In an emergency, you need to be prepared for losing power in your home. You need some flashlights and possibly some headlamps. And you need someway to find out what is happening. An emergency radio is a must. If the cellular system is still working then you can use your phone. But what if they need charging at some point. Storage Banks are the solution there.
The picture above shows those items that I use. 3.6 Volt Aa Battery
![Emergency Preparations - Lights, Batteries and Solar to go](http://cdnus.globalso.com/gmcellgroup/Toy-car1.jpg)
On the top left are eight (8) LED Flashlights. They have a COB LED on the side for use as a small floodlight. Each of these uses AA Batteries. These are very nearly perfect flashlights. The ONLY modification I wish for is that the clip were directly behind the COB LED rather than to the side for clipping to an outside front pocket.
The clips also make it easy to hang these inside a tent or shelter. I very much LIKE the fact that these are small rather than monstrous in size. They provide GREAT illumination.
The particular brand that I bought are no longer being carried on Amazon. Here is the exact same thing from a different vendor — www.amazon.com/...
I can get around 4 hours of continuous use of the COB LED per battery. I found this out when our neighborhood lost power for 7+ hours last Fall.
I specifically use NiMH batteries. The reason for this is that even though Li-Ion batteries can store more charge and therefore last longer, NiMH batteries can easily stand the heat of sitting in a car without the potential to burst into flames.
Below the flashlights are four (4) LED Headlamps also with a COB LED. These use 18650 Li-Ion batteries. Each of them also has USB charging built in. They also have a fairly strong magnet on one end which allows them to be mounted. These can also be used in a tent or shelter. A yellow 18650 battery is shown next to them for size. I would NOT keep these in my car because of the potential fire hazard.
Next are the two USB AA/AAA Battery Chargers. I only use the eight (8) position charger at home. I have other lights and things in my place that also use AA/AAA Batteries.
The four (4) position charger would be tossed in my Emergency or Camping Packs when needed. In the picture you see the four (4) batteries I use for my toothbrush. :)
Below the chargers are three sets of Battery Holders each holding four AA NiMH Batteries each. These also would be tossed in Packs as needed.
Next are two (2) 24,000mAH Solar Power Banks. They each have limitations in the total Wattage they put out. But you CAN charge multiple items at a time. They can capture Solar on their own, but the amount they take in that way is NOT enough to recharge completely in a day.
Below those is a 10,000mAH Power Bank.
Next are two Power Banks, one open, that use two (2) 18650 Li-Ion battries. Honestly, I really only use these to recharge my PS4 Controller.
Finally on the right is an Emergency Radio. It has a small and fairly useless Solar Panel in addition to a hand crank.
At the top is the Recharging Kit I keep in my car. The Battery Charger, Flashlights and spare Batteries are the same as above. It also has a car cigarette lighter power converter with two (2) USB Ports. There are two (2) longer USB-A to Micro-USB Cables and a single Micro-USB to USB-C connector.
The pouch on the left is for my Packs. The USB Charger has two (2) USB Ports. It has two (2) 1.5ft USB Cables. It can output at 5V 3A. It has two (2) Micro-USB to USB-C connectors.
The smaller pouch on the right is for Secondary Packs or those that I put together for others. It’s USB Charger only has a single USB Port and outputs at 5V 2A. It has two (2) Micro-USB to USB-C connectors.
Each of the Panels above can be hung from your Pack if you’re mobile or set on the ground during a stop.
An important thing is that you should always connect your Panel to a Power Bank and NOT your phone.
The circuitry in a Power Bank can deal with the fluctuations in current and power while continuing to charge when it is enough.
![Emergency Preparations - Lights, Batteries and Solar to go](http://cdnus.globalso.com/gmcellgroup/D-Batteries_application4.jpg)
100ah Lithium Battery Most mobile devices expect a CONSTANT current and power. It is possible to have something plugged into a panel and come out worse hours later because of this.