What Preps are you doing this week? Part 13

[pseudonym]

Snip>

Now whilst not shtf image a diabetic relent on keeping insulin cool for example that kit would be a life or death prep a smaller camping compressor fridge run on 12v is far more efficient than a domestic fridge running from a power station via an inverter

That's my main priority.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgEoxtcKlVQ

This set up leaves my E1000 and 12Kw jackery systems free to charge all day

[Peter]

Well someone I know... has made over £250 of leccy in 2 years with what was 2x415w panels (£120 for the pair 2 year ago) and £100 on a power stream plug in inverter

These new to the market complete systems are vastly inflated and they've needled the DNOs to remove approval for older units ... All political and point scoring these older units are legal all over most of Europe

I think SHTF nobody will be able to generate sufficient solar power for ALL their perceived uses/wants.

We each must decide what is a sensible level to aim for within our budget and reduce our needs accordingly.

When the freezers die and food thaws out what we can’t eat right away we will salt preserve or can.

Heating will be by burning wood or coal, no electricity no gas so no central heating.

Lighting will be battery (AA/AAA) or windup lanterns, USB lamps, candles or hurricane lamps

Cooking will be with propane while it lasts or wood, even a rocket stove if necessary.

Laundry uses a lot of electricity so it will be hand washing.

We will using our solar power for battery charging, for lamps, radios, USB stuff, power tools and the Jackery.

The plug in solar isnt a prep per say but a £125 a year saving is £125 in your pocket be you in work or on hard times £125 is £125

Yes shtf power use will have to be rationed like everything else but short term block or rota cuts those with a modern quick to recharge power bank or 2 to keep the essentials running will be sat smug solar gives you more flexibility but if we get 12 hours on and 12 hours off for example ...

I managed a week camping 2 years back with a 100w panel a 256wh ecoflow river 2 and a compressor camping fridge off grid I always had cold food and beer the power bank never dropped below 45% even on hot days ..

Now whilst not shtf image a diabetic relent on keeping insulin cool for example that kit would be a life or death prep a smaller camping compressor fridge run on 12v is far more efficient than a domestic fridge running from a power station via an inverter


Having a few 400w panels on a shed roof means I can charge my bigger ecoflow delta max even on a gray day

Not infallible but a nice luxury to have to retain some semblance of normality and with a bit of jiggery pokery I can runn the gas boiler to heat the house and get hot water

Well Andy, My thoughts are based on TSHTF, not saving money.

I’m 82 if I was 20 years younger we would have a roof covered with solar panels and battery backup
and probably a heat pump the complete works.....but i’m not 20 years younger.

We are long time motorhome campers, since the 70s, no electricity then everything was gas, cooking,
fridge, even a gas light first van, later vans on 12 volt.

When solar become available we bought a 100 watt folding panel for the vans leisure battery.

We can also use the folder on the Jackery, and we have a small solar setup, two 120 watt panels
charging two lion leisure batteries.

If mains were ever on rota cuts we have a ctek max’s 5.0 smart charger maintainer we can use, it’s
suitable for all lead acid batteries 1.2 Ah to 100 Ah. Obviously the Jackery would be mains charged.

It’s up to everyone to choose the best for them, we all have different needs there is a place for
plug-in but not for us.

[diamond lil]

We're the same Peter, if we were younger then we'd have stayed in the house out in the wilds and gone over to solar in a big way. But not now. Getting old is the pits

[Arzosah]

I’m 82 if I was 20 years younger we would have a roof covered with solar panels and battery backup and probably a heat pump the complete works.....but i’m not 20 years younger.

We're the same Peter, if we were younger then we'd have stayed in the house out in the wilds and gone over to solar in a big way. But not now. Getting old is the pits

Yep, me three. I'm not in my 80s yet, but I'm getting there. I feel very embuggerated, and I wish that I'd jacked in my self employment as a therapist and gone up north or out to Lincolnshire or somewhere I'd have had enough to buy a smallholding. I'm 72 soon - even at 52, I felt as strong as I'd ever been, I could've done it. I'd probably have avoided overloading myself so much that I came down with the chronic fatigue - I'm currently in an attack, and its as much as I can do to fill the dishwasher.

[Arzosah]

Just realised this is the "what preps" thread - sorry folks my last supermarket shop did include more water, actually, I have another 12 litres.

And I'm *still* tidying so I can get a double glazer in - I was going to go to one who'd previously done work for me, but it looks like they've closed down.

[diamond lil]

Was ME in my 50s that did for me too arzosah. Stops you dead in the water. I'm 76 and won't ever get any better now. After reading the Guardian article I added another £25 onto the Sainsbugs order for the weekend. Might get some coffee on amazz too while am at it.

[Frnc]

Got a few deliveries. New CO meter for room above boiler. New tube of seam sealant for tent in bug-out bag. New bike inner tubes, narrower. Going to try a faster tyre, just on the rear for now. New packable cycling rain jacket. New trunk bag rain cover. It is very difficult to get on, so I've ordered a rucksack cover to try instead.

Next door are using different sized slates, so the roofers had to put a join in, and put my last two courses back a bit differently. Instead of full slates running through, I have a slate and a cut. Fingers crossed it's ok. Can't see the front but I think that is still to be done.

[Frnc]

Inspected loft with light off. Few bits of light, but pretty certain they are coming sideways, from next door, who I don't think has any slates on the front, and maybe the very top at the back. So that's good news. You can see through a membrane in daylight with the light off, so if there was any bits not properly covered by slate I'd know. I know this from the fiasco about 3 years ago.