1 00:00:01,720 --> 00:00:02,920 Speaker 1: Al Zone Media. 2 00:00:05,400 --> 00:00:08,600 Speaker 2: Welcome to it could happen here. I'm Robert Evans, and 3 00:00:08,640 --> 00:00:12,360 Speaker 2: this is a podcast about things falling apart. This week, 4 00:00:12,440 --> 00:00:15,480 Speaker 2: the thing falling apart was my bedroom. Allow me to 5 00:00:15,520 --> 00:00:19,000 Speaker 2: explain three years or so ago, I was finally able 6 00:00:19,079 --> 00:00:21,880 Speaker 2: to buy a house, or at least you get a mortgage. 7 00:00:22,160 --> 00:00:25,280 Speaker 2: This allowed me to achieve a very stupid lifelong dream, 8 00:00:25,400 --> 00:00:28,440 Speaker 2: which was to finally own a waterbed. I know you're 9 00:00:28,480 --> 00:00:30,560 Speaker 2: wondering what all of this has to do with solar power, 10 00:00:30,600 --> 00:00:32,760 Speaker 2: and I swear there will be an answer to that question. 11 00:00:33,200 --> 00:00:34,919 Speaker 2: I also want to make it clear upfront that this 12 00:00:34,960 --> 00:00:37,400 Speaker 2: is not an ad. Some of the equipment I tested 13 00:00:37,479 --> 00:00:40,000 Speaker 2: was provided for free as review units, some of it 14 00:00:40,080 --> 00:00:42,680 Speaker 2: was purchased with my own money and some with company money. 15 00:00:42,920 --> 00:00:44,680 Speaker 2: I'll try to make it pretty clear at each point, 16 00:00:44,720 --> 00:00:47,640 Speaker 2: but I promise it doesn't matter ari my opinions on 17 00:00:47,680 --> 00:00:50,800 Speaker 2: any specific product. No one paid us in any way 18 00:00:50,840 --> 00:00:54,640 Speaker 2: for their inclusion in this episode. Anyway, back to my 19 00:00:54,720 --> 00:00:58,400 Speaker 2: stupid waterbed. The first thing to know about waterbeds is 20 00:00:58,400 --> 00:01:01,319 Speaker 2: that they are surprisingly cheap. They cost about as much 21 00:01:01,360 --> 00:01:05,160 Speaker 2: as an equivalent sized mattress. Knew, so not cheap, But 22 00:01:05,200 --> 00:01:07,720 Speaker 2: the one I bought cost the same as any delivery 23 00:01:07,800 --> 00:01:11,039 Speaker 2: mattress sold for, and cheaper than some of them. The 24 00:01:11,080 --> 00:01:13,360 Speaker 2: reason that most people can't afford a waterbed isn't the 25 00:01:13,360 --> 00:01:15,880 Speaker 2: actual cost of the bed itself. It's that landlords are 26 00:01:15,959 --> 00:01:17,960 Speaker 2: terrified of the things, and so you can't get one 27 00:01:18,000 --> 00:01:21,480 Speaker 2: if you don't own your own home. In case you're curious, 28 00:01:21,840 --> 00:01:24,800 Speaker 2: my desire to own a waterbed is entirely the result 29 00:01:24,840 --> 00:01:27,240 Speaker 2: of the fact that, as a small child, my aunt 30 00:01:27,240 --> 00:01:29,319 Speaker 2: and uncle fell upon hard times and had to live 31 00:01:29,360 --> 00:01:32,080 Speaker 2: with us for a while. Then for another while they 32 00:01:32,120 --> 00:01:35,320 Speaker 2: lived elsewhere, but their stuff stayed with us. That stuff 33 00:01:35,360 --> 00:01:38,640 Speaker 2: included a waterbed, and for a few glorious months it 34 00:01:38,800 --> 00:01:42,040 Speaker 2: was my waterbed. I have craved the insane high of 35 00:01:42,160 --> 00:01:46,200 Speaker 2: waterbed ownership ever since. For three perfect years. Then I 36 00:01:46,240 --> 00:01:49,200 Speaker 2: slept in wavy comfort until about two days before I 37 00:01:49,200 --> 00:01:52,680 Speaker 2: wrote this episode, my bed sprang a pinhole leak. I 38 00:01:52,720 --> 00:01:54,920 Speaker 2: don't know how you might guess a cat, but the 39 00:01:54,960 --> 00:01:58,120 Speaker 2: actual bladder that contains the water is inside and underneath 40 00:01:58,160 --> 00:02:02,160 Speaker 2: a very thick, padded frame that cat claws can't really puncture. 41 00:02:02,480 --> 00:02:04,480 Speaker 2: I should also know that the bladder sits inside a 42 00:02:04,600 --> 00:02:07,279 Speaker 2: vinyl sort of soft cage, so that when it sprang 43 00:02:07,400 --> 00:02:09,320 Speaker 2: a leak, it got some of my sheets wet, but 44 00:02:09,360 --> 00:02:13,000 Speaker 2: it did not cause damage to my home anyway. Because 45 00:02:13,040 --> 00:02:15,320 Speaker 2: waterbeds are the kind of product that only an insane 46 00:02:15,320 --> 00:02:18,320 Speaker 2: manchild would dare to own, fixing a hole in one 47 00:02:18,520 --> 00:02:21,840 Speaker 2: is not the same as performing maintenance on your regular mattress, 48 00:02:22,080 --> 00:02:25,280 Speaker 2: because the kinds of beds that reasonable people own don't 49 00:02:25,320 --> 00:02:28,120 Speaker 2: spring leaks. To patch the leak, then I had to 50 00:02:28,120 --> 00:02:30,760 Speaker 2: purchase a patch kit. But you can't apply a patch 51 00:02:30,840 --> 00:02:33,480 Speaker 2: kit to what is effectively a soft bladder filled with 52 00:02:33,560 --> 00:02:36,400 Speaker 2: roughly a metric ton of water. I did do the 53 00:02:36,400 --> 00:02:39,680 Speaker 2: bare minimum of research here, and king size waterbeds weigh 54 00:02:39,800 --> 00:02:43,000 Speaker 2: around two thousand pounds. Now that's not all water weight, 55 00:02:43,040 --> 00:02:45,680 Speaker 2: but it is basically all water weight. I bring this 56 00:02:45,800 --> 00:02:48,760 Speaker 2: up because I'm proud of myself for guessing right. So 57 00:02:49,200 --> 00:02:51,840 Speaker 2: to apply the patch we had to first drain the bed, 58 00:02:51,880 --> 00:02:55,040 Speaker 2: which necessitated attaching a hose to one of the spigots 59 00:02:55,120 --> 00:02:57,639 Speaker 2: through which we had originally filled the bed. Because of 60 00:02:57,680 --> 00:02:59,600 Speaker 2: the layout of my home and the ground outside of 61 00:02:59,600 --> 00:03:01,920 Speaker 2: the window where we intended to pour the water, we 62 00:03:01,960 --> 00:03:05,000 Speaker 2: couldn't get the hosts started without assistance. The kind of 63 00:03:05,000 --> 00:03:08,079 Speaker 2: assistance that you would say, need to suck gasoline free 64 00:03:08,080 --> 00:03:11,920 Speaker 2: if a stranger's truck were you hard up for fuel money. Thankfully, 65 00:03:12,120 --> 00:03:14,359 Speaker 2: my roommate had a wetback which we were able to 66 00:03:14,400 --> 00:03:17,040 Speaker 2: hook up to the hose, but how to power the 67 00:03:17,080 --> 00:03:20,119 Speaker 2: wet back well. We could have run an extra long 68 00:03:20,200 --> 00:03:23,040 Speaker 2: extension cord, but mine were all in use for various 69 00:03:23,040 --> 00:03:26,120 Speaker 2: insane projects around the farm, and instead I opted to 70 00:03:26,160 --> 00:03:28,400 Speaker 2: wheel out the solar generator that I had filled with 71 00:03:28,400 --> 00:03:30,880 Speaker 2: the beneficence of the sun God Raw just a couple 72 00:03:30,919 --> 00:03:34,320 Speaker 2: of days earlier. The generator was one of two similar 73 00:03:34,360 --> 00:03:37,760 Speaker 2: products I tested for this episode, a Jackery SG two 74 00:03:37,840 --> 00:03:40,000 Speaker 2: thousand plus, which had been sent to me by the 75 00:03:40,000 --> 00:03:43,320 Speaker 2: good people at Jackery in previous weeks. I'd tested it 76 00:03:43,360 --> 00:03:46,080 Speaker 2: by powering my deep freeze and a refrigerator, and in 77 00:03:46,080 --> 00:03:49,000 Speaker 2: case you're wondering, with the panels outside in the sun, 78 00:03:49,040 --> 00:03:51,120 Speaker 2: I got a little over a day before things ran 79 00:03:51,200 --> 00:03:53,160 Speaker 2: dry on my refrigerator. If I'd had the panels in 80 00:03:53,200 --> 00:03:55,280 Speaker 2: a better position, I could have had longer and the 81 00:03:55,320 --> 00:03:58,240 Speaker 2: deep freeze it would have been able to power essentially indefinitely, 82 00:03:58,240 --> 00:04:02,400 Speaker 2: because deep freezes are actually insanely efficient machines. I also 83 00:04:02,480 --> 00:04:04,120 Speaker 2: used it to run a heat gun for my friend's 84 00:04:04,200 --> 00:04:06,400 Speaker 2: art project, which is about as intense a test of 85 00:04:06,520 --> 00:04:09,000 Speaker 2: output as you can run a battery through short of 86 00:04:09,040 --> 00:04:12,280 Speaker 2: powering your home, and it handles that. In terms of specs, 87 00:04:12,320 --> 00:04:14,680 Speaker 2: this battery is part of a more modular system that 88 00:04:14,760 --> 00:04:17,560 Speaker 2: you could wire into power your home or off grid setup. 