Issue Number 84, October 16th 2022

By Brandon Smith, Founder of Alt-Market.us

Affordable Grid-Down Power Alternatives

Preppers talk often about the potential for a grid down scenario, and by “grid down” we are specifically
referring to major electrical grids being destroyed or disabled. Grids can also include water and
communications, but without power these amenities will usually break down anyway. That said,
preppers also tend to focus on extreme scenarios for a grid down event, such as an EMP attack or cyber
attack. These are more cinematic crises but not necessary for a grid collapse.

Inflation, supply chain disruptions and resource shortages are more likely to cause the power grid to
shut down than an EMP or attack. Rolling blackouts, brownouts etc. are the real threat we need to
worry about, and in some ways they present a greater danger because many people will assume that the
shortages will be fixed in the near term. In other words, many people will refuse to properly prepare
because the grid is not damaged, it's just not functional at the moment and “surely” the government will
bring it back online again soon.

False hopes are far more destructive than the loss of electricity.

The reality is that people generally don't need as much power as they think they do in the daily
operations of their household. There are three big electricity hogs that the average family deals with
and pays for: Electric heating, electric cooling, and major appliances. If you have a water well on your
property then this will also use a lot of power.

So, the goal for a prepper would be to remove some or all of these electricity hogs from the list.
Heating is the easiest – Just get a wood stove, pellet stove or propane heating option put in place, along
with enough fuel to keep you warm. Cooling is harder, shading a home with trees or tarps can help, or
living out of a basement during the summer months; if you have some alternative power a couple of
box fans will make a huge difference.

Then, there are all the appliances which we have come to rely on. Energy efficient freezers running on
solar can handle a large portion of perishable items; a fridge is almost unnecessary. A root cellar can
maintain many perishables for weeks or months at a time. Forget washing machines and dryers, you'll
be doing most of your clothes by hand in the tub. Ovens can be replaced with outdoor brick ovens,
rocket stoves and wood fires, etc. Almost everything can be handled without the aid of appliances.

It's the smaller things that really matter when it comes to electricity. The ability to keep batteries
charged for flashlights, radios, self defense gear, night vision, security cameras, and so on is vital. And,
most importantly, being able to run lights at night is essential. You MUST be able to extend your
workday into the evenings at times, which means low wattage light options and large capacity batteries.

There are two things that will separate you from third world living conditions – Access to clean water,
and lights wherever you need them. Without these two things, life will be misery.

We won't be covering clean water in this issue, but I can give you two alternative power setups that I
use regularly during outages to keep the household comfortable. Both of the options are relatively
affordable and will last you many years and thousands of uses. Let's get started...

Small Portable Power Kit

First and foremost, I need to clarify that both power kits will rely on lithium based battery banks. You
need some kind of batteries to store power for later use, even if you have solar panels, and lithium is
the best option on the market right now. Also, lithium battery prices have dropped in the past couple of
years, so I would take advantage before costs go back up due to supply chain disruptions.

My portable power kit is designed for running my ham radio setup on the go, but it can also be used for
lighting and charging small electronics. And, by “portable” I mean that it can be transported easily in a
backpack. Here is a list of my gear for the current kit:

Goal Zero Sherpa Battery With AC (This item just had a big markdown, and can be had for
$200)
40 Watt Folding Solar Panel (Can be had for around $130)
10 Watt USB Light (Two lights for $10 each)
400 Watt Inverter (Attaches to car DC source or any other DC battery and allows me to run AC
and USB devices - $30)
Rechargeable AA and AAA batteries with small charger (Around $40)
Backpack

This kit will cost you around $400 total and will handle all your smaller power needs as long as you
charge the battery daily with your solar panel. The Sherpa battery will run a single 10 watt USB light
all night and not run out. The car inverter is about the size of a cell phone and can be attached to any
DC battery you find, allowing you to charge the Sherpa or anything else you have. The rechargeable
batteries are for flashlights and other devices.

If you are working out of a single room or tent then this kit is perfect and the Sherpa will last for years
without malfunction. There are alternative products that might be just as good, but these are the items I
use. One concern I would mention is that of moisture and condensation damaging your batteries and
gear. Many of these items are designed for hard use, but you might want to invest in a waterproof dry
bag to keep them safe while in the field.

Large Household Power Kit

The next kit can be built into a rubbermaid case or pelican case to make it portable, but you would still
need to load it into a car to move it very far. This kit can be set up to operate some larger appliances
including a small freezer. I use mine to run a 1200 watt water pump from a natural water source to my
garden, and to keep the lights and internet on during power outages. Here is a list for my large kit...

Four 12V 100AH Lithium Batteries (Lithium batteries can be drained down to 0% and not be
damaged, while regular deep cycle batteries can be damaged when they lose 50% power. These
batteries used to run $700 each but can not be had for $350 each)

2000 Watt Sine Wave Inverter (Prevents damage to sensitive electronics. 2000 Watts is all you
will need for almost any situation - $300)

40A MPPT Solar Charge Controller (Allows me to run 400 watts of solar power into my battery
bank to charge it - $130)

Four 100 Watt Solar Panels ($100 each)

Spartan Battery Cables (Best on the market – 4 pair at $15 a pair)

Battery power monitor ($15)

Trickle Charger ($50)

The total for this kit is going to cost you around $2400, which is very cheap when you think about the
pre-made power bank options out there that do a lot less for the same cost. With 400 watts of solar
working most of the day the battery bank can be kept mostly charged unless you run a large power
drain for a few hours, like a heater, water pump, etc. The bank can also be charged from a wall source
using a trickle charger when the grid is still functioning, or it can be charged using a generator and less
than a half gallon of gas.

I have never had this battery bank run out, so it's hard for me to say what it would take. It will run
LED lights and small electronics for several days, maybe even a couple of weeks without charging.
With solar attached it will run lights and small electronics perpetually. This system will also run a
stocked freezer perpetually as long as you have solar.

I don't think I can stress enough the difference these systems will make in your living conditions if the
grid was to ever go down for the long term. Need to operate a wheat grinder? Need power tools to
speed up repairs? Need ice from a freezer to deal with an injury or a fever? Need to run a dehydrator
or freeze dryer machine? Think of all the advantages you will have and the reduced worries. It's a no-
brainer.

If initial cost is a concern, then you can purchase these kits piece-by-piece over time. I suggest starting
with at least one battery, then moving on to some kind of inverter, and then continue to build. One of
the biggest factors in survival that not many writers discuss is mental balance; the ability to keep you
and your family out of despair and remaining optimistic. False optimism is bad, despair is bad, but
acquired optimism is a life saver.

Don't underestimate the psychological medicine of alternative electricity. Beyond food, water and self
defense, I can't think of a more important prep to spend your money on.

The Badger

The badger is the mascot of the Wild Bunch; it represents tenacity, resourcefulness and wisdom. The
badger is not just a fighter, it is a tactician. In American Indian folklore, the badger symbolizes focus
and determination – the badger never gives up. When faced with a larger enemy or multiple enemies,
the badger does not hesitate to fight back, often fiercely repelling threats many times its size. The
badger is relentless and so are we.

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