Refrigeration In a Power Outage - Emergency Grid Down Food

[@sellC1964]

My 2 cents: Eliminate mini-fridge. Purchase a slightly larger chest freezer. Place a couple of 1 gallon water jugs into freezer. When they are frozen, move them to a yeti (or similar) high quality cooler for refrigerator type items (and meds). Rotate another couple of gallon water jugs into the freezer perhaps once or twice per day. If the freezer is taking advantage of solar, then put jugs into the freezer in the morning. Also, if you have a basement, keep the freezer and cooler in the basement to gain a bit of additional efficiency where it's cooler.

[@anonymous175]

100%

[@thomasdipaolo2349]

Good idea

[@hertechprep]

I like it!

[@pstoneking3418]

I just purchased an mid average Frigidaire refrigerator/ freezer and it's efficiency is fantastic. It will run off a 300 watt inverter. When the defrost timer overloads the inverter during defrost cycle just rotate the timer to bypass the defrost cycle then reset your inverter.

[@baneverything5580]

Two wireless thermometers low and high up in the freezer along with a tiny battery powered fan can turn the freezer into a much larger fridge if you adjust the thermostat right.

[@rhylin26]

After the recent outages in Texas, this video came at the right time.

[@TheBugOutLocation]

Thanks! It's helped us out multiple times

[@thomasdipaolo2349]

Good video. We us a goal zero portable power station with a 1000 watt inverter, 100ah seal lead acid battery amd.mppt charge controller inside. We link a 2nd 100ah lead acid battery to it. Our 25 cu ft side by side frig/frzr uses 1.7 kw per day. We currently charge our set up w a 100 watt foldable solar panel. We plan to buy 1-2 more of these solar panel to keep the batteries fully charged while in use. So we agree with what you presented in your video :)

[@baneverything5580]

Get a 300ah 12v LiFeP04 battery, 20 or 40 amp LiFeP04 charger, and 2000w inverter. Be sure the battery is the 200 amp version. Later you can rig it up to solar.

[@200Nora]

In Texas, I survived 7 days without power. This time, I was prepared with some solar and efficient lights and devices. However, I also survived a month without power during Ike several years ago without any power, barely no water and red cross food. For me, this time, was more of a luxury with solar and gas to cook. I do not like gasoline generators.

[@jammerwv]

Thanks for the tip on mounting the inverter on a board. We have the same setup with the freezer and mini fridge to migrate the more critical foods over to keep at a steady temperature. Great minds think alike. 😂

[@TheBugOutLocation]

I didn't really explain that much, but it's obvious why...I think haha

[@patp3800]

Another option is to take the veggies that you can such as green onions and celery in jars of water so they stay fresh without refrigeration because they are growing and reproducing

[@ferebeefamily]

Thank you for the video.

[@nancyschipon7919]

Some power supplies have inverters - like EcoFlow. Thank you for the reminder about a mini fridge/freezer - like the combo models. Do the smaller power supplies need to have an inverter if you plug in a radio or computer? Can you do a review on small portal washers?

[@NoMoreTears64]

Problem is my current apartment lease as well as others I have had, state "no refrigerator or freezer that has not been already provided by the apartment ". Really tough to get around this. I'm assuming the reason for this is in case they leak, they don't damage carpets or flooring .

[@margaretnation7464]

Learn to live without refrigeration. Many people around the world do an its one less thing.

[@egenestarr1986]

I hope everyone knows the order is: water, food, shelter - because without water you die before you eat !

[@phlatulance]

Order is shelter water food. Lots of situations you’ll die from exposure before you get thirsty or hungry.

[@egenestarr1986]

@@phlatulance annndddd that is all commensurate with hydration and calorie energy , it is the base foundation of life.... but yea sure you can die of exposure heat and cold, i been in it -35 to 140 heat index... allllll dependent on food and water levels in body , if your full tank you can bear it .... thirst will only take a few days depending on activity level

[@OfftoShambala]

@@phlatulanceI’d say shelter water food order as well … but they’re all so close

[@frankpettinato2324]

3days no H20=☠️

[@spaceinvader68]

Brass,copper,lead 🕳

[@AmandaGatesHome]

I love that you show options that don’t require solar. I live on the third floor in a tiny apartment with no outdoor space. I’ve been trying to figure out what I’d do if the power was out for a week. I can’t have a gas generator and solar isn’t an option but I’d love it if you could do this video and dumb it down a bit. I don’t know what an inverter is and the watts and usage is confusing to understand. Ac vs dc? And it looks like you’re using cables on the car with some type of an outlet plug thing? I was never taught any of this and I’m trying to watch videos and learn but a lot of this language is foreign to me making me more confused. I need a power outage for dummies who live in an apartment please!

[@TheBugOutLocation]

Thanks, and yeah, it can get confusing. Have a look at this video I did in the past. kzbin.info/www/bejne/fp7UeWmKfLqjrbMsi=3qc7C-Xmw-MBVymS

[@AmandaGatesHome]

@@TheBugOutLocation thank you I'll watch this today!

[@julegate]

@@TheBugOutLocation Thank you.

[@able880]

You might try finding a church your comfortable with were you can meet others women who might have husband's that are knowledgeable in these areas - for the most part this generation grew up living off he grid - Very few understand anything about living off grid today - Up till WW2 50% lived in the rural U.S. today it's about 13% - most that live in the country know very little about electricity - they also have power sent to them from the grid - Up till WW2 most had there own light plant that charged battery's that supplied a house in country the electricity they used - Today just like city people the power comes from the grid out in the in rural areas - so even country people know very little about making there own power for a home -

[@LDTJ7]

I’m feeling so lost myself. I wish I knew more women that live in my area to help each other.