89 00:04:17,600 --> 00:04:20,440 Speaker 2: You can actually attach this to your breaker. It has 90 00:04:20,480 --> 00:04:23,800 Speaker 2: a maximum output of six thousand watts in parallel connection 91 00:04:23,920 --> 00:04:26,919 Speaker 2: and one twenty to two forty expandable voltage. For a 92 00:04:27,000 --> 00:04:29,679 Speaker 2: rough idea of what that means, it can power most 93 00:04:29,720 --> 00:04:33,479 Speaker 2: household electronics and even power tools for a while. You'd 94 00:04:33,480 --> 00:04:35,320 Speaker 2: get about one and a half hours of running a 95 00:04:35,360 --> 00:04:37,920 Speaker 2: home AC unit, and more like two two and a half. 96 00:04:38,160 --> 00:04:40,360 Speaker 2: You know, with a portable unit or a window unit. 97 00:04:40,839 --> 00:04:44,120 Speaker 2: You could charge this thing too full in two hours 98 00:04:44,160 --> 00:04:46,760 Speaker 2: with good sunlight if you had six two hundred watt 99 00:04:46,760 --> 00:04:50,159 Speaker 2: panels attached in perfect sunlight, which is another three thousand 100 00:04:50,240 --> 00:04:53,400 Speaker 2: or so dollars in panels. But that's not an insignificant 101 00:04:53,400 --> 00:04:55,799 Speaker 2: thing to be able to do, mind you, that would 102 00:04:55,800 --> 00:04:58,400 Speaker 2: mean just running your race most of the day and 103 00:04:58,440 --> 00:05:02,560 Speaker 2: nothing else. Of these are cheap products in Jackery's case, 104 00:05:02,600 --> 00:05:06,160 Speaker 2: the battery itself runs about two thousand dollars. I understand 105 00:05:06,200 --> 00:05:08,520 Speaker 2: that's out of reach, perhaps wildly so for a lot 106 00:05:08,520 --> 00:05:11,520 Speaker 2: of people. We will be talking about cheaper options at 107 00:05:11,560 --> 00:05:14,080 Speaker 2: the end, but it is an unavoidable fact that unless 108 00:05:14,120 --> 00:05:17,719 Speaker 2: you are a skilled electrician and scavenger, setting up substantial 109 00:05:17,760 --> 00:05:22,720 Speaker 2: solar systems costs money period. Jackery actually represents one of 110 00:05:22,760 --> 00:05:25,240 Speaker 2: the more affordable options for a plug and play home 111 00:05:25,279 --> 00:05:28,359 Speaker 2: backup system that is also portable, i e. Can be 112 00:05:28,440 --> 00:05:31,880 Speaker 2: taken camping or hauled away with your shit during an evacuation. 113 00:05:32,560 --> 00:05:35,359 Speaker 2: I should note that you can connect the Jackery SG 114 00:05:35,400 --> 00:05:38,080 Speaker 2: two thousand plus directly to your breaker, and also connect 115 00:05:38,080 --> 00:05:41,320 Speaker 2: the battery to other similar Jackery battery generators to g 116 00:05:41,320 --> 00:05:45,000 Speaker 2: additional capacity and output from it. I tested another solar 117 00:05:45,040 --> 00:05:48,600 Speaker 2: generator system for this episode, the Genniverse Home Power O two, 118 00:05:48,920 --> 00:05:52,600 Speaker 2: which was provided to me by Genniverse. Both the Genniverse 119 00:05:52,640 --> 00:05:55,440 Speaker 2: and Jackery systems are similar enough that they can use 120 00:05:55,440 --> 00:05:59,760 Speaker 2: each other's solar panels and operate in basically the same manner. 121 00:06:00,000 --> 00:06:03,000 Speaker 2: This product is cheaper. Other reviews I've read suggests the 122 00:06:03,080 --> 00:06:06,719 Speaker 2: Genier system might be more robust, lasting longer, over time. 123 00:06:07,120 --> 00:06:09,880 Speaker 2: It is certainly heavier and thus has a higher capacity 124 00:06:10,120 --> 00:06:12,240 Speaker 2: around twenty four hundred watt hours as opposed to a 125 00:06:12,240 --> 00:06:15,440 Speaker 2: little over two thousand for the Jaggery system. Both of 126 00:06:15,480 --> 00:06:17,960 Speaker 2: these can be the basis of an off grid or 127 00:06:18,040 --> 00:06:20,839 Speaker 2: full backup power system for your home, and we'll be 128 00:06:20,880 --> 00:06:24,200 Speaker 2: talking about home off grid power in future episodes. I 129 00:06:24,240 --> 00:06:26,320 Speaker 2: want to make clear upfront that what I am advising 130 00:06:26,320 --> 00:06:29,200 Speaker 2: you on today is the quality and utility of different 131 00:06:29,279 --> 00:06:33,200 Speaker 2: solar generator battery products for emergency power. So let's talk 132 00:06:33,200 --> 00:06:37,400 Speaker 2: about what emergency means. The primary emergency you might encounter 133 00:06:37,520 --> 00:06:40,160 Speaker 2: that a battery solar setup would help with is a 134 00:06:40,200 --> 00:06:43,320 Speaker 2: power outage at your home. In that case, you have 135 00:06:43,360 --> 00:06:46,920 Speaker 2: a couple of immediate and real needs. I will list 136 00:06:46,960 --> 00:06:49,560 Speaker 2: these from most basic and easy cheapest to fill to 137 00:06:49,680 --> 00:06:52,839 Speaker 2: most expensive and difficult to meet. Number one would be 138 00:06:52,920 --> 00:06:55,440 Speaker 2: to keep your devices and stuff like flashlights that are 139 00:06:55,480 --> 00:06:57,960 Speaker 2: chargeable topped off so you can keep in contact with 140 00:06:58,000 --> 00:07:00,760 Speaker 2: your community and stay aware of breaking news on whatever 141 00:07:00,839 --> 00:07:04,040 Speaker 2: emergency you happen to be in. Being able to entertain 142 00:07:04,080 --> 00:07:06,479 Speaker 2: yourself with books and movies does, in my view, count 143 00:07:06,480 --> 00:07:09,479 Speaker 2: as one purpose for these systems in an emergency because 144 00:07:09,520 --> 00:07:13,120 Speaker 2: morale ain't nothing. Number two is being able to run 145 00:07:13,160 --> 00:07:17,200 Speaker 2: emergency cooling devices, starting with fans and terminating in stuff 146 00:07:17,240 --> 00:07:20,640 Speaker 2: like window AC units or even portable camping AC units. 147 00:07:21,440 --> 00:07:23,840 Speaker 2: Number three is being able to keep a fridge going 148 00:07:23,920 --> 00:07:26,720 Speaker 2: so your food doesn't spoil. If you're prepping for disaster, 149 00:07:26,840 --> 00:07:29,440 Speaker 2: you should have storable food, anything from freeze dried stuff 150 00:07:29,480 --> 00:07:31,640 Speaker 2: to beans and rice, et cetera. But losing all of 151 00:07:31,640 --> 00:07:33,960 Speaker 2: your shit in an outage is expensive and annoying, and 152 00:07:34,000 --> 00:07:36,960 Speaker 2: it's nice to be able to avoid. The most achievable 153 00:07:37,000 --> 00:07:39,600 Speaker 2: of these systems for a person of normal income is 154 00:07:39,720 --> 00:07:42,280 Speaker 2: number one, and if you have disposable income at all, 155 00:07:42,440 --> 00:07:45,600 Speaker 2: you can afford some sort of emergency solar setup to 156 00:07:45,640 --> 00:07:49,240 Speaker 2: keep your phone or laptop and rechargeable lights going. There 157 00:07:49,280 --> 00:07:51,840 Speaker 2: are a wide variety of battery packs that have solar 158 00:07:51,840 --> 00:07:54,280 Speaker 2: panels built into them. I have tried a lot of 159 00:07:54,280 --> 00:07:55,920 Speaker 2: these over the years, and I have never once been 160 00:07:55,960 --> 00:07:58,360 Speaker 2: happy with the quality, either of their ability to charge 161 00:07:58,360 --> 00:08:01,360 Speaker 2: in the sun or to last over time. The system 162 00:08:01,360 --> 00:08:03,520 Speaker 2: that I currently take with me on trips is made 163 00:08:03,520 --> 00:08:06,480 Speaker 2: by a company called Goal zero, who produce a variety 164 00:08:06,520 --> 00:08:10,320 Speaker 2: of solar battery and charger products. I purchase for myself 165 00:08:10,400 --> 00:08:13,840 Speaker 2: a Nomad thirteen solar panel set, which folds into something 166 00:08:13,840 --> 00:08:16,520 Speaker 2: that approximates the size of a trapper keeper set you 167 00:08:16,560 --> 00:08:19,320 Speaker 2: had as a kid in school. I've had this for years. 