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What did you do to prep today?
- Thread starter squerly
- Start date
I rotated stock on food and water for 6 months, earthquake preps.
Got my emergency communications up and running on 900MHz.
It was a good day.
Tweeker
Another prepper is always welcome. We're still trying to convince people on this board that we're not paranoid, just prudent. It's not easy being a Boy Scout, always prepared, but when the SHTF, guess who's door they are going to be knocking on. Tough, it's too late.
If I lived in California I'd do the same thing ... and then some.
What did I do to prep today? Well, I'm preparing to host family supper at our house for 16 - 20 people on Saturday. That means powerwashing the deck and pool area, washing windows and mowing, trimming and edging the 4 acre yard. I know that's not what this thread is about but it's going to keep me so busy that I won't be worrying about anything else.
There's going to be some meat burning and beer drinking at our place on Saturday.
Could you tell us a little more about the power invertor you are talking about Frank? Can they be used to power refridgeration or freezers if needed running off my tractor?
That's how I use it Cowboy.
I originally got it (2000 watt inverter) to power an electric pole saw from the tractor battery when I was out in the pasture. I also used it for back-up to the generator(s) for running the 5 fridges and freezers that we have. It'll run any one of them using the tractor or the truck. I don't know if it'll run 2 of them at the same time, that might be pushing it as the compressor motor takes a lot of power to start and I think it would probably be right at its limit. There's no sense in doing that. We used to have a big, honking 25-year old plus fridge that I used as a beer fridge that it would struggle to start. God only knows how much power that old thing needed to kick in the motor but once and if it it got it started it would run it just fine. These newer fridges and freezers are a lot more energy efficient and require less power to start so it manages one them just fine.
I used an old jumper cable to connect it to the battery of the truck and just let it idle. I watch the ammeter and if necessary I have a fast idle on the truck I can use. On the tractor I nudge the rpm up about 1500 and let her run.
The disclaimer is that I haven't needed to use it to do that for quite a while. I still sometimes use it to power a drill or something away from the house when I'm too lazy to haul one of the generators down there. The minimum size that you would need would possibly be 1500 watts but a 2000 watt is better. 2000 watts gives you about 4000 watts surge for 10 or 15 seconds which is usually enough to get the compressor going.
I read somewhere once that a fridge/freezer takes about 800 watts to run but takes up to another 2000 watts to start. That's why I said that a 2000 watt inverter would probably be better.
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tiredretired
The Old Salt
I've been looking around for those one slice packets of Spam. Very light to carry in your BOB. Can't find them locally.
Cowboy
Wait for it.
Thats just what i was needing to know, thanks Frank. I am just looking for a backup just in case, as my generators have been giving me the fits when i need them most. The tractors use far less fuel IMO, and i keep much more diesel on hand then gas.
Even in a long power outage i only run the fridges and freezer every 6 hours or so, and only for 30 minutes or so at a time. I'll plan on getting two that are at least 2000 watts. Never hurts to have a backup for your backup & i have two tractors.
On the inverters, I too wouldn't go less then 2000w unless you're just running some lights off it.
My approach (instead of the tractor) is to do pretty much what's in the picture (I grabbed off the internet) below.
I put a deep-cycle marine battery in the box and strap the inverter to the top. It then sits in the house, ready to go. I normally keep it in the same room as the wood stove since if the stove is running and the power goes out, it's a quick grab to get the inverter connected to the stove to run the fans so it doesn't overheat. With the deep-cycle battery, you can run it for a few hours (depending on the load and battery size) without having to re-charge the battery.
Being a packaged up unit, I can grab it and throw it in the truck, ATV, RTV... for portable power wherever I need it.
My approach (instead of the tractor) is to do pretty much what's in the picture (I grabbed off the internet) below.
I put a deep-cycle marine battery in the box and strap the inverter to the top. It then sits in the house, ready to go. I normally keep it in the same room as the wood stove since if the stove is running and the power goes out, it's a quick grab to get the inverter connected to the stove to run the fans so it doesn't overheat. With the deep-cycle battery, you can run it for a few hours (depending on the load and battery size) without having to re-charge the battery.
Being a packaged up unit, I can grab it and throw it in the truck, ATV, RTV... for portable power wherever I need it.
Tweeker
New member
Could you tell us a little more about the power invertor you are talking about Frank? Can they be used to power refridgeration or freezers if needed running off my tractor?
If you plan on running your computer off of the inverter, you will need to get a True Sine Wave Unit, like a "prosine".
