3-Month Test: Grid-Down Backup Power System Success or Failure?

[@TheProvidentPrepper]

I love Grid Down Redoubt! Learn more at griddown.com/provident. Feel free to contact customer service Monday through Friday (08:00 - 17:00 CST) at 316-368-3370. Provident Prepper viewers get 7% off at griddown.com/provident. **EMP Shields can be purchased separately and installed on your home, vehicles, and communication equipment. Check them out at empshield.com/provident and use the promo code PROVIDENT to get $50 off each device you order. 30-Day Grid-Down Cooking Challenge: Lessons Learned and Fuel Usage theprovidentprepper.org/30-day-grid-down-cooking-challenge-lessons-learned-and-fuel-usage/ 7 Livesaving Tips to Help You Survive a Summer Power Outage theprovidentprepper.org/7-lifesaving-tips-to-help-you-survive-a-summer-power-outage/ 6 Livesaving Tips to Keep Warm During a Winter Power Outage theprovidentprepper.org/6-lifesaving-tips-to-keep-warm-during-a-winter-power-outage/ Thanks for being part of the solution!

[@philw7174]

Glad to hear that you are very happy with your Grid Down Redoubt system. After I move, I hope to get it. Thank you Jonathan and Kylene for this follow up video. Happy trails!

[@TheProvidentPrepper]

Where are you moving? We still need to visit!!!

[@JonathanBJones]

Good to hear from you. Keep doing great things and stay connected! You are part of the solution!!

[@aaronblake1533]

Nice system, Jonathan! I put in my hybrid 11 kW solar, 11 kWh batteries, EMP-protected system in three years ago and have produced 60 MWh of power. We shut off grid power once in a while just to practice. I installed a soft start on my A/C to make it easier on the inverters. I recently got a used Chevy Volt as my daily commuter using my solar power to offset the fuel costs. It's nice to have that as a backup if the grid goes down. Good luck with your system! I'd like to hear how it performed over the winter next spring.

[@JonathanBJones]

Hey Aaron...thanks for your comments. Really liking the system and hope to follow your path and get an electric car or truck to further enhance our efforts. Thanks for being part of the solution!

[@karinhart489]

Cool! Glad it’s working out for you, love the data and the not noticing when your ‘hood or city is having a power outage! That won’t work for us in a condo/Apt for a zillion reasons, but we are doing what we can where we are with what we have. We’ve upgraded our rechargeable lights & fans, some power stations, and about to upgrade the solar panel with grommets in the corner to hang off our 4th floor window ledge.

[@JonathanBJones]

I love it Karin...that is what we do...we take our situation and make it the best it can be...you are awesome...keep it going!!

[@Idahoprepper71]

I get 100% credit for what I sell back. I made 92% of my own power I used last year and that includes my wife electric car.

[@TheProvidentPrepper]

Do they wipe out your credits every April? An electric car sounds like a great idea. I have an electric trike but that's just to get around the neighborhood. I'm jealous :)

[@JonathanBJones]

I'm envious...I keep hoping things will change for the better on our end, but I am not overly optimistic. What is your utility...I would love to explore their philosophy. You are doing great things...thanks for sharing!

[@tooshieg2059]

My power company will allow solar panels and will buy my unused power but they don't allow me to store it so during a grid down, I still would not have power. Unfortunately, this reduces my utilization. Johnathan, I spray isopropyl alcohol on my car windshield to keep snow and ice from forming/sticking. Would you be able to do that to solar panels to reduce accumulation on the panel?

[@JonathanBJones]

Sounds like your only option is to create your own storage system that can use grid power (when available) and separate solar when the grid is down. I will check on using the alcohol on the panels...not explored that before, but an interesting idea. Thanks for sharing!

[@trish237]

You did a grid down challenge a while back and I accepted your challenge. We found some interesting issues that came up and we have modified our home and preps to account for them. I am now wondering, is it possible for you to have large battery banks to plug in and use up your extra credits before the electric company wipes them out each year? If so, you could be banking your extra credits for a possible "portable" option. Maybe?