168 00:08:19,400 --> 00:08:21,400 Speaker 2: I take it with me on every flight as my 169 00:08:21,520 --> 00:08:24,040 Speaker 2: carry on. I have it and two batteries, which are 170 00:08:24,040 --> 00:08:27,400 Speaker 2: different incarnations of Goal zero's Schirpa one hundred on me 171 00:08:27,440 --> 00:08:29,880 Speaker 2: wherever I go. The schrip On one hundred has a 172 00:08:29,880 --> 00:08:33,360 Speaker 2: little three prong outlet you can charge basically any laptop 173 00:08:33,440 --> 00:08:35,920 Speaker 2: on it. You could even do like emergency power for 174 00:08:35,960 --> 00:08:39,480 Speaker 2: a computer. I think with it this and one battery 175 00:08:39,480 --> 00:08:42,080 Speaker 2: would allow me to keep my phone going for emergency 176 00:08:42,080 --> 00:08:45,679 Speaker 2: purposes indefinitely. Two batteries and sharres. I'm able to travel 177 00:08:45,679 --> 00:08:47,840 Speaker 2: with roughly three or four working days of power for 178 00:08:47,960 --> 00:08:50,800 Speaker 2: my laptop and phone wherever I go, and that's without 179 00:08:50,840 --> 00:08:54,440 Speaker 2: me actually trying to recharge them using the panels. You 180 00:08:54,480 --> 00:08:57,600 Speaker 2: can find various years of this battery model on Amazon 181 00:08:57,720 --> 00:09:00,560 Speaker 2: or at other retailers, from two hundred dollars on up. 182 00:09:00,640 --> 00:09:03,600 Speaker 2: The latest model retails for three hundred dollars off Goal 183 00:09:03,720 --> 00:09:07,960 Speaker 2: Zero's website. These batteries are TSA approved, as are the panels. 184 00:09:08,000 --> 00:09:10,760 Speaker 2: I have never had an issue flying with them. Obviously 185 00:09:10,800 --> 00:09:13,719 Speaker 2: in different countries, your experience may vary, but I have 186 00:09:13,840 --> 00:09:16,400 Speaker 2: taken these things to most parts of the world, and 187 00:09:16,400 --> 00:09:19,840 Speaker 2: again I haven't had an issue. They have varying sizes, 188 00:09:19,880 --> 00:09:22,320 Speaker 2: but the Nomad one hundred, which is one hundred watt hours, 189 00:09:22,400 --> 00:09:24,240 Speaker 2: runs about three hundred bucks. So you're looking at five 190 00:09:24,320 --> 00:09:26,720 Speaker 2: or six hundred dollars for this traveling setup, which is 191 00:09:26,760 --> 00:09:28,680 Speaker 2: also great to keep in your home and just have 192 00:09:29,480 --> 00:09:31,480 Speaker 2: less a bit. You know, if you find used versions 193 00:09:31,480 --> 00:09:34,679 Speaker 2: on eBay or wherever, which is often possible, that's not 194 00:09:34,720 --> 00:09:37,559 Speaker 2: an insignificant cost. But if you're building an emergency kit 195 00:09:37,679 --> 00:09:41,360 Speaker 2: over time, most people are capable of bearing that cost. Again, 196 00:09:41,640 --> 00:09:44,360 Speaker 2: over time, you could just start with the battery, which 197 00:09:44,400 --> 00:09:46,560 Speaker 2: is the most initially useful part of the kit, and 198 00:09:46,559 --> 00:09:48,599 Speaker 2: then you could get a panel set six months or 199 00:09:48,640 --> 00:09:51,120 Speaker 2: whatever a year later. And this brings me to what 200 00:09:51,160 --> 00:09:54,400 Speaker 2: I'm talking about quantifiably when I discuss a disaster and 201 00:09:54,440 --> 00:09:57,320 Speaker 2: what you actually need when we're talking about emergency power 202 00:09:57,440 --> 00:10:01,120 Speaker 2: in a disaster. It is uncommon for the average US 203 00:10:01,200 --> 00:10:03,960 Speaker 2: consumer to lose power for more than an hour or 204 00:10:03,960 --> 00:10:07,480 Speaker 2: two at a time. In twenty eighteen, most consumers lost 205 00:10:07,520 --> 00:10:10,720 Speaker 2: less than two hours of power per year without quote 206 00:10:10,840 --> 00:10:14,720 Speaker 2: major events. With major events, that number leaped to six 207 00:10:14,760 --> 00:10:17,760 Speaker 2: hours per person per year on average. In twenty seventeen, 208 00:10:17,800 --> 00:10:20,400 Speaker 2: it was closer to eight. As we deal with more 209 00:10:20,440 --> 00:10:23,760 Speaker 2: climate change, more natural disasters, all of these things are 210 00:10:23,800 --> 00:10:27,520 Speaker 2: going to become inevitably more common. These are also all 211 00:10:27,559 --> 00:10:30,920 Speaker 2: averages of huge numbers of people in huge areas of terrain. 212 00:10:31,400 --> 00:10:34,040 Speaker 2: I will guess that the percentage of people listening to 213 00:10:34,080 --> 00:10:36,640 Speaker 2: this who have as adults lost power for a day 214 00:10:36,720 --> 00:10:38,400 Speaker 2: or more at a time is very close to one 215 00:10:38,440 --> 00:10:43,160 Speaker 2: hundred percent. Now, given the averages, you might consider just 216 00:10:43,240 --> 00:10:47,160 Speaker 2: perching battery power units without solar panels, because in most instances, 217 00:10:47,200 --> 00:10:49,400 Speaker 2: what you're trying to do is ensure that if your 218 00:10:49,440 --> 00:10:51,640 Speaker 2: phone is dead and there's a bad storm and you 219 00:10:52,040 --> 00:10:53,600 Speaker 2: run out of power by the time you get home, 220 00:10:53,840 --> 00:10:56,040 Speaker 2: a two or three hour outage doesn't leave you unable 221 00:10:56,080 --> 00:10:59,280 Speaker 2: to contact your people or emergency services. I have a 222 00:10:59,280 --> 00:11:02,040 Speaker 2: fuckload of different portable batteries because I try to keep 223 00:11:02,120 --> 00:11:04,320 Speaker 2: enough in my work bag wherever I go to function 224 00:11:04,559 --> 00:11:06,800 Speaker 2: in my job for most of a week without power 225 00:11:06,840 --> 00:11:09,640 Speaker 2: when I go on trips. This kind of preparation has 226 00:11:09,679 --> 00:11:12,320 Speaker 2: stood me in good stead in places like Syria, Iraq 227 00:11:12,400 --> 00:11:15,040 Speaker 2: and the desperate wilds of Seattle that one time. But 228 00:11:15,080 --> 00:11:17,559 Speaker 2: if you're not going to such terrifying hellscapes, you can 229 00:11:17,640 --> 00:11:20,880 Speaker 2: probably get a suitable battery that's reasonably tough for under 230 00:11:20,920 --> 00:11:24,560 Speaker 2: one hundred dollars. And we will continue talking about batteries 231 00:11:24,559 --> 00:11:27,240 Speaker 2: and talking about you know, next kind of home solutions 232 00:11:27,240 --> 00:11:31,040 Speaker 2: and eventually cheap solutions. But you know what's not cheap 233 00:11:31,960 --> 00:11:35,839 Speaker 2: is the products and services that support this podcast. Affordable 234 00:11:36,040 --> 00:11:44,760 Speaker 2: but not cheap. Anyway, here's these ads. We're back and 235 00:11:44,800 --> 00:11:49,120 Speaker 2: we're talking about portable batteries, right And my only note 236 00:11:49,120 --> 00:11:51,320 Speaker 2: here is that if you're buying portable batteries, you know, 237 00:11:51,320 --> 00:11:54,240 Speaker 2: stuff not necessarily to run on solar, just to have 238 00:11:54,280 --> 00:11:56,439 Speaker 2: some extra juice with you wherever you'd go to keep 239 00:11:56,440 --> 00:12:00,800 Speaker 2: it home in an emergency. These fluctuate wildly in quality, 240 00:12:01,080 --> 00:12:03,640 Speaker 2: and when it comes to disaster kit, to something that 241 00:12:03,679 --> 00:12:06,520 Speaker 2: you need to work in an emergency, it can be 242 00:12:06,640 --> 00:12:09,280 Speaker 2: worth going with a brand that is a known quantity 243 00:12:09,360 --> 00:12:12,000 Speaker 2: with a long record and a lot of testing done 244 00:12:12,000 --> 00:12:15,240 Speaker 2: on their products, rather than whatever the Amazon algorithm spits 245 00:12:15,280 --> 00:12:18,360 Speaker 2: out when you Google battery. The advantage of a small 246 00:12:18,400 --> 00:12:20,680 Speaker 2: portable folding setup like the one I have from Goal 247 00:12:20,760 --> 00:12:22,600 Speaker 2: zero is that you can take it with you and 248 00:12:22,640 --> 00:12:24,920 Speaker 2: have it on demand if shit happens when you're traveling, 249 00:12:25,040 --> 00:12:28,200 Speaker 2: or if you have to evacuate and it's idiot proof right. 