An inverter that produces a modifided sine wave is not well suited for your expensive electronics.
Tweeker
Tweeker
New member
That would depend on the type of ac to dc converter your laptop uses.
What happens with a modified sine wave inverter is that the inverter produces some high frequency harmonics which if the are not filtered out will screw up the electronics.
True sine wave inverters cost about twice as much per watt as do the modified sine wave inverters.
I would play it safe and not run a laptop off of a modified sine wave inverter.
Tweeker
What happens with a modified sine wave inverter is that the inverter produces some high frequency harmonics which if the are not filtered out will screw up the electronics.
True sine wave inverters cost about twice as much per watt as do the modified sine wave inverters.
I would play it safe and not run a laptop off of a modified sine wave inverter.
Tweeker
Hey Tweeker that's something that I hadn't thought of but running electronics off it wasn't one of the reasons I got it. Just thinking, instead of plugging the computer directly into the inverter, if you plugged a UPS into the inverter and then the computer and stuff into the UPS, would that filter out some of the "noise" and allow you to run them safely?
Zoomer, that's a pretty neat set up. I have two deep cycle 12v batteries sitting in boxes that I tote around when pulling the 5th wheel, just in case. I'm a prepper there too. It wouldn't take much rigging up at all.
Cowboy, that was another one of the reasons that I got it way back when. Like you I always have a darned sight more diesel around than I do gas. So, if "whatever" happens and lasts long enough for me to run out of gas, I can still use the little tractor or the big one for that matter or the truck to keep the beer fridge cold. Gotta get your priorities straight. Nobody likes drinking warm beer.
Cowboy
Wait for it.
Thats good to know Tweeker, i hadnt thought about using it for our computers.
So far the ones i have looked at are desribed as (Pure Sine Wave Inverter), is this the same thing? 
Cowboy
Wait for it.
This is all great info, thanks to all for the info & ideas.Hey Tweeker that's something that I hadn't thought of but running electronics off it wasn't one of the reasons I got it. Just thinking, instead of plugging the computer directly into the inverter, if you plugged a UPS into the inverter and then the computer and stuff into the UPS, would that filter out some of the "noise" and allow you to run them safely?
Zoomer, that's a pretty neat set up. I have two deep cycle 12v batteries sitting in boxes that I tote around when pulling the 5th wheel, just in case. I'm a prepper there too. It wouldn't take much rigging up at all.
Cowboy, that was another one of the reasons that I got it way back when. Like you I always have a darned sight more diesel around than I do gas. So, if "whatever" happens and lasts long enough for me to run out of gas, I can still use the little tractor or the big one for that matter or the truck to keep the beer fridge cold. Gotta get your priorities straight. Nobody likes drinking warm beer.
I'm with you on using the diesel VS gas Frank, i have been looking for a reasonable priced diesel genset with electric start but dayum i just cant see putting out that kind of money just for emergency use. But how did you know what i kept in my emergency fridges?
My gas ones are pull start and i have a bad shoulder where i cant hardly pull the darn rope anymore without pulling my shoulder out of socket.
It just makes more sense to me to have both tractors available for emergency power, and it would also come in handy working elsewhere on the property when i need to use some other electric tools or pumps.
Tweeker
New member
Thats good to know Tweeker, i hadnt thought about using it for our computers.
Yes,
As a side note, this site has been down for almost 2 days.
I tried to access it on friday and saturday but was not able to do so.
Tweeker
Cowboy
Wait for it.
Read post #7 of this thread for an explanation Tweeker. Were lucky Doc was even able to get the forums back up.
http://www.forumsforums.com/3_9/showthread.php?t=56854
tiredretired
The Old Salt
I'm thinking about one of those deep cycle batteries and a clean sine wave inverter to run my pellet stove in case of an outage. I just cant run the gennie 24/7 and waste all that gas just for the stove.
I like what you did Frank with the battery, case and inverter strapped to it. Makes it a nice clean portable setup. Sweet.
Anyone have any recommendations as to a good deep cell battery with lots of AmpHours?
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Sunforce-11240-Inverter-Remote-Control/dp/B000WGNNUQ"]I am looking at this inverter.[/ame] Seems like a good price and even has a remote! LOL.
I like what you did Frank with the battery, case and inverter strapped to it.
Makes it a nice clean portable setup. Sweet. Anyone have any recommendations as to a good deep cell battery with lots of AmpHours?
