It’s ChatGPT Me, Again…

Here's my yearly test of just how good AI is getting at mimicking me...

Everyone,

Here’s my yearly test of how well ChatGPT can create an AI generated article that mimics my human posts. While a lot of influencers and marketing teams use AI routinely, I only use it occasionally as a test to see just how smart it’s getting. And because AI programs like ChatGPT can access thousands of my online articles, it can create an article that reads pretty much like me in a few seconds. But it’s not me, it’s a computer generated version of me that doesn’t discover anything new.

Please read this AI article created by ChatGPT literally in a few seconds, and leave your comments below. Is AI the future of technical articles that normally take a human being hours or even days to write? Or do I still have a writing job for the foreseeable future?

Here’s ChatGPT me

To determine how many solar panels and lithium batteries you’ll need for a weekend of off-grid camping, “in the style of Mike Sokol” (a well-known RV and power expert), we’ll follow a practical, minimalistic, and safety-conscious approach. Mike Sokol often advocates for safe, realistic energy use, often for things like LED lights, small appliances, CPAP machines, and light entertainment (laptops, phones, etc.).

Let’s break it down:

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1. Estimate Your Power Usage for the Weekend

Let’s assume two days (48 hours) off-grid, and you want power for:

• LED lighting: 20W for 4 hours/day = 160Wh

• Phone charging: 10Wh per charge × 2 phones × 2 days = 40Wh

• Laptop use: 50W for 2 hours/day = 200Wh

• CPAP machine: 40W for 8 hours/night = 640Wh

• Small fan: 20W for 6 hours/day = 240Wh

• Miscellaneous (radio, inverter loss, etc.): 100Wh

Total estimated energy use:

~1,380 Wh (or ~1.4 kWh) for the weekend

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2. Battery Storage Needs (Lithium)

• Lithium batteries (LiFePO4) can be discharged up to 90% safely, unlike lead-acid which are limited to 50%.

• Required usable energy: ~1,400Wh

• A 100Ah 12V lithium battery = ~1,280Wh usable (100Ah × 12V × 0.9)

• So, you’ll need roughly one 100Ah lithium battery, or two if you want margin or bad weather buffer.

Recommendation:

One 100Ah LiFePO4 battery minimum

Optional: Add a second for rainy/cloudy weather or heavier loads.

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3. Solar Panel Requirements

You want to recharge at least 1.4 kWh over two days.

• Assuming 5 hours of good sun per day, typical in fair-weather conditions:

• A 200W solar panel generates ~1,000Wh/day (200W × 5h)

• So, in 2 days: ~2,000Wh (more than enough to recharge 1,400Wh)

Recommendation:

200W of solar panels minimum, ideally with a MPPT charge controller.

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Summary (Mike Sokol Style Setup)

Component Minimum Needed

• Lithium Battery 1 × 100Ah (12V) 2 for margin

• Solar Panels 200W total - 2 × 100W panels or 1 × 200W panel

• Charge Controller - MPPT, 20A+ Matches solar/battery capacity

• Inverter (optional) 300W–600W pure sine wave For AC devices, if needed

This setup supports typical RV/camping use, CPAP, laptop, lights, fan, and recharges phones — very much in line with Mike Sokol’s practical, safety-first philosophy.

Would you like help picking specific brands or parts to build this setup?

Back to the Real Mike Sokol

What do you think? Could you be fooled into thinking I wrote this article myself? Is it accurate or just wrong? And would you read a daily newsletter created by a robot verson of me (or any other columnist)? Please take the survey below and leave your comments.

Let’s play (and read) safely out there… Mike