This weeks preps check-in

[Mountain trapper]

Very odd? Very difficult to diagnose what's going on from here in Australia too of course lol. I'll tell you one thing I do, I learnt this from an electronics technician. Whenever I build a system I first draw it out on paper, I like faint graph paper for the plan. It's a circuit diagram basically and it lets me get a feel for what's going where and the correct order of things. Later I leave it near or with the construction so I can refer back to it in the future. It's amazing how much a project resembles a pile of spaghetti when you remove the cover 2 years later.

There are some basic conventions to these diagrams too, that aid in making them intelligible.

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Or a sort of flow chart even, like this.


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That diagram is very similar to my main system. What I've been having problems with is the system for the chicken coop. It has one 110 watt solar panel, charge controller, 12 volt deep cycle battery and 400 watt inverter. Simple enough, right? I think I finally figured out what was wrong, almost embarrassed to admit it out loud. The battery I'm using has two posts for positive and two for negative, one large post for battery cables and one small one for accessories. I attached the wire from the charge controller to the small posts, then I attached the inverter to the same posts. Then when I attached the inverter to the large terminal it began to work as designed.

 

[backandbeyond]

The battery I'm using has two posts for positive and two for negative, one large post for battery cables and one small one for accessories. I attached the wire from the charge controller to the small posts, then I attached the inverter to the same posts. Then when I attached the inverter to the large terminal it began to work as designed.

Easily done. Another thing I employ on many betteries is to mark the positive terminal with a yellow X right beside the post. I use a paint pen. It takes all the hassle out of looking for the black marks on the black case thing.

 

[Acdoctor]

My prep for today was changing oil / fuel filters / spark plugs and servicing all the portable generators as well as the main propane 12 kw unit in the house.
I have been putting this off for a warmer dry day.

 

[GaRp58]

2 more re-chargable lights, a box of AA batteries, canned meat, noodles, macaroni spagetti, mashed potatoes (dried), sweet paprika for gulasch, 1 1/2 liters of moonshine, chocolate, new safety glasses, extra work gloves, baking paper, aluminum foil, zip-lock baggies, spices.

 

[Cindyd]

Spending money on supplies to build more rabbit cages, duck, chick food, laying pellets, and new duck area on agenda, plus finish insulating new shed, and solar power. Breaking me in half!

Here are partially done new rabbit cages for the new babies to transition, 5 wks old today..son w bad hand building them.

 

[Dani]

Spending money on supplies to build more rabbit cages, duck, chick food, laying pellets, and new duck area on agenda, plus finish insulating new shed, and solar power. Breaking me in half!

Here are partially done new rabbit cages for the new babies to transition, 5 wks old today..son w bad hand building them.

That is a really good way to spend.

 

[Proud Prepper]

Installing another whole house generator and a 500 gallon propane tank for my parents house on my property. Also ordered EMP shields for generator and house.

 

[Cindyd]

Quote we got for whole house generator for mothers place was $15k mimimum....sadly, had to take a pass on that due to cost. Not even gonna inquire about full house generstor for our house. Her place is only about 1,100 Sq. Ft. Guess we'll be living way off grid if/when electric goes down, w exception of running few appliances. I try to pressure can, or dehydrate as much meat and other foods as possible, and have propane, outside fire pits, plenty of grills, smoker, etc. For cooking...but I'll probably die of heat exhaustion in summer! Lol.

 

[GeorgiaPeachie]

An option for whole house generators or a bunch of solar panels is a medium size solar generator. You know, one only large enough to run basics, a chest freezer and some LED lights…perhaps a water pump from your pond. I’ve seen some Jackery ones that are very reasonable at HD. Also saw a couple at Harbor Freight. Maybe the guys here could direct you better.

 

[Cindyd]

We have small solar panels that will run light, and freezer in new shed. Have manual pump on one of our wells we installed last year to pump water manually. Have pump to pump water out of pond for garden, but thsts not on solar operated (yet)

 

[EastenerWesterner]

I have a 7500w gen that runs 6 circuts in the house, never use all its power.
Next place I plan on doing an interlock switch rather than a transfer switch. I don’t need to run all circuits at once. If it does, i will buy a bigger gen. I will miss the 1K propane tank though.

