}
Cool Stuff for Preppers, Homesteaders, & Campers
Southwest Gadget is the authorized dealer for Lightning Audio & Sound. LA&S has been a leader in the tech and audio for over 30 years. About 10 years ago, LA&S began specializing in off grid energy products for campers and preppers, including Bedini Generators, with the same level of precision engineering. Our circuit boards are assembled by disabled veterans, and almost all other products made and assembled in the U.S. .We’d committed to the tradition of the Old West, with a technology overhaul.
The Bedini Generator Story
Origin
In 2001, a 10 year old girl was looking for help for her school science fair, and she found it from a friend of her father, John Bedini.
John helped her to build an electric generator which she submitted to the science fair. To the amazement of the judges, the generator, powered by a small 9V battery, continued to charge the other batteries for almost an entire week, without additional input power. Scratching their heads, they awarded her "Best of Show", and a legend was born.
The Community
In 2004, John patented the device, (which became known as the “Simple School Girl Generator”, or “SSG” for short). The patenting of this device sparked a great deal of interest among engineers and DIY’er experimenters alike, who have been replicating his work for decades with the same excitement as when it was first introduced at that science fair.
Because of it’s ability to produce a superior charge to batteries relative to the input power, it has become increasingly popular for Off Grid-ers, campers, and enthusiasts. A simple spin of the wheel by hand, and the generator will run without traditional fuel for long periods of time. It goes without saying this feature can be useful for charging back up batteries in remote areas.
2.0
One of the engineers who knew John from the audio world is Ryan Thompson, owner of Lightning Audio & Sound. One of Ryan’s passions was to make John’s work readily available with standardized, professional, reliable parts, so that anyone can use them for research or practical use.
These parts are designed to work reliably, consistently, and removing the guesswork, so that Bedini Generators are now a reliable method for providing back up power, regardless of the sun or wind.