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I bought a portable 30W solar panel to get ready for the apocalypse (feddit.uk)
submitted 3 months ago by to c/pics@lemmy.world
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I'm only half kidding. I'm a bit of a prepper and I have lots of powerbanks and devices that charge from USB but besides idling my truck I really had no other way to charge any of them in case of a long-term power outage which seemed a bit of an oversight on my part.

Not like this solves the issue. 30 watts (under ideal conditions) isn't much but it's a start.

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[–] 1 point 3 months ago (6 children)

30w can charge a battery bank like a Jackery, and those can put out 1000w continously. It would take ages to charge, but it's more than nothing.

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  • [–] 1 point 3 months ago (5 children)

    It might be better than nothing for some things, but providing enough power to run heaters as needed when it's -20F outside over the next week ain't going to happen. And while it would work for an LP furnace for a while, that tank WILL go empty, and then where do you get more fuel?

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  • [–] [S] 2 points 3 months ago (1 child)

    Burning wood seems like the obvious solution to keeping warm in the winter. There's much better uses for the little solar power there is available then.

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  • [–] 1 point 3 months ago

    Burning wood comes with its own extra work and costs. Plus the danger of burning your house down. I live in a forest, and wood heat is not uncommon here. There were 4 wood heat fires that destroyed homes this past winter, it was a cold and long winter this year. And I did grow up with wood heat as a kid, so I'm very familiar with it. I do remember a couple of chimney fires quite well.

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  • [–] 1 point 3 months ago (2 children)

    I don't think a high wattage battery is something that could keep you warm. I was talking more like creature comforts. Not something you would want on-the-go because of the weight, but if you were hunkered down you might at least have lights or some amount of entertainment. Shit, it could even power a tablet, router, and NAS, and give you something to watch in dark times. That's a good thing to have on solar power if you are staying put.

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  • [–] 1 point 3 months ago (1 child)

    It will keep you warm for a little while, but not for long.

    If things hit the fan, lights can be a cheerful thing to have. But if it's a widespread power outage that lasts, the internet goes down, and cell service follows pretty quickly. Maybe a Game Boy is usable, but your tablet will be a paperweight, and forget the NAS. On the upside, there just won't be much you are going to need electricity to run at that point.

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