No Power? No Problem!

We live in an age where our electric infrastructure is half a century past its prime. From freak storms to targeted terrorist attacks, we are never more than a minute away from an outage. Are you ready? Everyone has experienced some form, or level of, public utility outage, intentionally (living off-the-grid) or by accident (public utility outage). It's inevitable. The quality of life after a long-term power outage or grid collapse depends on the choices made today. Take the opportunity and initiative, right now, to make life comfortable and worry-free or one of constant struggle to survive after the grid. Solutions are available, and there are people who can help. What is done after reviewing this page could determine the lifestyle of tomorrow.

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PREPARING FOR THE INEVITABLE:

During the last power outage, maybe some lessons were learned and notes were taken to prepare for the next inevitable outage? If not, here are some things to consider doing and acquiring before the next outage*:

• Extra batteries for flashlights, battery-operated fans, portable radio (Proper Use and Care of Rechargeable Batteries)
• Hand-crank power generator for USB-powered devices such as cell phones
• Candles for light
• Battery/Solar AM/FM/Weather-Band Radio to stay informed
• Water Storage when running water is unavailable
• Sterno, propane, charcoal for cooking and/or heat
• Matches or lighters to light candles, Sterno, propane, charcoal
• Food that requires little to no preparation or refrigeration
• Blankets, clothing and alternate sources for warmth and cooking
• Hybrid Fuel-Powered Generator (see below)
• Acquire and keep reserve gas containers full. Use fuel stabilizer to keep fuel fresh.
• Defense against those who will take advantage of a bad and vulnerable situation.
• Summer-Related Cooling Solutions #1
• Summer-Related Cooling Solutions #2

* Next outage, take note of what wasn't available and get it before another outage; you know it's going to happen again.

• Chemical: Batteries can be pruchased or made from fruits and vegetables and soil
• Biogas (methane and hydrogen) from food and human/animal waste
• Solar (sun)
• Wind
• Water
• Fuels
• Steam
• Thermoelectric (heat)
• Electromagnetic fields (EMF - radiation): Nikola Tesla believed the earth has energy. He wanted to know how to make free electricity using the invisible energy in electromagnetic fields. His work in 1909 showed the earth resonated with energy. It wasn’t until 1952 when a German physicist, W. O. Schumann actually measured its 7.8 Hz base frequency.
• People Power
  
  The Many Ways of Generating Electric

FUEL-POWERED GENERATORS:

Multifuel (hybrid) Generators are capable of running on Gasoline, Kerosene, LPG/CNG/Bio-Gas fuels. Fossil fuel [only] generators will not be practical when fossil fuel resources become scarce. A generator (3000 watts or more) with AC (Inverter) outlets for critical electrical appliances can help during a power outage, especially during the summer to help keep refrigerators and freezers running for extended periods of time.

Calculate the appropriate sized generator, necessary to run critical AC electrical applicances and medical equipment, by adding together your appliance wattage (amps X volts = watts) requirements.
SAMPLE:
Refrigerator = 800 watts (6.7 amps X 120 volts)
Microwave = 700 watts (5.8 amps X 120 volts)
-------------------------
TOTAL = 1500 Watts (a 2000 Watts generator)

Additionally, understand that some appliances require a surge of power before they reach their continuous power usage. For example; a refrigerator needs to run on a surge of electric for its compressor before it reaches its designated temperature setting. It may require 800 watts of surge power until it reaches its designated temperature setting and then drop down to about 600 watts. So, for this particular appliance, a 1000 watt generator will power the refrigerator. It's alway best to acquire a generator that produces more power than you think you may need. Keep this in mind if using a power inverter as the same rule applies.

The more devices plugged in to the generator, the less time it will run. Know its fuel capacity and how long it will run on a full tank. Keep enough fuel on hand to fill it several times (possibly for as long as a week).

Test run the generator at least every 6 months with at least one appliance (refrigerator, portable heater, etc.) attached as a power-outage simulation. Refer to our Post on Generators.

Ground the Generator: Quick Guide to Grounding Portable Power Generators

When the generator has completed its mission and it's unused until the next mission, turn off the generator's fuel switch, and run it until it dies (runs out of fuel in the line) to remove fuel from the fuel line to reduce the chance of generator fuel line clogging, freezing or damage. Then turn off the power switch.

Use Fuel Stabilizer (STA-BIL, etc.) in the fuel storage container (gas can), appropriate to the type of fuel being used, to further reduce the chance of generator fuel line clogging or damage. It's best to use pure fuel (no Ethanol).

Change generator oil at least once a year; more if used frequently.

Noise Reduction [Blog Link]: There are many "quiet" generators on the market. Mine is not one of them. When I bought my first generator, I tried to save a few bucks and didn’t put a lot of thought into it. I ended up going with a large one that was very loud.

