The Prepper Thread

Screamfeeder · Jan 23, 2020

Bandwagon said:
Yea, I think that a generator & backup heating is going to be the first thing I tackle. Not even a real prepper thing. I think that's just common sense that I've been neglecting and it's bugged me every winter since my daughter was born. We lose power at least once every winter and it usually lasts for 1-3 hours. Every time it happens, my first thought it "I have no plan for what happens if it doesn't come back on before the house starts freezing".

This is going to sound silly, but how are the seals on all your windows and doors? What kind of construction is your home? The adobe style places in NM I grew up in were insanly good at temp regulation in even the most extreme swings and after we replaced all the windows and doors, it was even better.

Oldbased · Jan 23, 2020

Bandwagon said:
Yea, I think that a generator & backup heating is going to be the first thing I tackle. Not even a real prepper thing. I think that's just common sense that I've been neglecting and it's bugged me every winter since my daughter was born. We lose power at least once every winter and it usually lasts for 1-3 hours. Every time it happens, my first thought it "I have no plan for what happens if it doesn't come back on before the house starts freezing".

Depending on your budget you could get a 500kwh+ power bank with built in features to power about anything and set up for quick plug solar power recharing or recharge off a gen. Then a 2500watt inverter quiet gen that runs of a fuel source both with 100 watt solar panel kit for $1000. That is a really good starter combo that would keep lights/fridges and such going in a cycle. If you have more fuck you money, invest in a home unit for $5k or a powerwall but then you need serious fuel or solar cost to go off the grid any length of time.
As for heat, I have 2 buddy heaters with the converter hose and 100lb tanks. I use that tank year round to fuel the grill/smoker but it would run the heaters nonstop for 50 hours but in reality when testing use last year it would last around 200 hours of fuel for heating the house when it was 10 outside to keep it above 55 for the majority of it. Only a 1600 sq ft house single level though.

Take the tanks to uhaul and they refill them for about half the cost of swapping them ( 20lb tanks ). My 100lb tank costs ~$70 to refill from empty. Since those 20lb tanks only have 15lbs in them and not 20 you get at Home Depot/Lowes/quicky marts and they charge $20-25. I am getting 90lbs/25 gallons propane for $70 that most people only get 15lbs/4 gallons for 25 or about 100% more for same cost.

Many use a kerosene solution which has it's advantages and such but it gives me nasty headaches so I didn't research into that much. I went with worked well with me. We use propane to begin with so finding a heating/storage solution as easier to justify. Plus I can go cook a burger 24/7 in minutes.

Captain Suave · Jan 23, 2020

Bandwagon said:
What I really want is to be surrounded by old men like your grandfather and immerse myself in that frontier culture. I love that attitude.

Heh. My grandfather had enough of that self-sufficiency shit by the time he was 15 and took his EE skills and went back to the civilized east coast and built some of the first vacuum tube computers.

Bandwagon · Jan 23, 2020

Screamfeeder said:
This is going to sound silly, but how are the seals on all your windows and doors? What kind of construction is your home? The adobe style places in NM I grew up in were insanly good at temp regulation in even the most extreme swings and after we replaced all the windows and doors, it was even better.

It's fucking horrible and I'm still renting so I'm not doing shit to the house. There's a nearby community I've been looking at houses in for a little over a year now. One caught my eye last year when I saw it pop up on zillow, but it was sold in under a week. Everything else doesn't have the land I want.

Lanx · Jan 23, 2020

Bandwagon said:
It's fucking horrible and I'm still renting so I'm not doing shit to the house. There's a nearby community I've been looking at houses in for a little over a year now. One caught my eye last year when I saw it pop up on zillow, but it was sold in under a week. Everything else doesn't have the land I want.

horrible like towel under the windowsill draft, horrible?

Screamfeeder · Jan 23, 2020

Bandwagon said:
It's fucking horrible and I'm still renting so I'm not doing shit to the house. There's a nearby community I've been looking at houses in for a little over a year now. One caught my eye last year when I saw it pop up on zillow, but it was sold in under a week. Everything else doesn't have the land I want.

Renting you are pretty much SOL when it comes to being able to longterm weather proof/prep your house. You need to be able to replace or repair every single egress of internal temperature and unless your landlord lets you start knocking holes or replacing doors, you are kind of stuck with things like temp rubber seals or doorway blockers.

Bandwagon · Jan 23, 2020

Screamfeeder said:
Renting you are pretty much SOL when it comes to being able to longterm weather proof/prep your house. You need to be able to replace or repair every single egress of internal temperature and unless your landlord lets you start knocking holes or replacing doors, you are kind of stuck with things like temp rubber seals or doorway blockers.

Landlord is the Firechief I used to work for and a friend, but he's a cheapskate. I do most of the repairs and maintenance in there anyways, especially the electrical. Did a damn good job of fixing a plate-sized hole in the wall recently, too. I think that's the first time I've ever gotten the drywall texture to match on a repair. He'd let me do whatever I want to do in there, but I'm not doing any of it with my own money.

