Follow-Up Reports

Not actually Erin.

Picture by KJ Photography

& is used with permission.

Herein is an assortment of further information on topics I've discussed earlier. 

Rockpals Freeman 600

I am pleased to report that using this as an uninterruptible power supply for my CPAP works perfectly. Last month our neighborhood lost power from early morning until about 1 pm, and I didn't experience a change in performance as the Freeman 600 switched from pass-through charging to onboard battery. I am very happy with how this system operates, so unless there are hidden issues with the unit which only crop up after months or years, I consider this experiment a resounding success and recommend the Freeman 600 for all my CPAP-using brethren. 

I haven't yet tested the recharging speed/capabilities of the solar panels. That's on my list of "Things I want to do but first need to find the time to do them."

Foot Care/Bunion Prevention

The Caretras Bunion Splint is doing its job of pulling my toe back into alignment while I work at my desk or watch television. However, the velcro doesn't hold as tightly as it once used to do, despite having been laundered and the hooks free of any lint. However, I have achieved a workaround with something I ordered for a different problem. 

https://amzn.to/3Uqecl3

This 20-piece set of velcro ties for cable management works a treat for keeping the splint on my foot. The smallest (8" long) wraps around my big toe, and the next smallest (12" long) secures the brace around my instep. I have plenty of each, so if these start to fail I can just use the others, and I still have straps left over to secure the cables I wanted gathered up.

On a related note, I have discovered that wearing these gel toe separators while going for walks or running errands is a useful preventative measure. While they don't prevent my toe from cramping, they reduce the intensity of the discomfort and the time required in the splint to correct it. 

https://amzn.to/3unxnRT

Lock Laces

Back in 2018 I mentioned using Hickies-brand no-tie shoelaces for my daily shoe and boot usage. As it turns out, while version 2.0 is more durable than version 1.0, they do still experience material fatigue and failure from repeated use. 

However, I have found something better! Lock Laces are a single strand of elastic cord with a spring-loaded lock to gather them tightly into place. This keeps them securely attached to my feet, but with enough "give" that I am able to quickly slip them on and off as needed. 

https://amzn.to/3VsINzZ

There is even a heavy-duty boot version. 

https://amzn.to/3FppIck

I have been using Lock Laces for almost a year now and they continue to stretch and return to form. While I am certain the elastic will eventually fail, they have stood up to daily wear & tear and I am impressed with their durability and performance. I recommend them to anyone who wants to be able to save time putting on or taking off their footwear. 

That's all for now, but I will update you on any changes. 

CPAP Battery Solutions 2

Not actually Erin.

Picture by KJ Photography

& is used with permission.

In my previous post on this topic I stated that I was looking for a battery bank that could run my CPAP for as many nights as possible and the ability to recharge via solar panel. In the time since then and now I was able to procure such a unit, but I can't give you much of a review because as I reported elsewhere, Hurricane Nicole was a big nothing where I live; the power didn't even flicker, much less go out. 

Is it strange that I was disappointed the big, dangerous storm didn't disrupt my life more so that I could test my preps? It feels strange. Regardless, I can tell you why I picked the unit I did, and how easy it was to set up in advance of the storm. 

Rockpals Freeman 600

Like the name suggests, the Rockpals Freeman 600 banks 600W (technically 614.4 Watt-Hours) of power using a Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) battery. Its dimensions are 13" L x 8" W x 7" high, and it weighs 20 pounds. 

https://amzn.to/3O5ygrf

It can be charged three ways:

• Anderson solar charging port (120W)
• DC, either from car outlet or wall socket with AC adapter, at 12V/8A, 96W max
• Bi-directional USB-C port at 60W, which can also be combined with one of the other charge methods to increase the wattage. 

For output it has the following: 

• Three pure sine wave 110V AC outlets (600W rated, 1000W max), 
• One car port DC output (12V/10A, 120W max)
• Two DC barrel ports (12V/5A, 60W max)
• Two USB 3.1A ports
• One USB-A 3.0 Quick Charge port (18W max)
• One bi-directional USB-C port (20V/3A, 60W max) 
• Note: the DC and USB outputs will provide power while the Freeman 600 is being charged, but the AC outlets will not. 

If you want more information, this video by Hobotech will give you all the details. 

Setting Up For the Storm

Setup was very simple, since I keep the battery next to my CPAP unit for quick use. 

1. I plugged the AC adapter in to keep the unit topped up.
2. I inserted the 12V CPAP power cord into the DC output socket.
3. I swapped the 12V cord for the AC adapter on my CPAP. 
4. I turned on the Freeman 600. 
5. I turned on my CPAP. 

Because I was using the 12V output, the AC inverter didn't need to turn on, so there was no fan noise. If you are sensitive to light, please note that while the LCD display will turn off if you hold down the Display button, there is a small green light on the 12V button that is illuminated so long as it is providing power, and there is a larger green light on the 12V power cord. Judicious use of electrical tape, however, solves this problem. 

