Grid Failure? Oops! Get Solar!
The vast majority of people completely depend on the national power grid to supply them with electricity so they can power the various amenities they require. National grids are not always dependable, as was experienced in Texas. Below is some solar gear worth buying.
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The grid could go down at any time due to mishaps, bad weather, and other factors, leaving millions without power. You probably rely on electricity for many things, including cooking, food storage, and communication with loved ones.
If there is a prolonged grid failure, you can help ensure that you don’t lose out on important aspects of your life by having a variety of solar-powered appliances. There is a wide range of solar equipment, from small electronics to installations that cover the entire house.
In Survival Situations, Solar Lighting Increases Safety
It can be very helpful to have a reliable light source walking at night. If your electricity goes out, it can also provide you with a lot of comfort at home by enabling you to move around and perform tasks like reading.
Solar lights have the ability to charge in the sun during the day and turn on at night. They come in a range of designs, from flashlights to lanterns, and each may be more suitable for your needs depending on the circumstances.
For example, lanterns are excellent for lighting up larger areas and camping sites. Typically, they emit light from all sides, allowing people in their immediate vicinity to see clearly.
For one person navigating in the dark, solar-powered flashlights and headlamps are typically preferable. They have a narrower light beam, which makes them ideal for properly following a trail at night.
When attempting to navigate on foot, having light is crucial. Even on a trail that was created by humans, it is very easy to trip over tree roots or step on dangerous things like scorpions at night. In the absence of the Moon, when it may be completely dark, this is even more crucial.
You can install indoor outdoor solar lights that turn off during the day to charge, then turn on and remain lit all night. This may serve to deter would-be intruders.
Automatic solar lights are great because they don’t need to be connected to anything and are rarely broken. You will merely need to occasionally change the lightbulb because all processes are automated.
Stay in the Loop with Solar Radios
To inform the public of what to do, where to go, and what is actually happening during the majority of emergencies, radios are used. You can stay safe by using this practical information.
When there is a weather emergency, particularly a tornado or a hurricane, you will typically see people using handheld radios. However, given that the stations have their own backup generators, they would still be used in the event of another emergency.
As a result, you should be able to listen to the radio to get updates on the situation even if the grid goes down for a prolonged period of time. Since the Internet would obviously not function, that would be your only source of information.
Because you wouldn’t use a solar radio constantly, it should last a long time between charges. You ought to have the ability to charge it while using it and while moving, whether you’re in a car or on foot.
If you can live without it, you might decide against using your radio as entertainment, especially if it’s late at night or a cloudy day. You wouldn’t want the battery to run flat and be unable to recharge it.
But that doesn’t mean you should never use it for music. Music can make a difficult time much easier, especially if the grid is down for a long time and you can easily charge your device every day.
Some solar radios even have an AUX port or Bluetooth capabilities, allowing you to play music directly from your phone or other device in case FM stations aren’t broadcasting it.
Look for a solar radio that has the local emergency news stations pre-programmed into it. Some radios force you to cycle through every AM channel, while others have a separate switch just for emergency news channels.
One benefit of a solar radio is that you can almost always find a charge wherever you go. Batteries can run out after some time, and it’s highly unlikely that you’ll find a wall socket to plug it into if you’re not at home.
Everyone can see the sun at some point, so you can charge it by strapping it to the back of your backpack while you walk during the day or by placing it on your car’s dashboard’s front.
Purchasing a high-quality solar radio will ensure that you have access to more information in a survival situation without power, information that could be lifesaving.
Charge Your Devices with Solar Power Banks
It’s difficult to envision a scenario in which you’d have to go without electricity for weeks or months given how many aspects of modern life involve electronics. It may nevertheless occur.
Due to the dependence of so many everyday devices on electricity, entire countries may be left without power in the event of an electric grid failure. It is therefore crucial to have some kind of charging capabilities.
Almost any USB device can be plugged into a power bank that has been solar-charged to power it. This includes phone chargers, USB lights, and a plethora of other gadgets you might use every day.
If you have an electric razor that plugs into the wall via a USB to outlet, the razor can be charged using a power bank instead!
The ability to use your phone is typically the power bank’s main benefit. Any power bank can charge a smartphone because all major phones use USB cords, and some power banks even have wireless charging that is specific to phones.
Consider looking at power banks that have fold-out solar panels if you want the fastest solar panel charging speeds possible. The more solar panels you have on your power bank, the quicker it charges.
In general, the less expensive solar power banks only have one fixed panel. The advantage of this is the weight and price difference, but the drawback is that using just one panel will result in very slow power bank battery charging.