 

[Mountain trapper]

Quote we got for whole house generator for mothers place was $15k mimimum....sadly, had to take a pass on that due to cost. Not even gonna inquire about full house generstor for our house. Her place is only about 1,100 Sq. Ft. Guess we'll be living way off grid if/when electric goes down, w exception of running few appliances. I try to pressure can, or dehydrate as much meat and other foods as possible, and have propane, outside fire pits, plenty of grills, smoker, etc. For cooking...but I'll probably die of heat exhaustion in summer! Lol.

They will always quote you way over what you really need. An 8kw generator is really all you need. I have a 12kw backup for our system and it's really more than we need.
I'd suggest that you buy the generator, with auto start and the switch gear and hire an electrician to make the connections. Pretty simple.

 

[Cindyd]

That was generac quote...they threw it out from get go....as in "here's the deal"... 15k was the minimum from them per phone inquiry to them.

Sounds like may need to inquire elsewhere! Thanks for the info ArcticD!

 

[EastenerWesterner]

AD’s thoughts are ideal. Mine was a cheaper way around it. I would have to open walls to expand my transfer switch here.
Currently my wife can pull the gen down the ramp, has written directions on how to hook to the propane and to the transfer switch.
I am dealing with what was here. My biggest inconvenience is moving the coffee pot into the dining room

My next place will have the interlock. I can turn circuits on and off via the breaker box as needed.

 

[Mountain trapper]

That was generac quote...they threw it out from get go....as in "here's the deal"... 15k was the minimum from them per phone inquiry to them.

Sounds like may need to inquire elsewhere! Thanks for the info ArcticD!

Generac is proud of their stuff. Unless it's the XP model it's made in China. Consider the Winco 8kw propane model with built in auto start. They're made in the US. I have a 12kw Winco for my well pump.

 

[GaRp58]

Not much of a prep but I took my 29 yr. old angle grinder apart and put in new bearings and brushes, added some grease to the gearbox and it runs again like new. Maybe I'll get another 20 yrs. out of it and take it to the grave with me...

 

[GeorgiaPeachie]

The fruit tree mesh finally came in. Will be getting those on a couple of trees and then ordering more of the one that works best. Darn squirrels aren’t getting my peaches this year!!

 

[Oddcaliber]

A good 22 with a scope works wonders on squirrel's! Just saying.

 

[Cindyd]

This is not really a prep, but I made homemade butter last night. Not in a churn, but stand mixer. Quick n easy. I could have/should have smoothed it out better before taking the pic, but anyhoo, it's butter and tastes good.

 

[backandbeyond]

I've had some issue with my right leg, it goes week on me, and lately the knee sort of pops out of joint a bit. I can get around but no cycling or prolonged walking. I'm told it's tight hamstrings and I can believe that after a lifetime in a job with a lot of walking, my passion for cycling, and sitting 4 hours a day in an office chair at the web.

Anyway I don't have a lot of faith in those little sets of exercises the physio gave me so I have taken to sitting on the floor against a wall. back straight, and stretching my legs out straight in a V while I read a book for half and hour. Very discomforting but it seems to be loosening up things. Any other tips would be welcome. Also in the office chair I sit on the edge a lot now and stretch my legs out straight until I feel the pressure in the hams.

 

[EastenerWesterner]

With all that is going on, I thought to myself I got to check the propane level. Somehow they put us on Automatic and filled this morning. Topped off my 1/2 way empty tank. I am good for a year even running the Gen.
Wife went bought more stuff to can. Making Salsa now. I know I will eat good in SHTF.
Wife found that if she vacuumed seals a jar of English Muffins they can last over a month.
Been working on some treats. Freeze dried Skittles are pretty awesome.

 

[GaRp58]

Helena went for a walk with Pici our dog, said hello to a neighbor and noticed he was selling an antique but in excellent condition, a wood burning cook stove with a baking oven, completely in heavy guage steel frame and an entire cast iron top and porcelain facing and frame, brass handles, porcelain chimney pipes!!
She came home to tell me about it as we have been searching for such a beauty for years but could not afford it. He only wanted $85.00 for it !!. He needed money to tear down a wall of his grandmothers old house that he still owns, build a garage instead of a bedroom and only uses the house and land to plant a garden in.
It is now standing in my little "man-cave" garage for heating and cookin/baking in the future or SHTF DAYS

 

[Proud Prepper]

Helena went for a walk with Pici our dog, said hello to a neighbor and noticed he was selling an antique but in excellent condition, a wood burning cook stove with a baking oven, completely in heavy guage steel frame and an entire cast iron top and porcelain facing and frame, brass handles, porcelain chimney pipes!!
She came home to tell me about it as we have been searching for such a beauty for years but could not afford it. He only wanted $85.00 for it !!. He needed money to tear down a wall of his grandmothers old house that he still owns, build a garage instead of a bedroom and only uses the house and land to plant a garden in.
It is now standing in my little "man-cave" garage for heating and cookin/baking in the future or SHTF DAYS

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That's beautiful. Very blessed!