Performance

Because we didn't lose power, the battery still read 100% when I woke up in the morning. This is in line with the Freeman 600's claim of pass-through charging, which means I can use this as an Uninterruptible Power Supply for my CPAP if necessary.

I performed this test again with the battery unplugged from the wall just to see what the power drain would be. I slept for 7.5 hours, which is actually pretty generous for how I would sleep without air conditioning after a hurricane. When I woke up, the battery was down to 79% charge, which recharged via wall plug in about 90 minutes. 

This performance gives me roughly five nights of sleep with my humidifier running at level 4, and this is without any solar recharging or further power reduction using a Heat/Moisture Exchanger to further reduce power demand. I am very happy with this result, as I figure I can easily get 7+ nights from this by using HME and solar recharging, which ought to get me through any power loss that doesn't result in the destruction of my home or complete social breakdown.

If there is interest, I could do a series of tests with these permutations:

• How many battery nights I can get running the humidifier
• How many battery nights I can get using an HME
• How many hours to recharge from near-zero with wall current
• How many hours to recharge from near-zero with solar panel

I say "near zero" because it's never good to completely discharge your battery;  I believe it reduces its lifespan.

Cost

Come, let me conceal nothing from you: the real reason I bought the Freeman 600 as opposed to a different unit is because it costs much less than others. Jackery brand is the standard in this field, and with their products you can expect to pay about a dollar for every Watt; the Freeman 600 retails for $500, and I bought mine with a $100 off coupon plus an extra 10% "Extra Savings" click which dropped the price down to $350. 

However, that has changed; now there is a $140 off coupon. You might want to wait until Black Friday or Cyber Monday to see if there are better deals then, but if you don't this is still a great price. 

Speaking of solar panels, I bought one of those, too. 

Rockpals SP003 100W Portable Solar Panel 

I haven't tested this at all; the weather was dark and overcast the morning after Nicole hit, and in the time it took for the coffee to bring me to my senses, the plugged-in battery had fully recharged. When I perform my not-plugged-in test I'll test these, too. 

https://amzn.to/3O6SlOg

These are also on sale; normally $200, they have a $35 off coupon. That drops the price to $165, or $525 if you get them with the Freeman 600. 

For the curious, a new Glock 19 retails for about $500, so when I said this would be "new gun expensive", this is what I was talking about. I'd been saving my COVID stimulus money since 2020 for something big, so I was able to afford this. If money is tight, then you can buy a 300W unit for $150 (no coupon) and a 60W solar panel that is normally $146 but has a $40 off coupon, and if you buy both then use the code P2VYV6RU at checkout for an additional 5% off of the Freeman 300 for a total of $248.50.  

I'll let you know what I think of the panels after I've tested them, but they have a good rating (4.5 stars and 2,611 reviews). Based on the research I've done and the results I've seen, I'm happy with my purchase. 

CPAP Battery Solutions

Not actually Erin.

Picture by KJ Photography

& is used with permission.

In my last post I talked about wanting to be able to power my CPAP during a sustained power loss of several days. I don't yet have a solution, but enough readers expressed interest in the topic that I thought it might be useful to show the progress of my research. 

Power Requirements

I bought the electricity usage monitor plug I talked about and found the information very useful. For example, even though my CPAP (a Philips Dreamstation 2) is rated at a draw of 80 watts, the actual wattage it draws depends on how much pressure and humidity it provides. In fact, it's the humidifier which is the greatest power hog: with it running at the highest level my CPAP draws about 76W, but with then humidifier turned off that number drops to 25W! 

https://amzn.to/3g1w5rU

This information is exactly what I needed to know, because it tells me three things:

1. How many nights of performance I can get per battery bank (which are typically rated in Watts of storage);
2. I can triple that number by turning off the humidifier;
3. I need to research non-powered humidity alternatives, because dry air up my nose really irritates me. 

For those who are wondering "Why not just turn the humidifier down to level 1?", the answer is that doesn't make enough of a difference energy-wise. My CPAP's water reservoir has a metal plate at the bottom which is heated electrically until the water in the reservoir evaporates at the chosen rate. Regardless of whether it's humidity level 1 or level 5, I'm still running what is basically a hot plate, and that is what eats the power. 

The difference between levels is at most 5 watts; that's 40 watts over the span of an 8-hour sleep. Assuming a 600W battery, level 1 will drain about 560 watts over the course of a night, leaving me with insufficient battery for the next night unless I can recharge it in some way. With the humidifier turned off, though, that drops to a draw of 200W per night, which gives me about three full nights of sleep before the battery is drained. This is a much better use rate of battery power. 

