How to Prepare for a Hurricane: Hurricane Supply List

You don’t need to live in Galveston or New Orleans to worry about hurricane preparation. Our team at BatteryDepot.com created this official guide on how to prepare for a hurricane because we know that it’s on the forefront of our customers’ minds. Without further ado, here’s your hurricane supply list!

Note that we consulted with the United States Coast Guard’s official literature, so you know it’s legit.

Hurricane Supplies List: Water

First and foremost, you’re going to need water. It’s truly essential for hydration, cooking, and sanitation.

  • Drinking water: one gallon per person per day, in unbreakable containers.
  • Food preparation water: two quarts per day per person, in unbreakable containers.
  • Sanitation water: for flushing toilets, cleaning, bathing, etc.

Hurricane Preparedness Checklist: Non-Perishable Food

You also need to maintain about a week’s worth of food for each family member. Here are the basics…

  • Dried fruit, peanut butter, jelly, coffee, tea, soft drinks, and pet food
  • Ready-to-eat canned meats, fruits, and vegetables
  • Canned juices, milk, and soup
  • Sugar, salt, pepper, and other staples
  • Crackers, granola bars, trail mix
  • Raw vegetables
  • Fresh bread
  • Cookies, hard candy, sweetened cereals, lollipops
  • Vitamins, Pedialyte, and Gatorade
  • Paper cups, plates, and plastic utensils
  • Plenty of ice

Hurricane Supply List: Baby, Sanitation & First Aid

Don’t forget about those babies, nor about your family’s first aid needs! After all, this is an emergency.

  • Baby items: special foods, formula, extra diapers, medicine, blankets, diaper rash ointment, baby wipes, powder, bottles, pacifier, toys/blankets, etc.
  • Sanitation tools: toilet paper, towelettes, soap, baby wipes, liquid hand sanitizer, feminine supplies, liquid detergent, personal hygiene items, plastic garbage bags, twist ties, bleach, etc.
  • First aid kit: adhesive bandages, germicidal hand wipes, non-latex gloves, antibacterial cream, cold packs, scissors, tweezers, rubbing alcohol, CPR breathing barrier, thermometer, safety pins.

Hurricane Preparedness List: Medicine

Last, but certainly not least, let’s not forget about medicine. You can’t go without your daily medication!

  • Non-prescription drugs: aspirin, non-aspirin pain reliever, Benadryl, peroxide, anti-diarrhea medication, antacid, laxative, activated charcoal, etc.
  • Prescription drugs: heart medication, blood pressure medication, insulin, hearing aid, denture needs, contact lenses, anxiety medication, depression medication, etc.

The Importance of Spare Batteries

Let’s not forget one last crucial thing that you’ll need for any type of emergency: extra batteries. If the power grid goes down, you’ll find yourself relying upon them for all your needs, from your flashlights to your AM/FM radios to your hearing aids and beyond. We can’t stress how important this part really is!

Additionally, we recommend that you run a test of your emergency lighting situation ASAP.

Reach Out to Us at Battery Depot with Any Hurricane-Related Questions!

We understand that the hurricane preparation process can seem complicated. However, we’re here to help. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at BatteryDepot.com now if you have any further questions.

Solar Lights Not Working: Troubleshooting Solar Lights

Here at Battery Depot, we’re constantly receiving emails from our customers. One of the most common emails that we get pertains to solar lights. You know them: those high-tech contraptions that you put out in your garden to collect solar energy throughout the day and to emit light throughout the night.

However, by the look of our inbox, it seems like lots of people are having issues with their solar lights. They write about “new solar lights not working,” they ask about charging “solar lights for the first time,” and they inquire “why their solar lights won’t work.” So, we wrote this guide to troubleshooting solar lights!

Busted Solar Lights – 8 Troubleshooting Tips

Solar Lights Not WorkingHere are a few steps that you can take to figure out (and fix!) when your solar lights aren’t working. As always, if you have any questions about the process, you can reach out to us today at Battery Depot.

1. Ensure that your solar lights are on. Believe it or not, solar lights have on/off switches. (They do!)

2. Look for a pull tab by the battery compartment. This is another no-brainer, but still…

3. Do a test run by covering the solar panel. A major feature of solar lights is that they only come on at night. Therefore, if you’re trying to test your lights during the day (to see whether they’re working), you should cover the solar panel with either your hand or a piece of dark cloth.

4. Thoroughly clean the solar panel. Over time, dirt and debris will collect on the face of the solar panel. You should wipe it down with a soft cleaning cloth and the appropriate cleaning solution.

5. Reposition the solar panel. Try to move it so that it’s more directly exposed to the sunlight.

6. Turn it off and let it charge for 72 hours. Now, we’re scraping at the bottom of the barrel. If none of the techniques outlined above seem to work, try to let it cycle through a “deep charge.”

7. Get in touch with the retailer. Perhaps the retailer or the manufacturer will have some advice that’s specific to that individual brand. Give them a call on the phone and see if they can help.

8. If none of those techniques help, then the battery is probably the culprit! Keep on reading.

Solar Light Problems – The Battery

Solar Lights Not WorkingThese types of outdoor lights use rechargeable batteries to store the sun’s energy. In fact, it’s one of their four major components, along with the photovoltaic cell (the solar panel), the charge controller (which makes sure the batteries don’t get overcharged), and the LEDs themselves (which provide light).

Try briefly replacing the rechargeable batteries with fully charged disposable ones. If the lights come on, then you can be certain that you need new batteries; you’ll find them right here on BatteryDepot.com!

You Can Find All Your Replacement Battery Needs Here at Battery Depot!

Regardless of whether you’re looking for NiCad, NiMH, lithium-ion, or any other type of replacement battery for your solar lights, we can help. Together, we’ll get your solar lights back up and running ASAP.