Most essential items in your home you couldnt live without

[Terri9630]

Essential or the reason to live?

Ben

Both

 

[PopPopT]

Here's a quick run down, eight 195 watt 72 cell monocrystalline panels connected two per series making four parallel connected, this provides up to 80 VDC and over 20 amps to the solar controller which is a MorningStar 60 amp MPPT unit, it's good for up to 150 VDC from a solar array, wind generator or water generator and is switchable for 12, 24 and 48 VDC for whatever battery voltage you want to use, this unit is what controls the voltage from the solar array to charge the 20 6 volt golf cart batteries that are wired 4 per series and connected parallel in five banks for 24 volts and a total of 1025 amp hours. These batteries, in turn feed a Magnum Energy 4,000 watt pure sine wave inverter charger, it puts out 120/240 VAC, if there is a power failure in the grid, this inverter comes on line in 14 milliseconds, barely a perceptible blink in the lights. My feeling is in designing a solar system, think small, be conservative, don't try to run everything in your home unless you are willing to spend at least five times or more than we did. It's amazing what we've built will do, I've yet to run the system to the max, batteries will last longer if not pushed below 50% charge levels, but through using good sun producing days a lot can be done before the sun quits providing charge voltage, water storage tanks could be filled, we've used a 200 watt slow cooker for eight hours, just don't do any heavy duty battery draw down when your solar charge voltage drops off, if you watch what you are doing, there a lot of things that can be used and still have the batteries fully charged for the day. More than likely as the last item in the freezer or refrigerator is used, their plugs will be pulled, unless we get game meat, they just won't be essential to leave on.

Awesome!!! Thank you so much for sharing! That really does help.

Something I wondered about, how much can you push solar panel output strictly for use during solar production hours without increasing battery bank size? What I'm thinkin'...

I am in the process of putting up some high tunnels. I had wondered whether using solar to run exhaust fans might be something I could do based not so much on battery bank size but solar panel capacity. I would need the power when the sun is shining, that's when the heat would be building. Sun not shining, not so much. I could also imagine wanting to do some water pumping from one area to another, storage for irrigation basically, and that could happen anytime. But neither of those would need much if anything overnight.

Honestly, even a good chest freezer will maintain the cold temperatures for a short time overnight without any power at all. I wouldn't want to push that too far, especially on long winter nights. But I could see how something like the refrigeration units being powered might be shut down for at least part of the night, pretty much requiring no power at all from a battery bank.

Have you poked around any of the ideas of the newer battery styles, LiFePO4 or similar? I know golf cart batteries are where a lot of people have gone in the past but I've wondered whether prices on lithium types are coming down to where it's worth pricing them as an alternative?

Any thoughts in that regard?

(This is how I get from a $2k system to a $20k system in on question. LOL!!)

 

[viking]

Some solar controller systems work on the necessity of having batteries, one could have a minimum number of batteries and perhaps run on a timed usage program, that way whatever you are powering will be supplied mainly from the solar array, the batteries can fill in if the day is cloudy or rainy. Lithium batteries are out of my economic ability but people use them, my neighbor brought a small one for jump starting and I was amazed at how well it cranked the engine of a Samurai with a dead battery still hooked up. If I were to go to Lithium batteries on our solar system, I would have to reprogram the charge system of the solar controller.

 

[Aerindel]

While we could survive without these, how many here would actually want to? Refrigerator/freezer. Stovetop. Oven. Washing machine/dryer. Lamps/lights. Automobile. Flush toilet (and toilet paper for that matter). Computer. Some method of cooling (A/C, swamp cooler, fans). Some method of heat (furnace, wood burning stove). Cellphone. The point is, you could survive without these things, but with maybe a few rare exceptions (mostly for religious reasons), I would question the truthfulness of someone who told me they didn't make use of, and want, these modern conveniences.

Computer is the only one on the list I really wouldn't want to survive without. Some of the other things I've never even had.

 

[PopPopT]

Computer is the only one on the list I really wouldn't want to survive without.

I can appreciate that. I like the computer, too. But for me, that would mostly depend upon having a working internet. Without a working internet, I wouldn't have a whole lot of use for the computer. I do have a few ebooks on it and some important documents. But without being online, it wouldn't be much more than entertainment... and how many games of Solitaire can a person play??!! LOL!!

 

[Neb]

I can appreciate that. I like the computer, too. But for me, that would mostly depend upon having a working internet. Without a working internet, I wouldn't have a whole lot of use for the computer. I do have a few ebooks on it and some important documents. But without being online, it wouldn't be much more than entertainment... and how many games of Solitaire can a person play??!! LOL!!

You would be surprise.
Did you ever play yourself in chess?

Bad news is you never win.
Good news you never loose.

Ben

 

[Aerindel]

I can appreciate that. I like the computer, too. But for me, that would mostly depend upon having a working internet. Without a working internet, I wouldn't have a whole lot of use for the computer. I do have a few ebooks on it and some important documents. But without being online, it wouldn't be much more than entertainment... and how many games of Solitaire can a person play??!! LOL!!

