Propane and Compressor Refrigerators, by Tunnel Rabbit

39

This is a brief analysis of propane and compressor refrigerators in long term grid-down appplications.

In Northwest Montana life has not changed radically during the Coronavirus lockdown, and there are plenty of used freezers, and fridges available on Craigslist.  However, demand for propane refrigerators is on the increase as there is marked rise in interest in self-reliance.  If nothing can be found in your area, then be willing to travel to buy a used propane refrigerators before they are gone.  These are expensive and hard to find. At the least, these can preserve meat while you jar it up, and provide back up and off grid refrigeration.  These will become increasingly expensive and harder to find as the current situation evolves, so this might be a good time to check in your area and use the funds to buy a propane-burning absorption refrigerator instead of standard freezer, 120AC, or 12VDC compressor type refrigerator, that may or may not be still available in your area, when the propane option might still be. JWR Adds:  One option is contacting large recreational vehicle (RV) and fifth wheel trailer dealerships. They often have used RV refrigerators available with cosmetic issues (typically just scratched or dented doors) that make them very affordable.

A typical used 10 to 12  cubic foot propane fridge might run $700 or more. A new one is twice that price, or more.  And full size propane refrigerators are like hen’s teeth. New refrigerators of the standard 10.5 cubic foot size start at $1,200, and for the largest size, $2,500 new.

The typical 10.5 cu ft. size, set to the lowest temperature for summer operation, will use no more than three 20 pound propane bottles per month during the summer months, or to be precise, consumes 1,200 to 1,600 BTU per hour on the highest (coldest) settings, depending on the model. The lowest setting (higher lower temperature) is often one half to two thirds of the highest consumption or stated BTU rating. The service manual should provide the lower BTU rating.  The highest consumption rate or rating, is recorded on a plate at the bottom of the front door, or in the back lower portion near the burner.  One pound of propane contains 22,000 BTU, and there are 4.2 pounds of propane per gallon. Divide 22,000 by the BTU rating to determine the number of pounds of propane used in one hour, then multiply by 24 hours to determine the amount used per day.Continue reading“Propane and Compressor Refrigerators, by Tunnel Rabbit”

Economics & Investing For Preppers

11

Here are the latest news items and commentary on current economics news, market trends, stocks, investing opportunities, and the precious metals markets. We also cover hedges, derivatives, and obscura. Most of these items are from the “tangibles heavy” contrarian perspective of SurvivalBlog’s Founder and Senior Editor, JWR. Today, we examine the trend of pandemic era “sight unseen” house buying. (See the Tangibles Investing section.)

Precious Metals:

I recommend watching a fascinating video interview with Egon Von Greyerz: Spiking Food Prices Kick Off Inflationary Endgame. He calls the current unemployment rate “catastrophic.”  He warms of eventual hyperinflation. And at the 19 minute mark he clearly illustrates how the stock markets are disconnected from reality.  He predicts much higher prices for precious metals  “…as a function of the destruction of paper money.”

o  o  o

Commerzbank: gold-silver price ratio hits lowest level since mid-March

o  o  o

Hub Moolman: Silver Is Ensured A Prosperous 2020 Thanks To The Fed

o  o  o

25% of your portfolio should be gold, 5% bitcoin says inventor, venture capitalist Alex Mashinsky

Economy & Finance:

Mortgage delinquencies caused by the coronavirus will exceed Great Recession levels, according to this forecast

o  o  o

At Zero Hedge: Goldman Spots A Huge Problem For The Fed

o  o  o

J.C. Penney Files for Bankruptcy Protection

o  o  o

At Wolf Street: Week 8 of the Collapse of the U.S. Labor Market: Nearing a Previously Unthinkably Deep Bottom?

Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

4

“It is too true, however disgraceful it may be to human nature, that nations in general will make war whenever they have a prospect of getting any thing by it; nay, that absolute monarchs will often make war when their nations are to get nothing by it, but for purposes and objects merely personal, such as, a thirst for military glory, revenge for personal affronts, ambition, or private compacts to aggrandize or support their particular families, or partisans. These, and a variety of motives, which affect only the mind of the sovereign, often lead him to engage in wars not sanctioned by justice, or the voice and interests of his people.” – John Jay

Preparedness Notes for Thursday — May 21, 2020

7

May 21st is the birthday of weapons designer John Douglas Pedersen. (Born 1881, died 1951.) His name is almost synonymous with the short-lived Pedersen Device (pictured) — a conversion kit that turned a Model 1903 Springfield bolt action rifle into a semi-automatic “trench broom.”