DC vs. AC

Speaking of use rate, my research tells me that I will increase my battery's endurance if it comes with a 12V DC port into which I can plug a 12V CPAP power cord. 

https://amzn.to/3eMTFsl

Put simply, the electrical theory goes like this:

• Electricity comes out of the wall as 120V Alternating Current. 
• This device runs on 12V Direct Current. 
• When I plug my CPAP into the wall, there's an adapter between the outlet and appliance which converts 120V AC into 12V DC. 
• This conversion reduces efficiency because of the Second Law of Thermodynamics.
• Normally this isn't a problem because houses have a constant supply of power, but when you're working from a fixed battery, this becomes a problem. 
• Batteries store and provide power as Direct Current. 
• It would be dumb to waste DC battery power by converting it to AC via inbuilt inverter, only to then plug an AC to DC adapter into it to convert it right back. 
• I can skip that wasteful step and power my DC device by plugging a DC plug into a DC port. 

Heat Moisture Exchanger (HME)

Even though I plan to use DC power, I still need a humidity source that isn't an electricity hog. This is where Heat Moisture Exchangers, or HMEs, come in.

https://amzn.to/3CT0EI4

HMEs capture the heat and moisture in your exhaled breath, and  then return it to you as you inhale, giving you the benefits of a humidifier without actually using one. They do not draw any power and last for one week of use, which ought to suffice for all but the worst hurricane-caused power losses.

What's more, you can buy them in bulk; Amazon sells them in packs of 10 for $30, which at $3 per HME is quite reasonable in my opinion. 

I am looking forward to testing these, because pre-COVID I used to travel a fair bit giving interviews and presentations for my charity work, and hauling a container of distilled water for the humidifier was an inconvenience that often caused spills. Being able to toss an HME into my bag and skip the water use for a week will make my life that much easier. 

I am still shopping for a battery bank and solar panels, but I have my selection narrowed down and I should be pulling the trigger on it soon. My next post on this topic may not be for a while, but when it comes I will give you my recommendation for batteries and, hopefully, a solar panel to charge them. 

Basic Electrical Math

If you've been following the blog recently, you'll know that Erin got herself a CPAP machine, which got her interested in revisiting my homebrew battery box idea. Our conversation inspired some upgrades that I'll discuss later, as well as a bit of frustration on her end. I've done electrical math so much, and for so long, that I can pretty much do it in my head, and I forget that most folks can't. I promised her a primer on electrical math, and it seems fitting to share it with the whole BCP family, so here goes.

Most electrical math is based on Ohm's Law, which breaks everything into ratios. All of it is contained in a diagram we call Ohm's Wheel.

Watts are Power. Volts are Energy. Ohms are Resistance. Amps are... current.
No, we don't know why "I" was used to represent Current. 

The formulas to find Watts, Amps, Volts, and Ohms are given in the appropriate quadrant of the wheel, assuming you have any two other pieces of the data. The ones I use most are watts, volts, and amps. Amps are equal to watts divided by volts, as the wheel shows, so if I have a 100 watt light bulb on a 120 volt circuit in my house, it will draw 0.83 amps. I know the wattage of the bulb because it's printed on the glass, and I know the voltage in my house because all standard appliance circuits in US homes are 120 volts. Plug that in to the formula, and the result is 0.83! These formulas will work any time you know two of the four elements of the wheel.

The other big math question that arises, especially for preppers, involves amp-hour battery ratings. They are often presented as "How long will this battery run my equipment?" Once you know how many amps your device draws, divide that number by the amp-hour rating of your battery, and you'll know roughly how many hours you can run your item before recharging or changing batteries.

That covers the vast majority of electrical math that most people will encounter in their lives. If you have any other electrical math questions, please feel free to ask in the comments here or in the BCP Facebook or MeWe groups, and I'll happily answer them.

Lokidude

Battery Back That Thing Up: Big Battery Options

We've all seen the portable battery packs that charge cell phones and tablets. They work great for small electronics, but they lack the capacity to power anything that has a serious demand. For that you need larger, more advanced batteries.

I've used GoalZero's site and data as a reference when considering battery back ups, and for good reason: they publish actual numbers on their equipment, and their quality of build has made them the gold standard for backup power storage. Their equipment is also a self-contained solution, with the charging system, battery storage, and inverter all in one package. If you were to assemble a backup battery system for your home, you'd need to source a charging method, the battery cells, and DC to AC inverter separately, then assemble and mount or store them. GoalZero (and other companies) do this in a package about the size of a large suitcase.

The first step in deciding which system to get is to figure out how much battery you need, and this will depend on how much you need to run and how long you expect the power grid to be down. Notice that I said "need" and not "want;" the more you run, the shorter your battery pack can keep you rolling. In my area, blackouts rarely last more than 24 hours, and even those are uncommon, although in the past year we did have a windstorm accompanied by a nasty cold snap that took out power to some residents for almost a week. For somebody like Erin in a hurricane zone, though, a week without power is a regular occurrence. Look at your area's history for the past few years and decide how long you expect it to be dark.

Now that you know how long you expect power to be down, figure out what you need to keep on. I would want to keep my lights, my refrigerator and deep freeze, and the receptacles* in my bedroom powered, at a minimum ( I use a CPAP machine when I sleep, so I need to be able to power it at night). During the winter, I'd also want to keep my furnace powered. I wouldn't make that choice if I had electric heat, but my furnace is gas, so the electricity just runs the controls and fan on a 120 volt circuit. I'd also stretch my power even further by turning off the breakers for receptacles I wasn't needing, and using the lights only when necessary.  

