Note from JWR:

Today we present another article for Round 13 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The writer of the best non-fiction article will win a valuable four day “gray” transferable Front Sight course certificate. (Worth up to $2,000!) Second prize is a copy of my “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course, generously donated by Jake Stafford of Arbogast Publishing. I will again be sending out a few complimentary copies of my novel “Patriots” as “honorable mention” awards. Round 13 ends on November 30th. Remember that articles that relate practical “how to” skills for survival will have an advantage in the judging.

Home/Retreat Power Generator Noise Reduction by “Jerry the Generator Guy”

This article describes practical methods to eliminate four of the issues surrounding generators and their use.
Relatively common objections to home generators include; (1) They are often very noisy. This noise does/would bother both us and our neighbors.

(2) This high level of noise can serve as a “vermin attractor”. The vermin may need to be discouraged via your “biped eradicator”.

(3&4) Moving a generator inside a building will create both fire and exhaust hazards. I have read that after Hurricane Katrina there were several attempts to perform what we used to call “five finger discount” of someone’s generator. The following details some of the things that I have done at different locations to reduce or eliminate both the operational and security concerns.

Background:
Generator noise comes from 2 different aspects; (1). Mechanical noise from moving parts. (2). Combustion noise from the engine power. I have attacked each problem with
a separate approach. The exhaust is hazardous for two reasons. (1) It is hot. The hot surface can cause a fire if allowed to touch combustible items. (2) The exhaust contains both carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide. Both gases can be lethal if they not forced to leave the area where people or animals are found.

Solution # 1 – Mechanical Noise
I installed the generator into an insulated wood building. I used a shed / building size of 8 foot by 12 foot. This size [ < 100 square foot area ] is below the typical threshold where “approval” of the local planning and zoning [departments] is required. The walls and insulation serve as a noise barrier to contain the mechanical noise. There is a very real increase in mechanical noise when you enter this building. This noise cannot be heard above the ambient noise level when outside this building.

Solution #2 – Combustion Noise
The recessed immediate area around the exhaust port on most generator mufflers is typically about 1.75 inch diameter. Two inch automotive exhaust pipe is typically necked down [ reduced in diameter ] to approximately this size. This means a 2 inch exhaust pipe can be a reasonably snug fit if inserted into this space. This fit is not gas tight. I tightly wrapped the 2 inch pipe with high temperature Fiberglass insulation. This high temperature material is commonly used to wrap steam pipes. The wrapped pipe is inserted into a 3 inch type B double wall vent pipe. Type B vent pipe is what is used for exhaust of home furnaces and hot water heaters. The 3 inch vent pipe is mechanically centered into a 4 inch vent pipe. The 4 inch vent pipe is inserted into two “thimbles”, one inside and one outside the building. The portion of the 4 inch pipe section, which is outside the building, has a perforated vent cover at the end of the vent pipe. A person walking by doesn’t see anything that indicates other than some natural/propane gas
fueled appliance is inside the building. The vent cover is removed and replaced by an automotive “turbo” [ low restriction ] muffler when “silent” running is desired. The muffler input 2 inch pipe is slipped onto the end of the 2 inch exhaust pipe.
The muffler end that is farthest from the building is supported on an H shaped construction of pipe. This muffler reduces the combustion noise to a very low level.

My wife has stated if you focus on listening that you can hear the generator running when inside the house if the vent pipe cover is used. The noise is reduced such that you have to get within approximately 20 feet before engine noise becomes noticeable when the muffler is installed. I have shown my noise reduction method to several neighbors. All very favorably commented that “Gee, you don’t even know it [the generator] is running until you got close to the building”.

Solution # 3 – Hot Exhaust
The half inch spacing gap between the 3 and 4 inch vent pipes allows some airflow to cool the piping. The use of the two thimbles, with appropriate wall cutbacks, holds the
vent / exhaust pipe assembly firmly in a fixed position. I measured the temperature of the exterior of the 4 inch pipe to be approximately 100 degrees F. above the ambient temperature. This multi layer approach reduces the risk of fire caused by overheating the wall to near zero, in my opinion.