There are several fuel generators on the market (the most well-known are Honda and Yamaha) with 53-60 Decibels (dBA) noise level that are very quiet. "Solar (battery) generators" produce no noise at all. But they are pricey and less efficient than fuel generators. Generally, generators are used for emergency so paying a premium price might not be the best use of your dollars but less expensive ones tend to be very loud. So, here are some suggestions to reduce the noise.
• Good muffler/spark arrestor
• Create a DIY Water Muffler
• Place sound deflectors between you and the machine
• Enclose the machine in an insulated AND WELL VENTILATED container/shed
• Place the exhaust toward a muffle/baffle box
• Increase the distance between machine and people/home
• Reposition exhaust [pipe] to a vertical position
• Put anything soft (rubber mat) between the generator and the floor
• Tighten any loose parts that may be rattling
• Lightly lubricate (grease) older engine bearings and parts contact points

Other Suggestions
Other resources

DIY PROPANE TANK REFILLS:

Refilling propane tanks, instead of buying new ones or tank exchanges, will save money. Here are some links to help DIY: How to Completely Refill a 1lb "disposable" Propane Bottle Save $$$ Refill Propane Cylinders. It's Easy Propane Refilling vs. Exchange* Purchase Propane Tank Refill Adapter * Exchange Exceptions: Propane tanks are, generally, certified (or recertified) for 10 years. There are [re]certification date(s) stamped in the metal collar around tank valve. When the latest date is expired, it's time to exchange the tank for a "newer" one. This is when an exchange service is a good thing instead of purchasing a new tank. An educated/savvy refilling person may deny refilling a tank because its certification has expired.

MAKE YOUR OWN FUELS:

There are things we can forego when public emergencies occur and things we cannot do without. Among the latter is fuel. So, when the usual local distributors have run dry, knowing how to create fuel can be an advantage. It's important understand that making your own fuel is not a savings. Producing a liter of homemade fuel will cost more than the gas station. So why would anyone want to make their own fuel? Two reasons: 1-The thrill of discovery and 2-Being ready in a survival situation (providing you already have the components and have tested the process(es) in advance). NOTE that making fuels in particular areas may be illegal and/or require licensing even for private use. While it's possible to make automobile fuel at home, there are some other options to consider. If one method doesn't work, others may provide better options when it is impossible to buy gasoline or other fuel types.


Methane (Biogas): Building a Methane Biodigester will harvest methane fuel for heating, cooking and gas powered equipment or vehicles and fertilizer for your garden. There are a lot of resources for this on the web but serious research is recommended before beginning this kind of project. The product is 50% methane and 50% carbon dioxide and, in the right concentrations, is highly explosive and extreme care is needed. It can, and will, kill you if the necessary precautions are not taken. 60% methane can be used to generate electricity or used for heat or for fuel for vehicles. It can be very safe and affective but double-check everything and never store any of this in a house or other enclosed area. Although methane is derived predominantly from non-renewable sources, methane can also be obtained by the anaerobic digestion of wastes (renewable sources unlike gasoline from non-renewable petroleum). Anaerobic digestion of wastes provides biogas. Any animal manure, human sewage or food waste will produce methane during anaerobic digestion. Click Here for additional information on this topic.

Ethanol: Pot Still + Sugar + Yeast = Alcohol/Ethanol. With a small adjustment in the carburetor a diesel engine can be configured to run on Ethanol.

Kerosene: Kerosene is one of the first by-products of shale or coal. When coal or shale is heated up, it begins to "sweat" which can be collected and distilled; this is Kerosene. Making kerosene requires no modern technology. Manufacturing plants that produce [barbecue] charcoal can easily be switched over to make kerosene. While making Kerosene at home can be challenging, using [k1] Kerosene in a Diesel or Gasoline engine is an alternative in a emergency situation.
[Making Kerosene from Waste Plastic]    [Using Kerosene in a Gasoline Engine]    [Using Kerosene in a Diesel Engine]
How Long Does Kerosene Last, When It Expires and How To Make It Last Longer: Lasts 5 years or more and its life can be extended by adding some fresh Kerosene to the old. Storing it in a cool place will maximize its shelf life.

BioDiesel from Waste Vegetable Oil: When Rudolph Diesel invented his internal combustion engine, he used refined peanut oil as fuel so farmers could grow their own fuel for their tractors. Here are some links to give the basics of converting a standard truck or car to run on Dinodiesel, Biodiesel, Straight Vegetable Oil or other types of fuels.    [Video]    [Article 1]    [Article 2]

Wood Gas:    Make Fuel With a Wood Gasifier (build a Gasifier Truck and Generator) that converts timber or charcoal into wood gas which - after cooling and filtering - can then be used to power an internal combustion engine or for other purposes.