You may not be familiar with the meaning of the measurement mAh (milliamp-hours) when looking for solar power banks. This is a measurement of the battery’s capacity for storage.
A power bank with 5000 mAh, for instance, would be able to charge your phone five times if it only needs to be charged for 1000 mAh. You can charge more devices before running out of battery if that measurement is higher.
When selecting the power bank you want to purchase, you might want to take size and weight into account. It might be useful to have two: a smaller one to pack in a bug-out bag and a bigger one with a bigger capacity to keep at home.
Due to the weight of some of the larger capacity power banks, these are preferable if you’re holed up at home with your family. Though they won’t last as long, the lighter, smaller ones are easily carried on the go.
Solar Cookers Can Be Used to Cook without Electricity
If you’ve ever touched metal that had been exposed to the sun all day, you’re aware that solar power can make some surfaces extremely hot. This idea has been widely used to develop solar ovens and cookers, which only require the sun to operate.
Mirrored surfaces are used in solar cookers to focus the sun’s light and heat in one area. You could place a pot or pan there and wait. It won’t take long for the pot or pan to reach a temperature where you can use it to cook almost anything.
A large mirror-like dish that reflects light into a central area where a stand is positioned to support a pan is a typical solar cooker design. This design does work, though proper alignment may require some setup.
The other common design you’ll see is a box with mirrored walls that captures sunlight in the same way and heats the entire box like an oven. Contrary to the other design, which more closely resembles a stove, this cooks food in a manner similar to an over.
When you’re finished using these solar cookers, you should bring them inside and, if you can, cover them. The surfaces shouldn’t become dusty because if they aren’t clean and shiny, they won’t reflect light as well.
It’s important to remember that when using solar cookers, you should only use materials that can withstand the intense heat created by the sun’s rays being concentrated. Proper cookware is needed because materials like plastic will burn and melt.
You should choose a darker pot, such as black cast iron, when choosing the right one. The sunlight will be reflected back onto shiny, light-colored pans while it will be absorbed by dark-colored ones.
If you decide to cook with a dish, be sure to check that the pan is in really in the focal point occasionally because it will change as the sun moves across the sky.
Don’t leave your solar cooker outside. If you leave your cooker outside, it may accidentally start heating up if it absorbs some of the sun’s rays. It would be easy for something to catch fire if it were to get caught in the focal point.
Surprisingly high temperatures can be reached by solar cookers, which are sufficient to cook any food you may require, including meat. The only drawback is that it can be a challenge to regulate the temperature, so you’ll need to keep an eye on it.
In case the grid goes down, being able to cook without having to start and maintain a fire is a huge advantage. They are very easy and intuitive to use once you get the hang of them.
Power Outages Are Stressful, but Solar Generators Ease the Strain
Consider a high-end solar generator if you’re really hoping to disconnect from the grid and become totally self-sufficient in terms of power. Small lamps and large houses can both be powered by solar powered generators, which come in a range of sizes.
Similar to a standard gas generator, these are to be used in the event that power is lost and you need to switch to a backup. Depending on how much power output you need from the generators, these are available at a wide range of price points.
These generators typically have traditional wall outlets rather than just USB ports, which is one way they differ from small power banks. The number of devices that can be plugged in could be greatly increased as a result.
A small solar generator can be helpful for running a lamp and a fan, for instance. If you lost power on a warm night and wanted to use a fan instead of the air conditioning, this would be great.
However, since they consume more power, devices like space heaters would require a larger generator to run. To keep your devices charged, you could also use tools like chargers with ease.
One benefit of a portable solar generator over a gas generator is that it can be brought inside and used after charging. With a gas generator, you must keep it outside and run extension cords out through windows or doors.
If you want to be completely disconnected from the grid, you should consider purchasing a solar generator that can power your entire home. Installing solar panels in your yard or on your roof is probably required for this.
You can keep your home operating normally for a while after the main power goes out by purchasing a house-wide solar generator. It will last longer if you are prudent and turn off unused appliances.
You won’t typically experience standard power losses because the majority of power outages last only a few hours at most. But you’ll still be able to get electricity if the grid completely fails.
The bare necessities, like a refrigerator, can be run solely on solar power, though you may need to significantly reduce and consolidate your electric use. You could still live comfortably in such a dire survival situation.
Low-powered solar generators have their uses and are simple to purchase online. They can be hidden away in a garage or closet. Large-scale generators can greatly improve comfort, but they typically need to be installed by a professional.