Solution #4 – Hazardous CO Exhaust
Readers will recall a previous comment that the generator / pipe “attachment” is not gas tight. I has small amount of leakage of carbon monoxide (CO). This “looseness” means that some small amount
of exhaust can enter the building. My solution is as follows. I slightly pressurize the building by providing forced air via an 8 inch fan, [creating a “positive overpressure.”] This fan is located inside a wall vent from the outside. This forced air has two benefits. It constantly supplies fresh cool combustion air to the generator. It also flushes any exhaust, or fumes from fuel storage/spills, via an exhaust vent to become diluted outside the building. The vents are located on opposite sides of the building to periodically cause an exchange of the total volume of the air inside the building.

JWR Adds: Anyone that has a portable (i.e. skid or cart mounted) generator that is not bolted down or locked in a generator shed with a sturdy door should consider securing it with a chain and padlock. You should preferably use a hardened bolt cutter-resistant resistant bike and motorcycle security chain and a large, stout, padlock that is warded to offer little room for bolt cutters to be used. Short lengths of specially hardened chain are available from BikeNashbar.com (item # OG-BC). Longer chains should be available from JCWhitney.com. There is an even larger selection of hardened motorcycle security chains is available in England–where in recent years nicking motorcycles seems to have become a national past-time.

Two Letters Re: Colville, Washington as a Retreat Locale

JWR:
Important consideration on Colville. It is near a very large Indian Reservation (Colville Tribe) and while there is a considerable amount of private property within it’s boundary, you have no hunting rights there.
The First People are friendly, but distrustful of outsiders and in a SHTF scenario, would likely view you and yours as fair game. Unless you are a tribal member, buy outside the reservation.
I was near to closing a deal on a very nice property [inside the reservation] when another agent took me aside. – EAG

Hello Jim,
I have been reading your daily letters, comments and blogs for the last couple of months and have really enjoyed them. I saw your Real Estate update on Colville, WA and had to send a note.
I used to live in Colville about 13 years ago. It is gorgeous up there. We lived 10 miles outside of town at a ‘trailer dump’ off of ‘deer alley’ (Williams Lake Rd.) If you like travelling in snow, you’ll be fine. Our commute to Spokane was only on the weekends and up to 2 hrs. in the middle of winter. As newlyweds at that time, the logging industry was the only viable work solution. (Pre-WalMart) My son was in 1st/2nd grade and both my daughters were born in Colville at the hospital. I would rate the schools and hospital/clinic very high. The last time I was through there several years ago, it has really grown. As far as any protection problems? The forests surrounding Colville can be fairly dense in areas which would make seclusion and access your best protection. Also, great for hunting and fishing.
Kettle Falls is an ‘old-timers’ town, very quaint. The only drawback I could see is the number of Canadians that cross the borders near there. Pre-WalMart, they used to go to Spokane to shop. After Wal-Mart and other large stores opened up, three times as many, or more stop in Colville. They are required to stay overnight when they make large purchases, so they camp out in their RV’s for the weekend. I am half-Canadian myself, so I am not knocking them.
After a couple of years we moved to Spokane, later to Utah, then back to Oregon. We miss all the snow.
Thank you for all that you do to help us get prepared. – Gypsymom

Letter Re: Rolled Oats Versus Steel Cut Oats for Storage

Dear Sir,
I love your blog and read it every day. I have a background in chemistry. I believe that the fat content, per unit weight, of rolled oats is essentially the same as cut oats. What is different is the density. I agree with the point that the cut oats store more densely.
More importantly, the access of oxygen to the oil/fat is faster in the (thinner) rolled grains relative to cut, and faster in cut oats relative to whole oats. I would bet that the rolled oats will go rancid faster in a warm climate.

Other than that, I think that your analysis is spot on. It would be interesting to store whole oats and have a small bench top cutter or roller, not unlike the flour mills that we all have. I am under the impression that whole grains will store for a long time, even in the presence of air. At least I hope so, because I have diligently accumulated grain for the past three years. I packed them in poly buckets, and purged them with CO2. The plastic is too permeable to retain the CO2 exclude oxygen for more than a few months at a time. I have recently acquired some oxygen barrier bags and oxygen absorber packs to protect the contents better.

I bought some grain in 5 gallon tin cans, not well sealed, in the early 1980s. I stored them in the warm, humid conditions on the east coast for 20+ years. After 10 years, I tried grinding some of the red wheat and my Mom made bread with the whole wheat flour. The taste was slightly off, but not so that it was inedible. After 20+ years, I tried boiling some to make a pilaf (boiled red wheat pilaf is one of my favorites). Again, the flavor was off, but not much different than after 10 years. I think that whole oats would store as well as the red wheat. My folks wouldn’t permit us
to throw out the wheat and are slowly eating it. The one can of other grain (I think that it was rye) that I bought with the lot was infested with weevils.