* A receptacle is where you plug something in. Outlets aren't always a receptacle; technically, any place you wire power to a device is considered an outlet.

All receptacles are outlets. Not all outlets are receptacles.

Big batteries aren't exactly cheap, but they're a great solution when your power only goes out occasionally, or if you're in a place like an apartment where you can't use a generator or other backup means.

Lokidude

(Battery) Back That Thing Up, part 1: Why Batteries?

Our benevolent editrix got to asking me questions over the weekend about large battery backup power solutions. She's curious about what it would take to reasonably back up her home, and if going battery is worth it compared to the alternatives. Since this kind of thing is pretty much my professional wheelhouse, I decided to make a series out of it. 

Providing for your own emergency power needs basically falls into two categories: you can generate it with fuel, or you can supply it from batteries. Yes, I am aware that power can be generated by windmills, water wheels, and various other sources, but those solutions are esoteric, incredibly specific, and often unreliable. I'm also aware that solar panels are a thing, but they only make power when the sun shines, so if you want the lights to be on after dark, we're back to batteries.

Generators

Generators are great. They're the gold standard for backup power, and for good reason: they're a tried and true technology that can be set up so that no user input is required for backup power; if the grid goes dark, the generator senses this and starts itself. They also supply more power than batteries and will keep supplying that power as long as they have fuel. If natural gas is an option for you, then you have virtually limitless power, but it will be expensive.

Generators do have serious downsides, though. They're somewhat noisy, so running one at night might upset your neighbors. They also create toxic exhaust like any other internal combustion engine, so they have to be placed in such a way to keep that exhaust and heat from entering or damaging your home. Along with that placement, even fairly compact generators aren't exactly small; you either have to store a large, heavy unit somewhere until you need it, or you have a permanent machine placed near your home to deal with. 

As with all engines, generators require regular maintenance. Regular oil changes are a concern, and permanent generators have an "exercise" cycle to deal with, where they will start themselves up and run for a period of time on a regular basis to keep everything functioning correctly.

Batteries

Batteries don't have exhaust, they don't need much by way of maintenance, and they're silent as a church mouse. They're a bit limited in output, however, and they also tend to cost a bit more. 

If you want to take advantage of the benefits batteries offer, the first step is to determine how much battery you need. Consider carefully what you need to be running; you might get a few nice-to-haves on top of your needs, but focusing on the essentials will maximize your battery life. In addition to the amount of power you'll draw from your batteries, you need to consider how long you'll be drawing that power. Where I'm at, power outages are generally resolved within 24 hours; a friend of mine in hurricane country this year was without power for more than a week, and Erin tells me that's not an uncommon thing. Batteries used for backup power are sized in watt-hours or amp-hours, and those numbers are key to determining how much battery you need. 

Next week, we'll look at how long some common loads can be run on very popular backup systems.

Lokidude

Prudent Prepping: Battery Storage

The dust has settled and the First 72 Hours have passed. Follow along as I build a long term plan via Prudent Prepping. 

Due to Real Life interfering with my spare time, I had a longer than anticipated break from Blue Collar Prepping. Things have calmed down and I expect to be contributing on a regular schedule. What's going on? Keeping my disposable batteries organized.

While I do have several flashlights that have rechargeable batteries, there are still reasons for having standard alkaline cells at home. I keep them around for standard uses in remotes like TV, stereo or garage openers. I also have AA and AAA batteries in my various bags, along with small, cheap flashlights to use and, if the need arises, to give away. To keep them organized in a reasonable manner and not rolling around in a drawer, I bought several things.

https://amzn.to/3iaLfrJ

Battery Organizer Storage Box

From the Amazon ad:

• Home Essential Battery Organizer: Rechargeable battery organizer can hold 54 batteries with a battery checker, with this box there is no longer to worry about how to organize messy batteries.
• For More Type Batteries - It can hold 24*AA, 30*AAA, total 54 batteries, perfect for Energizer Alkaline Batteries, ACDelco, Panasonic, Duracell batteries.
• Messy Terminator: This battery case neatly holds the batteries snugly in place within the foam pre-cut slots and keeps the contact ends from contacting each other, you don’t need to worry about that this foam will deform, Great way to organize your batteries easy for you to find whatever battery you looking for quickly.
• Where is The Advantage: It is made of high quality plastic, more resistant and crashworthiness than acrylic, removable soft foam with pre-cut slots, easy for storing batteries, with clear design make it easy to see what you need, the most important, Having a lid that securely locks closed allows us to store the container flat or upright also attach with a clip convenient for hanging on wall.

The foam in the box has die cut spots for the batteries, but the 'plugs' are not removed, possibly because the time involved would be too costly. Regardless, the foam is dense enough that batteries don't move when inserted. 

