Energy
Off-grid power, portable stations, solar setups, fuel storage, and grid-down priorities. The category where buying smart means understanding watt-hours, not just brand names.
Top picks in Energy
Curated by topic, not commissionAll curated
Traditional breakfast methods that still work today
Woodstove breakfast preparation in a log cabin: cast iron cooking, garden vegetables, and off-grid morning routine without electricity.
Free Greenhouse Heating Winter 2026–27: 300W Solar Heating Experiments with Thermal Mass
Building and testing a low-cost solar thermal mass heating system for winter greenhouse production using passive solar principles.
Prepare Now: Cyber Attacks, Grid Failure, and Communitarian Emergency Readiness
Seventeen minutes on grid-down and cyber-attack risks, practical household steps (water, cash, fuel, food storage), and community planning lessons from Hurricane Helene recovery.
The Right Way to Treat Your Gasoline
Step-by-step walkthrough of fuel stabilizer application (PRI-G): mixing ratios, treatment process, and why proper storage prevents varnish buildup in long-term gas supplies.
Iran FM Araghchi: Hormuz Will No Longer Be the Same
Analysis of Iran's geopolitical posture and potential disruption to global energy transit through the Strait of Hormuz.
Free Off-Grid Solar Calculator App for iPhone and Android
Eight-minute walkthrough of a free app for sizing battery banks, solar panels, and charge controllers, plus sun-path analysis and weather monitoring for off-grid system design.
Off Grid Portable Solar Power Field Guide | Size Your Power Station and Panels the Right Way
Step-by-step guide to matching portable solar power stations and panels: sizing calculations, runtime by appliance, safe configuration, and four ready-made pairings from emergency backup to whole-house systems.
US Military Bases Preparing for 90 Day Grid Down Blackout
Analysis of Pentagon preparations for extended grid failure across US military installations and implications for civilian readiness.
5 Rules for Staying Alive When the Grid Goes Down
Five foundational survival rules for extended grid-down scenarios, with emphasis on how human behavior changes when infrastructure fails.
Should You Live Off-Grid?
26-minute walkthrough of off-grid living considerations: feasibility, costs, infrastructure options, and whether it fits your preparedness goals.
Power Up Anywhere: Car, Cooler, and Device Charging
34-second demo of charging a portable cooler and devices from an EcoFlow battery unit in a vehicle.
Does Battery Voltage Really Matter? 12V vs 24V vs 48V Solar
Fifteen-minute technical comparison of battery system voltages for solar installations: amperage, wire sizing, safety, and when to use each voltage for RVs, mid-size, and whole-home systems.
How Long Does Propane Actually Last? The Real Numbers
Propane consumption math for common appliances and tank sizes: cooking, heating, generators, and the BTU calculations for long-term household energy planning.
Running Out of Time to Do This
Canadian Prepper documents seasonal preparations before winter and supply chain disruptions, focusing on diesel availability and logistics.
Blacktober: Prepare For Total Grid Lockdown
Preparation strategies and considerations for extended power grid failure scenarios.
These Solar Panels Are HUGE
Overview of large-capacity 590W solar panels, mounting options, and budget microinverter considerations for DIY systems.
US Diplomats Exit Middle East; Trump Hints Iran Strikes; Russia Urges Restraint
Analysis of escalating US-Iran tensions, Israeli military coordination, and potential strike timing ahead of midterms.
Why You Don't Need Expensive Gear to Survive a Winter Blackout
Low-cost strategies for staying warm during winter power outages in cold climates: shelter setup, body-heat conservation, and small heating devices without a generator.
How to Run a Generator for 2 Weeks on 15 Gallons of Gas
Eighteen minutes on pairing a portable power station with intermittent generator charging to cut fuel consumption by 75% during a two-week blackout.
White House Declares Fuel Essential to National Defense
Analysis of the Defense Production Act invocation and $150M DOE investment in domestic refining capacity, and what it signals about US fuel production and energy security.
Solar System Mistakes & Lessons Learned: Real Customer Experience
Real-world mistakes and troubleshooting lessons from solar system owners, covering practical pitfalls in off-grid and backup power setup.
The Wattcycle Problem Isn't What I Thought
Will Prowse tests and evaluates lithium battery performance, uncovering unexpected issues with a popular Wattcycle model.
Expanding a 48V Off-Grid Solar Power System: Adding a Battery Shed
Dave walks through installing a standalone shed to house additional DC batteries, expanding his 48V solar microgrid system with practical cabling and layout details.
MakeSkyBlue Solar Charge Controller Display Backlight Mod
Two-minute walkthrough of a simple resistor mod to fix dim-display issues on newer MakeSkyBlue charge controllers, with notes on SMD vs. bodge-wire approaches.
48V DC Solar Power in a Minivan: Testing Eco-Worthy Cubix LiFePO4 Battery for Off-Grid Mobile Systems
Hands-on exploration of adapting a 48-volt DC solar system into a minivan for off-grid camping and backup mobility, including battery mounting and DC bus design concepts.