 

[DrHenley]

Helena went for a walk with Pici our dog, said hello to a neighbor and noticed he was selling an antique but in excellent condition, a wood burning cook stove with a baking oven, completely in heavy guage steel frame and an entire cast iron top and porcelain facing and frame, brass handles, porcelain chimney pipes!!
She came home to tell me about it as we have been searching for such a beauty for years but could not afford it. He only wanted $85.00 for it !!. He needed money to tear down a wall of his grandmothers old house that he still owns, build a garage instead of a bedroom and only uses the house and land to plant a garden in.
It is now standing in my little "man-cave" garage for heating and cookin/baking in the future or SHTF DAYS

View attachment 24783

 

[EastenerWesterner]

I think Gary’s is great .

Mine was a little more expensive.
Wife went to Costco to pick up her scripts. Told her to look at the security systems because they were all $100 off. Still don’t know what she paid.
She picked one for the next step place. A mini pan cam, 3 outdoors cams, and doorbell cam. and I can view all from my phone.
I can place the mini pan cam so that it covers the living room, hallway, dining room. An outside covering the dining room from the kitchen. 2 more outside ones covering the backside bedrooms.
All i need is another mini pan cam in the workshop for $40.

49 a month for cable internet, Sherriffs non 911 number for emergencies needed and I have my security system.

Been testing it here and i am impressed

 

[GaRp58]

That is also my next move with IR coverage in the back. I do not own lots but what I have is MINE and all of it is classified as needed preps...
I also had to go and buy a new pressure cleaner as the old one is still working but the pistolgrip part is leaking and the pressure does not come on the point needed.

 

[EastenerWesterner]

That is also my next move with IR coverage in the back. I do not own lots but what I have is MINE and all of it is classified as needed preps...
I also had to go and buy a new pressure cleaner as the old one is still working but the pistolgrip part is leaking and the pressure does not come on the point needed.

What I did not mention is she also bought a basically outdoor solar powered system for this place. Still trying to set it all up.

Will report when I have it in place.

4 cam and doorbell system looks pretty good-Blink.

3 cam Arlo system- to be determined

 

[GeorgiaPeachie]

We’ve recently added 4 battery cams and 2 solar cams to the outside. Would rather have all solar, but with the thick woods, they wouldn’t charge. With the ones we already had on the porches, decks, chicken house, greenhouse and inside, I think we might have gone overboard! LOL. But I do appreciate knowing what is around us. Especially like being able to check out my chickens in the middle of the night to make sure they are safe.

 

[Mountain Dragon]

Helena went for a walk with Pici our dog, said hello to a neighbor and noticed he was selling an antique but in excellent condition, a wood burning cook stove with a baking oven, completely in heavy guage steel frame and an entire cast iron top and porcelain facing and frame, brass handles, porcelain chimney pipes!!
She came home to tell me about it as we have been searching for such a beauty for years but could not afford it. He only wanted $85.00 for it !!. He needed money to tear down a wall of his grandmothers old house that he still owns, build a garage instead of a bedroom and only uses the house and land to plant a garden in.
It is now standing in my little "man-cave" garage for heating and cookin/baking in the future or SHTF DAYS

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Reminds me my friends "new" appartment. When he's gone for an view before signature the rental contract right in the hallway was an tiled stove to heat the appartment. Then he toke an look into the kitchen and saw an Tiba - Stove, it's an swiss fabricated wood stove with an electric hot plate beside, two independent systems in one device. He won't move out anymore. It looks like the picture below, just a bit smaller, without granny and chickens. BTW, those stoves you still can order new.

 

[GaRp58]

BTW, those stoves you still can order new.

I can't order much of anything new on my money.....but happy with the old things too, no recycling for me and no junk.