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 88 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A gift certificate from Quantum Harvest LLC (up to a $2,200 value) good for 12% off the purchase of any of their sun-tracking models, and 10% off the purchase price of any of their other models.
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any one, two, or three day course (a $1,095 value),
  3. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses, excluding those restricted for military or government teams. Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795,
  4. DRD Tactical is providing a 5.56 NATO QD Billet upper. These have hammer forged, chrome-lined barrels and a hard case, to go with your own AR lower. It will allow any standard AR-type rifle to have a quick change barrel. This can be assembled in less than one minute without the use of any tools. It also provides a compact carry capability in a hard case or in 3-day pack (an $1,100 value),
  5. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  6. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  7. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.

Second Prize:

  1. A Front Sight Lifetime Diamond Membership, providing lifetime free training at any Front Sight Nevada course, with no limit on repeating classes. This prize is courtesy of a SurvivalBlog reader who prefers to be anonymous.
  2. A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training, which have a combined retail value of $589,
  3. A Three-Day Deluxe Emergency Kit from Emergency Essentials (a $190 value),
  4. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value).
  5. An assortment of products along with a one hour consultation on health and wellness from Pruitt’s Tree Resin (a $265 value).

Third Prize:

  1. Three sets each of made-in-USA regular and wide-mouth reusable canning lids. (This is a total of 300 lids and 600 gaskets.) This prize is courtesy of Harvest Guard (a $270 value)
  2. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  3. Naturally Cozy is donating a “Prepper Pack” Menstrual Kit.  This kit contains 18 pads and it comes vacuum sealed for long term storage or slips easily into a bugout bag.  The value of this kit is $220.
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  5. A transferable $100 purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of firearms purchasing privacy!

Round 88 ends on May 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Should I Move? by Southern J.

72

In this essay, I will address how to know if it’s time for you to relocate.

One of the seminal questions a preparedness-minded individual asks themselves is “Do I need to move to a better location?” Oftentimes the preparedness “fantasy” is the remote retreat in scenic Idaho, with beautiful views and being miles away from a paved road. This sounds great (who wouldn’t want that?) but the reality is that may not be feasible for most people. In this article, I will strive to give you criteria to look at to determine whether your location, the society you are in is “good enough” for preparedness purposes.

The primary question you should look to answer is “Can the community I live in effectively self-govern in the vacuum of effective social control?” I will pose some questions to answer that may help you answer that question. By no means is this an exhaustive list, and it is not a “foolproof” diagnosis.Continue reading“Should I Move? by Southern J.”

The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods

26

SurvivalBlog presents another edition of The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods— a collection of news bits and pieces that are relevant to the modern survivalist and prepper from “JWR”. Our goal is to educate our readers, to help them to recognize emerging threats and to be better prepared for both disasters and negative societal trends. You can’t mitigate a risk if you haven’t first identified a risk. Today, we look at rising interest in homeschooling.

Coastal Oregon Preppers React to Pandemic

First up, over at MIT Technology Review: They were waiting for the Big One. Then coronavirus arrived.

Senator Blumenthal Reintroduces Ghost Gun Ban Bill

S.O.G. sent this, about S.3743: Democratic senators introduce bill to ban ‘ghost’ guns amid pandemic. Here is analysis of the bill, by the Guns and Gadgets vlog: The Untraceable Firearms Act of 2020 (No More AR/AK Builds?) Take the time to read the text of the bill.

Oklahoma Now Has the Nation’s First Anti-Red Flag Law

Reader D.S.V. sent us this, at The Truth About Guns: Oklahoma Now Has the Nation’s First Anti-Red Flag Law. I loved this included quote from bill sponsor Jay Steagall:

“I find it impossible for any red-flag law to respect due process or the presumption of innocence until proven guilty,” he said. “I have taken the oath to protect our Constitution seven times throughout my 22 years of service and nine deployments in the military, an oath that I take very seriously. I will not stand idly by and let this freedom be stripped from us.”