[@rocketsurgery8337]

You're half right. Your use of a small chest is spot on, you're use of a small dorm refrigerator is wrong. Buy a second small chest freezer and hook up a Inkbird ITC308 Freezer Thermostat sold on Amazon $36. A small refrigerator loses most of it's cold air when opened, a chest unit doesn't. Convert a chest freezer to a refrigerator takes less energy.

[@gregory4154]

You're dead on. And, the chest needs to already be plugged in and cold.

[@texasprepperprojects]

This is the way!

[@whtrabbit3852]

Dried (fruits/vegies)food, grains, rice, beans much more reliable than cold refrigeration. 75% of world have refrigerator. 86% have a cell phone?

[@johnfrederick6213]

A great idea and workaround. One thing to consider.... A chest freezer only needs to run 4 to 6 hours a day to maintain frozen items as long as it isn't opened during the off intervals. Raising the temp in a chest freezer for refrigeration usage in a bind? You'll have to keep it running 24/7. For me? If forced to make a choice? I'll keep my freezers going and dump the regrigerators to save energy resources. I already shut down 1 frige and 1 freezer to relegate as backups in case a primary goes on the fritz. Trust me, that happens! And it always seems to happen at the worst possible times, and when you least need or expect it. Lol Have backups for BOTH! They don't make appliances like they used to... Remember, 2 is 1 and 1 is none! You need backups!

[@MrKelly-oc5kq]

In my hay dayz I picked up a broken free chest freezer, pulled the racks out and had one big hole, I bought a keg of beer placed it inside the freezer with a 100 pounds of ice, I took a hole saw and drilled a 2inch hole in the side up high, then run the tap out the side and put a small table under the tap to fill your cups, I cut a big 4inch hole in the top or door if you will and put a fat Styrofoam plug in it so I could periodically take out and pump the keg, I had a 2 day party and had cold beer the whole time, just saying for party goers, lol.😅

[@Tactical-hg7ov]

With a chest freezer you don't have to leave it plugged in you can let it charge for three or four hours and leave it unplugged for 8 hours stretch out how much power you're using out of your solar generators. You'll thank me later

[@arturoalcantar2669]

MAYBE 2 CHEST FREEZERS? A THERMOSTAT ON ONE TO USE IT AS A FRIDGE BUT WITH MORE CUBIC SPACE THEN A MINIFRIDGE.

[@RenaissanceThinking]

That's what we did in the Yucatan jungle 20years.

[@davidyummus6259]

I installed a $30 Generator Inlet to the outside wall of my Kitchen then ran 1 foot of Wire thru the wall to a 20 amp double outlet inside the kitchen to make a dedicated Generator Outlet (NOT connected to house wiring) so my 2300/1800 watt quiet Inverter Generator can run Fridge, Chest Freezer, Internet, TV & Pellet Stove all at once,... Not a "whole house" set up but all the important stuff will run & this was pretty cheap to do & pretty cheap to run :)

[@MomWriteExplore]

Also might be a little more stealth if stuff gets ugly.

[@trbolive]

What is the generator brand...?

[@sethland]

Maybe time to add Texas and Florida to the list of places where you’d expect multiple day outages due to natural disaster

[@margaretlouiseable]

All the red states basically. Hmmm

[@skynebula11]

Also add...anywhere along the gulf coast and Atlantic coast...remember New Orleans Katrina?

[@nancyheier7920]

Add Kansas for our tornadoes.

[@alpensler5844]

I’ve had the same setup for years! I live in Miami and experienced Andrew, Katrina, Wilma and Irma. I currently own two sportsman generators and have four lifepo4 batteries. My chest freezer (36 wh) and 3.2 fridge (41 wh) can run for weeks on my setup. I can cook on my instapot and induction hot plate and keep my 5000 btu air conditioner going in the worst heat. Planning is the key!!!

[@TheBugOutLocation]

Nice! I need to test different foods and energy usage in my instapot. With its short cook times, it seems like a good option.

[@texasprepperprojects]

Why not use a butane or propane stove and save the power?

[@alpensler5844]

@@texasprepperprojects I have propane also! You cannot use propane in the house! Also, after a major storm, you can have thousands of gallons/ ccf of gas in the ground but you may not be able to get a gallon out without power. Additionally you are going to stand in line with hundreds trying to do the same thing. Once that supply is gone who knows when that will be replaced. I’ve seen videos where people had a 300 gallon tank of propane and a Generac generator use it up in 48 hours. (Something about a tank only allows a percentage used due to pressure requirements)

[@texasprepperprojects]

@@alpensler5844 my point is, that instead of using a battery or generator to make electricity to make heat, just skip the middle step and heat directly. I have a dual fuel butane/propane stove and a propane heater. It's all silent and more efficient!

[@marcushennings9513]

As a former Floridaian, first, I suggest not stocking up as much on meats and perishables when hurricane season approaches, that will solve most of the loss. They don't exactly sneak up on us like tornadoes, so I'd have coolers for what remains and buy plenty of ice when it's headed your way.

[@pstoneking3418]

The most important thing to remember about refrigerators and freezers if you want to save energy, is to limit the number of times you open the doors and reduce the amount of time they are open.

[@CarlAyers-x8h]

Couldn't agree more. I lived like you described for 20 years. Travel trailer inside of pole bar. 1,400$ Invested. Age 67.1Cav Retired veteran.

[@hinessite896]

I actually ran a mini fridge for 48 hrs non stop with a 12v 100 ah lifepo4 battery. I assumed after 48 hrs that the battery was low. I put it on the charger and it showed a 60% charge. Impressive to me .

[@pstoneking3418]

I run one of my standard size refrigerator freezer plus a compact refrigerator off of my Ecoflow Delta pro leaving 30% charge in the morning at which time my solar charges it back to 100%. I use a feature called reserve energy so when it drops below 15% it also charges from AC.

[@baneverything5580]

A 100ah 12v battery, conservatively, can power one three days in hot weather. In cooler weather more.

