Stronger Than the Grid

Source: https://www.askaprepper.com/

If you own a backup generator or even think of buying one… this may be the most important thing you read this year.

The vulnerability of our grid has become a constant fear for the millions of Americans who are getting sick and tired of being left without electricity for days or even weeks at a time.

From hurricanes, to wildfires, winter storms to civil unrest… Even if you haven’t experienced these events firsthand, chances are, you probably know someone who has and can tell you just how terrifying they can be.

If you’re still relying on the grid, to help you survive any disaster, you’re making a big mistake…because the Grid is a disaster waiting to happen.

When the Grid Collapses Like a House of Cards

The 2003 Northeast Blackout is a perfect example of that. It left over 50 million people across eight states in the dark for more than two days. All it took was an old tree’s branches making contact with power lines.

Human error played a part in it too.

The power-flow operating tool managed by the regional grid coordinator, the Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator (MISO), gets disabled due to faulty data. A technician fixes the issue, shuts down the program… but forgets to reboot the monitoring tool and doesn’t let any of the other operators know about what he had done.

It only takes one technician to lack proper training… and it can all fall down like dominoes.

Most recently, it was the extreme winter weather that exposed the grid’s vulnerability during Snovid 21. Gas, the resource Texas relies on most, froze in those plunging temperatures (−2 °F), leaving millions without electricity for days on end. And that’s because even though power companies received a warning beforehand that they needed to winterize their systems, they ignored it… until it was too late to do anything about it.

Related: How to “Winterize” Your Pipes and Prevent Damage

This would have never happened if authorities had encouraged people to get a reliable power backup. One that could have helped them use a heater for extra warmth or charge their phones to call for help… One that wouldn’t kill them with CO.

Now, I want to tell you what happened to one of my friends, Mike, about a decade ago.

He doesn’t want any other families to go through what he did, so he’s allowed me to recount his experience here.

This is the true story of Mike’s wife, Eleanor. A vibrant personality, she could light up any room she entered. She was always there to lend a helping hand. Could brighten anyone’s day with her infectious laughter.

Eleanor faced any challenge head-on with a courage that inspired anyone. I’ve never seen anything like it. She had a knack for knowing exactly what to do in emergencies and her calming demeanor could reassure everyone in her presence.

But, despite her strength and kindness, tragedy struck.

***

One Tuesday night, as Eleanor was cooking dinner for her husband, all power suddenly went out in her neighborhood.

This didn’t surprise her. Because of the harsh Wyoming winter, they had regular power outages in their small town, so she knew what she had to do in those kinds of situations.

They even had the backup generator set up in their tiny backyard. So, she fired up the engine and headed back into the kitchen.

She wanted her husband to come back to a hot meal after his night shift. The blizzard pummelled through their small town with victims overloading hospital beds. Mike had his work cut out for him, so the least she could do was surprise him with his favorite meal the following morning.

But later that night, when she was watching TV, the power went out again.

And this time, for good.

She went out into the cold to check the generator and noticed it had shut down.

The level gauges showed there was plenty of fuel in the generator. She tried firing it up again, but to no avail. The wind and the blistering cold got to her, so Eleanor went back inside…where the same cold started to creep in.

She draped herself in layers of clothing and blankets and called for help.

She tried her husband first but got no reply.

Then she tried 911 – but all lines were busy, and they put her on hold.

Eventually, her cell phone died, so she gave up and drifted off to sleep.

Even though their house was well insulated, indoor temperature still dropped below freezing as the on the hours went by.

The following morning, my friend returned from his long shift at the hospital, exhausted and drained from dealing with the consequences of the blizzard.

As he stepped into his home, the cold air sent shivers down his spine.

Why was it that cold? Why wasn’t Eleanor in the kitchen, waiting for him while sipping on her hot coffee? Where was she?

The pot roast she had made the night before lay frozen on the kitchen table.

With a sense of unease gnawing at his gut, he hurried to check each room, all the while shouting her name.

Eleanor, where are you?

He found her buried under clothes and blankets, not moving. Her breath was no longer visible in the cold air.

***

When the authorities inspected their generator, they made a shocking discovery.

The level gauges showed there was still plenty of fuel in the generator.

But the generator had malfunctioned. The gauge was stuck in its full position, showing there was enough fuel even though the generator was empty.