250 00:12:28,800 --> 00:12:30,959 Speaker 2: A good option if you just want something in your 251 00:12:31,000 --> 00:12:33,240 Speaker 2: home to keep your devices topped off is what I'd 252 00:12:33,280 --> 00:12:37,000 Speaker 2: call a large small battery generator. These are a couple 253 00:12:37,000 --> 00:12:39,720 Speaker 2: of steps below products like the Jackery two thousand to 254 00:12:39,760 --> 00:12:42,560 Speaker 2: the Geniverse that I tried, but above the handheld little 255 00:12:42,600 --> 00:12:46,040 Speaker 2: batteries that many of you have already. The two examples 256 00:12:46,080 --> 00:12:48,240 Speaker 2: of this product category that I have and have tested 257 00:12:48,280 --> 00:12:50,520 Speaker 2: are the Yeti four hundred from Goal zero and the 258 00:12:50,559 --> 00:12:56,200 Speaker 2: anchor a n Ker Solix Solix C eight hundred. The 259 00:12:56,280 --> 00:12:58,680 Speaker 2: Yeti four hundred is the product I purchased with my 260 00:12:58,800 --> 00:13:01,400 Speaker 2: own money and what I've taken with me for years 261 00:13:01,440 --> 00:13:03,800 Speaker 2: into the mountains when I go shooting or hunting, usually 262 00:13:03,800 --> 00:13:06,600 Speaker 2: with a set of folding panels. This ensures that if 263 00:13:06,600 --> 00:13:08,520 Speaker 2: my car dies and I've been dumb enough to let 264 00:13:08,520 --> 00:13:10,760 Speaker 2: my jumper box that I keep with me die, I 265 00:13:10,760 --> 00:13:12,560 Speaker 2: have a backup that I can use to charge my 266 00:13:12,640 --> 00:13:15,160 Speaker 2: jumper box. I also have a convenient way to top 267 00:13:15,200 --> 00:13:17,680 Speaker 2: off my phone or my E reader or my SAT phone, 268 00:13:17,880 --> 00:13:21,280 Speaker 2: both for normal use and in an emergency. It handles 269 00:13:21,320 --> 00:13:24,280 Speaker 2: extreme cold and extreme heat well, and that's not always 270 00:13:24,320 --> 00:13:27,679 Speaker 2: something you can take for granted with batteries. Again, kind 271 00:13:27,720 --> 00:13:29,760 Speaker 2: of top of the list is that I am an idiot. 272 00:13:29,960 --> 00:13:33,000 Speaker 2: I don't know much about electricity, and these products are 273 00:13:33,080 --> 00:13:35,400 Speaker 2: pretty idiot proof. When it comes to my YETI four 274 00:13:35,440 --> 00:13:37,719 Speaker 2: hundred or the C eight hundred from Anchor, I keep 275 00:13:37,720 --> 00:13:39,560 Speaker 2: them both plugged into the wall at all times that 276 00:13:39,600 --> 00:13:42,760 Speaker 2: I can grab either for an emergency. Now, the Solix 277 00:13:42,800 --> 00:13:44,480 Speaker 2: C eight hundred that I have was sent to me 278 00:13:44,520 --> 00:13:47,440 Speaker 2: as a review unit by Solix, and by necessity I 279 00:13:47,440 --> 00:13:49,400 Speaker 2: have not been able to subject it to the years 280 00:13:49,400 --> 00:13:52,000 Speaker 2: of rigorous real life testing that my Goal zero YETI 281 00:13:52,000 --> 00:13:55,040 Speaker 2: four hundred has endured. I will note that it is 282 00:13:55,120 --> 00:13:57,640 Speaker 2: well reviewed, and from the exploration I have done on it, 283 00:13:57,679 --> 00:14:00,640 Speaker 2: which does not include years of testing but does include 284 00:14:00,640 --> 00:14:03,439 Speaker 2: a decent amount of reading and some testing, I think 285 00:14:03,480 --> 00:14:06,520 Speaker 2: it's better constructed and more conveniently laid out in the 286 00:14:06,520 --> 00:14:09,040 Speaker 2: Goal zero, and it also gets you about twice the 287 00:14:09,080 --> 00:14:11,640 Speaker 2: storage nearly eight hundred watt hours as opposed to a 288 00:14:11,640 --> 00:14:15,040 Speaker 2: bit over four hundred. Both products cost the same price 289 00:14:15,200 --> 00:14:19,280 Speaker 2: around six hundred dollars, although older generations are often available 290 00:14:19,360 --> 00:14:22,480 Speaker 2: cheaper online. New and used. Either is enough to keep 291 00:14:22,480 --> 00:14:24,840 Speaker 2: a family of Force phones charged for a two or 292 00:14:24,880 --> 00:14:27,560 Speaker 2: three day outage without severe rationing. You can get a 293 00:14:27,600 --> 00:14:30,520 Speaker 2: lot more obviously on the anchor, and you might not 294 00:14:30,600 --> 00:14:33,040 Speaker 2: want to have someone like gaming on an alien Ware 295 00:14:33,080 --> 00:14:35,360 Speaker 2: laptop or whatever with either, but you can charge your 296 00:14:35,440 --> 00:14:37,360 Speaker 2: laptops and the like off of them if you want to, 297 00:14:37,400 --> 00:14:38,760 Speaker 2: like watch a movie at the end of the night, 298 00:14:38,800 --> 00:14:41,040 Speaker 2: you're all huddled together there in the dark. That's not 299 00:14:41,080 --> 00:14:42,680 Speaker 2: going to be something you have to stress out about 300 00:14:42,720 --> 00:14:45,400 Speaker 2: too much. Again, Boncer Solex is going to give you 301 00:14:45,480 --> 00:14:47,600 Speaker 2: a lot more juice to play around with. But either 302 00:14:47,640 --> 00:14:49,880 Speaker 2: should be enough for an average outage if you just 303 00:14:49,960 --> 00:14:52,240 Speaker 2: keep them plugged in. You can also use them to 304 00:14:52,280 --> 00:14:54,960 Speaker 2: power a fan during the day. They will not run 305 00:14:55,000 --> 00:14:58,800 Speaker 2: small AC units. These are worth considering as an intermediate 306 00:14:58,840 --> 00:15:01,640 Speaker 2: option for the more cash prepper. What you're looking for 307 00:15:01,680 --> 00:15:04,720 Speaker 2: here is not a full off rid replacement, but something 308 00:15:04,720 --> 00:15:07,000 Speaker 2: that can provide you with options for more than just 309 00:15:07,120 --> 00:15:10,920 Speaker 2: basic gadget power. With these big, small batteries, you can 310 00:15:11,000 --> 00:15:13,800 Speaker 2: run a fan or fans, maybe not long enough for comfort, 311 00:15:14,040 --> 00:15:15,880 Speaker 2: but in bursts throughout the day to get you through 312 00:15:15,920 --> 00:15:18,680 Speaker 2: the hottest part of the day during a blackout, during 313 00:15:18,680 --> 00:15:21,760 Speaker 2: what we call a wet bulb event, This would be 314 00:15:21,800 --> 00:15:24,760 Speaker 2: the life saving health emergency that a basic solar setup 315 00:15:24,800 --> 00:15:28,160 Speaker 2: would be most useful in saving you from. For context 316 00:15:28,160 --> 00:15:30,280 Speaker 2: in case people aren't up to date, a wet bulb 317 00:15:30,360 --> 00:15:33,560 Speaker 2: event is a weather situation in which the temperature reaches 318 00:15:33,600 --> 00:15:36,680 Speaker 2: a critical level above eighty eight degrees fahrenheit and does 319 00:15:36,720 --> 00:15:39,760 Speaker 2: not drop below that point for an extended period of time. 320 00:15:40,120 --> 00:15:43,320 Speaker 2: If people lack access to effective cooling during heating events 321 00:15:43,400 --> 