What was your prep for today?

[Monocrom]

So, weird Love/Hate relationship with Nitecore. But from personal use, found that their Ul1 and Ul2 chargers are the best overall on the market. Mainly because if a battery can be recharged, and if it'll fit; it will be recharged with those two chargers. Good to go. Also, haven't lost my two previous Ul1s. Just misplaced them somewhere in storage. I know they are there. But to not take chances, yeah; ordered another Ul1. And, a Ul2. (Recently bought a Jetbeam M64 search-light that runs off of 2x21700 cells. Ul2 will be ideal for that.)

So my prep. was ordering two more of the best chargers out there, in case of an emergency. Lights out means my compact Westinghouse Power Station is getting the nod with these chargers. Both chargers arrived yesterday.

Really wish someone made a search-light the size of the M64, same output, same beam pattern but perhaps dual-fuel to run off of 2x18650 cells ~or~ 4xCR123 primaries if needed.

 

[Poppy]

Today I bought these:

I plan to use them tomorrow, to help blow out, and drain my garden hoses. Winter is coming and if water is left in them, they might split.

Today, I blew out the water lines that are up in the attic. I then forced RV antifreeze into them, -50F. If there are any low spots in the lines, they'll be filled with antifreeze. No need to relive the disaster we had a couple of years ago.

 

[IMA SOL MAN]

Today I bought these:

View attachment 52141

I plan to use them tomorrow, to help blow out, and drain my garden hoses. Winter is coming and if water is left in them, they might split.

Today, I blew out the water lines that are up in the attic. I then forced RV antifreeze into them, -50F. If there are any low spots in the lines, they'll be filled with antifreeze. No need to relive the disaster we had a couple of years ago.

What water lines do you have in the attic??

 

[Poppy]

What water lines do you have in the attic??

My house is on a slab, so the water lines to the back of the house and the side of the house run up from the feed, to the attic, back down and then out.

 

[Falcon9h]

My wife surprised me with a cabin getaway for a few days so had the car checked completely, dogs cleared by the vet, food for everyone packed, couple of radios and my bag of tricks. (knives, flashlights, tools and other things men find necessary for the open road. Daunting task taking along two big dogs!

 

[Falcon9h]

Answered and acknowledged receipt of a robo-phone call from my local emergency management agency, advising of a water main break due to an excavator accident. Fortunately, I was not affected.

Thought a lot today about water filtration from reading the thread about water shortages due to power outages. Plan to get some filters and bottled water.

Rethinking backup power sources, thanks to Dr. Jone's post about the vulnerability of the Battery Management System circuit on lithium cells to NEMP. Strongly reconsidering using lead acid batteries now.

Our development was built in the 70's, which gave us the DC-10, Ford Pinto, the automotive malaise era and Jimmy Carter. IOW junk. The whole infrastructure is crap. Boil water advisories 5-6X a year because the mains keep breaking.

 

[IMA SOL MAN]

Our development was built in the 70's, which gave us the DC-10, Ford Pinto, the automotive malaise era and Jimmy Carter. IOW junk. The whole infrastructure is crap. Boil water advisories 5-6X a year because the mains keep breaking.

Nice thing about living in the USA, we are free to move at will. If we aren't happy where we are, we are free to move to anywhere we want (within reason. Hilary C. didn't get to move back into the White House, though she really, really wanted to.)

 

[IMA SOL MAN]

Question for the hive here...

I have quite a few 500 ml green glass olive oil bottles saved up, that I was thinking of making into lamps. Now, I'm wondering about using them for water storage. Tap water with a drop of bleach? They are washed and rinsed already, and have the original threaded cap. What do you think? Worst case the water could be used for non-potable use.

 

[Poppy]

Back in the day when we regularly had bomb shelter drills, my dad was a bit of a prepper. He boiled water and filled bottles with it. As you know, when water is heated, it expands, when it cools it contracts. So boiled water will sterilize the water, and the bottle. When filled, and capped, when it cools, it will contract, and leave a vacuum. Adding a drop of bleach before capping it off sounds like an additional protection.

 

[IMA SOL MAN]

Back in the day when we regularly had bomb shelter drills, my dad was a bit of a prepper. He boiled water and filled bottles with it. As you know, when water is heated, it expands, when it cools it contracts. So boiled water will sterilize the water, and the bottle. When filled, and capped, when it cools, it will contract, and leave a vacuum. Adding a drop of bleach before capping it off sounds like an additional protection.