Understandable, but I went 10 years without internet in my home, but I used that computer everyday. I have hundreds of books, music, movies, games....heck, a copy of the entirety of wikipedia..etc on it. .

 

[Meerkat]

Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry. You might have mentioned that here before but I've been away from here for quite a long time. New computers, new browsers, failure to move all of the links from one to another, and sometimes things slip away.

It's good hubby was there to catch you, and to get you help ASAP! That's important. I had an uncle that had a stroke during the night and didn't realize it until morning. He lost the use of his right side and that never came back.

I can't say I'm all that familiar with the intricacies of huglekulture. But at this point, could you maybe lay down some ground cover just to get things back in check for the upcoming gardening season? I have some friends in MO that have done that pretty extensively. They have very large gardens and the ground cover has been huge at helping them keep it all pretty much weed free. I would imagine the weed pressure could be pretty intense if weeds have gone to seed. But hey, life happens.

Blessings to you, Meerkat! I hope you continue to recover and that life going forward will have many good days!

Pops I'm sorry I didn't reply back sooner I just saw this post.
Thank you and blessings to you too.

 

[PopPopT]

Did you ever play yourself in chess?

Back about 20 years ago, our son was big into chess. Chess, chess, chess. And so I decided to learn enough about it to play since he always wanted to play. So I finally got good enough at it to accept the challenge. Got to the point where I could hold my own. But I never really enjoyed the game at all, I just never liked it. So I quit playing. I think I tried it with the computer a few times since then but it just felt weird to me.

I'm more of a Sudoku type anyway... the occasional really hard one feels good to solve every so often. I don't take the time too often, they usually take me a couple of hours. But I get at least a little enjoyment outta solving one of those. They do have to be a challenge, though, cause the easy ones are like putting together 50 piece jigsaw puzzles.

 

[Camalot]

A new potato peeler and a stylus to peck out messages on my phone when I use it.

 

[Morgan101]

To be absolutely selfish, and even decadent if you want to call it that, a hot water shower. We have an oversized walk-in shower that I love. I cannot begin to tell you how much I enjoy that shower. Not having it would be a big disappointment, and something I wouldn't want to live without.

 

[PopPopT]

To be absolutely selfish, and even decadent if you want to call it that, a hot water shower. We have an oversized walk-in shower that I love. I cannot begin to tell you how much I enjoy that shower. Not having it would be a big disappointment, and something I wouldn't want to live without.

I like a good shower. But it is pretty amazing how little water is actually required for one.

We lived in an RV for nearly a decade and I got used to the idea that hot water was limited. We only had a 5 gallon hot water heater. But it did work. We didn't let the water just run. We'd run the water to wet and/or rinse, then shut it off until we needed it again. Some call them "navy showers", I was never in the navy so no idea.

With that in mind, my dear wife and I spent some time at my parents' house, helping to take care of my mom in the last year of year of her life. We kinda took over the upstairs and they were in the downstairs, as they had been for many years. It was the house I grew up in and when I was just little, dad did put in a half bath upstairs for us boys but never any tub or shower. And then, as a 50+ year old, there I was, back again, with my wife.

It was a pain using the shower downstairs. It seemed like no matter how carefully we planned, someone needed in there while we were in there, sometimes causing a bit of distress. So I got together a few supplies and made something temporary upstairs. The main thing was a "camping shower" which was basically a shower nozzle on a 6' hose that had a trigger on it to allow water to spray when the trigger was pulled. It attached to a "bucket" that had a small 12 volt water pump in it. To run the water pump, I used a cheap power pack like you'd use to jump start a car. It's really quite simple, but not quite so easy to describe.

The next stuff was cheap and simple. I got a tarp to lay out on the carpet as kind of an "insurance policy" just in case of a leak. On top of that, I put a round blow-up kiddie pool. Hung from hooks in the ceiling, a couple of cheap fiberglass rods (in the garden supplies section of Tractor Supply, kinda like 5' sections of plastic rebar) allowed me to hang three cheap shower curtains so that it was all contained within the kiddie pool.

Put about 2 gallons of warm water in the bucket from the sink in the half bath, turn on the power of the power pack, and have at it. It worked quite well.

As for the waste water... I also bought a 12 volt pump (seriously, I think it was like $4), and a bit of clear hose that I would pump out the water from the bottom of the kiddie pool and pour that down the toilet. We had to wipe out the pool pretty often, but that wasn't difficult.

It worked. And it took very little water. I don't think I'd want to do that on a continuing basis without any reason to do so. But having done it before, I'd have a very easy time setting it all up again and making it happen. Probably more of an "emergency" thing. And if I were to set something up outside, I wouldn't even have to bother worrying about waste water. Or, if I did something like that in the house, the shower drains are already here and the septic system would work just fine even if the water were cut off or severely reduced.

Anyway, just sharing.

 

[Sourdough]

How could I live without my "Hills Bros" coffee can that I pee in......or the "Home Depot" orange bucket I need to poop in. Or the old dog water bowl that I use to was my body. Well I guess if things get hard, I like everyone will have to give up the luxurious lifestyle. I hope I don't have to give up my 50 year old "Kelty" backpack I use to haul water for the cabin from the creek. I don't think I at 74 y/o will do well if things get hard.

