I'm going to do something different and give a build lesson here. I'll assume that many of you don't have much confidence with electrical work and so I'll try to at least include some good things to consider in this area as a prepper. Many of you probably want to preserve the usage of at least a few electronic toys in a SHTF situation but feel you can't as solar options and such are out of your reach. Generators are too expensive to feed and fuel is becoming too unstable too for long storage. Even preparing for short term outages are scarey as backup systems are not high with limited finances. I know because I'm there too.

The one thing I have been good at is making something from little to nothing. I have the shop and lots of tools to do such, but this is a project that most of you can do with just the basics. I came across a couple of APC computer power backups that were old and being tossed by a small business because they no longer worked. http://www.blasedwards.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=1034

I scooped them right away because these units have multiple uses:

1. They provide a battery backup for your computer in case of a power outage, usually just long enough to save whatever your doing and shut down properly .
2. They convert 12 volt DC power to 120 volt AC, thus their an inverter
3. They are also a 12 volt battery charger to keep the internal battery fully charged
4. They are a more stable surge protection unit and prevent power surges from outlets and even guard phone and network lines from spiking your computers by lightening strike surges.

Most cost from $100 up and little goes wrong with them other than the batteries die. You can get replacements cheap if you look around and I found some free ones later in damaged emergency lights another fellow tossed. You can determine the batteries usefulness with a cheap VOM meter http://www.ebay.ca/itm/BEST-DT9205M-Digital-Multimeter-Voltmeter-Ohmmeter-Ammeter-Capacitance-Tester-/201117873618?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2ed38f35d2 . You put it in DC mode and a 12 volt battery should read at least 12.3 volts to be considered good still. (it's that easy)

Now I like it when things have more than 1 purpose. I have a pellet stove in my house as an alternative heat source to the fuel oil furnace. I'd removed my wood stove as I counted it took 5 times handling the wood from the bush to the stove....and pellets where so much cleaner and the stove very efficient. One $5-$6 bag lasts 24 hours in the winter and heats a 1200 SqFt area nicely. If the power went out, the furnace wouldn't run as it requires power to run the 1 HP fan motor (1,200 watts of power). The pellet stove has 2 fans and a feed screw motor and I assumed that it drew alot of power therefore too. I bought a $18 energy analyzer http://www.ebay.ca/itm/LCD-Monitor-Analyzer-Energy-Wattage-Voltage-Current-Frequency-Power-Meter-Tester-/191274339995?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_2&hash=item2c88d6ce9b to measure the output and it turned out to only draw 145 watts total(1/2 as much as many laptops). This meant that the APC backups could keep the pellet stove running for a few hours at least during an outage.

Still not good for an extended period of time of say a few days though. I drilled a hole into the back of the APC and ran a small set of jumpers from the two leads that went to the battery. This now allowed me to attach a 12 volt battery from the lawn mower, car or motorcycle to extend this time frame. By doing it now, I have an alternative system where I'd only have to go get a battery to have heat all night. Also, when the power is on, it can charge 12 volt batteries instead thru those same cables while charging other 120 volt items too.

So keep your eyes peeled for these units as they are often tossed by those who never knew better when they simply died! Or if your willing, go buy a new one as they can be a useful thing to have during a power outage. The 2 tools I listed can be of great use to also determine what draws all the electricity you use daily and therefore also help you decide how to reduce these overhead costs too.