[@baneverything5580]

Get a simple plug-in watt meter

[@hinessite896]

@@baneverything5580 I recently purchased one . Thanks

[@nancyschipon7919]

What type of battery was it - model etc.? Thanks!

[@nestorbarreto235]

Good info, after huricane Maria we spent 45 days without power and interrupted afterwards. Bought an Iceco 45 and with a 12V battery and solar panels we can run it for 24 hrs. Lessons learned after the storm.

[@Lovey9999]

Water, food, sleep. Without sleep you become psychotic

[@elizabethharalson7903]

During the pandemic I was going 56 hours without sleep from stress and anxiety. I quit my job when hallucinating while driving.( I got my job back when vacs became available)

[@resheaparker2725]

Yea but it's more like water, sleep, food, then shelter

[@GeckoHiker]

As a Florida hurricane survivor in the days before air conditioning I remember these power outage tips well. 1. Keep a small cup with one or two ice cubes in the freezer. If they have melted you know your food is compromised. 2. Eat from the refrigerator first. Then barbeque from the freezer. 3. If you can't eat it all keep your cooked food cool by placing in watertight containers in a creek or other water body. Keep your body there to cool off, too! 4. Rely more on shelf stable one-ingredient foods and less on the freezer for preps. I grew up in a prepper family. We did not need to run to the store before a hurricane. We focused on sustainable prepping, like it's 1776. Generators and appliances will give out eventually. So now we have an earth sheltered home, a large cellar, solar panels, and a wood powered generator in the Ozarks. We got tired of power outages and mobbed grocery stores.

[@nadogrl]

Great advice, but a better #1 that I’ve used for years is to freeze water in a small container, then put a coin on top. If you find the coin at the bottom of the container, you’ll know that the ice has melted, and food may be compromised, even if the water has refrozen.

[@GeckoHiker]

@@nadogrl The ice cubes work the same way. If they melt and refreeze you won't have ice cubes anymore.

[@nadogrl]

@@GeckoHiker - True, but one or two cubes melting might not necessarily mean that the food is spoiled.

[@griddownpowerup]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts! You brought up some great points. If you’re interested in this topic, we encourage you to check out our award-winning documentary called 'GDPU,' narrated by Dennis Quaid. It’s free on KZbin, and it goes into a lot of detail on these issues. Plus, they’ve got a website where you can take action by contacting legislators and public utilities. Please help us spread the word.

[@onlyreallove17]

Bless you I'm in Missouri

[@r.f.pennington746]

For anyone wondering about small appliances: Our cabin is off-grid, solar only. Purchased a HiSense 4.4 cuft refrig/freezer (aka large sized 'dorm fridge'). Amazing how far Energy Star guidelines have come. This refrigerator is off when we're not there since I always take our 2kw Anker home with me. When we return, everything is ambient temperature and it takes only two hours before the refrig goes from say, 60-80 degrees till it starts making ice. Uses about 55watts (less than ¾ amp) when it is cycling on. Hardly notice any additional battery drain on the solar generator.

[@griddownpowerup]

Great point! Because of this risk (or vulnerability), everyone should really watch the award-winning documentary, GDPU Narrated by Dennis Quaid, which is now available free on KZbin . Additionally, on our website, we provide a mechanism to write emails & make phone calls to your specific legislators, regulators and board members of your public utility to ensure we get action taken to protect our great country. Please help us spread the word.

[@kennapetrea1591]

When storm coming, I make extra ice, put water in milk cartons to freeze. Eat the fresh and frozen stuff first.

[@christyshultz6443]

I nean you could go the route of an old fashioned ice box like you said freeze some types of things and put it down in like a chest or an ice cooler. Cool enough consistently for a while if you have a small freezer running so that you can refreeze those bottles then it will work better and the reason why you wouldn't put your refrigerator with stuff in your freezer it's fairly obvious.

[@christyshultz6443]

Using a soring.. An d yes my moms family did that and her family were farmers and they used a spring to keep their milk their eggs and butter and things like that preserved and in the winter time they just had like a pie safe that they would put outside because it would be freezing all the time they just put a lot of food outside.

[@TeutonicNordwind]

I like how you think!

[@kathysyphrit5713]

In Florida I keep milk jugs of water in my freezer. That way if power goes out I move my food into that freezer acts like a cooler.

[@TheBrokenNomad]

A 12vDC fridge would use even less power, just FYI.

[@gaggix7095]

12V DC fridges are expensive, better spent on a bigger battery/panel.

[@ianmcmahon8589]

There are cheap ones now, not just the $800 ones.

[@fookingsog]

Peltier fridges/coolers are absolutely worthless!!!-they only get about 20°F below the external ambient temperature. Always get a true compressor based fridge/cooler such as the BougeRV brand.

[@kiowablue2862]

Maybe, maybe not. Depends on the age of the refrigerator. I have both a 12 Volt compressor type refer and a late model (~1 year old) mains powered fridge. The 12 Volt box uses 10 Amps of current. That's 120 Watts. The mains powered box draws 88 Watts when its running. (verified with a kill-a-watt type of energy meter) And, as at least one other commenter pointed out, the 12 Volt compressor type is _expensive._ A 10 cu ft box costs ~1500 bucks.

[@1truthseeking8]

​@@fookingsog what about Dometic brand?

[@unitedstatesirie7431]

I strongly recommend buying frozen dry ice (C°2) packs and keep many of these in your deep feezer. ❄These are much colder than water ice. If the electrical power gets shut off, the dry ice packs will keep your feezer cold for more than 4 days. I also recommend putting a dry ice pack in a good quality mylar bag with meats inside and keep these in the deep freezer also. This keeps the meats frozen for a much longer amount of time !

[@fookingsog]

You can't drink dry ice!!! Use frozen 2-Liter bottles filled with water instead!!! Drink/Re-freeze as needed!!!

[@skLuke638]

What type would you suggest for freezers or refrigerators?

