Timely to stock up on needed supplies?

softdown
softdown Solar Expert Posts: 3,949 ✭✭✭✭
in In the Weeds--Member's Choice #1
Can we ever catch a long term break and relax for several years? I think not:
* The drums of war have been pounding since 9/12/2001.
* The drums of global warming keep pounding - mostly by the private jet and mega yacht crowd. Now they are chopping down a chunk of the Amazon for their next conference. Are they just messing with us?
* Very odd fires that clearly seem to be intentionally started. S Carolina and N York in the winter?
* Incoming tariffs - impact remains to be seen.
* Judges consistently over riding the commands of the executive branch. Never seen much of that before.
*Clear signs of an incoming recession. 
* ”Arguing" with countries that were historically strong allies. 
* There are always clear and present dangers. But wars and economic weakness tend to sort themselves out. I sense a macro degradation in the publics mental health. Entitlement and softness manifesting like never before. RFK Jr declares the issue can be resolved by increasing the quality of the food supply. Is that even realistic? 
* The latest Candace Owens podcast proves that our strongest ally is historically a blackmail operation. And has been for decades. It is “joked” that the Moesaads codename for 47 is “AutoPen”. War with Iran seems imminent at times. “AutoPen” sees to this perception. 

Timely to stock up on needed supplies? 
First Bank:16 180 watt Grape Solar with  FM80 controller and 3648 Inverter....Fullriver 8D AGM solar batteries. Second Bank/MacGyver Special: 10 165(?) watt BP Solar with Renogy MPPT 40A controller/ and Xantrex C-35 PWM controller/ and Morningstar PWM controller...Cotek 24V PSW inverter....forklift and diesel locomotive batteries
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  • Marc Kurth
    Marc Kurth Solar Expert Posts: 1,181 ✭✭✭✭
    #2
    Every day is the best time to be reasonably prepared for emergencies and disasters. One of the really great things is that you get to pick your own level of self-sufficiency, and how to achieve it!
    I always have more questions than answers. That's the nature of life.
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  • GoodScience
    GoodScience Registered Users, Users Awaiting Email Confirmation Posts: 1 ✭
    #3
    I knew that Trump would win.  So I bought solar shipment from China and have it installed.  Now with 20 450 watt panels.  And 10KW split phase inverters.  It was very difficult dealing with custom's brokers who were afraid of the existing tariffs. The solar panels were listed as "free" on the invoice and the controllers were the cost.  Hopefully my whole house can run without the Grid now.  20KW system, advertised but as you know that almost never is achieved.  In Colorado we have SUN.  
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  • softdown
    softdown Solar Expert Posts: 3,949 ✭✭✭✭
    #4
    Marc Kurth said:
    Every day is the best time to be reasonably prepared for emergencies and disasters. One of the really great things is that you get to pick your own level of self-sufficiency, and how to achieve it!
    We get to pick what to prepare for. We do not get to pick what happens. I’ll bet 90% of city dwellers are not prepared for 12 hours without power.  

    Never thought I’d maybe have to prepare for wildfires. Yet here I am. If "political vigilantes” want wildfires it is hard to stop. 
    First Bank:16 180 watt Grape Solar with  FM80 controller and 3648 Inverter....Fullriver 8D AGM solar batteries. Second Bank/MacGyver Special: 10 165(?) watt BP Solar with Renogy MPPT 40A controller/ and Xantrex C-35 PWM controller/ and Morningstar PWM controller...Cotek 24V PSW inverter....forklift and diesel locomotive batteries
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  • softdown
    softdown Solar Expert Posts: 3,949 ✭✭✭✭
    #5
    GoodScience said:
    I knew that Trump would win.  So I bought solar shipment from China and have it installed.  Now with 20 450 watt panels.  And 10KW split phase inverters.  It was very difficult dealing with custom's brokers who were afraid of the existing tariffs. The solar panels were listed as "free" on the invoice and the controllers were the cost.  Hopefully my whole house can run without the Grid now.  20KW system, advertised but as you know that almost never is achieved.  In Colorado we have SUN.  
    No idea how you knew Trump would win with the odds sitting at ~ 60%. I didn’t know T would win, I did feel that the country depended on it for future viability. 36 trillion in debt is dangerous waters. Etc.

