Category: alternative-energy
The answer may sound pretty basic, because it is! And because of the relative simplicity, you could even make one yourself. How about some lifestyle and preparedness for the outdoor kitchen? A solar oven is a great way to harness free energy to get the job done. So, how do …
The Lithium Iron battery from Iron Edison has significant advantages for solar panel alternative energy storage. Consider these benefits over Lead Acid: 1. SAFE. Unlike lithium-ion ‘cobalt’ batteries that you may have heard about (catching fire in laptops, mobile phones), the Lithium Iron phosphate battery from Iron Edison (made in …
The following solar powered battery charger (pictured above) is a practical preparedness item to have for charging typical consumer-size AA & AAA batteries including C & D. When the power grid goes down, the sun keeps shining. We can harness that energy. And in this case as a rechargeable batteries …
Are you putting together a battery bank for an alternative energy system? If you are, then you might be thinking about the size of interconnecting cables between the batteries themselves and the charger / inverter. How big should the cables be? What size? More accurately, what gauge (AWG)? Read on… …
(time to sweep the solar panels) When doing any sort of design or even “back of the envelope” calculations for alternative energy systems (e.g. solar), among the important factors to consider are these: Solar Power and Energy requirements. – Power equals watts. – Energy equals power x time. I’m …
The uses for a portable solar generator system are many. A few solar panels and a corresponding ‘solar generator’ (built-in battery storage, power inverter, controls & connectors) might be used for any number of purposes. Note that most ‘solar generator’ systems can also be charged up by simply plugging into …
The Nickel Iron battery from ‘Iron Edison’ is an updated version of Thomas Edison’s battery design that he considered to be nearly perfect. For off grid energy storage and renewable energy systems, this battery will likely be the last one you’ll ever buy. Why? Because it’s nearly indestructible! Edison’s battery …
Alternative Energy. Alternative to what? For this post the context will be alternatives for getting things done that ordinarily rely upon the power grid. I want to brainstorm large and small systems for alternative energy ‘tips and tricks’ to power or replace some of our modern day reliance’s. Or to …
A Fireback improve fireplace efficiency. Fireplaces are not very heat efficient compared to other sources of home heating. Who can resist though a nice fire in the fireplace! Unfortunately lots of heat is wasted as it goes right up the chimney. One way to improve the heat emanating from a …
Have you ever seen a Chimney Fire or Flue Fire? Guest article, by ‘NRP’ I watched as my neighbor in CA burned his home down, the Flue Pipe glowing bright red above the roof line, the flames shooting out the pipe like a Blow Torch and the home in ashes …
It’s that time of year when it’s getting colder outside and people are beginning to fire up their wood stove. There is quite a variety of wood species across the nation and chances are that you’re burning firewood that’s native to your region. Some time ago I did some research …
Sealed batteries, particularly the AGM (Absorbed Glass Mat) battery, is becoming increasingly popular for off-grid applications and have always been preferred in RV or trailer applications due to their safety attributes. The AGM battery is a lead acid battery, but unlike its traditional counterpart it is sealed tight and offers …
Solar energy is power from the sun. But what about power during the night? Here’s how it’s done:
Ever wondered what it costs to burn a candle and/or the least expensive per-hour to burn? Here’s some info which may help you to determine what may be best for you while considering diversification of your preparedness preps to include a quantity of candles for light after ‘grid-down’. While there …