[@suesuepix.]

When my refrigerator/freezer died, I tried to find a place to get dry ice. I couldn’t find any place…looking online was useless, as it recommended trying grocery stores. I didn’t find any.

[@annking1576]

@unitedstatesirie7431. Anyone care to discuss safety issues of using dry ice??? Golfer, Payne Stewart, in a plane that eventually crashed when it ran out of fuel as they had dry ice on the plane & it depletes oxygen & they all died before plane crashed.

[@unitedstatesirie7431]

@@annking1576 yes, dry ice can be dangerous

[@JR-xw5dk]

The more room around the freezer so it can cool better and a blanket on top the reduce heat transfer will reduce power usage.

[@200Nora]

After Beryl, I went to 7 days without power. My fridge run almost every day, except one that rained all day, but it did not defrosted because it was kept closed most of the time. Next day the sun came out and the Bluetti 3k refilled. I got 1k of solar panels, I also have two smaller units to run lights, and 12V fans and devices. Just in case, I also have a 12v fridge, but I did not needed this time. I keep water and other emergency items just in case. Good advice given!

[@TranceDivine]

What about a table top ice maker? To keep the freezer chest cold? Keep adding ice like a cooler? The small appliance would use less power than keeping the chest freezer running on a generator?

[@tamjeanell]

Just bought an Aglucky...

[@Marysfaithwalk]

We did buy a small fridge from Walmart and a separate solar battery to run it. To keep my daughters insulin cold. We also bought food specific for her. We are trying our best and have to rest on that. Learning along the way

[@oskosh50]

Hi, I came across this video and am glad I did. You provided some great info . I have several 12 volt fridge / freezer cooler combo’s. They pull about 45 watts when the compressor kicks on. I use solar generators to power them for the most part. Then I hook up a lifepo4 battery to the solar generator to extend the run time. Again, great video. Have a good one.

[@TheBugOutLocation]

I appreciate it, thanks.

[@johnd4348]

I am looking a purchasing a Lifepo4 and solar panels. 200 watt. What is your experience with it and how long will the batteries last on the Lifepo is not used.

[@rays9033]

Great intro for basic yet completely usable solar power setup. The video was really done well!

[@Wayne-f5y]

I've done the same thing you did except on a bigger scale. I run 2 deep freezers and an ac unit in my shed, which is well insulated. It's nice to see other people with off grid type setups. It's a good thing

[@pstoneking3418]

I try to keep my ford lightning charged to 90% most of tge time and normal charging comes from my 13 kw solar system. That gives me about 118,000 watts of power so using my on board 7200W generator I can run pretty much everything in my home including my deep well pump. My average daily kwh useage is about 11-12 kwh/day so that's approximately 10 days of which I'm sure to get enough solar energy to replenish my trucks energy.

[@markmeehan9908]

Sounds expensive

[@Utah_Mike]

I plan on the cheat freezer and a quality ice chest. Power the chest freezer and rotate ice blocks to the cooler.

[@tennesseeterri]

Yes, that's exactly what I would do.

[@zodaguado6655]

If your fridge takes 3k or 4k watts per day, time to buy a new efficient fridge, mine is 28 cubic feet and only takes 1300 watts per day

[@donh4750]

Grid down power: a small car battery bank with 2 inverters, a dual fuel generator, 3 solar (generators), 23KW solar panel array with a way to trick it to run during grid down, and an electric car with a 24KW battery and a 12v 150a battery charger. I can (and have already used) the electric car as a battery bank, charging it during the day and using it to power inverters. I also have a high efficiency tall dorm refrigerator for long term grid down. And a chest freezer. And I've started pressure canning food.

[@scrapperstacker8629]

Great advice I need to step up my emergency power game with solar.

[@gsssprocket]

THIS IS TOOO COMPLICATED FOR BEGINNERS,, NEED SIMPLIFIED. THANKYOU FOR YOUR GOOD INTENTIONS!

[@skynebula11]

freeze several gallons of water in your freezer...that will keep food cold for days...you can drink the water when it does thaw

[@baneverything5580]

A 300ah 12v LiFeP04 battery and 1000w inverter can run a dorm fridge for two weeks.

[@HorseRadish403]

Be careful with gas generator. People were stealing them at night. The last storm i was in. The noise will attract thevies

[@donnalynn6348]

This is too confusing. Glad I do not live where the grid goes out a lot. I have coolers. Would throw ice into it and place essential refrig items like dairy in it and eat it before the ice melts. Also lots of shelf stable foods.

[@TEXAS-SMITH]

Hook the positive side up first folks.

[@able880]

My grandfather started working on generators in about 1900 - I'm a third generation generator mechanic - I did my yrs in the offshore and remote mountain oilfields - I'm not green on power production - were I live at is rural - I've rode out 19 hurricanes and 4 ice storms - The REA power can be knocked out for several months at times - In my case it really doesn't matter wether the grid powers my home or I do - Many look to solar - solar is grate when it low humidity with no clouds in the sky - Were I live in 2022 from February till July every day was overcast - those around me that lived deep in the woods that swore by solar to power a few 1 watt led lights and a small radio were back to burning candles - What he might do with 2 solar panels of power - might take me 16 solar panels to get that same power - Today were I'm at in the south it was 0% chance of rain - but there were clouds off and on and the humidity was high - Solar panels at noon will generate 45 to 50% of there rated out put for up to two hours - humidity defuses the UV light off the sun - the UV light excites the solar panels into generating power - on a 14 HR good day of sun if you get 20% of the rated 14 HR out put you did well down here for that day - but for many days you will only see 1 to 2% output or 0% output - I would say to buy a 100 watt 12 volt flexible Top Solar panel off Amazon - get the connectors and a 12 volt tungsten 50 watt and 100 watt light bulb - set the panel and first hook up a 100 watt bulb - if your in a humid area it'll light dim at noon day - If the 50 watt bulb light bright then your panel is good for 50 watts max - Top 100 watt flexible solar panels on Amazon are about 50 to $60 - It's far cheaper to use grid power these days - Those top flexible panels don't take up any space at all - its better to just get the panels and put them up till needed - I've used flexible panels for about 40 yrs now when needed -

[@leeherbert1525]

Glad to see you showed the .30 calibers. Gonna need those when your steaks go bad.