Now that I have bulk battery storage sorted, what about carrying batteries in smaller, useable quantities? To do that, I needed to find a way to box the batteries before placing them in a ziploc bag and then into my bags. To do that, I bought an old favorite that our esteemed Editrix pointed me towards several years ago.

https://amzn.to/3i9pUPz

 

AA/AAA 4 Cell Battery Case/Holder

From the Amazon ad:

• Package included:4 pcs of battery cases
• Convenient and intuitive to use,can combine in row
• Holds either 4 AA or 4 AAA rechargeable batteries
• Colors: Clear, Pink , Blue, Green
• Batteries are not included.

I've used these for longer than I can remember for small rechargeable Lithium Ion batteries (123 size) and now all the time to replace the now-discontinued cardboard box battery packages. Since these are not water resistant, let alone waterproof, ziploc bags are being used again. Putting them in a plastic case obviously makes the batteries more expensive, but I don't like the idea of letting AA cells rolling around in a baggie, even if I rubber band everything into a compacted shape. I like the ease of storing the bulk batteries and the peace of mind in having solid cases for the smaller quantities I carry.

Recap and Takeaway

• One Battery Storage Box purchased from Amazon: $11.99 with Prime.
• Pro: Solid and secure battery storage
• Con: Not water resistant due to no gasket in the lid, but the box does seem to latch securely enough to keep dust and dirt out.
• One set of Lovelybird AA/AAA storage boxes from Amazon: $6.99 with Prime.
• Pro: solid, secure box that fit the batteries I use
• Con: If these were water-resistant it would be better but the price obviously would be much higher. Other than that, I have no complaint. 

* * *

Just a reminder: if you plan on buying anything through Amazon, please consider using our referral link. When you do, a portion of the sale comes back here to help keep this site running!

If you have comments, suggestions or corrections, please post them so we all can learn. And remember, Some Is Always Better Than None!

NOTE: All items tested were purchased by me. No products have been loaned in exchange for a favorable review. Any items sent to me for T&E will be listed as such. Suck it Feds.

Bug Out Batteries

Not actually Erin.

Picture by KJ Photography

& is used with permission.

I had hoped to write my annual "Cool Black Friday/Cyber Monday Deals!" post this weekend, but either I'm out of the loop these days or manufacturers just aren't having any specials on interesting products any more. Sure, you can find some great price cuts out there, but I just can't find anything which is so exciting that I have to share it with you. I know that this isn't the first time I've said this, but I think it will be the last; consider it yet another institution that 2020 has killed. 

That said, I'm going to continue with Part 2 of my "Alkaline or Rechargeable?" series, this time focusing on how I plan to recharge my electronics in the field. 

While you can always bring along Goal Zero solar panels such as the Nomad 7, I find them to be just a little too large and a little too fragile for me to be comfortable with putting them inside a backpack that may see rough treatment. I'm still getting a lot of use out of my (now sadly discontinued) Brunton Explorer, which folds up into a handy 9.5" x 5" x 1.25" package -- about the same length and height as most road maps. 

The Explorer has two drawbacks, which to me are quite minor:

1. It doesn't charge Apple products very well.
2. It only has a single USB output. 

I've solved the problems of both by pairing it with a Panergy Solar Charger & Battery Bank. Now, I will be the first to say that the Panergy takes a long time to charge; even the manufacturer states that it will take between 6 to 8 hours to charge it to 5-10%... but I didn't buy it for its solar panels. No, I bought it for its 10,000 mAh battery pack and its dual USB outputs. 

https://amzn.to/2KGZPus

In case it isn't obvious, I charge the battery bank with the much larger Brunton solar panels, and then I use the battery to charge my electronics. What's more, while I am not certain that the bank can be recharged by both solar and USB input, I note that the solar indicator lights up in sunlight even when attached to house current via the input plug. I haven't tested this, mainly because the bank holds onto power for a long time (I bought it in March, and it arrived with what seemed a full charge, and 6 months later it still indicated a nearly full charge), and I just haven't been reminded to drain the battery, time how long it takes to charge with the Brunton, then drain it and time how long it takes to charge with the Brunton and its own solar panels. Hopefully I can remember to test it on a bright, clear day and if I can I'll post the results here. 

However, solar isn't my only method of recharging! I also have in both my Bug Out Bag and my Get Home Bag an Eton FRX2, a great piece of kit which I recommend to everyone. Not only is it a hand cranked generator for those days when you can't recharge via solar power, it's also a flashlight and an AM/FM/NOAA Weatherband radio. Everyone needs something like this in all their preps, and I cannot say enough good things about this brand. It's currently a steal at $22 on Amazon. 

Finally, let's talk batteries themselves. I've given you ways to recharge internal batteries, but what about external ones? 

For AA and AAA batteries, I recommend the Guide 10 Plus recharger from Goal Zero. Not only is it a recharger in itself, but it can also serve as a battery bank for anything which recharges with a USB cord.

