Production in normal conditions has its own levels of difficulty— shot planning & storyboarding, logistics and permits, talent, gear, crew efficiency, location management and so much more. Finding reliable power is not typically on the list of unsolvable problems in a world of constantly available electricity, whether from wall outlets or from gas generators— easing worries about keeping gear charged, ready and running on location. So what happens when you are staring down the barrel of a multi-week production taking place as far away from “normal conditions” and “reliable power” as possible? That’s the question I found myself trying very hard to answer as I worked closer towards the date of heading into the Central Alaska Range for a two week production/expedition on an obscure SW fork of the Kahiltna Glacier in Denali National Park, Alaska, during the frigid month of April, 2023.
I spent hours on the phone calling friends, mentors & companies of all sorts to find out more information about expedition power, landing at two general solutions: 1.) We have no idea what you should do and 2.) maybe bring a gas generator. The former seemed more and more like a scary reality and the latter an option for those with more logistical leeway and no weight limitations. For myriad of reasons, a gas generator for the level of production we were doing is totally overkill, environmentally-obtrusive and generally unfeasible for logistics management & travel to/from Alaska. Strike out. Another option was, “bring a shit-ton of batteries.” An interesting idea, but that still leaves us with finite power and a fear of running out before capturing all that is needed. There has to be a better way I tell myself…
I noticed that larger productions were portering in larger solar generator units from other manufacturers, and an idea train started to take off… what if we ship instead of fly? Unsurprisingly, I didn’t make it too far into this idea until I realized that the USDOT has incredibly strict regulations on lithium batteries flying, even for ground transport/cargo aircraft. Most manufacturers seem to shy away from the high cost and logistics challenges of making their products robust enough to safely ship. Just as I was ready to throw in the towel and go with figuring out the logistics of a gas generator, I stumbled across Dakota Lithium online. Immediately I found their Powerbox products— and my mind was blown. The Powerboxes are lightweight, waterproof, fully-self-contained solar generators that are UN/DOT 38.3 certified*** for easy shipping and best of all, they are designed with their these amazing LiPeFo4 cells that allow normal operation down to -20ºF. This is /exactly/ what I was looking for. I reached out to the team to see if they were interested in partnering with us for this project and safe to say their excitement and fast cooperation with us was one of the key factors in the success of our production/expedition.
We were supplied a Powerbox 135Ah (1,728Wh) and a new portable solar panel (Solar 180) which is a 180-watt, lightweight and foldable panel system. With the harshness of early Alaskan Spring keeping temperatures very low, rarely breaking 0ºF & often creeping down to -20ºF+ at night, the Powerbox 135Ah is the only model from DL that contains a battery-heating system to keep the unit charging at optimal temperatures throughout. This is critical given than other battery systems have internal mechanisms that do not allow charging below certain temperatures (usually 32ºF/0ºC) to prevent damage to the battery unit.
With an average of 15 hours of sun a day, the solar 180 system combined with the large capacity of the Powerbox 135Ah always kept us powered up— even on storm days we would get a trickle of power in from the panels! At any one time, we charged 3-4 different types of camera batteries (gold mounts, BP-A60s, LP-E6Ns, Sony N-mounts), GoPros, Inreaches, iPhones, a laptop, LED tent lights, smart watches, headlamps, a bluetooth speaker, drone batteries and mobile power bricks. Truly incredible, the unit barely broke a sweat while simul-charging many of the above. The inverter included in the unit is a 300-watt (600-watt peak) inverter than had more than enough juice for us. As I said above, even on storm days the capacity was hefty enough to keep up with charging demands with little to no solar input. We even utilized it for a Lord of the Rings movie night in the tent, which required heating a Nalgene in a down jacket to keep under the laptop (remember the optimal battery temperature requirement?). The unit has some nice front I/O including a PD-capable USB-C which allows for more efficient battery usage when charging things like a laptop and saving you from turning on the inverter.
With an overall combined weight of 65 pounds and an incredibly small footprint, both for our expedition and the environment, I highly recommend this type of system for expedition teams (and the other smaller units for others not getting into as far of terrain). The only hair in the soup in shipping these beasts requires going through a hazmat-certified shipping outfit. On the ship-out, DL takes the brunt of that impact- on the way back, you are kind of on your own to find a qualifier shipper. I expected the process to be difficult, but I found it super easy utilizing a company called TGI-freight out of Anchorage, AK, which is conveniently located at the airport. It is important to note that you are unlikely to find this same level of difficulty if you ship in the lower 48, but hopefully the only shipping you encounter is receiving the package Dakota Lithium ships to your door for free!
Thanks again to Dakota Lithium for all of the support on this trip, we couldn’t have done it without you!!
***UN/DOT 38.3
All Dakota Lithium batteries are tested and certified per section 38.3 of the UN Manual of Tests and Criteria (UN Transportation Testing). This certification process ensures the safety of lithium batteries during shipping and use in extreme environmental conditions. Testing criteria include sustain performance and safe operation in -40 F, performance in low air pressure environments simulating an altitude of 50,000 ft, drop testing from 6 ft repeatedly and performing to spec after, short circuit protection, among other tests.