Hydrogen (Water-Powered) Fuel: Hydrogen and oxygen, often referred to as Brown's Gas or HHO or oxyhydrogen.
[Video 1]    [Video 2]
The Water-Powered Car Controversy
HHO Search

Related Links:
Replacing Gasoline: 7 Homemade Alternatives For Fuel
21 Ways to Power Your Car Without Gasoline

HARNESSING THE POWER OF NATURE:

With few exceptions, the use of Solar, Wind, and Water (Hydro) to generate power requires several components, not the least of which are batteries. Batteries (marine or deep-cycle preferred) store the power, harvested from these resources, to power appliances. Generally, direct power (DC) from these natural sources is not enough to power appliances so power must be stored and/or converted. Refer to these DIY Power Setup Diagrams and links below that can be applied to any of these natural sources of power. If gas becomes scarce or unavailable, these will still be around:

Solar/Sun: Solar power is a great benefit to a home – it’s good for the environment, it can save money on home electric and a source of backup power. Start with a small project and build as interest grows. With a little ingenuity, free time, and a passion for do-it-yourself projects, you can power just about anything using solar panels.
Solar Chargers for Electronics
Solar Heating for the Home
Solar Lighting
DIY Solar Projects to Consider to Save Money and as Backup Power
Solar Projects to Learn About Solar Power
Things to Consider Before Diving in to Solar (Is Solar Right for You?)

Wind:    [Article]    [Video]

Water (Hydro): . . . one thing we can always count on is gravity. And this special type of electric generation uses the power of gravity to harness electricity from moving water.
Hydroelectric – Harnessing Earth's Most Powerful Fluid
Pumping Water Without Electricity

Thermoelectric generators take a temperature difference and turn it into electrical power. Heating one end of a thermoelectric material (metal) causes electrons to move away from the hot end toward the cold end. When the electrons go from the hot side to the cold side this causes an electrical current to power things.
[Tegmart Thermoelectric Generators]    [Tegmart Video]    [Thermoelectric Fan]    [Fan Video]    [Thermoelectric Videos on YouTube]

Human

Plants:
Charge a Cell Phone With a Lemon

Earth/Ground:
[Video 1]    [Video 2]

OVERVIEW OF DIY OFF-GRID POWER SYSTEMS:

I have been familiar with off-grid gas generator power setups for quite a while but, I will confess, when it came to Solar and Wind power systems, I was intimidated. Actually, if it hadn't been for several friends, who had gas generators and shared their knowledge with me, I may not have taken that plunge. However, the more I read and the more I watched on-line videos, the more comfortable I became with solar and realized that other forms of off-grid power generation are not much different than my gas generator setups. That said, I figured that others might be intimidated as well so I wanted to post this information and encourage them to research, ask questions and try if they have any interest at all.

To help start the gray matter juices flowing, I put together these diagrams to explain Ultra-Basic to Advanced Designs of off-grid power systems. While I am, by no means, the wizard, and am sure someone will want (and should) correct me on these designs, the basic concepts should come across.

To understand what you may need to setup a system that meets your power needs, you first need to know what appliances you want to power and how many Watts or Volts those appliances use. For example, if the electricity goes out and you want to make sure you have enough power for a 700 watt microwave, a portable radio and/or DVD player and a 30 watt light bulb, you will need to have at least 1000 watts of output from your system. Generally, the plan would be to have more output than you actually need just in case of power start-up surges and things you may have forgotten. In the case of the microwave, you would only need that much output while using the microwave and, really, that goes for any of the other appliances. If you're going to use them all at once, then you better have enough output being generated and battery life to sustain them.

Some may think that a lot of space is needed to have an alternative power system. While it may not be pretty, I have a solar power setup consisting of 8 solar panels and a parallel bank of 4 deep-cycle batteries in my apartment. It's not too obvious if you're not looking for it. The components are portable so I'm not hurting the apartment and I can up and go any time with them in tow. And there are several Solar Power Systems Innovators (like Goal Zero, Xantrex and others) that have made it easy to obtain pre-built, compact, multi-featured systems.

Speaking of battery-life; AC appliances use more energy than DC appliances, so, in an off-grid or emergency situation, it's better to go with DC (12 volt) appliances when you can. For example, I have 12-volt LED lamps, a 12-volt electric blanket, a 12-volt refrigerator/freezer, and a 12-volt food warmer. 12-volt appliances are available for most any need but QUALITY is key so do your research before buying.

Online forums, videos and articles are great resources to start an alternate power project, so don't be intimidated by other forms of power or appliances that can't be turned on or off with the wall switch. They can be utilized to help in an emergency, an off-grid lifestyle and reduce the electric bill.