However, there are some things you need to know about this charger:

1. The input is Mini USB, not Micro. This is critically important!
2. You must have 4 batteries in the Guide 10 before it will charge. They don't all have to have the same charge, but you need 4 or it won't work. 
3. You cannot mix AA and AAA batteries. The AAAs have an interior adapter sleeve that cannot accommodate AA batteries. 
4. While you cannot recharge alkaline batteries with this (nor should you try), you can still put them in the Guide 10 to serve as a battery bank. Yes, this means you can use AA batteries to charge your cell phone if necessary. 

If you looking to recharge a Lithium-Ion battery in the field, then I suggest the Nitecore UM20 charger. Unlike the Guide 10, the UM20 can charge just 1 battery, or two batteries of different size, and its input is Mini USB. Like the Guide 10, however, it can also be used as a battery bank, which increases its usefulness. 

Finally, there are AAA to AA converters. These are plastic sheaths into which you stick a AAA battery so that it will fit inside a case designed for the larger AA. I keep about 4 in my BOB, just in case I need them, and they're so lightweight that I don't even notice them. I'm told they're also great for reducing the weight of an electronic device, although I imagine you'd have the change the batteries more frequently. 

Those are all my tips and tricks for recharging batteries in the field. Do you know of a technique that I missed? If so, please tell us about it in the comments below. 

Alkaline or Rechargeable?

Not actually Erin.

Picture by KJ Photography

& is used with permission.

Earlier this week I received a message from a friend who asked: 

Hi there. Have you lately talked or blogged about whether to get a rechargeable flashlight? Anker has some cool ones and I like the idea of being able to recharge it. But, it also seems being able to use AA or AAA batteries is a huge convenience and doesn’t depend on having to find a plug or use a portable battery pack.

This is a very common dilemma among preppers. While there is no denying the efficiency and savings of rechargeable, there's also a huge convenience in the ability to quickly swap out exhausted batteries for fresh ones. What's a prepper to do?

My answer is to take the best of both worlds by purchasing rechargeable AA and AAA batteries to put inside your electronics, along with a recharger unit and a solar panel. This allows you to take advantage of the ready availability of alkaline batteries while also having a semi-renewable* source of power.

 Here are the preps I currently have. 

https://amzn.to/2ITjIOk

At nearly $30 the Eastshine Universal Smart Battery Charger isn't cheap, but it beats the pants off of any other charger I've ever owned by a large margin with these features:

1. It recharges more battery sizes than AA and AAA. 
2. It recharges Li-Ion batteries as well as the more common Ni-MH and Ni-Cd.
3. It doesn't require a pair of batteries to recharge like most others do, meaning you can mix them up as needed.
4. It actually tells you how long it takes until charging is completed. 
5. It comes with a 12V-24V power port adapter so that you can recharge it with your car if necessary. 

That power adapter is a critical portion of my preps. 

This is an older model (circa 2010) Goal Zero Nomad 7 solar panel. Newer versions have since done away with it, but this version has a 12V output and an adapter to accept car port chargers. This gives me the ability to recharge my batteries through the Eastshine via sunlight. 

You can still get older versions of the Nomad 7 with 12V output, but they are increasingly difficult to find as newer models are now "unisex", meaning USB output only. I don't know why this is so, but it is. 

Of course, in order to recharge batteries you need batteries to recharge, and I recommend AmazonBasics AA High-Capacity Ni-MH Rechargeable Batteries. The AA hold 2400 mAh of power, and the AAA hold 850 mAh. A four-pack of the AA costs $14.50, with an 8 pack costing $19; a four-pack of AAA costs $10.50 and an 8 pack is $17, so clearly buying in bulk whenever possible is the better deal.

This article is getting a bit long, so I'm going to stop here and make my Bug Out Bag charging solutions the topic of my next post. 

* Power cells eventually degrade to the point of uselessness. 

Hurricane Dorian AAR*

Not actually Erin.

Picture by KJ Photography

& is used with permission.

(*After Action Report)

As you probably know by now, Hurricane Dorian skipped Florida entirely. This was good news for me, as I made the decision not to evacuate based on its projected route -- I figured that, at worst, we'd get a glancing strike from a Category 1 which all houses in Florida are built to withstand -- and I'd have felt pretty dumb if it had changed course and/or intensity and hit us harder.

Still, I learned a lot from my first ever Hurricane Bug-In, even if nothing happened, because the mere act of readying my preps pointed out two things that they lacked.

A Wingnut Driver
I talked about hurricane shutters last week, and my house has the metal kind which attach via bolt and wingnut. "Fast installation" is a bit of a relative term, as it took me two hours to cover up 6 windows. Something that would have sped that up some is a wingnut driver for a drill; I had previously been using my hands to finger-tighten them, then using pliers to torque it down. A drill would not only screw the shutters down faster, but also more securely.

https://amzn.to/2UymnyB

I have since bought one at the local hardware store for around $10 (you can order one from Amazon for $11 plus Prime shipping)  and that will definitely make taking the shutters down much faster and easier. As an added bonus, if I ever need to drive in some eyebolts this will do that, too.


