tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2686829448547770092.post3207901312094381806..comments2023-08-15T06:33:53.114-07:00Comments on Bison Prepper: your own infrastructureJames M Dakinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01382139289994087931noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2686829448547770092.post-16177949114533966372017-02-26T19:12:22.483-08:002017-02-26T19:12:22.483-08:00LED bulbs for a whole RV interior (stock lighting)...LED bulbs for a whole RV interior (stock lighting) can be had for less than $50. They are too bright already, if you get the "high-output" kind. My preference is strip-lighting that can be dimmed with a PWM controller to use less power and not be blinding (or surgical-bright, if you like that). To get access to the circuits, pull them out and ID them during the "massive re-insulate and seal" phase of rv fixing. Might as well upgrade the super-lame 12ga "primary" wire from the battery on the tongue to the breaker/fuse box/"converter" to 2ga+ copper and install a bunch of Cat6 inside as well before MRAS. -pdxr13Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2686829448547770092.post-74662362773430122842017-02-24T14:31:04.076-08:002017-02-24T14:31:04.076-08:0012v LED bulbs aren't getting much cheaper, or ...12v LED bulbs aren't getting much cheaper, or increasing all that much in lumens like they used to. You might as well just order them now and be done with it.James M Dakinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01382139289994087931noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2686829448547770092.post-88552181628541456252017-02-24T12:55:29.518-08:002017-02-24T12:55:29.518-08:00#1 priority for off-grid energy use: Know How Much...#1 priority for off-grid energy use: Know How Much You Are Using, all the time. People make better decisions when they know instant/daily/weekly power use of each thing and how that requires/uses limited input of solar/genset/battery power. Fer instance, I have a standard kitchen refrigerator/freezer in the kitchen using 120v grid power (awesome!) that needs about 125W every hour all year. That's 3KW every day, which is something like forty-cents in pdx from PGE. No problem, because it's huge and convenient, self-defrosting with inside lights. But, if the grid went down, it's just an insulated box to be buried in the yard. No way am I going to run a generator or an inverter to run this POS for any amount of time beyond needed to feed the neighbors the barbequed contents and declare that I'm hungry like them and we need to start collecting water with tarps.<br /><br /> What I am going to do is keep the 4 cubic foot and 2 cubic foot rocker-pump refer's going on battery & solar, and use the ammonia refer (6 cubic feet) in the trailer that can run on propane (or not as efficient as the rocker-pump models, on 120v ac simulating a propane flame)as a temporary overflow fridge to store food "windfalls". The freezer compartment in the trailer gets really cold (-10F at half-cold setting), so is good for cold-packs to use in styrofoam coolers. It's big enough to put 8 pints of Ben & Jerry's chocolate ice cream in and keep hard, but that's an unlikely windfall WTSHTF.<br /><br />If a person was trying to get "barely good enough" juice for a powered medical device like a CPAP (which most people will not need when they lose enough weight from actual lack of calories) and a minimal string of LED lights, they need to know how much those items use. Get a Kill-A-Watt from the local library and measure the device on and using, as well as when off (charging?). Some medical devices are 12v DC devices that use a wall-wart power supply to step-down and rectify the grid AC to the DC needed. This is good, because you can skip that step and give the machine DC12v directly from your house battery. No need to run an inverter, in that case. <br /><br />The best case to shoot for is an "Intermittent" grid with blackouts and brownouts, which will allow you to have a small battery bank to run essentials for a few hours, then recharge the battery bank when the power comes on at 4AM for 6 hours, like in Baghdad. Repeat until you can escape from the obviously-failing place. Better will be running your own infrastructure of charging with quick-charging from a generator and slower/much-cheaper charging from solar pv. Idling your car as a source of 12v is BAD_BAD_BAD for any period of time beyond the very-shortest "emergency". The efficiency is TERRIBLE with a tiny 1L 3-banger and bad 5x that with a 5L V-8, not to mention that extended idling is hard on an engine meant to be running on the road. Do something else to charge your cell phone battery other than idle a vehicle, even if you have to start a 6500W 3600rpm roaring Chinese genset that attracts zombies (put up the solar panels!). <br /><br />Batteries are a big expense. If you have loads that are low-current and don't run much (LED task lights), you can get away with few and inexpensive batteries (lead-acid deep cycle, golf car models on-sale at big-box store). As our list mom has mentioned, LED lighting is the finest use of valuable battery power, much cheaper-better-safer than candles/kerosene/propane for lighting in your well-insulated mobile Hobbit Hut. If your HH is of the older-cheaper variety (as it should be), it is pre-wired to use power-guzzling incandescent 12v bulbs. This is fine, because that means the wiring greatly exceeds the current needed by LED's. Lots of people might just replace the bulbs they use the most first, then the bulbs they use less (in the closet?) with LED's that have the same base mount. Find out what kind (like type 1157), and order the correct variety from ebay/amazon/alibaba/etc. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2686829448547770092.post-47041711486963428082017-02-24T05:19:58.200-08:002017-02-24T05:19:58.200-08:00Cheaper and quieter than a genie. Along the lines...Cheaper and quieter than a genie. Along the lines of what I've read from others. If you get the time and are still interested, I can look through my book collection for the guys name and you can check out his website.James M Dakinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01382139289994087931noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2686829448547770092.post-26144884481523010892017-02-23T18:29:59.728-08:002017-02-23T18:29:59.728-08:00I was listening to Jack Spirko on the survivalist ...I was listening to Jack Spirko on the survivalist podcast. he's full of himself but I've got plenty of time when I'm driving to listen to whatever.<br /><br />Long story short. He said there is a way to hook up an inverter to your car and you run your car as a generator to power say your fridge. <br /><br />That might be worth looking into. At the moment I'm struggling to deal with other more pressing problems.Dingonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2686829448547770092.post-14273611325876759932017-02-23T15:40:39.963-08:002017-02-23T15:40:39.963-08:00Cooling with ventilation - allow the hot air out a...Cooling with ventilation - allow the hot air out at the top, and pull more and cooler air in at the bottom. Obvious, and probably something you already have set up, but the more you can make the box air tight except the incoming and outgoing flows the better it works - you can also add solar powered fans and attic vents that you can seal off when you do need to keep heat in during the winter. JM2CJJGreyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06708302086326564665noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2686829448547770092.post-69549138023249093472017-02-23T14:12:45.933-08:002017-02-23T14:12:45.933-08:00I've just always been impressed with Honda, fr...I've just always been impressed with Honda, from past experience. Not sure who has the best quality-I just assume Honda. YMMV.James M Dakinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01382139289994087931noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2686829448547770092.post-71433703404503603262017-02-23T14:04:46.772-08:002017-02-23T14:04:46.772-08:00Perfect plans are for Yuppie Scum. BTN, those are...Perfect plans are for Yuppie Scum. BTN, those are our plans.James M Dakinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01382139289994087931noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2686829448547770092.post-26892199710438874832017-02-23T13:17:58.021-08:002017-02-23T13:17:58.021-08:00Cooling is my problem.
My roof is well insulated....Cooling is my problem.<br /><br />My roof is well insulated. However this just keeps the heat in. <br /><br />The work around post collapse should it occur in the near future is to sleep under the deck in summer where it's cool and inside during winter. Not a great plan but a plan nonetheless Dingonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2686829448547770092.post-46087365457846212572017-02-23T08:08:20.582-08:002017-02-23T08:08:20.582-08:00I sprang for this Yam inverter
https://www.amazon....I sprang for this Yam inverter<br />https://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-EF2400iSHC-Starting-Portable-Inverter/dp/B00AYUWDZG<br />My wife has health issues that need clean electrical power. I thought, what the H, if buying go on and get one large enough to power a freezer. We prep for economical reasons because we both will likely die in a long term grid down situation. That generator is quiet, you can carry on a normal conversation standing right beside the thing. The duty cycle on the Yam was better than the Hon at that time not sure about that now.<br />Nice hair!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com