00:15:46,200 Speaker 2: like this, they will die. We saw one of these 322 00:15:46,240 --> 00:15:48,840 Speaker 2: hit a couple of years ago where I live in Portland, Oregon, 323 00:15:48,880 --> 00:15:51,360 Speaker 2: which has been long famed for its mild temperatures and 324 00:15:51,400 --> 00:15:54,640 Speaker 2: thus most homes lack central air. During a three day 325 00:15:54,720 --> 00:15:57,160 Speaker 2: heat wave, temperatures rose to record highs and did not 326 00:15:57,280 --> 00:16:00,000 Speaker 2: drop low enough at night to allow people any recovery time. 327 00:16:00,640 --> 00:16:03,640 Speaker 2: More than one hundred of them died. This kind of 328 00:16:03,680 --> 00:16:07,480 Speaker 2: thing is possible anywhere if you have central air standard 329 00:16:07,480 --> 00:16:09,920 Speaker 2: where you live, the grid can always go down, as 330 00:16:09,960 --> 00:16:12,600 Speaker 2: we've seen happen in Texas over and over again. For 331 00:16:12,720 --> 00:16:15,440 Speaker 2: someone with money, your best bet might be pairing a 332 00:16:15,480 --> 00:16:18,880 Speaker 2: portable air conditioner like the Idea Duo, which ranges from 333 00:16:18,920 --> 00:16:21,680 Speaker 2: five hundred to six hundred dollars on Amazon, with something 334 00:16:21,760 --> 00:16:25,080 Speaker 2: like the Jackery SG two thousand plus, which with panels 335 00:16:25,120 --> 00:16:27,440 Speaker 2: and a good sunlight, would allow you to run it 336 00:16:27,520 --> 00:16:30,520 Speaker 2: during the day at least in a single room. As 337 00:16:30,520 --> 00:16:32,760 Speaker 2: an aside, this is actually a case in which someone 338 00:16:32,800 --> 00:16:34,920 Speaker 2: with a window unit is at more of an advantage 339 00:16:34,920 --> 00:16:38,080 Speaker 2: than someone with central air. You can connect your jaggery 340 00:16:38,200 --> 00:16:41,520 Speaker 2: directly to the breaker, but without expansion batteries, it's not 341 00:16:41,560 --> 00:16:43,440 Speaker 2: going to run a whole home long, so you'd want 342 00:16:43,440 --> 00:16:45,920 Speaker 2: to unplug everything and turn off the lights, running your 343 00:16:45,960 --> 00:16:48,920 Speaker 2: AC in short bursts, and maintaining discipline with your doors 344 00:16:48,920 --> 00:16:52,080 Speaker 2: at windows, ideally putting up foil or at least cardboard 345 00:16:52,080 --> 00:16:54,760 Speaker 2: over the windows to maximize efficiency. If you're just being 346 00:16:54,800 --> 00:16:56,680 Speaker 2: able to run a fan because you've get a smaller unit, 347 00:16:56,680 --> 00:16:59,400 Speaker 2: you're probably looking at something like, you know, getting towels 348 00:16:59,400 --> 00:17:01,520 Speaker 2: and rags well, but putting them over people's chests and 349 00:17:01,560 --> 00:17:04,639 Speaker 2: faces and kind of getting directly under the fan for 350 00:17:04,680 --> 00:17:06,480 Speaker 2: the periods of time that you can afford to run 351 00:17:06,520 --> 00:17:09,560 Speaker 2: it again. We are not talking about the most ideal 352 00:17:09,640 --> 00:17:13,359 Speaker 2: comfort situations here, we are talking survival. The limitations I 353 00:17:13,440 --> 00:17:16,359 Speaker 2: found for are generally twofold. One is that even with 354 00:17:16,480 --> 00:17:19,720 Speaker 2: good sunlight, folding panels like the ones Jackerie and Jennifer's 355 00:17:19,720 --> 00:17:23,320 Speaker 2: ship Me don't always hit their advertised wattage. This is 356 00:17:23,359 --> 00:17:25,520 Speaker 2: because you've got to deal with a lot of other factors, 357 00:17:25,640 --> 00:17:28,360 Speaker 2: the movement of the sun throughout the day, where shadows 358 00:17:28,359 --> 00:17:31,080 Speaker 2: fall on your home or property, your access to the roof, 359 00:17:31,280 --> 00:17:34,200 Speaker 2: how clean the panels are, and under normal use conditions, 360 00:17:34,400 --> 00:17:37,240 Speaker 2: it is surprisingly easy to get stuff on them. On 361 00:17:37,320 --> 00:17:39,280 Speaker 2: a sunny spring day in Oregon, I found my two 362 00:17:39,320 --> 00:17:41,520 Speaker 2: hundred watt Jackery panels tended to get one hundred and 363 00:17:41,560 --> 00:17:43,600 Speaker 2: twenty two one hundred and fifty watts during the most 364 00:17:43,600 --> 00:17:46,200 Speaker 2: optimal parts of the day. I was able to plug 365 00:17:46,240 --> 00:17:49,359 Speaker 2: the Jackery panels into the Geniverse generator and vice versa, 366 00:17:49,560 --> 00:17:52,560 Speaker 2: and I found that jackerres panels generally performed ten to 367 00:17:52,560 --> 00:17:56,080 Speaker 2: fifteen percent better during real life conditions. I looked it 368 00:17:56,160 --> 00:17:58,560 Speaker 2: up and on paper, the genniverse has a solar cell 369 00:17:58,600 --> 00:18:02,080 Speaker 2: efficiency or EFF of about twenty three point four percent. 370 00:18:02,680 --> 00:18:05,080 Speaker 2: Jackery beats them by one percent with an the FF 371 00:18:05,160 --> 00:18:07,560 Speaker 2: rating of twenty four point three. That is not enough 372 00:18:07,560 --> 00:18:09,720 Speaker 2: of a difference to matter too much, although I should 373 00:18:09,720 --> 00:18:12,000 Speaker 2: know that what I saw in real life use was 374 00:18:12,040 --> 00:18:16,000 Speaker 2: a notable difference. You may experience something different with these panels, 375 00:18:16,000 --> 00:18:18,199 Speaker 2: with any panels that you get. I can't claim to 376 00:18:18,200 --> 00:18:20,320 Speaker 2: have tested anything but the ones that they shipped me. 377 00:18:20,880 --> 00:18:24,159 Speaker 2: The Jackery Explorer two hundred plus is capable of taking 378 00:18:24,400 --> 00:18:27,520 Speaker 2: fourteen hundred bots of input max, which would be seven 379 00:18:27,600 --> 00:18:30,119 Speaker 2: sets of panels, although from what the manual says, it 380 00:18:30,160 --> 00:18:32,560 Speaker 2: can take up to six Solar Saga eighty panels to 381 00:18:32,600 --> 00:18:35,439 Speaker 2: their two hundred wide panels under normal conditions. You can 382 00:18:35,520 --> 00:18:38,679 Speaker 2: expand all this with added Explorer two thousands running in 383 00:18:38,720 --> 00:18:41,919 Speaker 2: tandem and up to twelve Solar Saga eighties on a 384 00:18:41,960 --> 00:18:45,000 Speaker 2: single generator, but doing that requires some wonky shit with cables, 385 00:18:45,000 --> 00:18:47,120 Speaker 2: and at that point we're talking about a system beyond 386 00:18:47,160 --> 00:18:49,760 Speaker 2: what most people are likely to want or need. When 387 00:18:49,800 --> 00:18:52,120 Speaker 2: it comes to durability, I suspect that both the Jackerie 388 00:18:52,119 --> 00:18:56,240 Speaker 2: and Genniverse are probably close in functioning. Online reviews give 389 00:18:56,280 --> 00:18:59,880 Speaker 2: both systems good user reliability ratings. In real world conditions. 390 00:18:59,880 --> 00:19:02,200 Speaker 2: I had the opportunity to do something that you never 391 00:19:02,240 --> 00:19:03,960 Speaker 2: want to do in real life with the device you'd 392 00:19:03,960 --> 00:19:06,600 Speaker 2: paid for, which was work one of these systems to death. 