 

[Bacpacker]

To be absolutely selfish, and even decadent if you want to call it that, a hot water shower. We have an oversized walk-in shower that I love. I cannot begin to tell you how much I enjoy that shower. Not having it would be a big disappointment, and something I wouldn't want to live without.

I have to second that thought Morgan. Sometimes I have to do a hot shower for a while just to get my back to loosen up.

 

[Meerkat]

I have to second that thought Morgan. Sometimes I have to do a hot shower for a while just to get my back to loosen up.

Hubby lays in the tub,use to use heat pad but that burned his back.

 

[SheepDog]

I lay in the tub for my back too. I just wish I had a hot tub that would stay hot long enough.

 

[phideaux]

A new potato peeler and a stylus to peck out messages on my phone when I use it.

@Camalot ,

Welcome to the forum.
Glad to have you.

I must have missed your introduction.
If you haven't introduced yourself to the folks here, it would help us know a little about you.

Your expertise, geographic location , old (like me) or a yougun, etc etc.
Thanks

Jim

 

[Bacpacker]

I do the tub thing at times, but when my back is at it's worst I'd never get out of it.
And no they don't stay hot long enough

 

[LadyLocust]

So we've only been without power once or twice in the 2+ years we've lived here, but due to recent circumstances, I would say a secondary heat source should be on the list. We do have a buddy heater which got us through when we needed it last year. The TX power outages really reinforced the thought of it. We were all set up at our place up the mountain. For here, I will be watching for a kerosene heater once they are back in stock. Even when we find a place to buy, it will still be a good thing to have.

 

[RidgeRunner]

I sleep well knowing we have propane to back up the electric heat, plus we cook with propane.
We have a big 'ol tank in the yard. Don't recall the size. If we lose power we have heat and can cook.
We also have a water supply. I would call these items essential.

 

[PopPopT]

Well... some items being more "essential" than others, I do have a few jugs of homemade wine on the shelf.

 

[PopPopT]

I do have a few jugs of homemade wine on the shelf.

I know it's probably a thread drift, but... we were fairly pleasantly surprised at our homemade wine. Took some bottled juice at the store, just those half gallon bottles like Juicy Juice comes in, added a little sugar and just some plain ol' rapid rise yeast. Cheap and easy. And sat it in the closet where the water heater lives. Supposed to wait a month. Well, with the warmth of the water heater, it did it's thing a little faster than it would have if it were a bit cooler in there. Anyway, we're only a month in and we couldn't wait. That first bottle is about half gone. It has a little kick. And it's got a good flavor. Good enough that I have 5 more sitting on that shelf doin' their thing, plus one more that I picked up just a couple of days ago that I need to mix up. First one was just plain red grape juice. The next ones are various flavors of juices I wanted to try, all different. And the last one is a plain white grape. So I'm kinda enjoyin' the process, sort of an adventure. Plus, it's a nice treat, for "medicinal" purposes.

 

[Supervisor42]

Well... some items being more "essential" than others, I do have a few jugs of homemade wine on the shelf.

There's a lot to be said for that.
I remember the panic-media interviewing a local when a big hurricane was closing in.
"Is there still plywood available for sale? Generators? How about gasoline?"
Local: "Oh, there is plenty of all that; ...but there isn't a drop of beer left in the whole city"

 

[Parascuba]

Nuclear Silo (without Nuclear missile)

 

[dunewalker]

what are the most important essential items in your home you absolutely could not live without ???

Presuming you mean in additional to the basics of shelter, 1) for me would be my headlight, usb chargeable 2) matches 3) hatchet 4) a large pot 5) a .22 rifle 6) a good pair of shoes or boots 7) a hooded sweatshirt 8) sun glasses 9) good leather gloves 10) a good shovel

 

[SoJer]

^ A Fine List..

For me, #1 would be my Leatherman (since I'll need it to, eventually, fix the headlamp.. I have / use it Constantly..

Other than that, well.. Pretty much Everything I've been squirreling away for the past 5-7 yrs, for our 'new normal' Future rapidly approaching.. Too hard to 'rank' all of that, as much less than "essential", at this point.. Not really saving much-else that's Not essential (in Some way..)

..but, I suppose if I 'Had to pair it down', well.. Probably my 'BOB' / GHB.. Has everything I'd need to 'survive' out in complete open - from shelter, to SD, to makeshift fishing / cooking / firemaking - and Water purification - for ~1 week.. And my Boots / Kifaru..

jd

 

[joel]

Solar will not have hot water early morning or on cloudily & rainy day, but sometime is better than never.

 

[Pearl]

Beer, pool, animals!

 

[SoJer]

Solar will not have hot water early morning or on cloudily & rainy day, but..

..That's where the 'copper-coil / wood-stove Water Heater' comes in..



.03
jd

 

[joel]

Love that guy, he live in Greenville county, South Carolina.
Seen most if not all his channel, he has a bunker now.
I went with the other video, because it is easier to build, not everyone mad skills for welding.
Now they have both.