I was thinking I liked the idea of charging for 20 minutes here and there when I passed it since it can charge for that length of time instead of constantly turning. It does not depend on cloud cover or daylight. It can run something while using it for little effort (up to 20 minutes). Also I am weary of how long solar panels will work (1,2,5 years???).... Who knows when, even if I am dead and gone, my kids and probable wife can still use the generator with capacitors. Basically it is an forever set up that does not depend on batteries (rechargeable) that die in a few years.
@Sighlass I see your point - I see that kinda the same way I see double A batteries right now (and no offense meant). Kinda sufficient, but why, when the new usb rechargeables are so much better? And with crazy recharge rates (something like 3000 recharges till the batt goes bad) Have a rack of replacement batteries laying around and you are talking years and years of capability. So yeah, I could stay with my Double As. For what I do, they are working fine. But the capacity in the usb rechargables are like having 10 DoubleAs - My headlamp would not need recharging for many nights, and would fast-charge easily in a few hours. It's just better, more durable tech.
While the crank jenny has its place (and it does), for me I just need something more robust - Don't get me wrong, I can go old school. Heck, I AM old school. I don't need ANY tech, and if SHTF, the real ultimate end game is cave man. Providing my old bones are up to it, and I can do a bit better than all gimped up (like I am right now), I know how to do cave man. If I am down to hand-cranking LED light, I am really close enough that cave man would be a more legit action. I would go primitive way before that.
As an interim device - say you're out of power because of a tornado or something, and you have a few days to get through, I can see where that hand crank would have utility. So I ain't against it. Heck it would be fun to do, just for the fun of doing it. But for a longer term, I would be more likely to throw all tech away before relying on that level of output. When you are down that far, primitive is likely easier.
What's in my go-bag right now will serve my basic needs in the woods for around three days without charging (that's a subjective number, but still) That's lights, phone, and Garmin (probably - don't have it yet)... AND all I need to do is make camp for a day and lay the solar out, plug in the brick, and that capacity is right back again. Understand: Even in cloudy winter conditions, that solar will charge my brick in a day. When that fails, well then fine. Time to go back to primitive. Not much in between.
And here's the deal(and again, with no offense meant): What's in my go-bag is already more functional power with more longevity than that hand-crank can provide. And I can double my capacity and charging time just by adding another brick. You have me on durability. No doubt. But the capacity alone would make me opt toward bricks and batts.
I don't know the longevity of what I have built (both go-bag and doghouse). But I am figuring on 3 years or more. Probably more like 5... Less than 10 years most surely... But that's a long time. I can easy get set for primitive existence in less time than that. And face it - If things ain't back to right in 3 years, it ain't coming back.
The satellite (Starlink) I would think would be a way to trace you... maybe low flying planes pick up the signal or the company becomes compromised and just sends the government the coordinates. I ain't smart enough to know, but bet some suit person is. I just don't trust much.
Yes, I suppose. But do you really think they will be dispatching drones to go after old duffers fifty miles in the woods and causing them no real trouble, or will they be more interested in going after active threats? Either way, if it gets that bad, comms are going down anyway. In the interim, what a luxury to be sitting in camp streaming a movie and texting your kin, from all the way back in the bush, right?
What I do like about your setup plans it if the solar holds out (and the rechargeable batteries) is that you have a hands free means of power regen. That is priceless.
Yes, and I think that is the tipping point. At some point the castle becomes indefensible - If only because local resources are gone. When you need to hit the trail, which time will come, Having that long term recharging capability in a substantial capacity adds comfort not otherwise available. At the extreme, this system is the most durable and the most portable. Old school would rely on kerosene as an instance... Think of how much kerosene you'd have to pack around to meet the same capacity (say, 3 years, and portable) - it's just not doable.
However, my hybrid plan provides first for the castle, secondly for the truck, and finally for what I can pack on my back - If I can stay in the castle, hurray! But if I can't I can almost as comfortably move to the truck... But sooner or later the gas runs out. Then I am on my hooves. What I am doing best serves all three of those scenarios. And then down to primitive.
But really, all that ain't the point. The point now is comfort and usability in GOOD times. I ain't doing this for SHTF. I am doing this for reliable comforts right now, overlanding, camping, and bushcrafting. Not only will that prove the durability of the idea for when SHTF, in the mean time, it provides a better capacity than I have right now - an improvement in real time. USB rechargeables are BETTER than DoubleAs. Solar capacity, whether the truck or the go-pack is better than not being rechargeable and self-contained. That's the point - It's better anyway, so why not? SHTF is sorta incidental or secondary, see?
Can you elaborate on these terms so I better understand kind sir? I am guessing one of them is the battery that is rechargeable.
Shore power is just the ability to plug the doghouse in at home or in a campground that provides the service - Not only might it have more capacity on shore power, but it would also provide recharging of the system (in the most efficient way possible).
A Suitcase Jenny is a small generator that you can pack with one hand. Diminutive and easy to store in a glorified topper, but providing enough generating torque to recharge the system if needed on stormy days, or run the show directly.
Another question someone passing by this post might elaborate on.... The capacitors in my (actually "his") video are 3v 100F .... I can order cheaper 2.7 volt 100f (need 8 to get his setup) on Amazon... will the slight difference 0.3 volts make much a difference? Hoping it is just a slight difference, but smarter people than me need to chime in for me to be sure.
Beyond me.