An Off-Grid Way to Recharge Batteries
As I was was topping off my rechargeable AA and AA batteries, I realized that I lacked a way to recharge them if the power stayed off for any amount of time. Fortunately for me, my friend the General Purpose Egghead (listen to his segments on the Assorted Calibers Podcast for good advice on batteries, flashlights and HAM radio!) sent me a "hurricane care package" which included a Goal Zero Guide 10 Plus battery charger!

https://amzn.to/2PSxGTC

The Guide 10 can charge both AA and AAA batteries via a mini-USB port. This gives me a variety of ways to charge them:

• With a Nomad 7 solar panel (I bought an older model years ago on closeout prices)
• With a hand crank, such as with the Lighthouse 400 lantern (bought on clearance at the same time)
• With a conventional power outlet

What's more, the Guide 10 acts as a power bank, meaning that I can plug a USB cable into it and use the batteries* to power anything which takes a USB charger, like a cell phone or mp3 player. This gives me a great amount of versatility when it comes to charging what I need in a grid-down situation. Thanks Egghead!

* It can even technically do that with alkaline batteries, although that's discouraged since the higher voltages of the alkaline might damage the charger. 

There's a saying in the military that "No plan survives contact with the enemy." I'd say there's a corollary with prepping, in that "No preps are 100% ready for an emergency." A near-miss by a hurricane showed me some flaws, and I'm pleased to have discovered them now instead of when it was too late to do anything about them. Review your preps regularly to discover things you've overlooked!

Jim Beam Battery Charger

Free is good for our blue collar prepping lifestyle, especially when viewed in its proper perspective.

Solar Wireless Charger

After buying a new cell phone, I started looking around for accessories for it. Since my new phone uses a new-style USB C charging port, I had to buy new cables for it, but it also has the ability to charge wirelessly using the Qi format charging stations. Although the Qi system has been around for a decade or so, I've never used anything set up for it so I had to do some research before I started using it. It turns out that Qi has become the standard for wireless charging, and is being offered in new cars and in places that see a lot of transient foot traffic like coffee shops and airports. Even Apple has given in and is making their phones compatible with the system.

A normal Qi charger is a flat pad upon which you lay a suitable phone, and it charges the battery in the phone by use of an induction field. Induction is the property that makes transformers work and is related to the physics behind most electrical generators: If you pass a wire through a magnetic field, a small electric current is created (induced) in the wire. Generators typically spin a coil of wire through a strong magnetic field, although there are some types that spin a magnet inside of a coil to get the same results. Radio transmission uses the same physics, the magnetic properties of a radio wave passing over a conductor known as an antenna creates a weak electrical current that is then amplified to the where it can be turned into sound.The Qi system uses a coil of thin wire inside the phone's casing and a rapidly cycling magnetic field in the charger to create an alternating current (AC) in the phone, which is then rectified to the proper DC power needed to charge the battery.

I started looking around at various chargers on the market, but the $50 price on most of those made by reputable companies was too much for my budget (the new phone ate into my discretionary funds budget), and I didn't really want to buy something with only one use. I also typically carry a small backup (external) battery for all of the electronic toys I use, but my new phone came with a 3200 mAhr battery and that's more than most small backup batteries can hold. While looking for a battery with more capacity, I found this Qi charger with built-in solar panels and a few other features I liked, so I spent the $37 and got one delivered.

https://amzn.to/2W0CsjO

A short list of the features:

• waterproof
• dustproof
• 10,000 mAhr capacity
• 2 USB A ports rated at 2.1A each
• standard micro-USB charging port
• LED flashlight
• 800 mA solar panels
• FAA compliant, so you can have it in your carry-on luggage
• just slightly larger that my new phone in its case
• Qi compatible wireless charging

I've been using it while working at remote locations for the last two weeks and have come to a few conclusions:

