Odds ‘n Sods:

Reader Joe G. sent a link to a story on a house that is so “green”, it produces surplus electricity.

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Ed C. sent us this link to at start-up company in Polson, Montana. Gearpods is offering containerized survival gear, mostly in Nalgene style water containers, from day pack kits to shelter systems.

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Reader Johnny G. sent this link: S.F. bank’s startling interest: 79 percent. And SurvivalBlog’s Editor at Large Michael Z. Williamson sent a link to a similar story, from Fox News.

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John F. suggested this story on the Art of Manliness blog: 13 Things a Man Should Keep in His Car

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"Assessing, developing, attaining and sustaining needed emergency preparedness, response and recovery capabilities is a difficult task that requires sustained leadership… there is no silver bullet, no easy formula." – William Jenkins

Note from JWR:

Here in the northern hemisphere, we are about to have our Winter Solstice – the shortest day of the year. For some of us, that means that it is time to start planning our Spring gardens! (The seed catalogs will start to arrive soon. They are reliable as our January snow and Spring rain.)

Two Letters Re: Vehicle Recommendations?

Mr. Jim,
You perfectly encapsulated a modification I just did to the kit I carry in my vehicle. While I knew better, it still took reading “One Second After” to set me thinking: How do I get home if the car dies? Your reference: “My personal circumstances are unusual, since I live at my retreat year-round. So the gear that I keep in my vehicle is more of a “Get Me Back Home Kit” rather than a “Get Out of Dodge Kit” is perfect.

I have carried a pretty decent vehicle breakdown kit for some time, but I did so in a document box. It then occurred to me: You will have to walk, dummy. So I bought a cheap, “Remington” brand backpack from Wal-Mart, and everything got transferred. It’s not “Military” looking, in keeping with ominous rumblings about that stuff in various “Memos,” but rugged enough to get me home.

Excellent way to encapsulate that notion. That’s how I will start referring to it as with students and family. Thanks, – Jim B2

 

Sir,
Thank you again for your excellent blog. You are definitely saving lives and saving dollars.

When our Nissan expired, we had a long discussion about what to buy for our general use/SHTF vehicle. The criteria we settled on were:

  • Size – The vehicle must be big enough for the entire family, plus guests (we made a mistake here, by not accounting for two college student siblings, who recently moved back to the area), plus cargo.
  • Engine – Diesel is preferable to gasoline or propane for a number of reasons in every area except for availability of parts and costs of repairs. For diesels, pre-2007 is a requirement (for bio-diesel compatibility). For all engine types (with the possible exception of hybrids), older is generally better. Buy used.
  • Chassis – The question here is balancing fuel efficiency (which translates to range) vs. pulling power. Performance requirements vary based on your location. Ideally you should buy the smallest size available that will meet your hauling and performance requirements, maximizing your fuel efficiency. This also will reduce your final costs. A trailer hitch is a must, even for smaller cars, but can be added after-market for little cost.
  • Reliability – Reliability is a must. Do your research before you buy.
  • Cost – Don’t take on debt buying more than you need. Forego leather seats and satellite radio to stock up on spare parts and mechanic’s classes. A lower cost vehicle also lets you practice doing all the regular maintenance yourself without fear of putting yourself $20,000 in the hole.

I rarely see it mentioned, but for many people, it’s worth considering cargo vans. You can pick them up on the cheap, well-maintained, with plenty of cargo space. The downside is poor off-road performance, but this isn’t as much a concern for people near or in the cities, and can be addressed separately.

Do research on alternative fuels for your vehicle. Diesels can draw on a number of fuel sources, most especially bio-diesel. Many gasoline engines can accept ethanol. But both require production, which is difficult to impossible without the proper equipment and knowledge. Figuring out how to fuel your generator when your tank has run dry is going to be a painful lesson in preparation.

Our thoughts and prayers are with you and yours. – Dieselman

Three Letters Re: Covert Home Power for When The Grids Go Down

Sir:
I am not an electrician, and I set as system like this up at my house three years ago. It kept our food cold, and the house tolerably warm for three days when the power was out. But I endorse a couple of important differences.

