Re: A Discussion of Priorities
Post by Pandora on Apr 15, 2010, 7:21pm
Apr 15, 2010, 6:38pm, johnflorida wrote:
Apr 15, 2010, 6:07pm, Pandora wrote:
>>> That's a good short term thing but to make the fuel last you have to only run it then you want to. <<<
Did something I wrote make you believe I didn't know that already?
This is not a portable generator.
Some times I like to hear myself talk!But if you're out and the power goes out it kicks on and runs till you get back, not always a good thing.
How big is it?
It is a good thing in normal times (such as they are today) provided we aren't gone too long, which we usually aren't; freezer, etc.
After 1996's Hurricane Fran, when we were out of power for four days, and whatever-year-it-was after that when we were out of power for two days (Christmas Eve and Christmas) due to an ice-storm, and the periodic outages during perfectly windless, sunny days (I kid you not), Gunsmith got sick of having to hook up to the two portables (5K watts each) the well-pump, the water heater, the house heat and run an extension cord in through the dryer vent so I could keep the refrigerator/freezer cold and some of the lights on, not to mention the stove (which was all electric until we swapped it out for a dual-fuel), or the microwave.
So we did the research, figured out what we needed to maintain a normal semblence of life and in 2004 bought the 25,000 watt-er, which has auto/manual features. I am not a high-maintence woman; forget the jewelry, bring me electricity. It self-cycles every Thursday morning at 10 am for 15 minutes and the sound is music to my ears.
Until just recently (when societal breakdown anxieties began), the joke 'round here was "sheesh, we could've gotten a big box, written "generator" on it and maybe Mother Nature would've known no different", as we haven't had a major outage since.
On the other hand, I was thinking maybe a could get protection-payments from the neighbors to help defray the cost, 'cause their power hasn't blipped out since then either.Re: A Discussion of Priorities
Post by nolan on Apr 15, 2010, 8:06pm
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40 yo caucasian male w/ wife and 4 kids.
Military veteran w/ combat exp. and can supply own weapons, ammo, food and water. First aid, combat lifesaver, and NBC skills rusty but in good working order.
Forward thinking, like-minded, and intelligent (depends on who ya' ask, though!) and can operate heavy machinery. Other skills are varied and appliciable.
Will work for food.
CO, the gas pump above, would you think that grounding would be a worthwhile safety addition? Maybe a few feet of copper cable attached to the pump and a large spike or something? Gas and electricity are two things for which I have a healthy respect. I'm pretty safety conscious to the point that I have eye protection, gloves (injuries and infection are the enemies!) and am trying to negotiate the purchase of an M1-A1 Abrams to wrap myself in. No dice yet!
Soup, the threaded end on the pump to add lengths for deep tanks is a hell of an idea. Thanks
For the purpose of gas transfer/storage, I'm going to add conditioner, but also use cans to fill my cars and use the FIFO method for fuel, as well as food and other perishables. We have several 35lb tanks of propane on hand at all times and the cars are never less than 1/2 full. A couple years ago, we had some meat get freezer-burned and even though it was an awful meal, it was a good lesson. We've started jarring, but not much yet, and plan for more with this harvest, if it comes in strong.
My wife had it mind to scoot if the lights go out, but that would be awful considering where we are. We're outside Boston by about 45 min (by car) and there's a real sh*thole city called Brockton about 25 min away. Worcester is the other big city, then Providence. To get somewhere else, we'd have to thread the needle between all these Urban Islands full of restless natives and zombies. Back roads are easy to blockade, and the main-lines will be all parking lots. The time to leave here is last year. So, here we are in the middle of zombie-land!
I, too, have the town and surrounds factored in re: ingress/egress and choke-points and OP's. I know where to place bunkers and blockades, booby-traps and the like (I wont use the alliteritive B-word so as to avoid getting flagged by the "Elder Male Sibling"). I need lots of assistance, clearly, but I think there'll be plenty of construction equip. around when I need it.
I have lists made up of things to grab at the grocery stores (twinkies and soda are way, way down the list) and the Home Depot. Generators, fridges and freezers, chain-saws and shovels. Damn near the whole store. The U-haul place will have to provide trucking, but again, before that, it comes down to head-count.
Neighbors here look at me like I'm tapped (I am, which is probably why I'm flyin' solo) and smirk w/ their little knowing smiles. Anybody else get that? I usually like to get the last laugh, but will seriously die happy if I never get it in over those folks. The thing I say is that even though those survivalist "nuts" fears in the 70's and 80's were never realized, it doesn't mean they were wrong! We were so close several times and very few know about it. There just were no guarantees that it was going to end the way it did. But this situation, well, there's just so many differences that it doesn't compare. My Dad tried to allay my concerns once by saying "Somebody always comes along and keeps things right and cooler heads prevail" or some such nonsense. I asked him "Where's that guarantee written? And who underwrites it?" And he's no slouch when it comes to history! I know he was trying to ease my concerns, but it keeps me from broaching the subject w/ him again.
Soup, I also took CPR when my kids were born. The others in the class were there to punch the ticket for the job, mostly. There were a few who did it for the sake of being prepared, but beyond that I couldn't see myself allying w/ them. This is MA, after all!
The line about not freking out at an accident scene brings to mind my own personal pearl of wisdom, "Plan ahead, Perform now, panic later!"
Also, have you ever checked out the blog "Sipsey Street Irregulars"? He speaks about the "Three Percent". The portion of the colonist who took up arms against the Brits. It's a guesstimate, I think, but he extrapolates upon it and fits it into todays situation very well. Some of his stuff is, well, easy to skip over, but most of it is well written and well thought-out. Point being, he relayed a conversation he had w/ a friend (fictitious, I think, but well written) and one of the things he mentioned that puts people into the Three Percent mind-set category is that you don't gawk at an accident scene and wait for the "Authorities" to take care of the Citizenry. You act! You're independent and confident enough to use your own judgement.
I don't know if the number is as low as 3%, but I sure as sh*t hope that it's higher when the time comes.
JF, I'm hitting "craigs list" next. Good lead. Re: A Discussion of Priorities
Post by nolan on Apr 15, 2010, 8:11pm
Pan, you posted while I was writing my novel above and you reminded me of something.
When using a portable generator, make a short male-male cord and plug it into a wall outlet near the panel. Turn off the main breaker and any circuits un-used and the needed circuits will be energized. No need for multiple cords. Although you took care of it, it's something I hope somebody can use.