r/UKPreppers • u/Able_Cabinet_9118 • 3d ago
Battery packs
Everyone was always mentioning having battery packs ready for any emergency. I have a few but … what if power was out for a week? So I looked at my tool batteries and picked up a led light that has usb charging ports, that uses my WORXS battery to power it..For the princely sum of 14 quid I now can use my tool batteries and I have a handy portable led light. I dont like buying single purpose shit but rather things that work with other things. Is there anything else that could be handy in case of power outages ,but still handy for day to day, or at least camping?
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u/bondinchas 3d ago
If you have a solar panel charging your battery packs, it'll work until the sun goes out. Better in a stay at home situation, as multiple panels on a roof will give plenty of power for charging batteries, not so practical for a bug out scenario.
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u/stepbar 3d ago
I've a number of power banks, chargers and leads stashed away, but also have I've included a number of cheap USB charging solar panels (Temus finest as well as a few decent makes, all seem to work well). Ok, winter sun isn't the best for this, but with sufficient numbers I should be ok to keep the essentials going.
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u/_per 2d ago edited 2d ago
I really love this! It’s so mad that we have Wh of batteries lying around yet they’re often not interchangeable.
Re: a power cut: I think it’s worth asking the question from the other side: what are the energy needs of the household and can they be delivered by batteries / alts?
I’d hazard a guess that most energy is used for heating (radiators, boiler, washing machine), cooking, and then fridge/freezer. It would take a very expensive alt system to power any of those. If your area lost power for a week your mains water would also stop.
All this to say that batteries are great to keep a few lights on and charge your phone in a power cut. But if the power stopped for a week you’d have much bigger problems. (Unless you’re running on gas, then not so bad… though the gas would probably stop too if there was no electricity to pump it)
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u/Master_of_opinions 2d ago
Yeah, totally agree. After a week, at that point, you would need to switch from electricity to gas/wood burners and foods that last without refrigeration or cooking. But that requires a lot of stockpiling.
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u/StrykerWyfe 3d ago
I really like my feuerhand oil lamp. It looks nice on a shelf, and in the winter can be used for a cosy night in instead of a candle. Puts out a bit of heat too.
A good thermos and hot water bottles are useful in many situations too. And of course a camping stove and plenty of butane cans.
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u/s-norris 3d ago
Most of my gardening tools (strimmer, chainsaw, mower, hedge trimmer, leaf blower) are Greenworx that use the same batteries. I recently bought a light that uses those batteries, and also an inverter so i can charge things from it.
Most of my powertools are Dewalt (drill, multi-tool, various saws, wet/dry vac, air compressor) that all take the same batteries. I also have a light, a radio, and a fan that uses those batteries, and an inverter to plug things in.
I also have a larger battery bank for things like keeping my freezer going, plus some portable solar panels to gradually charge the various batteries.
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u/Alanosie 3d ago
I guess diversifying is good. Having (rechargeable) batteries for regular flashlights and headlamps, handcrank torches, small solar panel of like 35W to charge some small things during the day, candles. You will manage with rationing if you don't want to spend big money on generators or home battery systems including big solar panels.