[@Sherry-t8g]

Hilco water purifier

[@stanalexander3727]

I definitely agree with you since, going through the.Big blackout of 2002 in New York, which I had a portable version that gave the advantage, however, since I know a bit more now, be careful telling people it doesn't matter if you have a true sine wave inverter or not, it does matter, you'd be surprised the components you'll ruin not using one, including refrigeration units, trust me I know!

[@fookingsog]

Ditto on the Pure Sine Wave!!! I even have my networking devices connected to a CyberPower Pure Sine Wave UPS for protection ALL of the time!!!

[@stacky512a]

three 100w panels is a sweet spot for a basic hobbyist solar set-up. Along with that, I have three group 31 deep cell batteries that can power my garage fridge "almost" 24/7. Also have two ecoflow 1100kw solar generators which can be fully charged in less than 2 hours. Finally, i have the same predator 3500 generator as well. Always keep and circulate about 30gallons of gas on hand at all times.

[@sherrihurst3142]

As a single senior female I have no idea what I'm supposed to do... I'm self-sufficient in a lot of areas but this is just gibberish to me...

[@leslieclifton7625]

I'm also with you. I couldn't do 3rd class tech anything in my youth, not much better now. I do have solar w/batteries (HATE OUR POWER CO) expect I could still run most of my kitchen in daylight hours.

[@able880]

This is for those that live in warm to hot regions - Freezers are designed to work well in sheds and garages were it's 120° F - Most home appliances as fridges are designed to run in homes that use AC during summer - There designed to operate in temperatures of 80° or lower - so if the power is out and your not using AC in the house and it's 90° even a small fridges compressor will run 100% of the time - also it will only keep the contents at 50 to 60° when it's hot in a house - A far better option is to get a car fridge - most can be set from minus 4° F to 68° F - also they can run on 12 to 24 volts DC or 120 volt standard house hold power - You can get a small 300 watt pure sign wave inverter to run it several hundred feet from a battery bank - I've used those types of fridges for 50 yrs they work very well - Amazon has 100s of different units most are made by the same company and marketed under different names - a 28 litter fridge is 1 SQ ft - small house fridges as he demonstrated are generally 3 SQ ft - When it hot as it is in the deep South with out AC regular fridges built after 1970 don't work well in the heat - but car fridges do work well in hot areas & are electrically efficient -

[@Flashahol]

Makes a lot of sense I try to focus on low-tech/old tech but reducing also works great for shorter term

[@NurseAcrobat]

I looked into getting a mini fridge a few years ago and realized that a full size fridge used about the same amount of electricity while offering a lot more capacity at 369 vs 329 kwh per year, comparing a $500 18 cubic foot fridge to a 4.4 cubic foot $200 mini fridge. For 4 times the capacity with about the same energy use and no need to move things over to a different fridge while deciding what items to let spoil, the full size fridge made more sense to me. Of course a chest freezer set to a refrigerator temperature would likely use even less power as others mentioned. I started out using a dewalt inverter that powers my fridge and standalone freezer using dewalt batteries for a few hours since I already had plenty of their flexvolt batteries. I have since gotten an inverter generator that plugs into an inlet on my circuit panel to run most everything on either gas or propane relatively quietly though you could start out using extension cords. I have wireless Acurite thermometers in my fridge and freezer so I can monitor the max/min temp without opening the fridge and it alarms if it gets too warm. This can be helpful if not using the generator 24/7 and I'm wanting to alternate between using batteries, having everything off, and then turning the generator back on as things warm up so I can run the fridge again, recharge batteries, and then go back to battery power.

[@griddownpowerup]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts! You brought up some great points. If you’re interested in this topic, we encourage you to check out our award-winning documentary called 'GDPU,' narrated by Dennis Quaid. It’s free on KZbin, and it goes into a lot of detail on these issues. Here’s the link: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z5yoo4Kvf5WoY5o. Plus, they’ve got a website where you can take action by contacting legislators and public utilities.

[@jf5336]

Glad I found this. Just suffered through Hurricane Beryl and had no power for nearly 6 days. Got a gas generator online on day 2 and saved most of our food. We'll implement some of your options for the next time...and there will be a next time.

[@shanem6869]

Weird dig you take at California about blackouts - I've been through one blackout in the 25 years I've been here. Texas would be more appropriate seeing as they've had several during that same time period. Just sayin.

[@ericwitt4586]

I have an iceco vl 60/65 at my off grid cabin it’s a portable fridge/freezer I use my cabins solar system to run it or my solar generator with two 100 watt solar panels I have a propane full sized refrigerator and freezer also it’s just free to use solar lol if it’s a cloudy few days I’ll start the gas generator it’s 4500 watts it powers the whole cabin and charges all of the batteries for night time tv and lights for the grandkids when they’re with me

[@lynw758]

I bought a 56 Quart Euhomy freezer/fridge cooler. It has the option to charge via wall socket, cigarette lighter, or solar panels. I got it to hold all of my burger in tubes from a 1/4 beef purchase. It works on Eco Mode once everything is frozen and can go for a couple of days, maybe 3. Plus, if you don't need the freezer you can set it as a fridge. Bouge and Bodega have separate compartment/doors in some of their coolers like this. The best thing about this is if you have to get out of town you have food for days and it is multi-use, not just stationary. It is a little more money, but worth the piece of mind for me. One last thing: In the event of a hurricane or fire/smoke, etc. you will most likely be able to charge batteries via solar in a couple of days and if you have a back-up battery you have several days to do that or get out of town.