Rancidity of oils is a free radical oxidation process. Generally speaking, free radicals are toxic. I think that it is safe to say that rancid oils are too, at least to some extent. Our bodies are adapted to manage small level of free radicals, since they are present all of the time. In fact, one of the main benefits of exercise, and to the extent that it is beneficial, alcohol
consumption, is that they both create toxic free radicals in the body. The body response to oxidative stress is to express enzymes that counter the damage so effectively that the net
result is beneficial (at least in moderation). The effect of calorie-restricted diets is similar.

I once ate some rancid wheat germ, being too young and foolish to realize that it was spoiled. It gave me the worst headache, by far, that I have ever had. Caution with rancid fats is strongly
advised. Sincerely, – John Galt

Odds ‘n Sods:

Courtesy of KTO: Food crisis looms as climate change, fuel shortages bite

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Reader Tim P. found this article interesting from a sociology standpoint: The California Fires: Where were the Looters? Tim’s comment: Of course with a long term situation the results would end up differently, but this is an interesting contrast in any case.

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Tim P. also found us this one: The Coming U.S. Drought (Is Here)

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China Hikes Fuel Prices Amid Shortages (A hat tip to RBS for sending that link.)

Note from JWR:

Good News! My re-order for copies of my novel “Patriots: Surviving the Coming Collapse” arrived sooner than I anticipated. I’ve autographed several hundred copies and they are presently being transshipped to our order fulfillment partner up in Montana. Those of you that have been waiting for delivery on “Six Pack” orders from our recent sale can expect delivery no later than November 12th. (They are being sent by Priority Mail.) Thanks for your patience.

The U.S. Economy: A Distinctly Chill Wind

Do you detect a change in the weather, this Fall? You probably noticed that on Friday (November 2nd) the spot price of gold spiked to close at $806 per ounce, and silver at $14.53. (Both were 28 year highs. Yup, I told you so.) You also probably saw this article: Fed pumps [another] $41 Billion into US financial system. It is now obvious that Helicopter Ben and his Federal Reserve Board of Governors are in full scale panic mode. I should also mention that the very next day after the announcement of this huge injection of liquidity, the New York stock market went down more than 360 points. Apparently Mr. Market cannot be fooled. There is a chill breeze and a strong hint of recession in the air. Meanwhile, we read: Chrysler to cut up to 12,000 jobs. It seems that someone knows that there is a substantial economic downturn coming. One more news snippet: Citigroup to hold an emergency Saturday board meeting–CEO may resign.

All that I can say to SurvivalBlog readers is something that I’ve said many times before: Be ready. (Read: beans, bullets, Band-Aids and minimize your exposure to dollar-denominated investments.) Note to Ben Bernanke: Have fun re-arranging the deck chairs. Oh, by the way, that chill in the air might be because your predecessor (the nearsighted Mr. Magoo) charted a far northern course up toward the pack ice.

Two Letters Re: Rolled Oats Versus Steel Cut Oats for Storage

Mr. Rawles;
Regarding the steel cut versus rolled oats discussion, I too love the taste of steel cut oats. The easy, low energy way to prepare them is on the McCann’s steel Cut Irish Oatmeal (box, not the can). It is:
Boil 4 cups of water.
Add 1 cup oatmeal.
Stir, cover and leave overnight.
The next morning cook over low 9-12 minutes.
This is very easy. Using a microwave to re-heat the oatmeal in the morning is even faster.
Just my $0.02 worth. Love your site, – Steve in California

 

Hello Mr. Rawles,
I was surprised and disappointed that, with no information or discussion, steel cut oats was so quickly dismissed as a food source compared to rolled oats. I’m sure if this had been which type of Mauser to purchase, there would have been some lengthy discussion, opinions and research revealing more in depth info upon which to base a decision.

My main reason for using steel-cut oats is the flavor/taste factor. And it’s not about having a sophisticated palate; this was the stuff that my poor Scots ancestors ate, I’m sure. Pound-for-pound, steel cut oats is better nutritionally than rolled oats and here is why:

1) Blood sugar level: Steel cut oats will have a lower glycemic content than rolled-oats or quick-oats. This means your body will be able to process it with more ease.