First, letting your car run at idle will run down your battery. The alternator doesn’t reach full output at low RPMs, so you need to kick up the throttle a little bit. How much will depend on your car. I watch the volt-meter built into the inverter, and set the engine at about 1,500 RPM, because that’s where the voltage stays high enough for the inverter. Also, make sure to check the output of the alternator. (I looked it up at an online auto parts store.) When my inverter runs at full power, it draws 100 amps at 12 volts. If you have a small alternator (smaller car), then 1,500 RPM may not even be enough to power the inverter. That means you’re drawing amperage out of the battery when the inverter runs at higher power.

Second, I would never power the house by using an extension cord with two male ends. JWR was right to point out the danger of potentially back-powering the grid when plugging in a hot extension cord from the inverter. Even with the main breaker turned off, the neutral is still connected to the grid. Can you imagine the liability you would incur if you accidentally electrocuted a local repairman who was trying to get your neighborhood back online? He may even be one of your neighbors. I’ve made mistakes in my life (no one seriously injured because of them) and I can’t justify the risk of injury when it’s so easy to avoid. Because the average 1,200-1,500 watt inverter will only power one or two major appliances (or one furnace blower), I recommend that you plug those items directly into the unmodified extension cord from the inverter. Yeah, you gotta move the extension cord around a bit, but you won’t hurt anyone and you don’t need to worry that you might ruin your inverter when the grid does come back up.

Remember, the main objective is to survive the ordeal, hopefully stay warm, and not accidentally hurt anyone else in the process. – Dave in Missouri

 

Dear James,
I’m sure Tom H. meant well with his article on using power from a car to power a house, but I have some serious nits to pick.

1. When talks about getting the “largest cable size you can get”, it really opens a door for disaster. Electrical cable needs to be sized for the current it will be carrying. If the cable you find is too small, you risk creating an electrical fire. If it’s too big, you’ve wasted money. What you need to do is to have a handle on the power and current that the cable needs to carry, and size it appropriately.

Remember, Power (watts) = Current (amps) x Voltage (volts).

Add up your power requirements for a given voltage, and then determine your amp load.

Current (amps) = Power (watts) / Voltage (volts).

Here is a link that gives conservative estimates for the current carrying capabilities of various American Wire Gauge (AWG) wire sizes.

2. When adding up the wattage you need to support, don’t go by the tag value on appliance alone. These are maximum values possible, and probably do not represent the power used under normal circumstances. This is a case where there is no substitute for actually measuring the power draw. The good news is that it’s easy to do with a Kill-A-Watt (plug-in power meter). Before TSHTF, test each of your appliances by plugging the Kill A Watt electricity usage monitor into the outlet, and then the appliance into the Kill A Watt. You can see the power being used at that moment, and the power consumed over time. For good measurements, use a Kill A Watt or similar meters.

3. Assuming the proper breakers are thrown, and the proper wires sizes are used, the weak link in this system is not the inverter but the size of the alternator output. The system cannot sustain more continuous power output than the alternator can provide. The battery may act as a ‘surge protector’ by supply the difference when the demand is larger than the alternator can supply, but that will quickly drain the battery.

It would be wise to find out ahead of time how big your alternator is and plan accordingly. The good news is that there are after market alternators available for some trucks and 4x4s which are designed to output more power to run tools through inverters at remote work sites. Best Regards, – Bear in the Sierra

Mr. Rawles,
There are so many problems with the vehicle/inverter backup system presented in today’s article that I felt I had to comment. You are to be commended for pointing out the foolishness of the power cord backfeed method, that can get someone killed in very short order. But there are other reliability/safety concerns the author does not address. These include vehicle alternator issues (overheating from insufficient air flow, diode current ratings, etc.), SLI battery limitations, connection issues, ground bonding, and transient inverter loading concerns.