[@jessicaalfonso5005]

Thanks for the brand name recommendation.

[@thehaguefortnite_163]

If you want to use existing appliances this is an excellent solution. I'm using it as well for a long time. Keep preparing people!

[@ElMarinoLoko-yf1pq]

I live in Florida, I've been without power for 2 weeks.

[@lindac446]

Great info on video AND viewer comments. The freezer is most important IMO for health and safety .. in addition to meds needing refrigeration, ice packs & frozen wet washcloths can be lifesaving in summer heat, especially for those who use A/C below 79 F. People can overheat, dehydrate, or even pass out from heat .. having access to ice and cold compresses can be better than food in a grid down in summer situation. PS: I would add ice cubextrays to the list for ease. Also, freeze water in old 16/20 oz soda bottles, or 32 oz creamer bottles to use in a cooler .. any cooler. Intersperse these smaller frozen bottles between foods in cooler, rather than a space hog gallon jug. COOLER TIP .. use ANY FAVRIC to fill air gap in top of cooler .. we use bath towels or kitchen dish towels, as needed, then close lid ... AND ENCLOSE cooler in a blanket, thick towels, or even pillows for added insulation, especially if it is hot (in a car or summer/no a.c ) Yes, they sell insulated cases, but a wool or quilted moving blanket, or old thick towels works just as well, for a fraction of the cost (or free)

[@4g63attack]

I’m actually putting a whole house off grid system and getting a transfer switch connected to my breaker panel so I don’t have to run wires through the house

[@NurseAcrobat]

Good job. It's so much nicer not having to run extension cords. I started out getting a $600 120 volt 4k Firman generator at Costco that could run my internet, LED lights, fridge, standalone freezer, and a window AC via a 30 amp inlet to my main panel. Last year it ran for 28 hours straight on propane without issue before the power came back on. Then I got a 10kw Genmax trifuel inverter generator that let me power everything including my 3 ton heat pump with a soft start and now the Firman is a backup.

[@4g63attack]

@@NurseAcrobat Nice. I also have a small portable power station as a back up... I don't know if I want to get a gasoline power back up... since I'm in California... gas is so expensive and shelf life is not that long... sure I can get fuel stabilizer.

[@NurseAcrobat]

@@4g63attack I wish natural gas was available at my address. I end up mostly using propane since it never goes bad, but it is about the same price as automotive gas. Since my house is all electric I don't have a big propane tank so far, just a couple portable 100lb tanks on wheels and two 20lb bbq tanks. If my house were more amenable to solar I'd be looking into solar and battery backup.

[@CarlKem]

@@NurseAcrobat Well, yes and no. I have experienced propane going stale, which I have no idea how or why it does. It'll still burn though.

[@furbabies3momma]

New Subscriber... Thank you for providing this informative video! 👌🇺🇸😁

[@TheBugOutLocation]

Thanks!

[@patp3800]

A small ice maker can make about 25 lbs of ice in 5 minutes and could be a lot more efficient and use less power in the long run....contain the ice and recycle the water

[@trbolive]

Any brands in mind?

[@patp3800]

@@trbolive no recommendations...whichever meets your needs and is in your personal budget

[@hopeweber6794]

@@trbolive I have a small ice maker. No way will it make 25lbs in 5 minutes. Better idea is to put water in a jug and freeze it to transfer to a cooler. Takes longer to melt as well.

[@warrenglen7636]

Get a full size inverter refrigerator/freezer. I tested my garage refrigerator when it was about 80 degrees outside and it used 657 watt hours over a 24 hour period with a max of 200 when the defrost cycle was on. I also tried it on a timer with 1 hour on / 3 hours off and it dropped to 455 watt hours. I then ran it off a EcoFlow River Max Plus (720 watt hours) and it ran for 18.5 hours continuous. Since the EcoFlow can take 200 watts solar or charge from 0-100 in 1.5 hours, I think this about the best option for me. Run and charge on two 100 watt panels during the day and run off the EcoFlow at night. I can also run my generator 1-2 hours per day if there is no sun and easily charge up the battery for a pint or two each day.

[@dougc78]

Your set up is almost exactly what I’ve been thinking of doing….

[@qwq203]

This is exactly what I do. I bought the Delta 2 when it came out with a 160watt panel and a 2000watt generator. I run a 5cuft freezer and I laid a (free) dorm fridge/freezer on its back and use frozen water jugs in it to cool it. With it on its back, it acts like a chest and retains the cold when I open it. I also have an amazing AC/DC heat/cooler. My freezer is on a timer with 1hr on 2hr off. I have not run out of power once. I've been off grid for 14yrs now.

[@aboliafaleti]

Thank you ,🙏🏾 I am new to your channel. I really appreciate you. I just have one question . Where did you get that orange Generator from /and the red one here in this video.watching from Dallas Tx .please help. I would Love to buy one 😊👍🏾

[@robertlee6781]

Great idea! I would prefer that compared to doing a whole house set up. I prefer portability from a power backup standpoint.

[@karensmith1832]

Been without power for a week and few times and do the old ways. Been looking into solar so might have to upgrade this hillbilly girl! 👍

[@jane29228]

the continence of your fridge is likely LESS than $1000.......... a deep freezer is practical and useful on a regular basis.

[@aaronchapin9331]

Natural. Gas. Refrigerator. They also run on propane.

[@wolfbell23]

I've never heard of a natural gas refrigerator, but it would be perfect for our house!

[@aaronchapin9331]

@@wolfbell23 they're great; no regrets

[@ericwitt4586]

At my off grid cabin I use an iceco vl65 fridge freezer it’s 12vdc or 120vac I use my solar generator or my cabins solar system it’s got a 1500 watt inverter too this iceco is so awesome you can pick what side you want for a fridge or freezer or both one or the other it’s a heavy duty unit too it’s even got a insulated sleeve that covers the whole thing too it runs for three to four days on either power source I also have a gas generator for cloudy days

[@wingrider1004]

The Predator...with a panel hook up/interlock switch...will run your fridge, freezer and more for 8 hours on a tank of gas...maybe more. It won't run home ac units, but it will power fans and a window unit. Just need gas.