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Sunforce-11240-Inverter-Remote-Control/dp/B000WGNNUQ"]I am looking at this inverter.[/ame] Seems like a good price and even has a remote! LOL.
tiredretired
The Old Salt
Thanx. I was also thinking about heavy equipment batteries. I just learned that many "off the gridders" like em because of their added capacity.
Tweeker
New member
There was this guy in Texas, I think, that took a huge amount of copper cable and buried in beneath some High tension power lines and hooked them up to a bank of High capacity batteries.
He was getting free electricity for about 2 years untill they caught him.
The power company knew that they were loosing power somewhere along that streatch of line but could not find out where.
Then one evening they noticed this ranch house all lit up like it was christmas and no power line running to his house, no solar panels, no wind generator.
They put 2 and 2 together and figured out what was happening.
Tweeker
He was getting free electricity for about 2 years untill they caught him.
The power company knew that they were loosing power somewhere along that streatch of line but could not find out where.
Then one evening they noticed this ranch house all lit up like it was christmas and no power line running to his house, no solar panels, no wind generator.
They put 2 and 2 together and figured out what was happening.
Tweeker
Tweeker
New member
A friend of mine told me about industry grade batteries.
They are 24 or 48 volt and as large as a footlocker.
These things can be rebuilt, there is a draine for the water/acid
the bottom is removable so that the lead particles that normally fall off the plate can be removed preventing the plates from shorting out and the lead plates can be resurfaced or replaced as needed.
Tweeker
They are 24 or 48 volt and as large as a footlocker.
These things can be rebuilt, there is a draine for the water/acid
the bottom is removable so that the lead particles that normally fall off the plate can be removed preventing the plates from shorting out and the lead plates can be resurfaced or replaced as needed.
Tweeker
tiredretired
The Old Salt
Good water for that. Pure and clean.
Those sound awesome but..........I'll bet they are pricier than all get out and heavier than an Italian Mother-In-Law.
Rusty Shackleford
Automotive M.D.
I still have my Dad's old CB in my car, hooked up and ready to use. Could do for a peak and tune sometime though. I can live without my cellphone, though when the fecal matter connects with the bladed spinning device I think it is good to have to get in contact with family and friend who you may be in cahoonts with as far as prepping/planning. The ones expecting the government to help them out of the doomsday situation will be unfortunatley (for them) left in the dark as I believe the government will be the cause of doomsday.
That being said, we are not nearly prepared enough for the impending disaster which I believe will occur within 50 years. Could be in 50 years, could be tomorrow, hard to say. We have a good amount of dried packaeged foods as well as canned foods and I try to keep a fresh water supply by rotating it between drinking it, and using it to make my coffee in the AM and cook with in the evenings. We have a decent supply of medical supplies, and with Lith knowing all about that stuff it's good to have her around
Regardless it's hard to prepare on a paycheck-to-paycheck budget, and we really only have probably a week's worth of water, and maybe 2-3 weeks worth of foods to get us by as of current. But with me having some money freed up by finally having my car payed off, it will be alot easier to make at least a small hoard of supplies and edibles. I'll keep updated with this as I do more.
Tweeker
New member
You may want to check out that CB radio, if it is a 23 channel you may have problems communicating with other CBers.I still have my Dad's old CB in my car, hooked up and ready to use. Could do for a peak and tune sometime though. I can live without my cellphone, though when the fecal matter connects with the bladed spinning device I think it is good to have to get in contact with family and friend who you may be in cahoonts with as far as prepping/planning. The ones expecting the government to help them out of the doomsday situation will be unfortunatley (for them) left in the dark as I believe the government will be the cause of doomsday.
That being said, we are not nearly prepared enough for the impending disaster which I believe will occur within 50 years. Could be in 50 years, could be tomorrow, hard to say. We have a good amount of dried packaeged foods as well as canned foods and I try to keep a fresh water supply by rotating it between drinking it, and using it to make my coffee in the AM and cook with in the evenings. We have a decent supply of medical supplies, and with Lith knowing all about that stuff it's good to have her around
Regardless it's hard to prepare on a paycheck-to-paycheck budget, and we really only have probably a week's worth of water, and maybe 2-3 weeks worth of foods to get us by as of current. But with me having some money freed up by finally having my car payed off, it will be alot easier to make at least a small hoard of supplies and edibles. I'll keep updated with this as I do more.
when they went to 40 channels, they narrowed the bands in order to squeeze more channels in the alloted band space.
Tweeker