    Getting that system functional will be a chore. Since the WHO is running drills on grid outages I would prioritise functionality.

    ***Do not read the following if you are readily triggered***

    Fast forward to today. Our fleet is parked in the Red Sea and itching for an excuse to fulfil the ambitions of their master planners. The administration rapidly morphed from The Avengers to The Z*******. "You know who rules over you by who you are not allowed to criticise." T lost a lot of cerebral support when he chose Massey as his #1 target. Massey is literally the only R who is not controlled by A****. So it turns out that his #1 priority precisely aligns with the master planners that he was so bellicose about. The triumph of real world politics reigns again. The public hoodwinked. Again. Trillions more in debt. Likely. 



    First Bank:16 180 watt Grape Solar with  FM80 controller and 3648 Inverter....Fullriver 8D AGM solar batteries. Second Bank/MacGyver Special: 10 165(?) watt BP Solar with Renogy MPPT 40A controller/ and Xantrex C-35 PWM controller/ and Morningstar PWM controller...Cotek 24V PSW inverter....forklift and diesel locomotive batteries
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  • Marc Kurth
    Marc Kurth Solar Expert Posts: 1,181 ✭✭✭✭
    edited April 2 #6
    softdown said:
    Marc Kurth said:
    Every day is the best time to be reasonably prepared for emergencies and disasters. One of the really great things is that you get to pick your own level of self-sufficiency, and how to achieve it!
    We get to pick what to prepare for. We do not get to pick what happens. I’ll bet 90% of city dwellers are not prepared for 12 hours without power.  

    Never thought I’d maybe have to prepare for wildfires. Yet here I am. If "political vigilantes” want wildfires it is hard to stop. 

    I do agree that most people will be in trouble in a grid down situation. I DO NOT claim to be ready for anything. Nowadays, solar is so cheap that there is no reason not to have at least a minimum sized system to support a couple of chest freezers.
    But then fires are a part of emergency preparedness.
    Our home in the piney woods outside of Bastrop, TX survived when 1,700 homes around me did not in 2011. Low cost concrete septic tanks provide water for a fire sprinkler pump. Now, I have a lake water pump connected to fire sprinklers to soak my house and surrounding vegetation.  1,000 gallons every 15 minutes really helps soak everything down.



    I always have more questions than answers. That's the nature of life.
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  • softdown
    softdown Solar Expert Posts: 3,949 ✭✭✭✭
    #7
    Marc Kurth said:
    softdown said:
    Marc Kurth said:
    Every day is the best time to be reasonably prepared for emergencies and disasters. One of the really great things is that you get to pick your own level of self-sufficiency, and how to achieve it!
    We get to pick what to prepare for. We do not get to pick what happens. I’ll bet 90% of city dwellers are not prepared for 12 hours without power.  

    Never thought I’d maybe have to prepare for wildfires. Yet here I am. If "political vigilantes” want wildfires it is hard to stop. 

    I do agree that most people will be in trouble in a grid down situation. I DO NOT claim to be ready for anything. Nowadays, solar is so cheap that there is no reason not to have at least a minimum sized system to support a couple of chest freezers.
    But then fires are a part of emergency preparedness.
    Our home in the piney woods outside of Bastrop, TX survived when 1,700 homes around me did not in 2011. Low cost concrete septic tanks provide water for a fire sprinkler pump. Now, I have a lake water pump connected to fire sprinklers to soak my house and surrounding vegetation.  1,000 gallons every 15 minutes really helps soak everything down.