[@jamespruett2849]

A few years ago I got what I think you call a camping fridge,it can be used as a fridge or freezer it's 52 liters got it on eBay for $300 which was $100 cheaper than Amazon and it can run on ac or dc

[@TheBugOutLocation]

It probably takes almost nothing to run correct?

[@jamespruett2849]

Was around 450 watt for 24 hours I've been using it as a overflow freezer or keep drinks cold

[@TheBugOutLocation]

@jamespruett2849 nice

[@k94536]

i have a 3 way power 12 vdc, 110 ac and gas and it from a RV do you smell what is brewing,

[@jayceew2j202]

Call bs. They make dc fridges. More efficient

[@TheBugOutLocation]

Much more expensive and/or smaller

[@sharriceowens913]

The car refrigerators use very little power and wrap it in a blanket or insulation to last longer when u turn it off

[@Lee_Proffit]

I have a 12v DC camping (I guess that you call them RV) 50lt chest fridge freezer and a couple of ice bricks in my main freezer to give it a kick start. It can be run off my SG or if we have warning, it can be chilled down with a mains power brick (240v AC to 12v DC)

[@thistlemoon1]

I have a generator we used for a week after a tornado. Since everyone else in the neighborhood was using generators it wasn't noticeable. Blankets over the freezer also work.

[@HCW2855HCW]

Just on top when running. Then can cover completely. It needs to dissipate heat on the sides to the ambient air when running.

[@TheBrokenNomad]

Oh, and do the full tour! I’ve forgotten all of the mods you’ve done over the last year!

[@TheBugOutLocation]

It's becoming an addiction lol

[@mrhalfstep]

BTW, I live in tornado alley so outages are frequent here.

[@cathywhisenhunt9860]

I do also. We was without electricity for about 24 hours. And All we was getting is major winds. In fact when it went off. It wasn't even raining. So one thing I would suggest if you rent a house and the limbs are getting close to the power lines. Let the person you're renting from know so they can let the power company be aware . Then they can take maybe a hour to trim up the trees good. The only reason I am suggesting letting them know so they can't turn around and say I didn't want that done your out of here. It was limbs the knocked out our electric. Then it toke a long time for them to rebuild it all.

[@judyluthy9724]

I am so thankful your channel came up on my feed! I Have a small solar 'system', but no idea how to use it. I've had it 3 years and haven't been able to figure it out. I'm a single old woman, but I have to be shown how to do these things. You at least have given me hope.

[@TheBugOutLocation]

Thank you!

[@able880]

I live in the deep south U.S in a rural area - Home domestic fridges work ok up till about 80° F - While the power or grid is down and the I don't air condition the kitchen - A regular frost free fridges or a mine fridge will not keep thing at 34° - at 95° a fridge only keeps things at 50 to 55° and runs 24/7 - It's better to use a car fridge when off grid over a home fridge - most freezer work ok when it 90 to 105 degrees - Up till 1960 there was no grid power were live - rural homes had a farm light plant - it consisted of a 32 volt DC generator to charge 16 two volt cells - Rural homes operated on 32 volts DC instead of 125 volts AC like city homes - All the appliances were 32 volts DC - that's lights, fans, fridges, freezers, water pumps, radios, hot plate stoves - The house battery's were charged all day once a week on Friday - then the house power was provided by the battery's for the next 6 days - The house generator and house battery's lasted about 40 yrs to 60 yrs - You can look up farm light plants on the net they were in common use from 1890 till around 1960 in rural America - Today living off grid is a novelty - when I was a kid it was often the norm in rural homes -

[@LiveFree-pk8ej]

My freezer, coffee maker, and toaster all run on a small home solar setup. Just 500 watts solar epever charge controller 2 lifepo4 320amp batteries. Small cheap and powerful. I even have room to connect more loads if needed. But I'm still upgrading the system. Need 2 more batteries and 1500 watts more solar. Then all will be good for 15 years at least. Thanks for your video

[@TheBugOutLocation]

Nice!

[@decormiamour]

Great video! I have a mini fridge, I think I’ll use that instead, should a prolonged outage occur.

[@ericwilliams952]

Need one of those portable RV fridges that opens up from the top. Direct feed 12 V more efficient and when you open the top lid all the cold air doesn’t fall out. I love mine.

[@USA-GreedyMenOfNoIntegrity]

kWh is kilowatt hour NOT Watts Per Day. Use the same for battery energy capacity.

[@hipstersavy]

wow 4 hours! luckily Houston has CenterPoint and they are anything if not quick!

[@griddownpowerup]

Awesome content! If you're looking to explore these topics even further, we actually produced a documentary called Grid Down Power Up - Documentary, narrated by Dennis Quaid, that dives deep into these issues. It’s available for free on our channel, and you might find it really insightful. We also have some resources on our website for taking action, like contacting legislators and public utilities. Please help us spread the word.

[@PaprikaPauline]

I'm new to all this. I have an 1800 oupes so can I purchase a small refrigerator and will the oupes run it?

[@TheBugOutLocation]

Absolutely. Do you have solar panels too?

[@drs3055]

I just found your channel and loved this vid. I have a Bluetti AC 180 power gen, a Bluetti EB3 gen, a 100w Renogy suitcase solar panel, and a 200w Renogy 200 foldable solar panel that we use when camping. Do we have what we need to operate a small frig and freezer? What am I missing? Thx.

