Episode-2214- Bug Out Trailers with Spirko and Harris – Part 6
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Today Steven Harris and I answer your questions on Bug Out Trailers. Big trailers, small trailers, what to put in them, what to have as an electrical system. Using cargo trailers as an emergency shelter and camper. Toilets in these trailers, storage and transportation of water for consumption and hygiene.
This is the third in a multi part series that began with Episode-2117- Steven Harris and Jack Spirko on Bug Out Trailers. As this is clearly going to become a multi episode series I have created the tag BOT Shows so that all of them can be found at one location.
The response to the first in the series was overwhelming, Steve compiled and sent me 14 pages of questions, I printed it out and it feels like a small book, and these are just questions and a few notes here and there. So we are going to run about 1 hour and 15 minutes on the interview and break it into pieces parts over the next few months.
Resources for today’s show…
- Steven1234.com – Everything Steven Harris
- Pee1234.com – Yep it is real
- The Entire Bug Out Trailer Series
- Join the Members Brigade
- The Year 108
- Join Our Forum
- Walking To Freedom
- TspAz.com
- The Granddaddy’s Gun Club
- Bullhead Fishing Forum – A new little site I started
- This Old Man – Styx
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Paper maps are a good idea. Also look at completely offline mapping/navigation software like maps.me (100% free software). All roads in the US (main and backroad) in about 3 GB stored on your device. If you’re interested in traveling off paved roads look at http://www.transamtrail.com for an example of traveling from WV to the OR coast almost exclusively off paved roads. I was happy to find that all of the roads used were indeed included in the maps.me maps. I do overlanding and use maps.me on a iPad pro.
that generator is on sale again. $229
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Sportsman-1-000-Watt-Gasoline-Powered-Digital-Inverter-Generator-802085/300792167
Here are the other web sites that Steve mentioned in relation to generators.
smallenginewarehouse (dot) com
theepicenter (dot) com
Steve,
What can you tell us about lead crystal batteries? I just heard about them the other day. Also for those running 12v systems on their trailers, what is your opinion on DC to DC power boosters for charging the batteries in the trailer while driving. My Land Cruiser has a smallish alternator, and was considering one of these.
On lithium batteries, Steven’s answer is correct for trailers but incomplete if you are looking to apply these same ideas to other applications.
I will use the general term lithium batteries here but there are at least 5 types of lithium batteries, but two that are generally talked about li-ion (3.7V/cell) and li-phosphate (3.2V/cell)
The best metaphor I could think of is, lithium batteries are like goats on a starter homestead. Yes, it is “do-able” by “someone” but the skill set is very advanced as the subject is not forgiving.
To give you an idea, you cannot charge lithium batteries when they are below 0 deg.C, you have to warm them first and if something goes wrong, they may light on fire (Samsung Note 7).
Two things on lithium batteries when you are comparing them on value, lead acid batteries are rated based on full discharge (0V), but that level of discharge massively shortens their life. The usable range is only half discharge, so in use, 100Ah is really 50Ah. Lithium batteries die if fully discharged, so are rated based on usable discharge, so 100Ah is 100Ah. The second thing is cycle life on lead if discharged to 50% is 1000 cycles where cycle life on Lithium is around 5000. With these two factors, comparing a $100 100Ah lead acid to a $1000 100Ah Lithium is not as uneven IF you look at their lifespans as it has twice the power and five times the life.
For an occasional use BOT, the benefit of surviving 5000 cycles would be useless, where as if you are looking at setting up an off-grid cabin, then not having to replace your batteries every two to three years may be more appealing. Also with the availability of things like batteries out of junked Teslas on eBay, the balance changes a little.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_cC0NKvCDY
Sous vide would be something that could be done on long road trips with proper invereter. It won’t ruin the meat if you are a little long.
Regarding Steve’s comment on Lithium batteries – Actually Tesla Power walls (and Tesla cars) are entirely 18650 batteries. They used to be all Panasonic, and now Tesla is starting to produce their own 18650’s. And yes, the people building their own Power Walls out of old 18650’s and open source battery management software are making excellent devices that outperform Teslas – it will be rare you find someone who is going to invest the time and have the knowledge to build one, but the statement dismissing it as stupid was misinformed.