• The waterproof/dustproof claim is due to the construction and a rubber plug over the ports. It has survived light rain and a lot of dust in a short period of time, so we'll see how it stands up to the rest of the year's work.
• 10,000 mAhr of power is enough to recharge both my phone (3200 mAhr) and tablet (4200mAhr) from completely dead to full charge and still have enough left to top off my e-cigarette. Lately I've been working in areas way beyond my normal service area, so I've been relying on digital maps and satellite photos for up to 16 hours a day. This battery is large enough to keep me going.
• Having 2 USB ports is great when I have to charge the phone and tablet at the same time. The high-speed charge (2.1A) ports are designed for newer electronics and will “throttle” back for older items. Being able to plug the battery pack into my home charger overnight ensures that I start the day with a full backup.
• The LED flashlight is behind a translucent panel on the back of the battery pack. It puts out a nice glow instead of a bright spot of light, but it's more than enough to see around you at night.
• The 800mAhr solar panels fold up nicely over the battery pack and are held closed by a strip of Velcro. They are mounted on a vinyl/pleather material and sewn in so they aren't going to get lost. There are no visible wiring or connectors, which adds to the waterproof capabilities and reduces points of failure. 
• The downside is that at 800 mAhr, it will take at least 12 hours of direct sunlight to fully charge the battery pack. The charging indicator starts to light up under most sources of light, but there is no way to tell how much the panels are putting out. I drained the battery pack and have not had a cloudless day since, and about 20 hours of diffuse light hasn't fully charged it yet.
• Being only a little bigger than my phone, it fits in my lunchbox nicely and will fit in a coat pocket or small compartment of a backpack easily.
• The Qi system wireless charging works on my phone, although you have to heed the warnings about the charger: since it produces a moderate magnetic field, you don't want to get credit cards or any other items with a magnetic strip too close while charging your phone or it can erase the data on the card.
• Since the battery pack has two USB ports on it and it came with a short micro-USB cable for charging, I would have liked to see a place for storing cables. I may have to modify mine a bit and add an external pouch so I don't have cables laying around loose when it's not in use.

For what I paid, this seems like a decent addition to my preps. Having a way to recharge my phone and other various electronics gives me access to more information and tools to make life simpler. Storing 100GB of manuals and books on the tablet only works if I have some way to power it, and the new phone has several new sensors and options that the old phone didn't. I'll come back in a year or so and report on how well it stands the test of time.

Li-ion Batteries in Winter

After listening to my coworkers whine about their cell phones going dead in the cold, I decided to look up an explanation for why it happens. (Keep in mind that I work outside a lot of the time and this has been one of the coldest winters in a generation. Temperatures hovering around 0° F every morning is getting monotonous.) It turns out that my habit of keeping my phone in an inside pocket, where it won't get lost, also protects it from an issue arising from the chemistry and construction of lithium-ion batteries.

Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries are becoming ubiquitous; they're what power most cell phones, small electronic devices, and common cordless tools. Chances are that your rechargeable flashlights, radios, etc. all have lithium-ion batteries in them and they are becoming common as replacement batteries for motorcycles and ATVs. Lighter and having a higher power per pound than lead-acid or nickel-cadmium batteries, they are also the choice of most electric car companies, but after looking into the issue of phones “losing” 70-90% of their charge when exposed to temperatures below freezing, I don't expect to see very many electric cars this far north. I know the cars have a heating system to keep the batteries from freezing, but since it uses power from the battery to produce the heat, that will drain the battery and reduce the range of the car even further.

The problem comes from the way all batteries work, with a slight twist on the lithium-ion system. Batteries work by storing energy in the form of a chemical reaction that is reversible; when you charge a battery, you are forcing electrons into it to move ions from the cathode (positive post) to the anode (negative post). In Li-ion batteries, the ions actually squeeze themselves into the spaces between the molecules of the anode and cathode instead of chemically reacting with the materials (bumping other ions off and taking their place). Incidentally, this is why some Li-ion batteries will swell as they age -- the graphite that the anode is made of doesn't contract to its former size once the Lithium ions have left during discharge. Samsung has a bad reputation as a battery maker because they ignored this tidbit of information.

Cold temperatures slow down all chemical reactions. In the case of Li-ion batteries, as the temperature drops the Lithium ions may follow an alternate reaction and “plate” out on the surface of the anode as metallic lithium during charging. This “plating” is not fully reversible, and the battery will lose some of its charge capacity because of the lack of free ions to be moved around. The layer of metallic lithium will also create a barrier to the free flow of ions which increases the internal resistance of the battery, causing heat. A much bigger problem is that you now have a layer of pointy, conductive, metal crystals on the anode, and if they puncture the insulating barrier, being forced against it by the normal swelling of the anode during charging and the thermal expansion from the added heat, they will cause an internal short-circuit which can be very energetic.

“Energetic chemistry” is a euphemism for an explosion. For this reason: NEVER CHARGE A FROZEN LI-ION BATTERY. It is theoretically possible to charge a frozen Li-ion battery safely, but the charge time would be measured in days instead of hours. Always warm the battery up to as close to room temperature (70°F) as you can before trying to charge it. A much more technical explanation can be found here.

A secondary problem with the slowed-down reaction inside a cold Li-ion battery is the fact that the battery won't be able to produce the voltage that a cell phone expects to see, with the circuitry inside the phone seeing the reduced voltage as an indication that the battery has lost its charge. Once the battery has had a chance to warm back up, the phone should read the charge more accurately. This is what is affecting my coworkers who keep their phones clipped to the outside of their coats, and once they let their phones warm up, they usually show most of the charge that they should.

The main reason I keep my phone in an inside pocket is because I have had them fall out of pockets in my outerwear without my noticing. When I'm wearing four layers of clothing, I lose some of the cues that something is missing. Keeping it warm is a side effect that ensures I have a working phone when I need it. If I'm carrying a radio for communications and it uses Li-ion batteries, you can be assured that it will be kept warm as well.