Category: Home Power

Letter Re: An Early Snowstorm in Western New York

Well, mother nature really gave it to them this week. There were 24 inches of snow dumped on us in about 24 hours. That, and the trees still had most of their leaves still intact. That just made more surface for the snow to stick, and it was the wettest imaginable snow you have ever seen. I’m writing this on Sunday. The power has been out since about 5 P.M. on Friday, and they are saying it won’t all be back on till next weekend. I didn’t lose my power, since I live north of the worst of it. I …


Letter Re: 12VDC LED Christmas Lights for Emergency Lighting

Jim: On a lark, I order two strings of these 12 VDC LED sort-of Christmas lights. I ordered one string of blue for the porch (really easy on Night Adapted Eyes and one string of white. Wow! Really neat. Low current (i.e.: extremely low power consumption) and just plain handy. I’m just guessing but I figure two strings would run for 6 weeks on a fully charged car battery. Nice for those “loss of electricity days/nights” and a lot cheaper than the camping/emergency lighting systems. I think it is a reasonable purchase.Best Regards, – The Army Aviator


Two Letters Re: The Coming Energy Crisis: Hubbert’s Peak Or Not–Be Prepared!

Dear Jim: Let’s face it, most of our energy shortfalls are completely self-imposed. Gone are the days of the 1950s when generations looked to and planned for the future, built infrastructure and power plants for the grand cities that would one day be. Now we in the US haven’t built a new nuclear power plant since the Three Mile Island incident. We’ve turned against coal even though we have hundreds and hundreds of years worth of the stuff or more. Ted Kennedy won’t let windmills go up any more since they wouldn’t look nice to Ocean front property owners in …


The Coming Energy Crisis: Hubbert’s Peak Or Not–Be Prepared!

There has been a lot of ink spilled in recent years, debating the Hubbert’s Peak (“Peak Oil”) theory. FWIW, I am a believer in global oil depletion, but I think that those in the “Peak Oil” crowd are about 20 to 25 years too early in their predictions. In my estimation we cannot depend on the slow-moving bureaucracies of national governments to rescue us from the coming energy crisis. Even if we were t overcome the problem in the First World, the second World and the Third World–with less money available for massive crash programs and probably with a more …


Six Letters Re: The Ethanol Debate

Sir: Regarding ethanol, the amount of fossil fuel or equivalent slave labor wage work make ethanol driving a exclusive privilege of the wealthy. Brazil has the world’s highest percentage ethanol from sugar cane for motor fuel. US use of current corn ethanol processes are petroleum negative and only feasible due to massive taxpayer subsidies. If the readers of SurvivalBlog are expecting to have motor power in the age of ethanol I realistically suggest keeping down to a small displacement engine motorbike and maybe a chainsaw. Electricity is much higher watt per acre from water solar or wind and bicycle horse …


Letter Re: Recommendations on Solar Battery Chargers?

Jim, Could you maybe put the word out as to where to find a good reasonably priced solar panel for charging Ni-MH batteries? Thanks. – Gung Ho JWR Replies: I recommend Ready Made Resources for solar battery chargers, although there are several other Internet vendors that sell comparable products. But I can vouch for RMR’s reliability and customer service. If you are on a budget RMR’s compact Universal Solar Charger at under $28 is the way to go. But this model charges just two batteries at a time. If you have a bigger budget, any of the Global Solar brand …


Letter Re: Rechargeable Batteries for FRS and GMRS Radios

Jim, Just a note on the popular two-way handheld radios sold in many big box and sporting goods stores in the US. I have been trying to standardize my rechargeable batteries for these little handhelds to the ubiquitous AAs since my scanners and many of our other small lights and some gear run on them. I have four older Motorolas from 3-to-5 years ago for our use around the farm and when traveling with more than one vehicle for any distance. First, I noticed that there has been a gradual switch for these FRS/GMRS radios that once took AAs you …