    I keep visualising a practical home fire suppression system. Challenging without access to a lake or pond. 1000 gallons will not protect the typical home. 
    First Bank:16 180 watt Grape Solar with  FM80 controller and 3648 Inverter....Fullriver 8D AGM solar batteries. Second Bank/MacGyver Special: 10 165(?) watt BP Solar with Renogy MPPT 40A controller/ and Xantrex C-35 PWM controller/ and Morningstar PWM controller...Cotek 24V PSW inverter....forklift and diesel locomotive batteries
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  • Marc Kurth
    Marc Kurth Solar Expert Posts: 1,181 ✭✭✭✭
    #8
    Having access to water was at the top of the list when we moved here eight years ago. IMHO, water may be the single biggest problem most people will face during a long term emergency. That is one of the reasons that I selected where I live.
    We were able to save our last home from fire with two 1250 gallon tanks and some brass impulse (Rainbird) sprinklers with overlapping patterns. More is better, but 2500 gallons gave us two hours of soaking the roof and the immediate area around the house for two hours. (10 GPM each) We loaded up what we could, waited as long as we could, then fired it up and bailed out. 
    I am not saying that this will work for you, but it did for us.
    I always have more questions than answers. That's the nature of life.
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  • softdown
    softdown Solar Expert Posts: 3,949 ✭✭✭✭
    edited April 2 #9
    My shop is ~ 8000 sq ft. Though I would hope the steel roof and siding would protect those areas. The north and south sides are traditional wood and plastic materials. 

    I’m planning on a bush hog for the tractor. Clearing ~100’ usually does the job. Usually. 

    Whether to stay and deal with freak hotspots or book and quite possibly lose everything? A question. 

    I would not want to survive losing everything. Not with the pain and health issues that 2025 coincided with. 
    First Bank:16 180 watt Grape Solar with  FM80 controller and 3648 Inverter....Fullriver 8D AGM solar batteries. Second Bank/MacGyver Special: 10 165(?) watt BP Solar with Renogy MPPT 40A controller/ and Xantrex C-35 PWM controller/ and Morningstar PWM controller...Cotek 24V PSW inverter....forklift and diesel locomotive batteries
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,671 admin
    #10
    Note that steel buildings are still very susceptible to fire damage. Steel starts losing much of its strength over ~450 degrees F... And fires can be in the range of 2,000F...

    May or may not be helpful:

    https://www.firefree.com/blog/all-you-need-to-know-about-fireproofing-a-steel-building/

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • softdown
    softdown Solar Expert Posts: 3,949 ✭✭✭✭
    #11
    Steel siding is all. 
    First Bank:16 180 watt Grape Solar with  FM80 controller and 3648 Inverter....Fullriver 8D AGM solar batteries. Second Bank/MacGyver Special: 10 165(?) watt BP Solar with Renogy MPPT 40A controller/ and Xantrex C-35 PWM controller/ and Morningstar PWM controller...Cotek 24V PSW inverter....forklift and diesel locomotive batteries
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  • softdown
    softdown Solar Expert Posts: 3,949 ✭✭✭✭
    edited 3:42PM #12
    Steel roof and siding is all. 
    First Bank:16 180 watt Grape Solar with  FM80 controller and 3648 Inverter....Fullriver 8D AGM solar batteries. Second Bank/MacGyver Special: 10 165(?) watt BP Solar with Renogy MPPT 40A controller/ and Xantrex C-35 PWM controller/ and Morningstar PWM controller...Cotek 24V PSW inverter....forklift and diesel locomotive batteries
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  • Marc Kurth
    Marc Kurth Solar Expert Posts: 1,181 ✭✭✭✭
    #13
    softdown said:
    My shop is ~ 8000 sq ft. Though I would hope the steel roof and siding would protect those areas. The north and south sides are traditional wood and plastic materials. 

    I’m planning on a bush hog for the tractor. Clearing ~100’ usually does the job. Usually. 


    Well then my approach wouldn't work for you. With that shop, plus your home, plus the surrounding areas, you would need a whole lot more water than I did.



    I always have more questions than answers. That's the nature of life.
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