Urban Prepper Blog

Free and environmentally friendly, there's everything to like about solar power.

And if there’s one place where a solar power's perfect for, it’s got to be sunny Singapore. For one, it’s a tropical country with constant sunlight and long hours of sun. So for us who usually complain about the hot sun, here’s a bright spot (pun intended) in all of it! 

The best of both worlds.

You’ve probably heard of solar panels, but do you know that a 2-in-1 option - the solar powerbank - exists? Unlike a solar panel where the solar energy has to be used immediately, a solar powerbank (like a typical power bank) stores the energy so you have flexibility to use it anytime. Most can also be charged using a wall socket.  

Besides, as a multifunctional device, it's more portable than having to pack both a solar panel and powerbank. In an emergency, having one less item to worry about is always a good thing!

Some may argue that a solar powerbank may not absorb as much sunlight as a Solar panels, and it also expends energy to kickstart. However, the solution doesn't have to be either/or!

By combining a solar panel with a solar powerbank, you’ll acquire a faster rate of charging (given dual input sources) while retaining the flexibility to use the latter like a normal powerbank on a day-to-day basis.

Why do I need one?

In places like Singapore with plenty of rail corridors and parks to explore, hikers and cyclists can rest assured not just knowing they have off-grid power available, but are able to store and prioritise energy usage!

Singapore’s small urban landscape also means we may not have open spaces to lay large panels out like they do in the US or Europe. For those preparing for emergencies, smaller, portable options like the foldable solar powerbank are a great alternative.

What should I look out for in a solar powerbank? 

So what would be the key considerations when buying one? 

Foremost, you'll want a multi-panel option like the 6-panel Anchor Solar Powerbank as it absorbs more sunlight, versus a single-panel model. You'll also want to look out for mono-crystalline options with high absorption efficiency (~22-23%).

This means that models such as the Anchor take only about 4 hours under direct sunlight to store enough energy to charge 50% of a typical phone. Quite substantial for an item that's small enough to fit into your pocket!

Secondly, despite the number of panels, solar powerbanks can be lightweight (under 600g!) and foldable - portable and perfect for your trips and travels. A non-detachable option is also preferred as there’s a risk of losing either component when on the go  

Finally, you’ll also want a set with the right capacity. We’d recommend a 20,000 Mah powerbank - enough for 4-5 charges for small devices like tablets/phones while not too bulky compared to higher capacity models. 

Anytime Power. For Today.

Whether you enjoy outdoor activities (such as trekking, hiking, cycling, boating or fishing), are preparing for emergencies, or simply wish to save on electricity (especially given recent tariff hikes), a solar bank is definitely an item for the now and the future. 

(Stay tuned for Part 2 coming up soon!)

Since the start of 2022, residents in urban countries like Singapore are no strangers to news about surges in global power prices. The outcome? Electricity bills that might truly.. shock some of us.

Besides seeking out the cheapest power suppliers, what are some changes we can make to our daily living to decrease power usage and prepare for such hikes? Here are 8 ways for you to hack your home electricity bills!

1. Use a Smart Meter to Track your energy usage

Keeping track of your energy consumption will help you take note of your consumption habits and help you reduce any energy wastage!

2. Use Energy Saving Appliances

Yes, energy efficient appliances are more costly in the short run. However, refrigerators, washing machines or aircons with 4-5 tick energy labels would translate to lower costs over the longer term - especially significant in a period of increased electricity costs  

For those interested in the math about savings, this article provides the breakdown. 

3. Use Solar Energy to Power up your devices

In tropical Singapore, the consistent, scorching heat we're used to (ok probably not) can for once be used to our advantage (yay). Completely free and environmentally friendly, solar panels can be a great investment! By keeping your smaller devices charged up at zero cost, the amount saved can add up over the long run. 

4. Store up Solar Energy

Besides using solar panels, take it a step further by investing in a quality solar power bank, which allow you to charge and store solar power for later use. 

Simply leave it on the car dashboard when parked, or leave it out if you're at a picnic and you'll have acquired free energy at the end of the day! Portable and perfect for the outdoors, check out the Anchor Solar Powerbank or read more about them it this blogpost! 

5. Use LED Motion-sensing lightings

Replace your bulbs with energy-saving and motion-sensing lightings for your homes. Not only do LED lights reduce energy consumption, motion-sensing bulbs ensure that you do not keep unused lights on!

6. Remove Plugs from sockets

Unplug electronic devices to prevent vampire appliances from latently sucking up energy! 

7. Turn off Your Computer

Kick the habit of keeping your work devices on throughout the day and idling through the night. Not only is it harmful to your devices, it consumes additional energy unnecessarily.

8. Turn on your ceiling fan on reverse mode

Turn on your ceiling fan and embrace natural air! If you really can't, consider increasing the temperature to 26 degrees while keeping the fan on reverse mode. It will help to keep the room cold!

We hope this article helps spark some ideas on how you can save on electricity costs. Even though each step may not seem like a lot on their own, remember that it all adds up!  

Prepping for emergencies can often be an all-in approach. Some say, the more the merrier. While there is some truth in that, in cases where you need to be on the go, travelling light might be a better option.

So 1) how do we adopt a minimalist approach when the grid is down in a digital environment?

And 2) What items make the cut when stripped down to the bare essentials (Besides the usual survival items like water, food, or first aid, which have been covered elsewhere)?

The Criteria

To decide what items are needed, we've come up with a basic criteria in order of importance: 

• Free, unlimited, self-sustaining
• Multifunctional
• Reliable
• Outdoor Ready: Portable + Wireless (how often do we go about without the necessary cables!) + Waterproofing

1. Free, unlimited, self-sustaining. Amongst the best resources you can have in an emergency has to be electrical energy. Electrical energy can power devices that produce light, heat, sound that are needed for survival. And if anything's better than having access to it, it is getting it for free! Free Energy doesn't cost you anything and isn't reliant on man-made sources. This means harnessing what nature has blessed us with, such as i) Manual energy (our bodies), ii) Solar energy (Sun), or iii) Heat Energy (Fire) and converting it into Electricity. 

While emergency portable generators are great, free and natural energy is pretty much unlimited so there's no worry that will run out. Of course, the output generated would likely be less in comparison. But given that emergency survival would likely be a marathon instead of a sprint, we're looking at having back-up power with longevity in mind.

2. Multi-functional: With more functions in one item, you can worry about fewer and travel lighter.  At the basic level, not only is power generation necessary to juice up your various devices, power storage helps collect it for crucial periods.

Lighting is another important function, where lack of sight at night can be consequential for survival, and where even a small flashlight can be crucial. Finally, communication tools are key to gaining awareness of any situation - while outbound communication is key to maintaining  contact with others, inbound communication allows you to obtain info such as news or emergency reports. 

3. Reliable: This one is obvious. During an emergency, even the most functional devices are worthless if they fail to work. Given that electronics tend to more easily break down. it’s precious to own items that have proven track record to work. Just make sure that the items have good reviews overall, and have been tested under various conditions over a period of time. 

4. Outdoor-Ready: Ok so we cheated. We tried to squeeze in several different requirements. Portability is important for ease of carrying around, while Waterproofing and Durablility are crucial under harsh emergency condition. On a lesser note, having wireless capability might also be useful so you have one less thing to worry about - cables.

So based on the criteria above, what are some of the best products for minimalist prepping? We share our recommendations in Part 2 (coming up)!

Did you know that unless you remove their batteries, your electronic devices aren’t really turned off? As the world becomes increasingly digitalised, along with the benefits are threats, such as the hacking of our devices. 

A faraday bag helps protect this and more, so here are the top 5 reasons for using one: 

Read more