What's a good amount of batteries to stockpile? I need 123s (for my Surefire lights), AAs and Ds. I don't have much stuff I need to prepare for other than flashlights, but may need to dip into it often for alarm clocks and other everyday use products. What's a good online vendor? I have heard of www.cheapbatteries.com but that's it.

I just go by the warehouse club and buy the bulk packs. After a year or two, they get rotated inside the house for toys, pagers, and other household uses. Then I just go to the warehouse club and buy another bulk pack. <br><br>I have heard that storing batteries in a fridge extends the life. The drawback is cold batteries don't work until warmed up.

Whatever batteries that you can store will be better than those at the store (or not) when you need them. Lead-Acid batteries have the longest duty life but the shortest shelf life and don't come in the sizes you mentioned. Alkaline have a reasonably long shelf life and duty life but no recharge, they are cheap and readily available. Lithium is great for shelf life, duty life and recharge but expensive as hell with some diligent shopping you should be able to get lithium in whatever sizes you need. NiCad and NiMH are a decent compromize between lithium and alkaline. In a 72hr interruption of normalcy disposable batteries such as alkalines are fine. Anything longer and you would want rechargeables - which brings up the issues of recharge options. <br><br>This discussion bears great similarity to the water discussion in terms of stockpiled / carried water - stockpiled / carried batteries vs purification / filtration equipment - recharge equipment. With lithium batteries and a decent recharge answer you can power you equippement for years. With Alkalines you can power your equippment for as long as the batteries that you are willing to carry last. There is a weight volume issue when on the move. A solar recharger weighs something and batteries weigh something. If the batteries needed to carry you to destination are lighter than the weight of the recharger then carry batteries. If the additional convience of having disposable batteries is worth carrying the weight then carry more batteries. At some point the recharger will make sense then you need to shop for that. Do you want something like a generator or a solar recharger. Can you count on sun where you are stranded? Can you count on fuel for the generator? Does the fuel weigh more than the batteries? This isn't simple. <br><br>Other ARES based HAMS may have experience here. We operate reasonably high-powered electronics (Radios and lights) from off-grid power often. I carry lead-acid gel packs with voltage converters and battery chargers. I have converted to lithium for most of my AA and AAA cells. I don't carry C cells. I use LED lamps exclusively. Schwert, you reading along?<br><br>I have no generator yet but would be interested if anyone has heard or / seen a small packable multifuel genset that could be run from an MSR fuel canister?

Consider the use of Ni-MH for AA, AAA, C and D sized. I have been converting over to the rechargable Ni-MH and recharge them with either a plug-in house hold or solar unit. Pete

I order 123 Lithiums for my SureFires from Cutlery Shoppe. They have good prices for bulk purchases, ~$3 each.<br><br>I have also purchased NiCad packs and converters for my SureFires. This makes the 6P about 2" longer, but is much cheaper in the long run and allows me to use the lights without being concerned that I am eating up $6 worth of batteries. My EDC SureFire(s) always have fresh 123 Lithiums, but my bedside and car torches are powered by rechargables.<br><br>I have also converted to rechargable NiMH batteries in AA size for most of my high drain electronics...SW radio, cameras, flashlites, GPS etc. This is great for "normal" use but I also maintain a rotating stock of AA size Lithiums and regular alkalines for emergency backup use.<br><br>All my HAM gear is old and still using NiCad packs or AA's. But I do have a large Lead acid gel pack for extended emergency use at base locations. This happens to be a car starting cell with high capacity. Other local HAMs have converted old video camera packs for emergency use. <br><br>I also carry a 12V-120V converter for use in the car. I can charge packs or run directly from this power source.<br><br><br><br><br><br>