Solar Products can help mitigate Natural Disasters

A few solar products can help mitigate many natural disaster problems

By M. Blaine Little - Las Vegas, Nevada – Retired - October 2017

It is heartbreaking to read about the trials and troubles that the countless victims of recent hurricanes and earthquakes are facing. The struggles people face not having electricity can be overwhelming. Every day since the hurricanes we hear and read about countless people needing generators and fuel for generators so that they can power up a refrigerator, have some light, and run a fan or two. Food and many medicines need to be kept cold and most do not have the luxury of a running generator. Lack of clean drinking water and cooking fuel add to the distress caused by the disaster.

Those who do have the use of a generator often can’t find gasoline to run it and if they do, the noise and fumes from so many individual running generators brings on other stressful problems. Refilling a gas generator that has been running for several hours can be dangerous if any fuel is spilled. An extreme inconvenience can turn into a tragedy in moments. To avoid theft of the life giving generator, some have left their generator funning in their garage with a box fan in the window to eliminate exhaust fumes, have gone to bed thinking they were safe. By morning the odorless carbon monoxide gas had saturated their home killing the entire family.

For over 30 years I had the opportunity to sell solar products and advise people on how to use small low voltage solar systems and other solar items to:
   *Alleviate the use of generators when staying in a cabin or enjoying nature in recreational vehicles such as motor homes or travel trailers.
   *Keep food cold using an ultra energy saving low voltage Sundanzer refrigerator.
   *Cook any food simply using a Sun Oven, eliminating the need for dangerous or hard to find fuels.
   *Better prepare for emergencies, purify drinking water and ease disaster stress.
   *Enjoy life a little more when there is no disaster - by letting the sun provide helpful free energy and safer living.

Years ago I spoke with a man who lived through the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew. He and his brother lived for several months without electrical power from the grid so they used an expensive, dangerous, hot gasoline generator that they were constantly concerned would be stolen. We talked at length about how solar can help provide basic electricity for a small refrigerator and limited lighting and communication, and how noxious fumes and noise could be eliminated, providing a safer environment during a stressful recovery period.  He assured me that if ever faced with a similar disaster he would never use a gas generator again.

For about the price of a larger generator a family can use a few solar products to greatly alleviate many of the problems brought on by lengthy disruption of electric service.

A small emergency system might include the following:

A 100 watt low voltage (12vdc) solar panel to charge a good quality deep cycle battery that would run a 50 or 165 liter chest type Sundanzer refrigerator; some low voltage lights and a small fan; A small inverter could be hooked up to run small 110 volt AC items like LED light bulbs or charge cell phones, tablets/laptops and rechargeable flashlight batteries; A 10 amp solar controller is needed so the battery doesn’t overcharge and proper sized wire and fuses make for a nice small system; A vented portable ice chest is a perfect container for the battery and controller. A larger small system could include 2 or more solar panels, 2+ deep cycle batteries and a 20+ amp 12 volt controller.

NOTE: Recently (October 2018) I saw an ad for a 100 watt low voltage panel for $98! That is less than a dollar a watt! When I sold them they were anywhere from $5 to $8 bucks a watt. Man, that is great news if you are looking for a small emergency system. That means the SunDanzer refrigerator is going to be your most expensive system item. If a refrigerator is not used then the batteries will be your most costly item!
 

Ultra Energy Saving Refrigerator

The Sundanzer refrigerator is available in different sizes and runs on 12 or 24 volts DC. There are even freezer models that use the same low voltage but they require more solar because they run longer to provide the freezing temperatures. One customer opted for a freezer model and distributed jugs of ice to 3 households to use in ice chests. Most other refrigerators, even small dorm types will require too much power for a small solar system to power. The chest design with special insulation and a low voltage-low power compressor insures the absolute least power draw to keep food or medicines cold.
 

Cook Food and Purify Water with the Sun

Food can be cooked and water pasteurized using a Sun Oven and a few inexpensive items. A couple of dark colored pots with lids for roasting  and a few bread loaf pans will get you well on your way to cooking delicious meals for your family. I sometimes use an indoor cast iron Dutch oven to make delicious roasts. To pasteurize questionable water you will want to obtain a Water Purifying Indicator (WAPI) and paint a couple of quart mason jars with flat black paint to absorb the sun’s rays faster. An hour in sunshine in a Sun Oven will kill all pathogens in the water, making most water safe to drink.               

I have used my Sun Oven regularly for over 18 years. I especially enjoy baking fresh milled wheat bread or roasting a chicken outdoors in the summer so I don’t make my air conditioner work overtime.

Food cooked in a Sun Oven is delicious, moist and easy. Hopefully I never have to use my Sun Oven in an emergency situation, but I know I can cook anything safely and quietly if I need to.

You may want to learn more about small solar systems. Learning what solar can do for you and your family certainly will help you to make a wise decision. You don’t need a large system to mitigate many of the problems a disaster brings. Before putting a small system together you may want to get professional advice. Anytime you rely upon batteries, for RV’s, cabin living or emergency backup, you must learn about batteries and important safety precautions. This blog will have some advice that can help you.

Use and enjoy your solar products now, then, just in case, you will be better prepared if your family never needs them for an emergency.

I am retired and rarely available for consultation. Spending most of my time with my grandchildren. It is hoped that I can provide info on this site that will be of importance to you. Please check back for updates.

You can find out more about Sun Ovens at sunoven.com. Sundanzer.com has a wealth of info about their ultra energy saving refrigerators and freezers. Of course keep sunsharvest.com in mind. If we ever get another web site going it will be at sunsharvest.com. For now sunsharvest.com redirects you to this blog: http://solarguy.blogspot.com. If you need to get in touch with me just make a comment on any page and send me your contact info. I will NOT publish your comments or personal info!

Safe living my friends,

Michael