For the record, I am a degreed electrical engineer and certified reliability engineer, and have over twenty years of experience with power inverters ranging from a few hundred watts up to 300KW (that’s right, 300,000 watts). Best Regards, – John in Colorado

Economics and Investing:

Reader M.S. spotted this editorial by James Quinn: Brave New World 2010.

This editorial by Frank Seuss was linked over at The Daily Bell: The Life-Long Challenge of Differentiating Between Truth, Paradigms, Truisms and Plain Lies

RLG sent this video clip: Ryedale Coin Penny Sorter. Keep in mind how much profit from how many hundreds of thousands of pennies it would take to recoup the cost of buying a sorting machine. To my mind, this is a hobby business strictly for retirees with strong backs!

Bill from Ohio sent this: Six Banks shut down Friday – 140 total this year

Items from The Economatrix:

12 Gift Ideas That Save Recipients Money Great ideas to help tight budgets!

Fewer States Add Jobs as Recovery Sputters Along

Greece Hit By Strikes as Debt Crisis Grows

ECB Raises Estimate on Bank Writedowns

Who Needs Casino Bankers?

Dollar Rises as Stocks, Commodities in Flight From Risk

Odds ‘n Sods:

Henry L. suggested this article over at Market Skeptics: 2010 Food Crisis for Dummies

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SurvivalBlog’s Editor at Large Michael Z. Williamson spotted a blog post about a warning poster at Fort Benning. Mike’s comment: “We’re terrorists, apparently.”

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From Ferdinand: Man kills bobcat with bare hands during north Phoenix attack. He comments, “Even if it isn’t a complete collapse, things like this will become more common. Being defenseless–having to use your bare hands qualifies you as defenseless–is a death sentence, in my opinion.”

Letter Re: Gerald Celente Predicts Survivalism Will Go Mainstream in 2010

James Wesley:
The often-quoted prognosticator Gerald Celente (of The Trends Research Institute) is predicting that the Survivalist movement will go mainstream next year. In a recent issue of The Trends Journal, he wrote:

“Back in the Cold War days, survivalism meant building a bomb shelter and stocking it with enough food to outlast nuclear fallout.

In the late 1970’s, with inflation soaring, Iran raging, and gold and oil prices skyrocketing, survival meant cashing out of paper money and heading for the hills with enough ammunition and pork & beans to wait out the economic and political storms.

In 2000, the Y2K crowd – the most recent breed of survivalists – expecting computer clocks to crash, infrastructure to break down and the world to go dark, were armed and barricaded with enough food to feed an army and enough ammunition to hold one off.

In 2010, survivalism will go mainstream. Unemployed or fearing it, foreclosed or nearing it, pensions lost and savings gone … all sorts of folk who once believed in the system, having witnessed its battering, have lost their faith.

The realities of failing financial institutions, degrading infrastructure, manipulated marketplaces, soaring energy costs, widening wars, and terror consequences have created a new breed of survivalist. Motivated not by worst-case scenario fears but by do-or-die necessity, the new non-believers, unwilling to go under or live on the streets, will devise ingenious stratagems to beat the system, get off the grid (as much as possible), and stay under the radar.”

Well, it seems every good social movement deserves its day, and we are finally getting ours. Let’s just hope that we don’t get tarred with the same brush as the assorted Neo-Nazi/Skinhead/Racist/KKK/Anti-Semite fringe element types, as well as the relative handful of “Gray Aliens Abducted My Baby” types and “Its the End of the Mayan Calendar” Mystics. Knowing the tendencies of the Mainstream Media, they probably will try do do precisely that, by interviewing a few way-out-there whackos, and then attempting to portray them as “typical” survivalists. Lord help us. – Hal F.

Letter Re: Making Low Profile Firearms Purchases

James,
Thanks so much for your books, which have really opened my eyes. I began with “How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It” and have just finished reading “Patriots” for the second time. The first time on Kindle, then I decided I really needed a hard copy as well. After much prayer, my husband has acknowledged the need to prepare as well.