JWR’s Comment:  This should be considered model legislation. Please contact your state legisltors, and ask them to clone this bill!

Continue reading“The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

2

“My heart’s in the Highlands, my heart is not here; My heart’s in the Highlands a-chasing the deer; A-chasing the wild-deer, and following the roe, My heart’s in the Highlands wherever I go.” – Robert Burns

Preparedness Notes for Wednesday — May 20, 2020

2

May 20th, 1942 was the birthday of Carlos Hathcock (died February 23, 1999), a United States Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant sniper with a service record of 93 confirmed kills.

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 88 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A gift certificate from Quantum Harvest LLC (up to a $2,200 value) good for 12% off the purchase of any of their sun-tracking models, and 10% off the purchase price of any of their other models.
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any one, two, or three day course (a $1,095 value),
  3. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses, excluding those restricted for military or government teams. Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795,
  4. DRD Tactical is providing a 5.56 NATO QD Billet upper. These have hammer forged, chrome-lined barrels and a hard case, to go with your own AR lower. It will allow any standard AR-type rifle to have a quick change barrel. This can be assembled in less than one minute without the use of any tools. It also provides a compact carry capability in a hard case or in 3-day pack (an $1,100 value),
  5. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  6. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  7. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.

Second Prize:

  1. A Front Sight Lifetime Diamond Membership, providing lifetime free training at any Front Sight Nevada course, with no limit on repeating classes. This prize is courtesy of a SurvivalBlog reader who prefers to be anonymous.
  2. A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training, which have a combined retail value of $589,
  3. A Three-Day Deluxe Emergency Kit from Emergency Essentials (a $190 value),
  4. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value).
  5. An assortment of products along with a one hour consultation on health and wellness from Pruitt’s Tree Resin (a $265 value).

Third Prize:

  1. Three sets each of made-in-USA regular and wide-mouth reusable canning lids. (This is a total of 300 lids and 600 gaskets.) This prize is courtesy of Harvest Guard (a $270 value)
  2. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  3. Naturally Cozy is donating a “Prepper Pack” Menstrual Kit.  This kit contains 18 pads and it comes vacuum sealed for long term storage or slips easily into a bugout bag.  The value of this kit is $220.
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  5. A transferable $100 purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of firearms purchasing privacy!

Round 88 ends on May 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Preparing – Practicing & Preaching, by TJ in Georgia

33

Regardless of who you are now, who you were in the past, or who you will be in the future, I think everyone will now be a ‘prepper’. Please consider this: We’ve all had a taste of doing without something in the past month or so, and I for one don’t look forward to this time in history becoming the new normal.

I was in Girl Scouts from about 2nd grade until 7th grade. We learned many skills such as hiking, cooking outside, sleeping outside, fire starting, selling cookies (yes, that is a skill) and being a responsible citizen. In the forth grade our teacher taught some of us to crochet. In high school I took Home Economics and learned to sew. My maternal grandmother taught me to make jelly, and a good friend taught me to can meat in jars. These are mostly skills that all of our grandmothers learned from a very young age, and some of our grandfathers as well. But many of our youth today are not learning life skills.

Ask a child what they want to do and who they want to be when they grow up. For me and my friends the answer may have been occupations such as a teacher, a policeman, a fireman, a doctor, nurse or mommy. But ask a kid today what they want to be and many will answer that their goal in life is to be a gamer, you tuber, or professional sports player. What changed? And when did it change? I think for many, parents did not want their children to have to work as hard as they did, so in an effort to let them enjoy their childhood, they also deprived the children from learning life skills that are most certainly going to come in handy now and in the future.