Lanx said:
horrible like towel under the windowsill draft, horrible?

Nope, that was the last house. My biggest pet peave is the soft spots in the floor that he keeps sending random handmen out to "fix". There's plenty of shit I like doing myself, but crawling under old houses isn't one of them. I was in the electrician apprenticeship program when the housing market went to shit, and doing homeruns under houses with the rookie job. Not a big deal on new homes. Fucking sucks on remodels.

There's no drafts you can feel, but there's definitely cold spots.

Lightning Lord Rule · Jan 23, 2020

Screamfeeder said:
I'm actually curious about your thoughts on why a NG station or biodiesal manufacturing facility are more feasible than say solar, wind or geothermal. It is just because of environmental factors?

My brother and I did a test run with manufacturing our own biodiesel at our high-mountain location and found that the work required was simply too much to be sustainable for more than a month. Including the fact that we had to constantly repair equipment and relied on ordering specific ingredients, we discovered it was much easier to use water and wind turbines to power what little electricity needs we had at the cabin. Just the amount of time to make our own lye was draining when we could have been doing something else more important for long term survival.

Mostly reliability factors. I know (vaguely) where Bandwagon is, so wind and solar is not reliable except in a few places. Solar in particular is expensive as well for what you get, and maintaining the panels to keep what efficiency there is up to standard would be a bitch IMO.

The NG stuff is for stuff that's rural, but not completely isolated like your high mountain scenario. At least I'm picturing a place that's miles from anywhere and only accessible by 4x4 or aircraft... In that scenario, I bet wind or solar is better. But then you're also going REALLY old school in that situation, or at least I would be. Electricity would only be for stuff like lights/phones/battery chargers/communications setup, where things like cooking and heating would all be wood fired.

NG is good because it's cheap for the foreseeable future, the infrastructure for the service (NG lines, pipes) is in a lot of places, and the infrastructure that you would need to build such a generator/tank/battery setup is readily available.

Another thing I've thought about for SHTF situations is comms. I haven't researched it much, but shortwave radio setups will be good to be able to link people together in the event that the internet is down for a long period of time. I think I read something recently about remote radio repeater stations being taken offline by the government due to lack of use. That would be a shame if true.

That would be another thing that falls under category 2, IMO. Readily available now, although highly regulated, but would be very valuable and in short supply in emergency situations.

Screamfeeder · Jan 23, 2020

Lightning Lord Rule said:
NG is good because it's cheap for the foreseeable future, the infrastructure for the service (NG lines, pipes) is in a lot of places, and the infrastructure that you would need to build such a generator/tank/battery setup is readily available.

Copy that. I was more curious because the NG setups I have seen for more remote areas are INSANELY expensive (7 digits and up) and pretty much require you to have an engineering degree to even maintain. No idea if that has changed in the last few years.

Lightning Lord Rule said:
Another thing I've thought about for SHTF situations is comms. I haven't researched it much, but shortwave radio setups will be good to be able to link people together in the event that the internet is down for a long period of time. I think I read something recently about remote radio repeater stations being taken offline by the government due to lack of use. That would be a shame if true.

Don't think the FCC has any say about ARRL so I have no idea why they would even care about taking down the repeater stations. We have CB, HAM and a more basic shortwave burst radio at the cabin (it plays havok with our handhelds though when it's used). We no joke even built a smoke signal station that you can see from the three major peaks in the area so long as you have a decent spotting scope or binocs.

TheBeagle · Jan 23, 2020

Learn how to hunt, forage, and fish. If the absolute worst case scenario happens you will need to be able to disappear into the country for months/years while the rest of humanity rips each other to shreds. Once the dust settles then you can set up a homestead and do all that prepper shit. When it comes to survival, keep it simple. What's in your head is more important than what's in your bug out bag (except a couple guns).

Chris · Jan 23, 2020

I live right in the middle of England, I'm totally immune to natural disasters here. Worst we get is rivers flooding which can be countered by living outside of flood plains.

It's going to take something global to get me that way like a meteor strike.

I'm at #2 for nukes aimed at British urban centres though, I'd like to think we can Madagascar up but realistically I'm at #2 for plagues hitting the UK too.

So geographical location is super important, it may be that the US isn't the best place to do this.

a_skeleton_05 · Jan 23, 2020

Lanx said:
i have two bug out bags in my pantry, it's also where my safe is, inside the safe in a fireproof bag (so i just grab the bag) i have all essential docs, cash dvds(pics etc) and first aid
(a canvas molle one, not the hard plastic kind)

this is just get gtfo in under a min with at least something and not lose your whole life (documents, memories).

and i know you fucks, no i don't have a bottle of soy sauce in my bugout bag (i have packets)

I bet you have a rice cooker in it though

Screamfeeder · Jan 23, 2020

TheBeagle said:
Learn how to hunt, forage, and fish. If the absolute worst case scenario happens you will need to be able to disappear into the country for months/years while the rest of humanity rips each other to shreds. Once the dust settles then you can set up a homestead and do all that prepper shit. When it comes to survival, keep it simple. What's in your head is more important than what's in your bug out bag (except a couple guns).

