Homeowners are turning the tables on fat cat power monopolies.
As you probably know, I’ve been telling people for years now that getting off the vulnerable electrical grid by using solar panels, wind turbines, solar air heaters and solar water heaters is a smart move. I’ve been saying that these fat cat power monopolies are trying to suck you dry and that the only way to beat them is to become independent of them as much as possible.
Well, thankfully many of you have done just that, either by purchasing those items from dealers or by using the Power4Patriots method of building and installing them yourselves. Either way, you’ve learned that self-reliance feels pretty good, especially when that significantly lower power bill comes in the mail.
Well, not surprisingly, the power companies don’t like it when people discover a way to avoid paying their outlandish prices for their unreliable power. Right now in California, the state’s three biggest utilities are fighting with their own customers about battery systems that store power from the sun.
People with rooftop solar panels are already buying less electricity from those utilities than they used to, and adding batteries to their systems takes them closer to the time when they won’t have to buy power from the local grid at all, says Ben Peters, a government affairs analyst at Mainstream Energy Corporation, which installs solar systems.
Battery systems are consumers’ way of battling against the traditional monopolies that utilities have enjoyed in supplying consumers with electricity in the past. And this comes after federal regulators opened the system to independent power producers, which is also eating away at the big utilities’ control of electricity generation.
Looks like the fat cats are getting a little skinnier…something I like to see.
If you are generating some of your own power through solar panels, wind turbines, solar air heaters or solar water heaters, how does that make you feel? More independent and self-reliant? Or do you feel sorry for the big power companies that can’t make quite as much of a profit as they used to? I’d love to hear from you about this.
Many comments talked about the availability of better batteries for grid-tie or off-grid systems because batteries only last a short time. There are at least 3 technologies now that last 20-30 years & they are reasonably priced for residential systems. Take a look at this Aquion saltwater battery off-grid install – http://tinyurl.com/zdt3auw
More info on better & cheaper solar panels
My town buys electric power in mass. This means you pay the town and if all that was bought is not used that means there is a surplus. The next month the town doesn’t need to buy that much. This means my bills are very low. I’d like to have them pay me.
will solar & wind power work in a emp attack ?
Yep have a small 1K solar system with 6 100 Ah batteries, controler, charger, transfer switch and everything. I use it once a month for an 6 hour period. It is always full charged for free by the sun and ready to go when needed. I also have a 3 Kw propane generator with 100 pounds of propane and it get run under full load for about 4 hours a month. I have these in place for the fact the last power outage we had here in MO lasted 7 days and it was in the heat of July. So as I move to get off the grid I have this in place for backup. My wife is handicaped and really needs the power for medical equipment. Either system powers enough for us to stay reasonably comfortable in any season. Don’t run the whole house on solar but can run fridge, AC,heat,TV,phone,radio,and lights.
Heads up folks start using LED lights and save even mor money, and make your home grown power go longer.
I have a 8Kw solar system and also solar hot water that I installed myself. When we purchased this big of a system we told them we wanted to put in batteries as we live outside of town and have outages quite often. Once it was installed we were told it was “the wrong type of system” to put in batteries. I can’t find a decent solar contractor willing to install batteries now and was hoping you might have a suggestions or advice on what we need to do. Thanks and we love your website! Hoorah!!
Agree, however the average individual cannot afford solar power as the initial upstart is very expensive.
Things are degrading very quickly and the best chance of survival is community cooperation. No individual or family will be able to resist the regime change that’s coming.
As a USMC combat vet and COIN operator, I have seen what is coming and people need to be prepared mentally and emotionally with proper skills and Intel more than they need food and other supplies that they have no ability to protect.
I teach people how to think in subversive atmospheres. Those people have the best chance to weather the coming regime change.
God Bless
After North Korea’s internet went offline from a cyber attack, it made me realize that we should all have back-up usb ‘flash drives’ and extra storage devices. You can always use your computer offline from the internet, but if you need to share a file or information you can use these drives and give it to another personor business during the interim. I use one to keep my filed tax information on it. You can transport them to any one elses computer to start working again.
