Battery-Free

[MaryN]

I don't know about the rest of you, but I remember a time when watches were wound up by hand (no battery included); eggs were timed with little gadgets that poured sand from top to bottom; alarm clocks were set by hand and wound up; and even sundials had their uses.

In this technology-rich age, I was asking myself what happens if the power goes out. How long do batteries (unused) last anyway - do they perish with time? What happens if there are no batteries to power ipads and iphones, no dinky little battery-powered timers or watches. Would people know how to deal with an era when clocks were silent and time was what you thought it to be? Can you imagine no watch to tell you when it was lunchtime? I was trying to imagine timing a Sunday lunch or boiling an egg - so simple with a clock to check on. But what happens if time is just relative?

I may have to get out my old wind-up watch and give it a service, and then there is that sundial.....

[Straight Shooter]

i have a pocket watch (wind up) grandfather clock (counter balance ) and yes even an old egg timer....how long would they last....who knows...after a while i think we would end up more interested in seasons rather than time and into a rhythm of living governed by that.

[Devonian]

Well on the watch front I use a Seiko Solar divers watch which as you can guess is powered by light, just like the citizen eco drive watches, so no batteries needed.

For other applications, I have a small fold up solar charger for AA and AAA batteries, but I'm currently looking at a larger solar panel setup (circa 100w) which will be used to keep a couple of 110ah 12v leisure batteries charged up.

Then I can use 12v invertors to provide a 240v supply that can be used to charge any portable devices, as well as being used to plug in a normal 240v AA/AAA/C/D cell battery charger for charging rechargeable batteries. It can also be used for charging phones and baofeng uv-5r or other radios/comms, as well as for 12v lighting etc...

[Straight Shooter]

For other applications, I have a small fold up solar charger for AA and AAA batteries, but I'm currently looking at a larger solar panel setup (circa 100w) which will be used to keep a couple of 110ah 12v leisure batteries charged up.

got these as well dev

been looking for ages with regards to the similar set up as you describe on the panel /battery,inverter....but STILL done nothing as yet....but i will shortly asa i finish other stuff

[NorthernRaider]

My watches are either pendulum operated self winders or solar powered, as for batteries some have a shelf life in excess of 5 years like Energiser Lithiums I have some AA lithiums with an expire day of 2019 on them, I slso keep some Lithiym CR123a Batteries with similar lives. And a few of the gang on this forum love something called an Enerloop battery.

[bigpaul]

not too bothered about time after TSHTF, I was on another forum and they were going absolutely doo- lally almost slavering over watches, like everything else post SHTF we'll get back to a basic lifestyle in time(no pun intended), get up when it gets light(or even before), at midday the sun is straight over head(we have lunch at 12 noon so that's sorted) and we'll go to bed when its too dark to see by. jobs will take as long as they take, we wont be punching a time clock or filling in time sheets, so time wont be relevant. if you have to have a time piece I'm sure there are plans online somewhere for a sun dial.

[Lightspeed]

You're right Mary, reliance only on battery powered stuff could be a problem.

Our battery powered electrics might work on the rechargeable batteries we have for around 5 years, 10 years as a possible maximum. So, just in case, we also have in store mechanical clocks and watches, slide rule calculators, and a mechanical perpetual calendar.

[NorthernRaider]

""You're right Mary, reliance only on battery powered stuff could be a problem. ""

Candles out girls

[bigpaul]

don't really see a problem, either do without or buy a basic wind up watch or clock.