Portable Power Stations

[jansman]

And as for keeping a fridge running ,we still have the Thrall,or cold shelf in the pantry,and I made a mini root cellar - a mini galvanised dustbin buried in a permanently shaded spot. That works a treat!

Low tech all the way.

[jennyjj01]

And as for keeping a fridge running ,we still have the Thrall,or cold shelf in the pantry,and I made a mini root cellar - a mini galvanised dustbin buried in a permanently shaded spot. That works a treat!

Low tech all the way.

I like the idea of the mini root cellar. Thanks.

Not disagreeing at all about the viability of running electricals in a post SHTF scenario and you have certainly given me food for thought as to what a solar station would be a prep for. When I bought my genny it was also a bit ill thought out. It would be useless if TSHTF because of the noise, but it would have been handy if ONLY electricity became unreliable.

For now, I'm of the opinion that I want something. It may only be good enough to power some LED house lights and provide for just enough to drive the gas CH if gas is still around but Electricity is off. If I can run a tea cup element long enough to make a mug of tea, that will be a bonus.

For now, I'm tending towards something that will keep a caravan/car battery charged, then I will look at MAYBE getting a 12V caravan fridge, some 12V lamps and a 12V tea maker. The mains inverter might not even feature, and if it does may be a minimal Lidl one or similar.

So. Shopping list:-
18V solar panel (Minimal 100W) There are loads that claim 100W starting as low as £30. I don't believe a word of it.
Current choice, 150W at £120
Solar Charge controller (PWM or MPPT) These start at £8 for what are probably mis-badged PWM
Current choice at £9
Car or caravan battery. I'll probably aim for >65Ah. If TSHTF, would reassign my larger car battery to the role. Target price £70
Selection of Mr16 12V LED lamps and fittings.
12V Kettle and Tea cup element

That should start me off for £200 or so

Inverter.
I'll start with a minimal 300W one like the one from Lidl or amazon at £34
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Eono-Essential ... s9dHJ1ZQ==

This is my starter kit, which I HOPE would be enough to provide lights, ample charging facilities and maybe some future hope of running a chiller of some sort.

[British Red]

There's nothing wrong with a generator or having solar charger. A generator is incredibly useful for sporadic power cuts or, if, like us, you have multiple freezers. It means you can keep them frozen long enough to can, dehydrate, cook or pickle freezer contents before they spoil. Having sustainable, safe, renewable lighting and communication is huge. No, such systems don't easily provide heating or cooling unless substantial but they are still very useful compared to being in the dark without information

[Yorkshire Andy]

Caravans fridges whilst they have a 12v selection on the panel do not run on the caravans leisure battery

They run via the 7s or the supplementary feed from the car which is only powered when the engine is running and or the alternator has charged the starter battery is charged via a smart relay........ Ergo you have cool wine or beer on arrival on site

Most small caravan fridges draw something between 60w /80w so at 60w/12v = 5amp draw 110/5= 22 so a 110a battery = a theoretical 22hr run time to fully flatten the battery so 50% DOD a safer 11hrs of run time ...

If off grid caravaners use LPG to power the fridge most use around 15 grams of LPG per hour so based on that a 7kg (7000g ) 466 ISH hours or 19 and a half ish days

Obviously these need to be ducted outside to remove the combustion gases

[Yorkshire Andy]

As for an inverter go for a pure sine wave not the cheap modified sine wave if you plan on running your heating pump on one you will bugger the pump motor in no time .

You also get induced RF noise which means you won't be able to listen to the TV or radio powered by it as the amp picks up the noise ..

https://www.fieldlines.com/index.php?topic=132311.0

I've got this

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sealey-PSI300- ... B00CM9AEOO

But we had a sealey rep come to work to visit our engineers so I got a better price going back about 8 years ago

[jennyjj01]

I'll come up with my spec and run it by you guys.
Still p1553d at how everyone lies / overstates on ads and specs.

The more I try to find good value solar stuff, the angrier I get.

I understand that an xxx watt solar panel will only kick out xxx watts under laboratory conditions, probably in the Sahara desert at noon. But some of the ads on ebay and amazon absolutely take the mickey.

Realistically, a nominally 150W panel, capable of delivering 100W or so will be something like 90cm square. or equivalent area rectangle. And cost for that of £120 is par for the course. I get that.

But on ebay right now, there are sellers of nominally 1,000W panels that are half that size and just £67. Complete with controller Well that is surely just BS.
Oh, and in the small print... "Import duties, taxes and charges are NOT included in the item price or shipping charges.These charges are the buyer's responsibility."

I'm tempted to buy all of these totally misrepresented items and demand refunds on each.

Then there are PWM charge controllers being sold as MPPT when they are not. And don't get me going again on 7,000W inverters.

The quest continues.

[Yorkshire Andy]

I'll come up with my spec and run it by you guys.
Still p1553d at how everyone lies / overstates on ads and specs.

The more I try to find good value solar stuff, the angrier I get.

I understand that an xxx watt solar panel will only kick out xxx watts under laboratory conditions, probably in the Sahara desert at noon. But some of the ads on ebay and amazon absolutely take the mickey.

Realistically, a nominally 150W panel, capable of delivering 100W or so will be something like 90cm square. or equivalent area rectangle. And cost for that of £120 is par for the course. I get that.

But on ebay right now, there are sellers of nominally 1,000W panels that are half that size and just £67. Complete with controller Well that is surely just BS.
Oh, and in the small print... "Import duties, taxes and charges are NOT included in the item price or shipping charges.These charges are the buyer's responsibility."

I'm tempted to buy all of these totally misrepresented items and demand refunds on each.

Then there are PWM charge controllers being sold as MTTP when they are not. And don't get me going again on 7,000W inverters.

The quest continues.

Look here:

https://www.photonicuniverse.com/

When you buy upspec the solar control that way in a few months time you decide to add another panel it can take it

[ForgeCorvus]

I think the best use of small setup solar is charging batteries for lights and phones.
Have other off-grid methods for heating/ cooling.

We have a 12v hairdryer in the camping kit...... Its not very good

[jansman]

I kept generators for years. Nothing wrong with that decision for anyone who wants to. Generators have their place.It all depends what you want from one. LED technology has been a game changer though

[Yorkshire Andy]

I think the best use of small setup solar is charging batteries for lights and phones.
Have other off-grid methods for heating/ cooling.

We have a 12v hairdryer in the camping kit...... Its not very good

My current favourite bit of heating kit runs on those disposable blowlamp screw thread cartridges £1.99 each In home bargains every time I go in I grab another ...

That and the diesel night heater in a case.. which uses 12v to run it uses close to 15a at start up for a minute to pre heat the glow plug but once lit it takes between 0.5 and 1a depending on fan speed