A Supersized Tiny House: Design, Solar, and Smart Home Technology for Family Living
Tour of a thoughtfully designed German tiny house for four, featuring solar installation, smart home systems, multifunctional storage, and architectural strategies for comfortable downsized living.
Reviving Batteries When the BMS Stops Charging: Cell Balancing and Recharge Techniques
27-minute walkthrough on diagnosing and fixing tool and small batteries rejected by their BMS, using cell-voltage checks and active balancer installation.
9 Ways to Cook Food During a Blackout Without Visible Signals
Nine cooking methods for blackouts that minimize smell, smoke, and light—including commercial cookers, solar ovens, chemical heaters, and pre-cooked strategies.
AC Wire Colors: How to Identify Hot, Neutral, and Ground Wires
53-second guide to identifying AC wire colors and their functions—essential safety knowledge for anyone building or troubleshooting camper, RV, boat, or cabin electrical systems.
Double Cooler Power: Beach Charging & Extended Runtime
How to double your portable cooler's runtime by pairing two units, plus charging options via 12V DC and car power.
What We Do With Sawdust After Cutting 15 Cords of Firewood
Eight minutes on processing and reusing sawdust from firewood preparation, including storage rotation and multi-year usage strategy for an off-grid mountain homestead.
Is this 55 gallons of 6-year-old gas still good?
Testing stored gasoline for usability: checking color, smell, consistency, and fuel stabilizer effectiveness before running it through a generator.
Solar Panels Turn Sunlight Into Electricity to Charge Your Batteries: Why Panel Size Matters
Fifty-three-second explainer on how solar panel size affects battery charging in off-grid and mobile electrical systems.
Server Rack vs Wall Mount Batteries — Which to Buy for DIY Solar
Comparison of battery storage form factors for off-grid solar systems: space, expansion, cabling, and inverter bottleneck considerations for DIY builds.
What I Do First in a Power Outage (And What Can Wait)
Step-by-step walkthrough of power outage response priorities, from immediate actions to long-term prep, including homemade kits, communications, backup power gear, and home electrical infrastructure.
The Best Way to Store Fuel?
Comparison of 5-gallon cans versus 55-gallon drums for fuel storage, including inspection techniques for used containers and fuel transfer pump setup.
Turn Your Tesla Into 80 Kilowatt Hours of Backup Power | Roam Energy Power Bridge Pro Review
How the Roam Energy Power Bridge Pro lets you tap your Tesla's battery for home backup power, job-site work, or camping—converting an 80 kWh EV battery into usable emergency capacity.
Server Rack Batteries for Home Backup Power: LiFePO4 Setup with EG4 Inverter
Step-by-step guide to selecting, comparing, and connecting LiFePO4 server rack batteries to an inverter for DIY home backup or off-grid solar systems.
Saudi Oil Not More Precious Than Yemeni Blood
Analysis of Saudi Arabia's geopolitical leverage, regional conflict, and implications for global energy markets and US policy.
Iran's Next Strike May Not Explode. It Could Shut You Down
Analysis of Iranian asymmetric warfare tactics targeting infrastructure and grid resilience.
MakeSkyBlue MPPT 60A V124 Solar Charge Controller Review
Eight-minute walkthrough of the MakeSkyBlue 60A MPPT charge controller: physical specs, wiring, configuration, monitoring via mobile app, and real-world off-grid installation.
WattCycle Lost 6% Capacity in 10 Cycles: Budget LFP Cycle Test
Real-world degradation testing of a budget LFP battery system over repeated charge cycles.
If I Had to Start Off Grid Again, Here's How I'd Do It
Eleven-minute retrospective on building a sustainable off-grid homestead from scratch in the Arizona high desert, covering land research, shelter, water, food, power, and income systems.
Will This Childhood Four-Wheeler Run on 6-Year-Old Gas?
Testing whether aged gasoline remains usable in small engines, and how to safely evaluate stored fuel before putting it in critical equipment like generators.
Trump Wants Russian Oil. Washington Wants War
Mearsheimer analyzes competing US geopolitical interests in energy access and military posture toward Russia.
Heating My Greenhouse for Free All Winter: DIY Wood-Burning Stove Install
Step-by-step installation of a wood-burning stove in a greenhouse to provide free winter heat for year-round food production.
I Used 6 Year Old Gasoline and This Happened
Testing whether six-year-old stored gasoline can still power a generator after treatment with fuel stabilizer; practical for long-term fuel storage strategies.
Dyness 48V LiFePO4 Battery Review — Is This Battery Worth Buying?
Real-world testing and evaluation of a 48V LiFePO4 battery for DIY solar and off-grid systems, covering capacity, discharge capability, weather resistance, monitoring, inverter compatibility, and cold-weather limitations.