393 00:19:07,480 --> 00:19:09,920 Speaker 2: It shows the genivers and the torture test I used 394 00:19:09,960 --> 00:19:13,119 Speaker 2: basically involved keeping it outside, charging and providing power at 395 00:19:13,119 --> 00:19:15,920 Speaker 2: a fairly low trickle for twelve days of intermittent rain 396 00:19:16,000 --> 00:19:18,880 Speaker 2: and wind in the Pacific Northwest late winter. We got 397 00:19:18,880 --> 00:19:20,679 Speaker 2: about two inches of rain during this time, and that 398 00:19:20,720 --> 00:19:23,720 Speaker 2: was enough to eventually kill the generator, but it took 399 00:19:23,840 --> 00:19:27,239 Speaker 2: close to two weeks of downright irresponsible treatment. We are 400 00:19:27,240 --> 00:19:29,600 Speaker 2: talking the kind of neglect you would not subject a 401 00:19:29,640 --> 00:19:33,200 Speaker 2: product like this too without no other option. And subsequent 402 00:19:33,240 --> 00:19:35,199 Speaker 2: tests with the Jaggery, I have been able to keep 403 00:19:35,240 --> 00:19:38,679 Speaker 2: it operating outdoors in bad weather without damage through taking 404 00:19:38,720 --> 00:19:41,440 Speaker 2: minimal measures to shield the generator. The least I did 405 00:19:41,520 --> 00:19:44,680 Speaker 2: was stick a plastic home depot crate lid above it 406 00:19:44,720 --> 00:19:46,480 Speaker 2: literally set it down on top of the unit to 407 00:19:46,480 --> 00:19:48,800 Speaker 2: stop water from just hitting the ports on the sides 408 00:19:48,840 --> 00:19:52,280 Speaker 2: and back directly. The most elaborate protective set up outdoors 409 00:19:52,320 --> 00:19:54,359 Speaker 2: was a simple tarp cover and making sure it was 410 00:19:54,400 --> 00:19:57,199 Speaker 2: elevated a bit above the ground when it comes to 411 00:19:57,240 --> 00:19:59,199 Speaker 2: which of these systems would be best for you. The 412 00:19:59,240 --> 00:20:02,000 Speaker 2: primary difference between the Giniverse and the Jackery is that 413 00:20:02,040 --> 00:20:05,240 Speaker 2: the Giniverse is higher capacity twenty four hundred and nineteen 414 00:20:05,280 --> 00:20:07,720 Speaker 2: watt hours as opposed to a little over twenty forty 415 00:20:07,720 --> 00:20:10,560 Speaker 2: two for the Jackery. This means that without input, you 416 00:20:10,600 --> 00:20:12,879 Speaker 2: can run a normal fridge off the Giniverse for about 417 00:20:12,920 --> 00:20:16,240 Speaker 2: six hours, and goodsun you can recharge it fully in 418 00:20:16,359 --> 00:20:19,919 Speaker 2: eight hours with two Geniverse solar powered two panels. The 419 00:20:20,000 --> 00:20:23,320 Speaker 2: Jackery system will recharge in a similar timeframe under optimal 420 00:20:23,320 --> 00:20:26,040 Speaker 2: conditions and give you a bit less usable power. It 421 00:20:26,040 --> 00:20:28,480 Speaker 2: has the benefit of being almost twenty pounds lighter and 422 00:20:28,560 --> 00:20:32,840 Speaker 2: significantly friendlier in design. For reasons that elude explanation, the 423 00:20:32,880 --> 00:20:35,919 Speaker 2: Geniverse lacks a telescoping handle or wheels to help you 424 00:20:36,000 --> 00:20:39,160 Speaker 2: maneuver it into or out of position. This sucks because 425 00:20:39,200 --> 00:20:41,760 Speaker 2: it's heavy, and if it's not wired into your breaker 426 00:20:41,840 --> 00:20:44,359 Speaker 2: and you're using this for an emergency, you might need 427 00:20:44,400 --> 00:20:46,480 Speaker 2: to move it around so that you can have the 428 00:20:46,520 --> 00:20:48,880 Speaker 2: panels in different positions to take advantage of the sun. 429 00:20:49,640 --> 00:20:52,320 Speaker 2: This also makes the Giniverse less useful than the Jackery 430 00:20:52,400 --> 00:20:55,800 Speaker 2: in normal daily life. Tasks. I started this episode with 431 00:20:55,840 --> 00:20:58,719 Speaker 2: a rather ridiculous story about my waterbed, but I've actually 432 00:20:58,760 --> 00:21:01,800 Speaker 2: found quite a few tasks which having a weeelable battery 433 00:21:01,840 --> 00:21:05,080 Speaker 2: capable of this kind of output is handy. Basically, any 434 00:21:05,160 --> 00:21:07,560 Speaker 2: power tool that you are likely to own will run 435 00:21:07,600 --> 00:21:10,400 Speaker 2: off of either of these systems, but only the Jaggery 436 00:21:10,480 --> 00:21:12,720 Speaker 2: is friendly enough to want to move around outdoors to 437 00:21:12,720 --> 00:21:15,720 Speaker 2: take advantage of this fact. And this kind of gets 438 00:21:15,800 --> 00:21:17,639 Speaker 2: us to the crux of a question some of you 439 00:21:17,680 --> 00:21:21,040 Speaker 2: have been asking this whole episode, how practical are any 440 00:21:21,080 --> 00:21:24,520 Speaker 2: of these solutions. My answer is complicated, but I think 441 00:21:24,600 --> 00:21:27,359 Speaker 2: fair if you can't or aren't going to expend the 442 00:21:27,440 --> 00:21:30,040 Speaker 2: energy to become competent with solar power to the extent 443 00:21:30,080 --> 00:21:32,280 Speaker 2: that someone living off grid would generally want to be, 444 00:21:33,000 --> 00:21:37,280 Speaker 2: these are exceptional solutions so long as you can afford them. 445 00:21:37,440 --> 00:21:40,320 Speaker 2: In both cases, you're looking at around three thousand dollars 446 00:21:40,320 --> 00:21:42,600 Speaker 2: for a setup that could power anything in your home 447 00:21:42,720 --> 00:21:45,560 Speaker 2: and would handle all necessary tasks for longer than the 448 00:21:45,640 --> 00:21:49,040 Speaker 2: length of an average blackout. The Jacquerie and Jenniver's systems 449 00:21:49,080 --> 00:21:52,080 Speaker 2: are also future capable. You can expand both with added 450 00:21:52,119 --> 00:21:55,199 Speaker 2: batteries over time and add in more panel capacity up 451 00:21:55,280 --> 00:21:57,439 Speaker 2: to a point that makes them quite attractive if you 452 00:21:57,440 --> 00:22:01,199 Speaker 2: can afford them. My personal recommend would be for the 453 00:22:01,320 --> 00:22:04,520 Speaker 2: Jackery over the Genniverse for most people, for a couple 454 00:22:04,520 --> 00:22:07,560 Speaker 2: of reasons. Please note that I received review units from 455 00:22:07,600 --> 00:22:10,040 Speaker 2: both companies and money from neither, so I have no 456 00:22:10,280 --> 00:22:13,919 Speaker 2: vested interest in picking one over the other. One reason 457 00:22:13,960 --> 00:22:16,560 Speaker 2: that I chose the Jackery Explorer two thousand is that 458 00:22:16,600 --> 00:22:18,920 Speaker 2: it is a bit cheaper nineteen hundred for the base 459 00:22:18,960 --> 00:22:21,480 Speaker 2: system and four hundred and seventy nine for each set 460 00:22:21,480 --> 00:22:24,359 Speaker 2: of two hundred watt folding panels. Compare that to the 461 00:22:24,400 --> 00:22:27,320 Speaker 2: Genniverse home Power two Pro, which starts at two two 462 00:22:27,359 --> 00:22:29,919 Speaker 2: hundred and ninety nine dollars and thirty four hundred dollars 463 00:22:30,080 --> 00:22:33,560 Speaker 2: for the generator with two two hundred watt panels. The 464 00:22:33,680 --> 00:22:37,480 Speaker 2: Jackery is also meaningfully easier to use in recreational situations, 465 00:22:37,520 --> 00:22:39,720 Speaker 2: so it is a system that the average person will 466 00:22:39,720 --> 00:22:42,440 Speaker 2: get more use out of. You can take it camping easily, 467 00:22:42,480 --> 00:22:44,480 Speaker 2: you can use it for overlanding, and you can have 468 00:22:44,520 --> 00:22:46,959 Speaker 2: it ready for an emergency. I will note that if 469 00:22:47,000 --> 00:22:49,359 Speaker 2: you have a system like this, you will surprise yourself 470 00:22:49,359 --> 00:22:52,080 Speaker 2: with how often it comes in a handy for simple tasks. 471 00:22:52,560 --> 00:22:56,040 Speaker 2: What I like about both systems is again their future compatible. 