At connecticut electric switch Mfg. co. They make the EmerGen Switch which allows you to use gen,solar,wind without being gridtied, or use your gridtie unit. When I bought mine it was $360
but can be bought now much cheaper. It is a main line disconnet unit. there is no way to back feed to the main using this unit. I have 400 watt solar panels a 500watt wind generator w/6 108 amp hour batteries. I purchased my electronics and panels from missori wind and solar. Best prices on the net and great equipment and service. My plan is to order 10-240 watt panels @ 24 volts and a new 24 volt converter or a step up transformer for the unit I have now. 12 volt units have limited use, mainly just a backup unit for power outages.
Have your solution for electricity off grid; Volcaic ash clouds=no sunlight .Emp- oops solar & wind fried.But you can be prepared and off grid
1st-4 preppers-chicken screen over all foof storeage shelves. Because=earthquakes. Am a Bible researcher. 4 angels stop the wnds(so much for wind power).The sun will be darkened-oops there goes solar. But I have use of both to prepare for neither. I wii have light, heat, cooling, freezer all normal electrical useage. Total startup cost on cheap side 160. +80.+20. + 50. +30. + 20.(or 0) miscelleanous garage stuff, 378 .up2 990. (your choice. Mobile unit
The Bible doesn’t say the winds will stop. It says that a 5th wind (jet stresm) will stir the other 4 around. Thus climate shift, not global warming. The antarctic has grown and you know how cold we’ve been.
i was in bible school/college for eleven years. the text that keeps coming to mind is;” ours is not a physical wrestling, but rather with evil things in dark places”. just in case I’ve made a bicycle/alternator charger for my batt. bank. exercise, and power source
Mr. Benziger, I would be interested in getting more information about the the system you have set up at your home. Please contact me at:[email protected]
Frank have you looked into LED for solar panels and “super caps” instead of batteries?? These two items are on YouTube. YES you can really use a led to make volts and you can use “super caps” instead of a battery.If a “super cap” pack can replace a car battery,why not use it instead of a battery pack? Let me know about these MODS ,I don’t know anyone honest enough to explore these I’m too broke to try it myself.
Thanks for the honest news
Rod
I wil do my best to dig into the LED/Super Cap theory. I hope it’s better than the magnets glued to a fan blade theory.
You are real hot to curse the power company. Now you go out and buy batteries. Batteries have a life, often too short. So now you are in hook to the battery companies. You just switched one company to another.
How many batteries are you going to need to run your air conditioner – refrigerator. $$$$. And only several years of life. Start adding up your costs. Power company doesn’t sound so bad now . . . !
Larry
As batteries get more and more efficient their life get longer, there are batteries out there that get as much as 10 years or more.
For years we have wanted to go solar.
We have had our home/land checked three times since the early 1970s. Each time we / I have been informed that we do not have enough hours of sunlight to make it worth while.
I keep reading about it, looking for inprovements to the hardware but no luck. the last time I had it checked out was just last month Aug 2014. What should we /i do next/
Check into, “Geo-Thermal” stuff. One can control all his temperature needs using the Earth to “Heat/Cool” water that’s pumped thru a hose & the Earth is always the same temp at certain depths so you’ll get consistent comfort. This alone will make your “Sun Solar Needs” far less. Google it, not hard to install & free after you pay for equipment & labor but not like solar panels! Worth looking at & let me know if you do it! I’m going to very soon!!! Use mine to heat, cool, & to do that for my fish farm too…keep their water temp correct off the same system… peace
i too would like to know when the new solar equipment is available!
Thank you for all this great information!
The new solar equipment is coming out all the time Check out solar news there is a load of info there or you can go to Sierra solar and get info there as well Sierrasolar.com has a bunch of info.
All the grid tied Solar Systems will shut down when the GRID goes down.
I have a large solar system on my home, it’s tied to the grid with no batteries to back it up, I do have a large generator that I want to use somehow to activate the converter when the grid goes down.
