Been there, done that and got the T shirt, I threw away loads of hand tools and bought powered everything, I'm trying to reverse that. My only weakness is my cordless drill / screwdriver that I intend to recharge from a solar panel.
Cities after TSHTF
- Thread starter Silent Earth
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Hence the reason for a solar charging station in the garage (though I likely won't have this until next year...but Santa's comin', so you never know).... And this is really just more for storm prep than SHTF. If we're without power, I'd still likely need some power tools. Won't affect the chainsaw, but would be nice to be able to use other power tools for cleanup or repairs, etc. Don't get me wrong, I've got some handsaws too, of course, but I'd much rather power through things if I can.
I'm not expecting any power post SHTF so I'm going for a basic set up using all hand tools + in a power down world any power tools will give away our locations and the fact we have some form of power....so possibly food too.
i've been trying to think of way to hide the fact that we have electric if we had solar panels..but yet,there's no way of hiding the panels that i know of...and as far as the windows go..they can be boarded up..
you can board over windows to hide any light inside, but you cannot hide solar panels on a roof, course if you just had one, not fixed in place, you could move it around and bring it in at night that would be doable.
i agree with boarding up the windows..but how many ppl will be moving around during the day? and how many of them will pose as a threat?.im good to go during the summer.on account the summer sun is behind the house..and i can set up the panel behind the house.and out of sight there..BUT it's in front of the house during the winter.and of course,thats where the street is..
I've seen articles showing PV panels made to look like Clay Roof tiles and American Bitumin shingles. Theres also a PV self adhesive film around that turns windows into PV panels
Our plan is to simply put them on the roof slopes that aren't visible from the road. The property is ringed on three sides with other properties and thick trees, etc., so there are only a few roof slopes that are actually visible from most that would pass by, or approach, and that's only after they come down the long drive anyhow.
thats one disadvantage we have..on account we're somewhere around 200 to 300 feet from the road..so the only location i have for the panels to be out of site...is behind the house.and even then,for the summer sun only. roof is out of the question when it comes to keeping them out of site.half of can be seen coming from one direction,and other half can be seen from other direction,when it comes to being on the road.... and vert few tree's around the house..
If your worried about OPSEC only put them out at night !!!!! 
how good are they at night?
I have 10 panels on the roof of my truck/RV and it's not obvious they are there if viewed from ground level even though hiding them was not on my mind at the time of the install. I could easily hide them on the roof of my container house because it's flat, so as long as I lay the panels flat as well and put a low skirting around them you would never know they are there.
But I admit that on a standard gable roof it would be pretty hard to hide them unless you are lucky to have the south-facing side also facing away form the road etc.
On the ground would be pretty easy I think, just put a wall/fence around them.
But I admit that on a standard gable roof it would be pretty hard to hide them unless you are lucky to have the south-facing side also facing away form the road etc.
On the ground would be pretty easy I think, just put a wall/fence around them.
in my case..id need a section of roof facing north..but that's only good during the summer months.on account the sun is on the south side of the house during the winter months.any how.im sure I'll figure something out..
yeah..so true..it's a matter of comeing up with a way that works thoe
I can't imagine even living right in town if something bad happened never the less a city. It is bad enough where we are right at the corner of a subdivision. However with everything around here being electric. I am not to worried, most folks will leave if the power goes out longer then a few hours. If an EMP happens they would all be walking for the cities in the hopes that it would have help there. It is the one place I will be staying 100% away from.
Luckily I keep solar lights in the yard, so when the power goes we can use them. The gas powered generator will only work so long before the gas is gone, that is why I got the solar powered generator. Plus it's quiet. I am slowly closing our land in with bushes so we can have privacy. I get tired of neighbors watching us all the time.
We have tons of hand tools, I buy hubby lots of them for Christmas, along with the occasional power tool but most are hand tools.
Luckily I keep solar lights in the yard, so when the power goes we can use them. The gas powered generator will only work so long before the gas is gone, that is why I got the solar powered generator. Plus it's quiet. I am slowly closing our land in with bushes so we can have privacy. I get tired of neighbors watching us all the time.
We have tons of hand tools, I buy hubby lots of them for Christmas, along with the occasional power tool but most are hand tools.
