The Best Prepper Tech for Non-Preppers
DIY microgrid and more
I’m not a prepper. But 2020 has thrown a hell of a lot of upheaval and disaster our way and I’ve found myself increasingly focused on building my family’s resilience in the face of calamity, using gadgets, DIY tech — and some weird, oily meal bars.
I’m in good company. Wired reports that since Covid-19 struck, companies who previously served the gear needs of “fringe survivalist” (read: preppers) are now receiving so many orders that they can’t keep up with demand. Sales of basics like masks and hand sanitizer are up 319% and 79% respectively, and bespoke companies like Preppi are offering disaster kits that can cost $10,000. Disaster prep has become mainstream — maybe even trendy.
I’ve always had a fascination with extreme weather and natural disasters. While other kids were enjoying the folksy misadventures of the Hardy Boys, I was reading the SAS Survival Handbook cover to cover. I’ve had experience with real extreme weather, too. While driving through Northern California in 2014, I saw a giant, funnel-shaped cloud snaking down towards the ground just off the Interstate 5. “Wow, that looks exactly like a tornado! But we don’t get those in California…” I recall thinking, just as hailstones started raining down on my car. The cloud was a tornado that touched down just after I passed. I got a great blog post out of it.
Behold my DIY microgrid
More recently, my slice of the Bay Area has dealt with Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS). Realizing that they’re unable to supply electricity without also starting lots of fires, our utility, Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E), has begun killing our power preemptively when conditions are conducive to wildfires. Sometimes they leave it off for days.
After experiencing our first PSPS last year, I knew I needed a backup power source. Several companies provide systems that pair batteries with solar panels to keep your home running during an outage. Tesla’s Powerwall, for example…