Letter Re: Solar Panel Shortage — Caused By Oil Price Shock

Hi Jim. Just a quick one on [photovoltaic] solar panels. My brother and I had to put an order in for three 80 Watt Sharp brand panels that are usually just sitting on the shelf here at a major distributor. A container full arrives in two weeks but it’s already sold out! We have to wait a month. I did a little investigation with Google and found that the shortage is worldwide, is due to people, mostly Europeans, gearing up due to energy/oil cost. Silicon [photovoltaic panel] demand is beginning to outstrip supply and the foundries are running at maximum …


Thinking the Unthinkable, By Norman Church

Editor’s Note: The following lengthy speech was given at the “Peak Speak 2” Peak Oil conference, held on July 15, 2006 at Bedzed, Wallington, UK. Introduction Oil depletion is just the first of a series of resource crisis humanity is about to face because there are just too many of us! This century we will face peak resources, period. There are many fascinating and exciting renewable energy developments. Wind turbines, solar energy, geothermal, biomass, wave and tidal power schemes which are all important energy sources for the future – and could at least help keep the electricity grid going to …


Letter Re: A Practical PV-Powered Well Pump and Cistern System

James: I appreciate your web site, lots of good thoughtful info and no armchair commando nonsense. I rarely post on this or related blogs, but I’ve just installed two complete solar water systems and can perhaps add a bit to the backup-powered water discussion. A solar system is tailor-made for supplying water, IMHO, because instead of storing electricity in batteries for nighttime use, it stores water in a tank for use on demand, no inverters, no batteries, no fuel. Simple and effective. Both systems use Grundfos submersible pumps and two solar panels of about 170 watts each. One system pumps …


Letter Re: Advice on Options for a Small Alternative Power System?

Hello, I’m new here and am starting to prepare for long-term survival. I have tons of questions but will ask only one. Do you know, or have any recommendations, how one might use battery power to, say, power as DVD player. If so, what are the best batteries to buy for long-term storage and use? I realize a small power generator could be used, but that also makes noise and uses gas. Thanks for any help. – Andy JWR Replies: There are two distinct approaches to alternative power systems. The first is the simplest, most efficient, and most cost effective: …


Letter Re: Five Watt Folding Photovoltaic Panels

James: I see that Northern Tool is a SurvivalBlog sponsor. A particular item you might want to recommend is this: It is a 5-watt folding solar panel for only $39. I have several, I think they’re incredibly good for a BOB or other uses. They’re about the size of a paperback book, even lighter, and produce enough power to charge batteries fairly quickly. It’s an incredible deal for anyone who is concerned about losing power. My family keeps one or two in each of our BOBs. Highly recommended! – Bill JWR Replies: That is a great item. But so that …


Letter Re: James Kunstler at Midwest Renewable Energy Fair

Dear Jim: I was also at the Midwest Renewable Energy Association’s (MREA) Energy Fair, just about in the exact center of Wisconsin near Steven’s Point, a week ago. For me, the home tour was the most interesting part. For about $20 they load you on a school bus and take you to 4 local homes that had alternative energy incorporated into them. This included things like solar panels for electricity with a battery bank, heat pumps with in floor hydronic heating systems, soap stone fireplaces (like the Russian design) that burn 2 hours and radiate heat all day (some with …


Letter Re: James Kunstler at Midwest Renewable Energy Fair

Jim, As a regular reader of Survival Blog, I thought others might like a “field trip” report from the Midwest Renewable Energy Association’s (MREA) Energy Fair held this past weekend. This is an annual event hosted in central Wisconsin and it has had a growing number of attendees; last year’s fair drew over 10,000 and this year it was expected to draw ~17,000 people over its three days. In my mingling, I encountered people who had traveled from as far as New mexico, southern Oklahoma, Kansas, and many from Wisconsin and bordering states. The fair is a collection of vendors, …


Letter Re: My Portable Solar Power System

James, I thought I would just write a quick note, you and your readers may be interested in the portable solar power setup I built for using my Constant Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine on extended camping trips. See: http://mtoal.dyndns.org/solar Regards, – Hannibal JWR Replies: Folks with chronic health conditions (for example sleep apnea, diabetes, or dependence on medical oxygen) definitely need to plan ahead for TEOTWAWKI. I commend you both for your ingenuity and your foresight. BTW, you must be one burly dude to carry that battery box. Put that thing on wheels and save on chiropractor bills!