Unfortunately, now it was too late.

In the dead silence of the night, all alone, Eleanor took her last breath, a victim of an aging, out-of-date grid, and a faulty generator.

Portable generators might work for a while after major snowstorms when the grid fails. But those who rely solely on them to keep themselves alive might do more harm than good.

Eleanor was one of the people who passed away because her generator was not operating properly. Between 2005 and 2017, about 81% of all CO-related deaths were linked to generators alone.

And each time a crisis occurs, these percentages go up.

What’s so heartbreaking about stories like this one is that generators lead to 2800 cases of carbon monoxide poisoning a year. Believe it or not, generators are one of the deadliest products on the market.

How to Power Every Single Device in Your Home Without Being Connected to the Grid

With that in mind, I want to let you know about the first freeze-proof and poisoning-proof device I’ve tested that’s so much better than any conventional generator. And it’s stronger and more reliable than the grid too.

It’s been developed by Ron Melchiore, a self-sufficient expert who’s been living off-grid for over 40 years.

During that time, he developed and used this ingenious design that gave him all the electricity he needed.

The Modular Backyard Power Plant is a reliable 24/7 power source that you can have in your own backyard that will help you and your family outlive any long-term blackout.

The Modular Backyard Power Plant VS Generator

Now let’s look at some of the stark differences between a regular generator that most of us would have in our homes VERSUS the Modular Backyard Power Plant:

• Regular generators emit carbon monoxide – as much as 450 cars. If you don’t properly ventilate your home, all the gas can accumulate in there and breathing it in can lead to severe illness and even death. Using one indoors during a winter storm, for example, can put both you and your family at great risk. The Modular Backyard Power Plant doesn’t emit carbon monoxide… it doesn’t emit anything at all. Sometimes people die even when they run them outside, but close to an open window.
• Fuel, gasoline and propane – generators run on these highly flammable substances which can pose a serious fire hazard in the snowy and wet conditions of a winter storm. The same thing can happen if you’re not familiar with the correct usage of your own generator. You can overload it and seriously damage appliances around your home and, worse, pose electrocution risks. On the other hand, The Modular Backyard Power Plant doesn’t run on anything but the power of the sun and thanks to its modular quality, it can never overload and malfunction.
• During hurricanes or severe winter storms, roads will probably be blocked, and fuel stations closed. The chances of you being able to stock up on fuel are slim, so once you’ll run out, your generator becomes useless, and you’ll be left with no power or heat. Most generators also need regular maintenance to function properly, so the harsh winter conditions can greatly affect its performance and even break it down. Where will you go to repair it during a hurricane to fix it? Probably one of my favorite features of the Modular Power Plant is that it needs 0 maintenance. Once you set it up, the system takes care of itself. It’s basically impossible to break.

This is what The Modular Backyard Power Plant can power:

• 2 Chest Freezers
• Desktop Computer
• Fridge
• Water Pump
• Radio
• Fan
• Light Bulbs
• Satellite TV
• Microwave
• Oven
• Medical Devices

What about an EMP strike? The easiest way you can protect it is by using the EMP Cloth. This is made from a very special material, pretty hard and expensive to make, that blocks all electromagnetic waves.

Anything you wrap in it will be protected from an EMP, including your modular power plant. This way, you ensure it survives an event the grid could never stand a chance to. See how easy you can wrap it around your devices here.

And not just that, but also other electronic devices that would get zapped by an EMP attack like radios, air conditioning units, washing machines, fridges, freezers, or electric tools, just to name a few.

Overall, The Modular Backyard Power Plant can be a total lifesaver, the way conventional generators are not. My friend now uses it in his own household and built some more units for his friends. He finally feels safe in his own home.

Finally, both he and I feel like we have something to rely on. I’m done worrying about it making noise that could attract looters, unlike regular gas generators. I’m done second guessing my old one that could blow up in flames if I’m not careful enough. I’m done worrying I’d have to pay thousands of dollars to get it fixed or, worse, replaced.

If you want energy independence and not having to rely on the grid or a dangerous backup fuel run generator will never be able to guarantee, you should read more about The Modular Backyard Power Plant here.

***Eleanor and Mike’s names have been changed to protect the privacy of their family.