We have just joined the NRA and we will be joining a local gun club next month, as well as looking for proper firearms training. We own a new .22 LR and a Winchester .308. In the area of security, I have two questions:

1.) Today my husband stopped by the gun store to inquire about pistol and shotgun prices. They quoted him on some used ones that sound reasonable for our tight budget. Is there any reason to avoid used guns from a reputable dealer?.

2.) Then he told the clerk that his wife asked him to check into an AR-15. The clerk’s response was “What would she need that for?” How do you go about purchasing such a weapon without looking like a loon? What should the response be to questions like that? Many thanks, – Janice in Virginia

JWR Replies: I recommend avoiding any un-necessary firearms purchase paper ptrails.We have no way of predicting how firearms laws might change in the future, so it is wise to not leave an audit trail. If your state law allows it, then I strongly recommend that all of your subsequent firearms purchases–most importantly handguns–be made from private parties who live in the same state, at gun shows or through auction services such as GunBroker.com, AuctionArms.com, or fixed-price sellers through GunsAmerica.com. Newspaper ads by private party sellers are also a possibility–and often some real bargains can be found–but of course your local selection will be much smaller.

Because all sales of modern (post-1898 manufacture) firearms bought from (or transferred through) a Federal Firearms License (FFL) holder must be put on permanent record, a paper trail cannot be avoided. So again, your best alternative is to make only private party gun purchases, without an FFL in the loop.

Two Letters Re: Prepping as an Active Duty Servicemember Overseas

Mr Rawles,
Having seen the info on EMT training that has been on your blog recently, I decided to throw in my 2 cents. The National Dept of Transportation (DOT) sets all standards for Emergency Medical Services (First Responder through EMT-Paramedic) for the entire country. These standards include training and standardized interventions for certain trauma and illnesses by EMTs. These can all be found at NREMT.org. All questions on certifications, training requirements, etc can be answered there.

Some courses claim that they can accelerate you and get you certified. DOT has requirements that must be met to be nationally certified. These include specific skill sets and minimum hours of training requirements. All states are required to participate in the NREMT Registry. States can require you to complete a written and or skills test to get a state license in addition to the national registry. Some states allow you to do procedures that other states don’t. In Wisconsin, we can insert a combi-tube down your throat in certain situations to help you breath and use a laryngoscope and Magill Forceps to remove a visualized blockage in your trachea.

In other words, “caveat emptor” buyer beware. Make sure the course you are taking or plan on taking meets the Federal DOT guidelines for the National Registry. Be prepared for the NREMT skills test and written test. Both must be passed to become Nationally Registered. The benefit of Nationally Registry is transfer of EMT Licenses throughout the country.

One other thing to remember. In a TEOTWAWKI situation, all the EMT training in the world won’t save you if you don’t have a doctor to complete the treatment for a major trauma or illness. As an EMT, We perform interventions to keep people alive until they can get to the doctor that can fix what’s broken or not working correctly.

I am deeply indebted to you for all the information you have provided and allowed to be posted on your blog. You have made my commitment to my family’s preparedness and survival an easy task. – R.T., Somewhere in the ice and snow in northwestern Wisconsin

Mr. Rawles,
In response to this article. People need to be aware that just because they are a NREMT regardless of the level, basic or paramedic, not all states recognize the National Registry. For instance, I have been an EMT-B for 25 years in the state of Minnesota, and an EMS Instructor for 12 years. Neither Iowa or Wisconsin will recognize my NREMT certification in their state. Just make sure you research which states allow reciprocity and which ones don’t. – Brenda L.

Economics and Investing:

Mark Lundeen at Gold Eagle asks: How could GDP have increased 2.8% and yet electrical power consumption in the US declined by 5.04%?

The latest from the Dr. Housing Bubble blog: Southern California and the MLS Myth: Why the MLS does not Provide an Accurate Picture of Housing Inventory. Shadow Inventory, Foreclosures, and Fantasy Housing Numbers.

Red State Ranger sent us this: You Can Negotiate Anything. BTW, I recommend that you read my archived article on savvy bartering, for some more negotiating tactics.

(The Economatrix is snowed in today, with no Internet service available.)