[@CarolHewett-ug2cw]

Study diets that do not require refrigeration at all. Research colonial days, Indian culture, middle eastern culture, African cultures. I'll choose lighting and communications over refrigeration. Do it now while you have access to the Net. Research the condiments, veggies and fruits that don't require refrigeration. This is useful even if you have a mini fridge. A mental adjustment is the most important tool at your disposal.

[@bradjenkins932]

They can keep the packaged foods.. We'll continue to eat steak, burgers, pork chops, sausage and eggs.

[@leslieclifton7625]

home eggs DO NOT NEED refrigeration if they still have the bloom ( have not been washed). Last up to 3 to 4 weeks on the counter.

[@jessicaalfonso5005]

Thank you for explaining the technique you use. I think having separate appliances for freezing and refrigeration is a great way to be prepared for “Grid Down”. I will be implementing that strategy by adding pieces over time. Thumbs up to you for providing this great alternative way to save food during an emergency. 👍

[@SuperSushidog]

Good basic info. My 10.7cf residential fridge uses about .94 kwh/day, and I have over 5,000 watts of solar and 23.5 kwh of batteries to run it. I live completely off-grid in a motorhome, so I am living now like I would in a survival scenario. Fuel will be scarce in a survival scenario. I recently replaced the propane fridge in my RV as propane is not renewable like sunshine is. The general recommendation to power a typical residential fridge off the sun is at least 200ah of 12v LiFePo-4 batteries (2.5 kwh) and 400 watts of solar, as sometimes the sky is cloudy. I'm a hurricane Katrina survivor. At the time, I was living in a stick and brick home near New Orleans before I had an RV. We had to evacuate and returned to Louisiana from Florida on gas fumes in our little 4 cyl. car, because gas wasn't available as we traveled across 3 states. No gas stations were open, as they had no electricity to pump the gas that was in their tanks. Luckily my house only suffered minimal damage, but we were without electricity for 6 weeks. I didn't have gas to run my generator, so I lost what was in my fridge and had to cook the thawed contents of my freezer using charcoal, as we were without natural gas for more than 2 months. My gas-powered motorhome has a large fuel tank, which I keep mostly full, but I'd rather use that valuable limited resource for bugging out rather than to run my onboard generator to keep our fridge, air conditioning and heat on (from a high-efficiency mini split heat pump that I can run 24/7 off batteries and sun.) We also keep our 100lb onboard propane tank full, and in reserve, using a portable 20lb tank for our daily needs of cooking and showering. As you know, it's often advantageous to be able to leave an affected area for multiple reasons - safety and resources among them. So being able to bug out with your home and resources is a huge advantage. If we don't need to leave the area, the 60-80 gallons in our MH's fuel tank will go a long way in our 30mpg car we tow behind it to replenish resources like water, food and fuel. Be sure to have cash on hand too, because when the banks are destroyed (ours was literally underwater after Katrina) you won't be able to access it for critical needs if all you have is worthless plastic.

[@af1023]

Great video and like your logical thinking. I own several of the EF Delta 2/Delta 2M units plus several 220w bifacial panels to keep things going during an outage. Due to going thru several emergencies, I now subscribe to the "Hybrid" protocol using both solar panels and propane generators to recharge the units as I need them. While over-paneling the EF units yields excellent recharge times, the propane generator provides additional recharge capacity when the sun is not out. I strongly advise for folks to evaluate their refrigerator and study the energy usage using a watt meter. I ended up buying a new fridge since the old one required about 60% more energy. Thanks for the video.

[@spockmcoyissmart961]

Any specific recommendations on chest freezers other than chicoms anyone has had for years? Obviously, I'm looking for known reliable freezers? 12 volt or 120 volt for those with solar capabilities? I've bought small 'bar' fridges in the past and after 1-2 yrs, they quit working.

[@aaronchapin9331]

Natural gas freezer. No moving parts, so very reliable in a fixed installation

[@iykyk5961]

Excellent video. Very fitting to cover some of the basics. Great idea to use our mini fridges and small chest freezer instead of both big fridges/freezers. This video has me really wanting to get into the solar arena. I need to learn more about the components that I’ll need.

[@TheBugOutLocation]

Thanks. It looks more complicated than it is at first. It can get pretty complicated though lol.

[@baneverything5580]

Get a 300ah LiFeP04 (200 amp version) and 20 amp LiFeP04 charger and 2000w pure sine wave inverter first. Add a 250 amp fuse on the positive battery post.

[@butchie2752]

After a couple of weeks you’ll have eaten what’s in the fridge and not be able to replace it. You’ll need the mini to keep food you’ve prepared from canned or hydrated stuff. Leftovers. I purchased a small solar system. Anker solix c1000 with 200 watts solar panels. Less than $1000. One benefit of this system is it is very easy to use. It’s also a good balance I also have a similar system to his as a backup. This was an accurate description of how to put it together. Remember, though, you may not be able to find gas so gas generators aren’t much of an option particularly for long term.

[@markarca6360]

An Ecoflow Glacier or an equivalent can do the job.

[@reneemullen2142]

I don't have any plans as to how I'm going to keep food cold, except to follow what you do and try to copy it. I need help in this area that's why I've subscribed to your channel.

[@tikitinatv1420]

Aloha. Thanks for the great information. I live in Hawaii. Due to geopolitical upheaval I am constantly worried about shipping outages amongst other things. Survival for water food and energy is on my mind. Especially since we are deploying our ppl to the South China Sea. Hawaii is excellent for solar But, we also have a great deal of wind. Do you think you can review the smaller home turbines and how they might be coupled to solar system/generator if possible. From what I can see the turbines are a fraction of the solar cost so I’d like to be able to double down on energy harvesting. Mahalo and Enjoy your channel

[@jennifermcgarrity7169]

Is a transfer switch needed in order to have a solar generator? Also, I appreciate the knowledge that you send our way, but this seems to only power the mini fridge and freezer. Will this amount of watt hours (or whatever the right terminology is) power a stove/oven?