472 00:22:56,160 --> 00:22:58,520 Speaker 2: You can start with the base system and then add 473 00:22:58,520 --> 00:23:00,159 Speaker 2: a couple of panels, and as you say, they have 474 00:23:00,240 --> 00:23:02,960 Speaker 2: more money, you can add an additional battery packs and 475 00:23:03,040 --> 00:23:05,600 Speaker 2: panels to give you both more capacity and more input, 476 00:23:05,880 --> 00:23:08,080 Speaker 2: with the goal of eventually storing a day or a 477 00:23:08,080 --> 00:23:10,560 Speaker 2: couple of days of power and being able to run 478 00:23:10,600 --> 00:23:14,840 Speaker 2: your home minimally during extended emergencies. The shortcoming that you'll 479 00:23:14,880 --> 00:23:16,439 Speaker 2: find with either system is that if you have a 480 00:23:16,480 --> 00:23:18,280 Speaker 2: normal home, it will cost as much as a nice 481 00:23:18,359 --> 00:23:20,040 Speaker 2: used car to have a setup that could run your 482 00:23:20,040 --> 00:23:23,480 Speaker 2: house for extended periods of time, let alone indefinitely. A 483 00:23:23,520 --> 00:23:26,639 Speaker 2: typical home AC unit can burn something like fourteen thousand 484 00:23:26,680 --> 00:23:29,280 Speaker 2: kilowatt hours per day, and that's just half of what 485 00:23:29,359 --> 00:23:32,760 Speaker 2: an average home draws. Heating amounts to a comparable draw 486 00:23:32,840 --> 00:23:36,119 Speaker 2: So while these systems can be expanded significantly with additional batteries, 487 00:23:36,280 --> 00:23:38,840 Speaker 2: if you're dealing with an outage that extends past several days, 488 00:23:38,920 --> 00:23:42,159 Speaker 2: you will encounter severe limitations. This brings me to the 489 00:23:42,200 --> 00:23:44,960 Speaker 2: most impressive but least accessible piece of gear that I 490 00:23:45,000 --> 00:23:48,640 Speaker 2: tested for these episodes. The Anchor Solix F thirty eight 491 00:23:48,720 --> 00:23:52,520 Speaker 2: hundred portable power station. This holds about three eight hundred 492 00:23:52,520 --> 00:23:55,760 Speaker 2: and forty watt hours of electricity and can output six 493 00:23:55,840 --> 00:23:59,400 Speaker 2: thousand watts if necessary. You can charge your electric car 494 00:23:59,560 --> 00:24:02,280 Speaker 2: or run a welding rig off of this thing. It 495 00:24:02,320 --> 00:24:04,679 Speaker 2: can be expanded with additional battery storage, and if you 496 00:24:04,680 --> 00:24:07,119 Speaker 2: had thirty or forty grand to spend, you could wire 497 00:24:07,160 --> 00:24:08,800 Speaker 2: this thing up to power your house for close to 498 00:24:08,840 --> 00:24:12,320 Speaker 2: a week without sunlight. The F thirty eight hundred itself 499 00:24:12,359 --> 00:24:14,720 Speaker 2: costs four thousand dollars, and you can run two of 500 00:24:14,720 --> 00:24:17,200 Speaker 2: them in tandem with twelve battery packs each to power 501 00:24:17,240 --> 00:24:19,399 Speaker 2: your home for about two weeks for just the cost 502 00:24:19,440 --> 00:24:22,760 Speaker 2: of at this point a rather nice car that is 503 00:24:23,080 --> 00:24:25,439 Speaker 2: wildly out of reach for most people, but if you 504 00:24:25,560 --> 00:24:28,240 Speaker 2: can afford it, the anchor is a really cool system. 505 00:24:28,400 --> 00:24:30,840 Speaker 2: There's been a tremendous amount of thought put into everything, 506 00:24:30,920 --> 00:24:33,000 Speaker 2: from how the device is constructed and laid out to 507 00:24:33,000 --> 00:24:35,800 Speaker 2: how you carry it. I particularly appreciate the fact that 508 00:24:35,840 --> 00:24:37,800 Speaker 2: you can wheel it like a big suitcase or lay 509 00:24:37,800 --> 00:24:39,920 Speaker 2: it on its side where it has additional pop out 510 00:24:39,920 --> 00:24:43,120 Speaker 2: handles to enable you to carry it in multiple different ways. 511 00:24:43,640 --> 00:24:46,720 Speaker 2: All of Anker's products feel premium, and the metal handles 512 00:24:46,720 --> 00:24:49,200 Speaker 2: that I said pop out are like metal. They're very solid. 513 00:24:49,520 --> 00:24:51,800 Speaker 2: Everything has a clean interface and what I would describe 514 00:24:51,800 --> 00:24:55,359 Speaker 2: as an exceedingly livable industrial design. If you happen to 515 00:24:55,359 --> 00:24:57,480 Speaker 2: be one of the people who can consider putting down 516 00:24:57,520 --> 00:25:00,760 Speaker 2: four thousand dollars for an emergency battery, the Solix F 517 00:25:00,840 --> 00:25:03,399 Speaker 2: thirty eight hundred will see you through ninety nine percent 518 00:25:03,440 --> 00:25:05,960 Speaker 2: of the power loss situations you are likely to encounter, 519 00:25:06,200 --> 00:25:09,040 Speaker 2: and require minimal knowledge to set up and get working. 520 00:25:09,400 --> 00:25:11,520 Speaker 2: It is easy to attach to your home breaker and 521 00:25:11,640 --> 00:25:15,240 Speaker 2: Anchor's instructions for doing so are simple to follow for 522 00:25:15,280 --> 00:25:17,520 Speaker 2: folks who can afford the cost then, and that cost 523 00:25:17,600 --> 00:25:20,320 Speaker 2: is not inconsiderable. It is a great mix of might 524 00:25:20,400 --> 00:25:23,480 Speaker 2: save your life and will definitely come in handy. I 525 00:25:23,520 --> 00:25:26,359 Speaker 2: should also note that the Jaggery system has a better 526 00:25:26,400 --> 00:25:29,840 Speaker 2: pedigree than the Geniverse system in the industry, probably similar 527 00:25:29,880 --> 00:25:32,359 Speaker 2: to Anchor. They've got a long track record and are 528 00:25:32,400 --> 00:25:35,680 Speaker 2: well regarded not as inexpensive solution, but as a reliable 529 00:25:35,680 --> 00:25:38,280 Speaker 2: one with a good warranty and a lot of history 530 00:25:38,320 --> 00:25:40,919 Speaker 2: to back them up. All of these systems are, in 531 00:25:40,960 --> 00:25:44,399 Speaker 2: my experience, reliable and easy to use. All of them 532 00:25:44,440 --> 00:25:45,960 Speaker 2: are and I have to hit on this a few 533 00:25:45,960 --> 00:25:49,560 Speaker 2: times because it matters expensive. That presents a problem if 534 00:25:49,560 --> 00:25:51,919 Speaker 2: you're someone who sees the value and these as potential 535 00:25:51,960 --> 00:25:55,160 Speaker 2: emergency devices but will realistically never be able to throw 536 00:25:55,200 --> 00:25:59,320 Speaker 2: down three thousand dollars for them. It would be irresponsible 537 00:25:59,359 --> 00:26:01,800 Speaker 2: of me to give you some specific technical advice because 538 00:26:01,840 --> 00:26:04,280 Speaker 2: I lack that knowledge. But I have some experience here, 539 00:26:04,320 --> 00:26:06,640 Speaker 2: and we're going to get to that after this next 540 00:26:06,640 --> 00:26:15,080 Speaker 2: set of ads. We're back and we're talking about what 541 00:26:15,160 --> 00:26:17,240 Speaker 2: you can do, at least a little bit of what 542 00:26:17,280 --> 00:26:19,400 Speaker 2: you can do. Again the furthest thing in the world 543 00:26:19,400 --> 00:26:21,160 Speaker 2: from an expert here, but I wanted to at least 544 00:26:21,160 --> 00:26:23,760 Speaker 2: provide some starting points from folks who are never going 545 00:26:23,800 --> 00:26:26,880 Speaker 2: to be able to afford these more formal, easier to use, 546 00:26:27,000 --> 00:26:30,000 Speaker 2: idiot proof kind of situations, because while I'm not an 547 00:26:30,000 --> 00:26:31,800 Speaker 2: expert on this, I have lived off grit a bit, 548 00:26:31,840 --> 00:26:33,679 Speaker 2: and I have known people who have done so in 549 00:26:33,720 --> 00:26:37,240 Speaker 2: a wide variety of weird situations. At one point, my 550 00:26:37,359 --> 00:26:40,520 Speaker 2: partner operated a solar powered shack that they lived out of, 551 00:26:40,600 --> 00:26:44,040 Speaker 2: with batteries so comparatively primitive that she had to regularly 552 00:26:44,119 --> 00:26:47,000 Speaker 2: refill them with water. That kind of maintenance is going 553 00:26:47,080 --> 00:26:48,880 Speaker 2: to be second nature to people who know they're shit 554 00:26:48,920 --> 00:26:51,360 Speaker 2: with solar, and those people have a lot more options 555 00:26:51,400 --> 00:26:54,800 Speaker 2: than the layman. Probably the most impressive and cash neutral 556 00:26:54,840 --> 00:26:57,240 Speaker 2: setup I saw was in a place called East Jesus 557 00:26:57,359 --> 00:27:00,800 Speaker 2: in far southern California. This was It was a totally 558 00:27:00,880 --> 00:27:03,760 Speaker 2: off grid power setup that kept around twelve to eighteen 559 00:27:03,800 --> 00:27:07,000 Speaker 2: people alive year round and often intense temperatures, powering AC 560 00:27:07,200 --> 00:27:10,439 Speaker 2: units and trailers in RVs, fridges, fans, lights at the 561 00:27:10,520 --> 00:27:14,240 Speaker 2: entertainment equipment they used the wakes Now. Their setup was 562 00:27:14,280 --> 00:27:17,880 Speaker 2: all scavenged or bought cheap in auction. The batteries they used, 563 00:27:17,880 --> 00:27:20,600 Speaker 2: which took up an entire shipping container sized space, were 564 00:27:20,600 --> 00:27:23,480 Speaker 2: purchased cheap from a telecom company in the area which 565 00:27:23,520 --> 00:27:26,679 Speaker 2: retired its deep cycle batteries once they hit eighty percent 566 00:27:26,760 --> 00:27:30,120 Speaker 2: of their original functioning capacity or something like that. Panels 567 00:27:30,119 --> 00:27:33,280 Speaker 2: were likewise scavenged or bought cheap and used. Since they 568 00:27:33,280 --> 00:27:35,680 Speaker 2: had a lot of space but little money, wiring a 569 00:27:35,680 --> 00:27:38,800 Speaker 2: shitload of panels a varying efficiency together was a solution 570 00:27:38,880 --> 00:27:40,880 Speaker 2: that they could afford, both in terms of the money 571 00:27:40,920 --> 00:27:42,560 Speaker 2: that it cost and in terms of the space that 572 00:27:42,680 --> 00:27:45,760 Speaker 2: was required. Most people lacked the technical knowledge to set 573 00:27:45,800 --> 00:27:48,560 Speaker 2: something like this up. I sure do, and even more 574 00:27:48,560 --> 00:27:50,960 Speaker 2: of them lacked the space. But it is an example 575 00:27:50,960 --> 00:27:52,840 Speaker 2: of the sort of solutions that people with little to 576 00:27:52,880 --> 00:27:55,399 Speaker 2: no cash can cook up if they're clever and knowledgeable 577 00:27:55,400 --> 00:27:59,719 Speaker 2: about the fundamental technology. It would be extremely irresponsible if 578 00:27:59,720 --> 00:28:01,840 Speaker 2: I did not add here that solar setups are the 579 00:28:01,880 --> 00:28:04,439 Speaker 2: sort of thing where it behooves you to be exceedingly 580 00:28:04,480 --> 00:28:09,440 Speaker 2: fucking careful. The chief benefit of the system's goal zero anchor, Jenniverse, 581 00:28:09,480 --> 00:28:12,000 Speaker 2: and Jacker make is that they are all as close 582 00:28:12,040 --> 00:28:14,520 Speaker 2: to idiot proof as they can be. Part of the 583 00:28:14,560 --> 00:28:16,720 Speaker 2: cost comes from the fact that they use expensive but 584 00:28:16,800 --> 00:28:21,840 Speaker 2: extremely stable lithium iron phosphate batteries. These have long life spans. 585 00:28:21,960 --> 00:28:24,400 Speaker 2: Jackery rates THEIRS at ten years and a cycle life 586 00:28:24,400 --> 00:28:26,640 Speaker 2: of up to two thousand cycles. They have a good 587 00:28:26,720 --> 00:28:29,680 Speaker 2: standby time too. Jackery rates THEIRS at up to fifty 588 00:28:29,680 --> 00:28:32,840 Speaker 2: percent charge after two years in storage. A lot of 589 00:28:32,840 --> 00:28:36,600 Speaker 2: the cheaper or scavenged options you find are lithium polymer batteries. 590 00:28:36,920 --> 00:28:40,360 Speaker 2: These are rather infamous for igniting and burning down people's homes. 591 00:28:40,720 --> 00:28:43,240 Speaker 2: There are solutions you can find online and if you're 592 00:28:43,240 --> 00:28:46,280 Speaker 2: interested in cheaper homebrew solar setups out there, one place 593 00:28:46,320 --> 00:28:50,880 Speaker 2: I suggests starting is diyssolarforum dot com. The people there 594 00:28:50,920 --> 00:28:54,720 Speaker 2: will have suggestions for minimizing risk. Since LiPo is one 595 00:28:54,720 --> 00:28:57,840 Speaker 2: of the most dangerous battery chemistry types out there, some 596 00:28:57,880 --> 00:29:00,880 Speaker 2: people build what are called battery bunkers. One form I've 597 00:29:00,920 --> 00:29:03,440 Speaker 2: seen this tape is basically a cube of bricks around 598 00:29:03,440 --> 00:29:06,760 Speaker 2: and below the batteries with a ceramic flat sheet above them. 599 00:29:06,920 --> 00:29:09,920 Speaker 2: Some people will suggest lacing sandbags above the bunkers that 600 00:29:09,960 --> 00:29:12,120 Speaker 2: if the battery goes into a thermal runway, it will 601 00:29:12,120 --> 00:29:14,640 Speaker 2: melt the sandbag and pour sand into the battery to 602 00:29:14,680 --> 00:29:18,000 Speaker 2: stop the fire. Again, I am not giving advice here, 603 00:29:18,040 --> 00:29:20,200 Speaker 2: just providing you with an example of the kinds of 604 00:29:20,280 --> 00:29:22,760 Speaker 2: concerns that you do have to think about when considering 605 00:29:22,840 --> 00:29:26,160 Speaker 2: building setups like this for your own. It is unfortunate. 606 00:29:26,280 --> 00:29:28,640 Speaker 2: The most financially accessible way to do this is by 607 00:29:28,680 --> 00:29:30,920 Speaker 2: taking the research into your own hands and relying on 608 00:29:30,960 --> 00:29:33,560 Speaker 2: the experience of hobbyists and lifestyle explorers who have been 609 00:29:33,560 --> 00:29:37,160 Speaker 2: there before. But disasters aren't fair, and either is life. 610 00:29:37,240 --> 00:29:40,680 Speaker 2: Another exploratory option I'd suggest is googling questions like how 611 00:29:40,720 --> 00:29:43,280 Speaker 2: to run small room ac off solar or how to 612 00:29:43,360 --> 00:29:46,480 Speaker 2: run to twelve volt fridge indefinitely Comma solar, and then 613 00:29:46,480 --> 00:29:49,360 Speaker 2: add Reddit as a search term. You'll find threads of 614 00:29:49,400 --> 00:29:52,520 Speaker 2: people in off grids, solar or overlanding subreddits who have 615 00:29:52,520 --> 00:29:55,160 Speaker 2: explored these problems for themselves and their journeys can at 616 00:29:55,200 --> 00:29:58,120 Speaker 2: least act as a basis for your own. I'd like 617 00:29:58,200 --> 00:30:00,560 Speaker 2: to thank at the end of this as at Jack 618 00:30:00,640 --> 00:30:03,479 Speaker 2: Reach Universe and anchor who sent products for me to review. 619 00:30:03,840 --> 00:30:05,920 Speaker 2: It was incredibly nice of them all, and from an 620 00:30:06,040 --> 00:30:07,880 Speaker 2: esthetic point of view, they all make great gear that 621 00:30:08,040 --> 00:30:10,840 Speaker 2: is a genuine pleasure to use. Gool Zero didn't send 622 00:30:10,880 --> 00:30:12,800 Speaker 2: me anything, but I've paid for their stuff for years 623 00:30:12,800 --> 00:30:14,680 Speaker 2: and I've never had anything fail in the field, so 624 00:30:14,880 --> 00:30:16,520 Speaker 2: I figure I owe them a shout out here too, 625 00:30:17,160 --> 00:30:19,200 Speaker 2: and it's going to do it for us. It could 626 00:30:19,240 --> 00:30:21,760 Speaker 2: happen here for the day, so you know, check in 627 00:30:21,920 --> 00:30:24,800 Speaker 2: tomorrow or you know Monday, depending on when you hear this. 628 00:30:24,920 --> 00:30:32,280 Speaker 2: Whenever it drops and yeah, goodbye. 629 00:30:30,120 --> 00:30:32,640 Speaker 1: It could happen here. As a production of clue Zone Media. 630 00:30:32,720 --> 00:30:35,400 Speaker 1: For more podcasts from cool Zone Media, visit our website. 631 00:30:35,440 --> 00:30:37,640 Speaker 1: Cool zonemedia dot com or check us out on the 632 00:30:37,680 --> 00:30:41,160 Speaker 1: iHeartRadio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts, 633 00:30:41,520 --> 00:30:43,600 Speaker 1: you can find sources for It could happen here, Updated 634 00:30:43,680 --> 00:30:47,760 Speaker 1: monthly at cool zonemedia dot com slash sources. Thanks for listening.