2) Prep time: On a gas range it only takes about three minute of watching as the water/oats boils and then 15 or 20 minutes with the lid covered and on simmer, ignoring it. Reduce prep time by letting it soak overnight, or use a crock pot first thing when you get up in the morning, or use a pressure cooker. The argument that it “takes too much energy to prepare” simply does not hold water: Everyone knows how long it takes to prepare dried beans, even after soaking overnight!!

3) Nutritional value:

1/4 cup dry (un-prepared) Steel Cut Oats
-140 calories
-2.5 g. fat
-27 g. carbohydrates
-4 g. fiber
-0 g. sugar
-6 g. protein

As compared to Quaker Old Fashioned Oats:

1/4 cup dry (un-prepared)
-75 calories
-1.5g. fat
-13.5 g. carbohydrates
-2 g. fiber
-1/2 g. sugar
-2.5 g. protein

So you can see that it will take nearly twice as much rolled oats to get a similar nutritive benefit of 1/2 the amount of dry steel-cut oats. Thus it will take more storage space for the same amount of caloric value. Additionally, to consider this solely from a price point of view does not pan out either.

As for storage time, the shelf life of a steel cut oats is much longer than any processed version, as rolled oats is more prone to meal-worms or becoming rancid. If a person really wanted to get serious, just buy the whole-grain oats and use your grain mill to prep it. The ultimate test is to prepare the same amounts of rolled and steel-cut for breakfast, two days in a row. You’ll find yourself anxiously awaiting that mid-morning coffee break, after having eaten the rolled oats! – Mark in Chicago

JWR Replies: I think that most of what you have stated is correct, although the glycemic numbers go out the window once you apply a big glob of honey (as I do) or a heaping teaspoon of brown sugar (as most folks do). Where I take exception, however, is with your comments on storage life and rancidity. Meal worms are an issue only with grocery store packaging. When stored in plastic buckets with either oxygen absorbing packets or when using the dry ice method, both products are equally resistant to attack by insects or insect larva. Rancidity is primarily caused by fat content. Steel cut oats are higher in fat than rolled oats. The higher fat content of steel cut oats makes them more prone to going rancid than rolled oats. But, admittedly, at the same time the nutritional value of rolled oats drops a little faster in storage than steel cut oats. The end result is that the practical storage life for either product is about the same for both in cool climates. But in hot climates, where rancidity is more of an threat, rolled oats are preferable.

Where does all of this reasoning about processing alternatives leave us? It leaves us missing two essential points. Let’s back up a bit:

1.) The real key to self sufficiency is having both storage foods and the ability to grow your own grains and vegetables. If you are worried about nutritional value, then nothing beats freshly grown! We should consider storing non-hybrid seed of equal or perhaps greater importance than food storage. Growing a garden and raising livestock are the main things that will provide our sustenance in a very long term grid-down scenario.

And,

2.) If you have plenty of fuel for cooking on hand (to allow for longer cooking time of minimally processed oats) then it is probably best to store whole oats. (But again, with whole oats rancidity might be a problem in hot climates.) Any processing that breaks the outer hull reduces the potential storage life and starts to reduce the nutritive value of grains, including oats. Storing whole wheat of course necessitates having a home mill, so you can cut your own oats in small batches as needed. So in addition to a nice stone burr mill for grinding wheat flour (which you probably already own), you will also need a traditional kitchen coarse grinder (such as a Quaker City Grinder). Several types of grain mills and grinders are available from Lehmans.com. and Ready Made Resources. Traditional coarse grinders can often be found at garage sales for under $10. I once bought one for just $2. With prices like that, you should probably buy several. Leave one of them set up for grinding meat, and another with the proper plates installed for cutting oats.

Letter Re: Eating The Food That You Store

Mr Rawles,
First off, let me start by saying, I loved “Patriots” Kudos to you.

The thing I’m writing to you about is an idea I came up with after reading one or the suggestions for single survivalists using # 10 cans of foodstuffs in their preps. The reduction of waste is a serious subject. I think it would be a good idea for all of the folks that use these food stores, to invest a bit of their survival funds on a vacuum sealer system, and kitchen scale. The cans could then be opened, divided into individual portions, [labelled] and then resealed. The sealer system could also be used to pack other survival items for long term storage. I have not tried it yet, but I think this would also be a good idea for the folks out there that have firearms and ammo caches that they want to protect. Just a thought. It may or may not work, but if it does, it would save a lot of good people from a lot of “bad things”. I would not like to be one of the huddled masses in the world today. This is why I prepare for my family, and myself, while (being what they are) times are good. – Dim Tim

JWR Replies: Thanks for that suggestion. Here at the Ranch we use a Tilia Foodsaver Compact. Even a simple (and quite inexpensive–under $20) Pump-n-Seal sealer will suffice. OBTW, I do not recommend vacuum sealing ammunition, since there is the small chance that it might cause bullets to become unseated from their cartridge cases. Heat sealed packages are fine for ammo. Just don’t vacuum seal them.

