An idea for power after grid down and some questions

[Joe13]

 

[DuneHopper]

Joe13, keep in mind inverters they are almost double a generator but do not make much noise at all, they make about as much noise as a waterpump. If it was in an more enclosed area then it would be way more quite then even a car would. I have gennys and solar backups with deeps cells that are renewable takes about 6 hours to recharge the two deep cells during day light the genny is good but if fuel is gone not much use.

 

[Fisher Bill]

Two words come to mind; Faraday Cage

A solar flare or a man made EMP could knock all of these devises right out.

On the generator thing I have a propane and a gas version, I also have 4 or 5 twenty gallon propane bottles so enough for about 3-4 hours a day for weeks, if we're off any longer than that well you can guess that you'll be more busy surviving than tinkering with your electrical toys IMHO...

 

[coop44]

why not water power? it's the PNW there's running water everywhere.

It's from NZ and that washer may not be available here but the idea is sound

 

[AMProducts]

Two words come to mind; Faraday Cage

A solar flare or a man made EMP could knock all of these devises right out.

On the generator thing I have a propane and a gas version, I also have 4 or 5 twenty gallon propane bottles so enough for about 3-4 hours a day for weeks, if we're off any longer than that well you can guess that you'll be more busy surviving than tinkering with your electrical toys IMHO...

EMP is a pretty minimal threat to small devices, and small power systems, an EMP event that makes tens of watts per meter might cause some devices to reset, or go into safe mode (especially DC power systems that would shunt the stray AC currents to ground via biasing diodes). If you're only running power less than 100 feet (why run longer at your camp?) the voltage build up is going to be fairly small.

Even then, there's a lot you can do for most DC and AC power systems to make them fairly resilient to EMP damage, band pass, and low pass filtering are really really easy to implement. Lightning arresters are cheap insurance. Even if EMP isn't a real threat, these are still really critical to build into any power system. The biggest threat from any power system is fire, with electrocution being somewhere down the line in terms of threat.

 

[mjbskwim]

When calculating all this stuff,ask yourself ,how much electricity do I REALLY need
There won't be any interwebbernet,TV or much of anything but radio. There always seems to be radio
Hot water is easy to get,as long as you don't have to pump the water too far
Lights are easy to have with batteries or white gas or propane.
Cooking? Do i need to address this?
You will have to make changes. But if you are reasonable you won't need much electricity.
You have to plan for no electricity and you will be happier
Society has lasted for eons without electricity and will again.

 

[jbett98]

Families get bigger after extended power outages, or so a national grant study found out lately.
So be prepared for that event nine months later!