Does anyone know of a way to use either a few batteries or a generator to fire up the converter and allow it to work from sunrise to sunset? The converter gets power from the power company start and shuts down auto during daylight hours. I was thinking if the grid goes down during the day, I could flip off the main breaker and use an alternate power source to activate the converter. Once the converter starts making electricity, then back feed that electric to the converter breaker and I should have 100% solar power. I know that there is a automatic shut off switch that trips when the grid goes down, so no electric will harm the line men. With my main breaker off, if I can supply the safety switch with 110 volts it should than activate the converter to produce solar power. This could benefit thousands of households with solar panels when the grid goes down.
Get the large 6 volt batteries and set them up, I would suggest either the Trojan S460 or the Hawker type batteries, both are excellent and have long life, the drawback is that they do have some weight behind them. The Trojan type batteries can weigh as much as 125 LBS and the Hawkers can weigh as much as 1,260 LBS.
build a small switching supply you can feed with your array to bump the converter. Of course I don’t how much current ( or wattage ) your conv. switching device requires……..JUST A THOUGHT
Check out the way RVs are wired. Probably all the ones made in recent years have a 3-way power converter that controls both AC & DC circuits plus recharges the coach battery(s) when hooked up to an AC land line. Many motor homes come with a built-in generator that can run off fuel in the tank when not connected to AC. Plus, the coach battery system is also being charged by the engine charging system when the vehicle is running. Pretty nifty. Mine has a little solar panel that keeps the coach batteries charged when the RV is not used for periods of time. I don’t see why more solar panels couldn’t be factored into this type of system.
Frank, I have followed you for some time. I live in the Nevada desert and look forward to your updated solar panels. I have your first version for building panels, but am holding off for now.
I clicked the link to see what the power monopolizes are doing to stop us. The story was about what we can do to lessen the need for them. One answer to the original question of what are they doing is they are trying to get us to install their solar panels. We will still be on their grid.
I missed where you talked about a new method. can you send it out again? Will this complement power4patriots disc on how to build a solar panel. Or will that be obsolete?
The new Power4Patriots videos (currently in production!) give more detailed instructions on building your solar panels, especially as it relates to wiring. The wind turbine is totally redesigned to give greater output. We’ve also got two new solar water heaters and we’ve re-shot solar air heater video as well. We’ll be offering them to current Power4Patriots owners in June 2014, so keep an eye on your emails!
Frank,
My son and I were just about to build a wind power turbine from the DVD I got a couple years or so ago. We just invested in some farmland. I just read that you have a new DVD that upgrades the wind power turbine. How do we go about getting it and what will it cost since I already bought the old one. Do we get a discount since we already bought before? Thanks.
Frank…Can’t wait to see what your prototype is all about!
I was just getting ready to do my own solar electric system this month…but was hit with some unexpected bills. Maybe that was a good thing since I JUST read this email from you …may be worth the wait! …SPG
Ok, so the utilities are “fighting ” with their customers. You didn’t say what they are fighting about specifically or what the utilities want.
This new solar system that is already assembled and ready to go, how much will it cost? When will it be ready and what can it power?
I’m working on it. I’m working on it! I’m still getting the guys to tweak the prototype right now. It’ll be at least 6 months before it’s ready for ya’ll.
Mr. Bates, will the new generator system you’re talking about be available already built and ready for installation ? I would need one that is solar powered, so will the panels also be available ?
Yes, Harry. The one I’m coming out with later this year will have foldable, solar panels and a plug-n-play battery. The solar panels will be able to be chained for more power and everything will be pre-made, ready to go.
So far I have 10, 240 watt panels, 5 agm batteries, and the wiring for for the batteries. Next is a large capacity charger and inverters. Texas doesn’t permit self installation to connect to the grid so this system will be strictly teotwawki set up when I put the panels up. The battery bank will be set up soon as a power backup.
Kudos to you, Ken!
I have been assisting a friend putting up solar panels to help get people off the grid, or at least partially off the grid. I too am happy to see people taking the step for energy independence. I am also interested in wind generators but have not been able to come up with a working model yet.
That is fantastic, Russell. I commend you on your work. In about 4-6 weeks, I’ll be unveiling a new and improved Power4Patriots, which includes a great new wind turbine building instructional video. The new wind turbine can create alot more power than my previous model, so please keep an eye out in your emails for the announcement.
