As archaeologists (or any anthropologists for that matter), we conduct fieldwork in some pretty remote areas. Some times we need to sleep in hotels and motels out of town, far from home. Other times, we pitch tents and make due with no access to municipal water sources or electricity. Burdens of working in the field. Nowadays, we certainly have more options to bring the comforts of home to remote areas!
As an aside... I get it. I do. With the Star Trek Prime Directive ever in my thoughts, I like every other fieldworker bring considerations to our work and the dangers of exposing others to our beliefs, traditions, and technologies. Yeah... this blog is not for such debates. There's a lot of great debaters out there who've never set foot in the field, and when they do enter the field... well, they often don't do so well. Read the books, have the debates with others, and then get your ass to work! Jumping forward now, how do you bring comforts to the out doors? Power Packs!
*** FYI - those pissing and moaning about my scifi and fantasy references need to chil the FRAK out! Moving on.
I have owned a Westinghouse power pack/station for years now that still functions phenomenally. The model I purchased for around $130 is the iGENS160s (155Wh). It is the size of a tissue box and weighs about as much as a quart of milk. In other words... it's really small. It's looks are deceiving! That Westinghouse power station holds a change for a long time and is easy to re-charge using a solar panel. As for a solar panel, that you buy extra. A 60W solar panel works, but I recommend a 100W one to charge faster. Between lights, laptops, Led TVs, electric blankets, small fans, and other devices, Westinghouse's power station can power things for hours. Think of that! In a remote area with the ability to run a laptop, a fan, and/or an electric blanket?
Today, I have an off-grid system... of sorts. No, I'm not preparing for Doom's Day. I wanted to lessen my reliance on fossil fuels to help the planet AND save money! There... I said it. Moving on. I have a bunch of battery-powered devices I use daily for household/property chores and work-related activities, and I charge these tools with solar power. Here's how it works. I use the Westinghouse battery to recharge batteries and then I use a solar panel to recharge my Westinghouse power pack. End result?!! My use of gas over the last 2 years has plummeted, and the Westinghouse power station is working almost as good as new (I haven't noticed any loss of functionality in the 2 years since I bought it). YEA for lower electric and gas bills and SUPER YEA for lessening my carbon footprint (I really love that part). The power station was about $125 while the 100W solar panel was about $130. So, for under $300, I now cut my lawn, cut down trees, and employ a number of other power tools without impacting my electric bill or gasoline costs. HOORAY!
Now... I like backups for my backups. For most of the 3 people who read this... that will come as no surprise. What if my Westinghouse power station gives out? At some point, all tech ceases to function. So, I wanted a backup power station. Enter my 2023 power station purchase... the 146Wh battery pack by ZeroKor. After a $10 coupon I found online, I purchased this power station... and learned that such power stations may be able to operate a SMALL fridge for a decent amount of time. Check your power station and fridge specifics BEFORE attempting. Next time my power goes out, my mini fridge will be powering up! As for this new power pack/station/generator... it's not half bad. It doesn't seem to hold a charge as well as the Westinghouse power station. That said, it has been functioning decently, although it's controls are a bit finicky. I went with this as it already had hundreds of positive reviews. At this time, I would cautiously give it 4 out of 5 stars (trowels). I was about to give it a 3 or 3 and a half star rating, but my familiarity with its finicky-ness boosted my score to 4. For those doing fieldwork, there are a lot of these things out there now, and most are not made by a major brand like Westinghouse. When searching for and purchasing one of these contraptions, check out reviews. Look for power stations/generators with a lot of reviews (and certainly with way more good than bad feedback. Also review issues about what happens when you let a power station sit idle for a long time. That will potentially impact performance. Having said that, for fieldworkers, campers, and other explorers... these power stations are incredible! Cheers!
ZeroKor Power Generator
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