[@JonathanBJones]

Glad you did the challenge...we always learn good stuff when we put things to the test! My ultimate goal is to minimize the times we use grid power (but I am thankful my utility is there as my servant), and to get to an EV to also minimize my credits...to find a balance. I like your thinking...that's what preppers do. Keep moving forward!!

[@lyndabuchholz1216]

I am on a solar system and I monitor it constantly. I would like to know how they can prove that it is EMP proof. When I research EMP's I don't see how a system can be protected. A warranty won't do much if we have an EMP and it fails.

[@JonathanBJones]

Great questions...EMP Shield does have certifications that it meets military standards for protection. I had the same concerns for several years...I could not see how this protection could work. Then I visited with my electrician friend and he demonstrated that they use these kinds of devices on all kinds of systems (he deals with large mine equipment that they need to protect from lightning and other potential surges. These devices need to sense any rapid surge and shunt it to ground to prevent damaging equipment. The critical components are ability to sense that surge and the capacity to divert it to ground. EMP needs a faster response time than lightning, but they have met that standard. And, you are correct, a warranty does nothing to mitigate the effect of losing important equipment. The reality is that EMP Shield does warranty their devices against lightning, but not against EMP, but only because no insurance company will write such a policy for them since there has not been any events that can build their experience on. Thanks for being part of the solution!

[@lyndabuchholz1216]

@@JonathanBJones Thanks for the explanation. I wondered about a lot of that. And I guess we won't know unless an EMP happens which seems to be more likely over time.

[@pamelajohnson6220]

I have had solar for 9 years and have never had any to give to power company on Mar. 31 so everything produced by the system is credited to my monthly bill each month.

[@JonathanBJones]

I get a bit frustrated with our arrangement, but I am glad to be able to meet our needs in a crisis. I will be interested to see how the next few months play out. Thanks for being awesome!

[@TexasScout]

I am on an electric co-op here in Texas, I paid 14.7 cents per kilowatt hour. The company will buy back any electricity I generate but only at 4.2 cents which is their cost. So it’s not economically viable for me. I have a sense energy monitor on my house and I have seen it as high as 17,800 W at a given time. That’s with the air conditioner on both elements in the water heater the water well going and maybe a few other odds and ends. It would be expensive to get a system that would do that for me.

[@markredder479]

Do you have EMP protected appliances, lights, radios, etc? Or copies of these items in EMP protected storage?

[@JonathanBJones]

Not aware of many EMP protected appliances and such, but do have some in protected storage, and I'm building more Faraday containers to store more. Items plugged in to our system should be protected, but not everything is plugged in so we try to tuck some away. Always lots to do...thanks for your comments!

[@butchgreene]

Did you finance the purchase or just dip into your life savings? What’s the actual Cost breakdown including installation by a professional versus the money you saved on your power bill?

[@TheProvidentPrepper]

We worked out a deal with Grid Down and dipped into our savings. We never recommend going into debt to buy anything that isn't absolutely necessary.

[@tacsquirrel]

I found this video energizing.

[@TheProvidentPrepper]

lol!

[@JonathanBJones]

Awesome...1.21 gigawatts worth? Thanks for the humor...more power to You!

[@davidroques9187]

Does having the the solar kicking in at 50% affect the number of charge cycles of the batteries? That's the question. I understand the "gas tank" mentality because that's me!

[@JonathanBJones]

Great question...yes, I will slightly increase the number of cycles, but that is mostly driven day and night. The benefit as I see it, is that my cycles will not be as deep. My experience is that the depth of discharge is a larger factor in battery life...not as much for LFP, but still a factor. Lion Energy encouraged me to keep the lower limit at 30%, but they aren't preppers and don't understand my way of operating. It is important that I have that extra capacity available to me. It does mean that I use a bit more grid energy, but I fill faster and get more credits (even though I am frustrated at the rate they give me)...that is a conscious decision I weighed out and made. Thanks again for the question...thanks for being part of the solution!