Frank,
Have you investigated http://www.goalzero.com ? They make small solars (I bought a few) for campers & hikers but do sell larger units with 120V output. Thanks, Chas
I have. And while their product is OK, it has some flaws. I’m in the process of developing my own solar panel/battery pack, similar to theirs, but without the battery drainage issues. Keep your eye out…probably late this summer.
I would like to get more Info about portable generator
on the lithium batteries.
If would be efficient in the mountain/Big-BearCA
We have a lot of clear sunny days.
Thank you. JJ
CAN PATRIOTHEADQUARTER supply these main parts from Hendershot Generator (Telsa derived):
1)two cylindrical iron bars, 2cm in diameter, 8cm long
2)- one rectangular iron bar, 10 cm long/0.5cm/2cm
3)- one cylindrical magnet, 10 cm long, 1.5 cm in diameter
While the Hendershot Generator is a intriguing idea, I’ve yet to see it work in reality. Here at Patriot Headquarters, we aim to support ideas and products that we find have real value and, currently, this one is just not ready for our support. If you make one and get it working, let us know!
The Hendershot generator appears to be a hoax designed to make money selling their manual. The website is so insecure that you can get into it and see the book and diagrams without paying–just do a search.
Finally, their story does not hold together when you investigate the references. Further, parts of the energy diagram simply do not make science sense, especially the wiring of an electromagnet backwards into a circuit.
KEEP ME INFORMED !!!
Frank u sent me a offer to get the solar , wind , how to build offer which had a lot of wonderful other items all for 29.00$. Somehow it got deleted could u PLEASE send me again … TY 4 ur work
Of course! You are looking for http://www.power4patriots.com
Does anyone know about magnetic generators
Frank have you ever heard of a Kapan Generator, or a Herderhot Generator?
Watch out for the generators that depend on two different metals, often in contact with the earth to generate electricity. These actually work to create very small amounts of electricity (that is why they use LED’s to show the electricity), but will not scale well, and are not economically viable. One or both metals are consumed producing the electricity, and the value of the metal is much more than the value of the electricity produced. This is based on the principle of “half-cells”, a topic of electrochemistry, which is included in most college freshman chemistry books. This is also related to corrosion of pipes and other earth contact metals and how they can be protected (using sacrificial slugs). The rest is sleight of hand, trying to convince people they are getting something for nothing.
Would like to know when you get the solar that you discussed here with Claudia, that we could use
I live in a townhouse. How can I get off the grid. My townhouse association will not let me put up a wind mill or solar panels. any suggestions
Claudia, There have been so many people who have contacted me with your exact problem. I am working on bringing ya’ll a portable solar generator that is small enough to put in an apartment and is scalable to be able to actually run your household in an emergency. It should be ready for market in a few months.(it’s still in prototype right now.) Keep an eye out in your emails.
I too would be interested in seeing this new product as we live in Riverside, Ca. and have lots of clear, bright days. Will it have battery storage also or is it going to be direct from the generator to the appliance?
It’s going to have a lithium based battery (all the better to sit idle and still be ready in an emergency) and *lots* of output options. Can you tell I’m super excited!?
Would love to hear of this when you get it done. Keep me informed. :-)
P.S. I bought the whole LOT of Power for Patriot books. Solar and Wind, etc. I read a little and find them very interesting. Haven’t finished because we moved and are remodeling an old farm house (93 years old). But, look forward to finding out more about getting off the grid.
It is very good to get off grid of you can get money together to do that but we have not been able to do it.
Serena, I am also low income–VERY low income meaning that I qualify for nearly all the social welfare programs! However, for me, it is a matter of choice. Right now I am choosing the parts and materials to make solar panels (after I pay the bills) over just about everything else (e.g. dinner out, extra trips to see my friends who live 45 minutes away, etc). I also plan to barter for the installation of the panels on my roof. Some days it is very difficult to stick to my plans because there are so many things I would like to have. Yet I keep thinking that once I am self-sufficient with power, food, water collection, I will have more money to spend on the things I have wanted.I will also be a step ahead in an emergency. Persevere–you can do it too. It is hard but not impossible.