I have a water bath canner, the Ball blue porcelain one, and was actually thinking about simply canning water in my quart Ball canning jars that are sitting empty. Didn't garden this year, so didn't can anything. But IDK, I thought that would be kind of silly, and didn't want to use up a new lid on canning water...so...came up with the olive oil bottle idea instead. Anyone here home can water?

 

[Poppy]

Anyone here home can water?

When my Dad canned water it was in the early 60's. That was before the days when one can buy cases of bottled water.

I buy four cases of 40 16OZ bottles at a time. When I am down to one case I buy another 4.

Years ago, I grew a small garden. My wife wouldn't eat from it, and she was the cook. By the time the vegetables were ready to be harvested, they were selling for pennies on the pound at the supermarket. That was the last year I grew a garden.

Similarly, my brother told me that his next door neighbor, spent a LOT of money to build a fairly large garden, all fenced in to protect it from the deer. It cost them a few thousand dollars. The first year, it was a family project, of caring for it, pulling weeds, and feeding the plants. They had an abundance, so much so that they gave much of it away, despite canning much of it.
The following year, it wasn't as well cared for, and the third year it was nothing but weeds.

This of course was during a time when there were no shortages. During a crisis situation, things will certainly be different.

Regarding water may I refer you to Sub_umbra 's thread A water epiphany
IMO canned water or bottled water is a great start, but a water filter is important for the end game.

 

[Falcon9h]

Nice thing about living in the USA, we are free to move at will. If we aren't happy where we are, we are free to move to anywhere we want (within reason. Hilary C. didn't get to move back into the White House, though she really, really wanted to.)

I'm afraid I wasn't specific enough... I meant the whole infrastructure *in our development* was crap, and it is. The whole hill is a jerry rig. So is the Pinto and DC-10! 🙄

 

[IMA SOL MAN]

I'm afraid I wasn't specific enough... I meant the whole infrastructure *in our development* was crap, and it is. The whole hill is a jerry rig. So is the Pinto and DC-10! 🙄

Yeah, I got it the first time. My subtle message was too subtle I guess. If you aren't happy there, MOVE.

 

[Falcon9h]

Yeah, I got it the first time. My subtle message was too subtle I guess. If you aren't happy there, MOVE.

Nah. If that's the only complaint I have-and it is-we're staying put. Nice semi-rural area far away from far left NJ where we used to live, and there, I was miserable.

 

[Kestrel]

Bought 1000 rounds of 9mm and 3000+ rounds of rimfire yesterday. Next year is an election year, for anybody who pays attention to cyclical ammunition availability.

 

[Monocrom]

Bought 1000 rounds of 9mm and 3000+ rounds of rimfire yesterday. Next year is an election year, for anybody who pays attention to cyclical ammunition availability.

Oh yeah, election year.... Is all that ammo for yourself or to re-sell at a 90% mark-up next year when it becomes super scarce?

 

[scout24]

Bought 1000 rounds of 9mm and 3000+ rounds of rimfire yesterday. Next year is an election year, for anybody who pays attention to cyclical ammunition availability.

Proper prior planning... 👍

 

[Kestrel]

Oh yeah, election year.... Is all that ammo for yourself or to re-sell at a 90% mark-up next year when it becomes super scarce?

The answer to your questions is yes. ;-)

 

[Kestrel]

Have been gradually saving water/milk/whatever jugs to store water in the garage; am up to 28 gallons by now.

20231118_134348.jpg

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I think that 4 drops of bleach per gallon is a pretty good ratio for extended shelf life. Not doing fallout shelter -type storage, just storing a backup supply of tapwater at basically no cost.

 

[IMA SOL MAN]

Have been gradually saving water/milk/whatever jugs to store water in the garage; am up to 28 gallons by now.

20231118_134348.jpg

Shared with Dropbox

www.dropbox.com

I think that 4 drops of bleach per gallon is a pretty good ratio for extended shelf life. Not doing fallout shelter -type storage, just storing a backup supply of tapwater at basically no cost.

Those gallon water jugs do have a limited life span--I found that out the hard way. I had bought them in 3 gallon cardboard cartons, and stacked them. After a couple of years I think it was, they started to leak...in the boxes. Well, that was a mess, and a major disappointment. Fortunately I had only about 3 or 4 of those 3 gallon cartons, so the loss wasn't too bad, but I learned my lesson about using those gallon jugs for long-term water storage--don't.