem: “For want of a nail, the shoe was lost…” Thanks In Advance, – George L.
JWR Replies: Yes, All-Battery.com is an excellent source. If you can afford to, buy a triple or quadruple set for each piece of gear that takes batteries. (Even if you don’t use them all yourself, the extra batteries will be ideal to keep on hand for barter and charity.) You are correct in mentioning the NiMH low self-discharge (LSD) technology (such as the Sanyo Eneloop). It is currently the most reliable rechargeable battery on the market.
As I’ve mentioned in the blog before, if you cannot afford a large battery bank of deep cycle batteries, then at least buy a “jump pack” 12 VDC gel cell unit. These are available with either110 VAC (US/Canada) and 220 VAC (UK) utility power charging cords. You can then plug in a 12VDC “smart” battery charging tray (using a DC power cord with cigarette lighter plug.) That is far more efficient than using an AC inverter and then a DC transformer (like those in most home battery chargers) That way you are just changing one DC voltage to another DC voltage–instead of a DC inverted -to-AC-and-transformed-back-to-DC proposition. (Which is very inefficient.)
To keep your “jump pack” charged, I recommend the small PV panels available from Northern Tool & Equipment–one of our Affiliate Advertisers. Once you are at Northern Tool’s web site, search on Item # 339973.