Odds ‘n Sods:

Thanks to D.V. for sending this: Charles Merrill Fears Market Crash . The article begins: “Fearing a stock market crash worse than 1929, Charles Merrill (http://www.merrillcharles.com) of Palm Springs, cousin to the founder of the Merrill/Lynch dynasty, is quickly converting to gold coins…”

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Derrick G. and Brian H., and Jeremy C. all suggested this article: Town learns to live with water three hours a day. Brian posed this question: question: Would people stay this civil if the same were to take place in Atlanta or another major metropolitan area?

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For the dreaded worst-case multi-generational whammy: Seeds of Our Future

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Bad news from the UK: Negative equity warning for first-time buyers as repossessions set ‘to jump 75%’

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“Of liberty I would say that, in the whole plenitude of its extent, it is unobstructed action according to our will. But rightful liberty is unobstructed action according to our will within limits drawn around us by the equal rights of others. I do not add ‘within the limits of the law,’ because law is often but the tyrant’s will, and always so when it violates the right of an individual.” – Thomas Jefferson . Letter to Isaac H. Tiffany, 1819.

Note from JWR:

The high bid is still at $200 in the SurvivalBlog benefit auction, for four items: a Baygen Freeplay Summit AM/FM/Shortwave digitally-tuned radio, and a Baygen Sherpa hand crank flashlight. These were kindly donated by Ready Made Resources, one of our most loyal advertisers. Also included in the auction lot is a copy of my “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course, from Arbogast Publishing, and an autographed copy of my novel “Patriots: Surviving the Coming Collapse”. These four items have a combined value of more than $350. The auction ends on November 15th. Just e-mail us your bid.

Letter Re: Eating The Food That You Store






Sir:
I currently store many foods which I routinely eat, none of which has the long shelf life of many of the ‘survival staples’. I’m ready and willing to buy several thousand dollars’ worth of hard wheat and other canned supplies, but I have one problem: I don’t know if I will actually eat them!

Is there anyone out there that has a sampler pack, that allows one to try various offerings to make sure that we and our families will eat those staples?

Thanks for all your hard work in helping us prepare! Warm Regards, – Rich S.

JWR Replies: You’ve raised an important point. One of my mottos is: “Eat what you store and store what you eat.” I don’t suggest going on a Spartan diet, just for the sake of living entirely on foods that store well. But regularly using a good portion of your storage foods has multiple benefits, such as:

1.) Efficient rotation.

2.) Minimal waste due to food passing their expiry dates.

3.) A digestive system that is accustomed to storage foods. (This represents one less stress to go through, WTSHTF.)

4,.) Cooking expertise with storage foods. Cooking skills do not develop overnight. Two recommended books are Cooking with Home Storage and Making the Best of Basics

5.) Economy. If you eat foods that you buy in bulk, you will be eating cheap, in some cases amazingly cheap. For example, consider that rice in small bags sometimes sells for $4 a pound, but if bought in 50 pound sacks and repackaged it costs just a fraction of that.


 One of the few drawbacks to storage foods I’ve heard of is for people that live alone. They may find that the container sizes for storage foods–often one gallon (#10 size) cans–last so long that some might spoil before all of the contents of a can are used. (The smaller (#2-1/2 size) cans are also available, but the per-unit cost of foods is higher.) To minimize spoilage, be sure to get a supply of plastic can lids and get in the habit of putting them on immediately after removing portions from a can. This is particularly important in damp climates.

Long term storage foods available from a number of our advertisers including:
Freeze Dry Guy
JRH Enterprises
Ready Made Resources
 Safecastle
Best Prices Storable Foods
PrepareTV
 EM Gear
 Nitro-Pak

Many vendors do make sample packs. One of the best is offered by Mountain House. (Available from Safecastle, Ready Made Resources, and EM Gear.)

OBTW, when assembling your food storage larder, don’t neglect to stock up on vitamin and mineral supplements. One good mail order vendor is eVitamins.