This is correct, for the most part. Skills are always going to beat out gear, but even the most skilled guy is going to have a much easier time if he has access to reliable food, water and shelter and doesn't have to expend energy scrounging for those things immediately.

j00t · Jan 23, 2020

i didn't read the thread, but my dad started making shrimp stuffed peppers wrapped in bacon. they're pretty good, though i'm pretty weaksauce when it comes to spicy foods and sometimes it's just a little too spicy to enjoy...

here's a picture, though these are poppers, where my dad uses bell peppers

tribelli-pepper-poppers-7055-rs(pp_w768_h512).jpg

Lightning Lord Rule · Jan 23, 2020

Screamfeeder said:
Copy that. I was more curious because the NG setups I have seen for more remote areas are INSANELY expensive (7 digits and up) and pretty much require you to have an engineering degree to even maintain. No idea if that has changed in the last few years.

Seven figures? That seems insane. I mean, assuming you have access to a NG line, like that runs along public roads or in small towns, the equipment needed to setup a generator is less than 10K (installed) I think. So, if you don't have a line to serve your property because it's too remote, that means you need a tank setup that you need to fill on occasion. A 500 Gallon propane tank is somewhere like 1-2K. I believe propane tanks work for NG with some different fittings on them, it's the same principals and pressures involved. There's also larger propane tanks available, and companies are around who can deliver gas to you, even though it will be more expensive than a gas line it IS doable for places that are more remote/offgrid.

I can see a weak link in systems like this being the electronics that control everything, but you could simplify that by going more old school in your switching and valving. It's less automatic, but possibly more reliable, or should I say more REPAIRABLE. Though of course murphy's law will always break the one thing you didn't think you'd need extra of.

And if you want to talk valuable skills once the zombies attack, how about 'distiller of spirits'? What's more valuable than knowing how to get your whole commune shitfaced?

Oldbased · Jan 23, 2020

I just ( wrongfully ) assume most people have hunted, fished and grown gardens before and has such gear on hand. We already grow many things that rabbits, raccoons, squirrels and opossums can't keep their grubby little paws off of. That is sustained survival skills. It's the first few months I worry about when people didn't prepare and are desperate and will do anything for a snickers bar.

Gavinmad · Jan 23, 2020

Lightning Lord Rule said:
Seven figures? That seems insane. I mean, assuming you have access to a NG line, like that runs along public roads or in small towns, the equipment needed to setup a generator is less than 10K (installed) I think. So, if you don't have a line to serve your property because it's too remote, that means you need a tank setup that you need to fill on occasion. A 500 Gallon propane tank is somewhere like 1-2K. I believe propane tanks work for NG with some different fittings on them, it's the same principals and pressures involved. There's also larger propane tanks available, and companies are around who can deliver gas to you, even though it will be more expensive than a gas line it IS doable for places that are more remote/offgrid.

I can see a weak link in systems like this being the electronics that control everything, but you could simplify that by going more old school in your switching and valving. It's less automatic, but possibly more reliable, or should I say more REPAIRABLE. Though of course murphy's law will always break the one thing you didn't think you'd need extra of.

And if you want to talk valuable skills once the zombies attack, how about 'distiller of spirits'? What's more valuable than knowing how to get your whole commune shitfaced?

Fermentation is a much more involved skill. Distillation isn't that hard, it's just, you know, illegal to do at home.

Oldbased · Jan 23, 2020

Gavinmad said:
Fermentation is a much more involved skill. Distillation isn't that hard, it's just, you know, illegal to do at home.

Not if you do it to produce fuel and pay the $5000 fee for the ATF to drop by whenever they choose. All dishwashers make good dehydrators and old water heaters cut in half with metal screens and fish pumps make good fermenters. It's the yeast we had issues with and the large pallet boxes of corn everywhere. Corn gets everywhere.

It cost just under $3 a gallon to make corn fuel that ran our trucks just fine. It was a lot of work though and that cost doesn't include any labor. We shut down making it shortly after prices went down to normal after the over $4 a gallon bama years. Making the still was fun and it being legal even more cool. Marbles are a amazing thing.

Lightning Lord Rule · Jan 23, 2020

Gavinmad said:
Fermentation is a much more involved skill. Distillation isn't that hard, it's just, you know, illegal to do at home.

Exactly why it's a rare skill that will prove immediately valuable when the law is either gone or... otherwise engaged.

Lanx · Jan 23, 2020

Dom said:
I bet you have a rice cooker in it though

i have 2 cans of beef ministrone (cambells chunky thicker steel) that i would in theory eat and then save the can as a stove.

edit, video for soup can stove

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The Prepper Thread

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