Solar Panel Alignment Tool

Those of you who came out to see us at the preparedness expo last week may have seen this.

Many know that solar panels are highly sustainable and completely renewable.

Being able to harness power from the sun, especially in emergencies is an excellent alternative power source. Those who do use solar panels should always aim to get the most energy they possibly can.

You can buy solar alignment tools that use shadows but I thought I could make one for free.
My first design worked perfect with no problems. It is a simple concept really. The suns rays are hitting the earth fairly straight. If the sun was exactly over a persons head your shadow would be around your feet. The more angle of the sun the longer your shadow is.

 I use this tool on my solar panels all the time. Once you align it perfect with the sun your voltage increases. The more it is out of alignment the more your voltage decreases. I connect my solar panels to batteries and then I have my inverter connected to the batteries so I can convert DC power to AC power.

The idea behind this is to find the best angle for the sun to hit the panel. You may be asking when to use this. . . the answer is simple, you choose. Generally, the more precise the angle, the more energy. Oftentimes, people set the panel’s angle at noontime, then move it a couple weeks later as the sun moves.

How to:

• Find an old clipboard or a thin piece of plywood, drill a ¼ in hole in the center

• Put 1/4x3in bolt through hole and secure with washers and nuts

• On the backside put ¾ in boards on two edges

To use:

• Lay flat on the face of your solar panel
• Move the panel until the shadow of the large washer is directly underneath it (as shown), this is the perfect angle at that precise time! (NOTE: The first photo shown is out of alignment)

Preparedness Expo

Thanks to all those who came out to see us last Saturday!

Please check our website often as we will be adding new things all the time!

Please leave us a comment if you have questions about anything!

We are all about getting prepared for emergencies, Redneck style!

Do-it-Yourself Fire Starters

One of the many problems people might have in a natural disaster emergency situation is how to cook or provide heat. This idea for this first came from my friends son who helps at the preparedness fairs. It is an easy way to make fire starters using items everyone probably has in their home. These light easily and burn really well.

Items Needed:

- Lint from your dryer

- Used cardboard egg carton

- Small rope or twine

- Wax (I used the leftover wax from my wax 

   warmer. I just dump it into a jar after the smell

   is used up.)

The first step is to cut off one section of your egg carton.
Then stuff it with lint and tie your rope or twine around it.

Next you need to heat up your wax. I did this by placing my jar of used wax in a pan of hot water.
The wax helps hold everything together and also provides more fuel for a longer burn.

Once the wax is melted just dip your egg carton section in the wax (you may need to push it down with a fork so the entire thing gets covered in wax. Then set it on a piece of tin foil to dry. One its dry you can cut the rope/twine to make a small wick.

And there you go.

Just light the wick (string) and it will burn for approximately 15 minutes.
Quick, easy, cheap, and best of all, it works!!

Losing Everything List

Imagine you are traveling out of town and a major disaster happens. You need to get home by foot or car and don't have many resources. Keep this list in your suitcase when you travel so you will know, if disasters arise, the items you need to find to help you get home.

Losing Everything List: 

- Road Atlas
- Compass

- Pot with lid

- Large spoon

- Bleach-4 drops per quart of water (let sit for 30 min)

- Food

- Water and water container

- Tarp

- Garbage bags

- Blanket/sleeping bag etc.

- Backpack or bag

- A change of clothes, coat, good shoes

- Towel

- Knife

- Matches/lighter

- Flashlight and extra batteries

- Cell phone and charger

- Toilet paper

- Hand sanitizer

- Medicines/first-aid items

- Wallet/Money/Barter Items (cigarettes, alcohol)

- Hand tools (crescent wrench, screwdriver, pry bar etc.)

- Small rope at least 200 feet

- Sunglasses

- Swimming googles and a painters respirator (for dust and smoke protection) 

- Hose, Funnel, Gas can, Philips screwdriver (Sharpen Philips screwdriver to a point. When
  you find abandon vehicles pound a hole with pointed screwdriver into gas tank and capture
  gas with funnel, hose, and gas can. This might be your only way to get fuel.)

- Well Pipe no bigger than 1 1/2 inch outside diameter (You can take a copper or steel pipe
  about 2 feet long (plastic pipe is too light to sink itself without adding weight) and plug one
  end, tie a rope on the other end, take well cap off and lower it down into the well until you
  submerge it in water, then pull it back out to fill your jug. There are about 16 million wells in
  USA.)