Take a moment and think about jobs that were not considered ‘essential’ to life during this pandemic. Who was shut down? Well, movie theaters were closed, so actors really weren’t needed. We enjoy the distraction from the problems of life and escape the reality by watching a movie or attending a ball game, but those things are not essentials. Tattoo parlors, nail salons, and hair dressers were also asked to close. I love to have my finger and toe nails ‘done’, and there’s really nothing like getting a new hair cut to lighten your step for a little while. Dine-in eating establishments are certainly a convenience and a welcome change for many but they, too, were closed for a few weeks and a lot of folks had to start cooking at home more, or in some cases, again. All of these places that were asked to close for safety’s sake are a large part of our lives and were missed greatly, but apparently were not deemed ‘essential’ to life.Continue reading“Preparing – Practicing & Preaching, by TJ in Georgia”

JWR’s Recommendations of the Week:

27

Here are JWR’s Recommendations of the Week for various media and tools of interest to SurvivalBlog readers. The focus is usually on emergency communications gear, bug out bag gear, books and movies–often with a tie-in to disaster preparedness, and links to “how to” self-sufficiency videos. There are also links to sources for both storage food and storage containers. You will also note an emphasis on history books and historical movies. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This week the focus is on guitar music. (See the Music section.)

Books:

I haven’t yet read this new book, but the 200+ positive reviews make it look promising: Plague of Corruption: Restoring Faith in the Promise of Science.

o  o  o

The Micro-Hydro Pelton Turbine Manual: Design, Manufacture and Installation for Small-Scale Hydro-Power

o  o  o

Just recently released non-fiction: Tombstone: The Earp Brothers, Doc Holliday, and the Vendetta Ride from Hell

o  o  o

Guerrilla Wife

o  o  o

Half Baked Harvest Super Simple: More Than 125 Recipes for Instant, Overnight, Meal-Prepped, and Easy Comfort Foods: A Cookbook

o  o  o

The Complete Book of Combat Handgunning. (The author, Chuck Taylor, passed away last week. RIP.)

Continue reading“JWR’s Recommendations of the Week:”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

34

“In the end, what is really needed is a fundamental rethinking of the notion that the state rather than private markets must monopolize the provision of justice and security. This is the fatal conceit. No power granted to the state goes unabused. This power, among all possible powers, might be the most important one to take away from the state. ” – Llewellyn “Lew” H. Rockwell, Jr., Founder and chairman of the Mises Institute in Auburn, Alabama

Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — May 19, 2020

17

On May 19, 1796, the first game law was approved in the United States. The law created penalties for hunting or destroying game within Indian Territory. Modern American fish and game laws make “living off the land” nearly impossible, outside of Alaska.

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 88 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A gift certificate from Quantum Harvest LLC (up to a $2,200 value) good for 12% off the purchase of any of their sun-tracking models, and 10% off the purchase price of any of their other models.
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any one, two, or three day course (a $1,095 value),
  3. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses, excluding those restricted for military or government teams. Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795,
  4. DRD Tactical is providing a 5.56 NATO QD Billet upper. These have hammer forged, chrome-lined barrels and a hard case, to go with your own AR lower. It will allow any standard AR-type rifle to have a quick change barrel. This can be assembled in less than one minute without the use of any tools. It also provides a compact carry capability in a hard case or in 3-day pack (an $1,100 value),
  5. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  6. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  7. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.

Second Prize:

  1. A Front Sight Lifetime Diamond Membership, providing lifetime free training at any Front Sight Nevada course, with no limit on repeating classes. This prize is courtesy of a SurvivalBlog reader who prefers to be anonymous.
  2. A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training, which have a combined retail value of $589,
  3. A Three-Day Deluxe Emergency Kit from Emergency Essentials (a $190 value),
  4. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value).
  5. An assortment of products along with a one hour consultation on health and wellness from Pruitt’s Tree Resin (a $265 value).

Third Prize:

  1. Three sets each of made-in-USA regular and wide-mouth reusable canning lids. (This is a total of 300 lids and 600 gaskets.) This prize is courtesy of Harvest Guard (a $270 value)
  2. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  3. Naturally Cozy is donating a “Prepper Pack” Menstrual Kit.  This kit contains 18 pads and it comes vacuum sealed for long term storage or slips easily into a bugout bag.  The value of this kit is $220.
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  5. A transferable $100 purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of firearms purchasing privacy!

Round 88 ends on May 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Generosity in Dire Times, by Elli O.

104

Warning: This article may be considered controversial by some readers.

During this global pandemic it seems as if TEOTWAWKI could be just around the corner. Daily the media is not only reporting the number of infected and deaths, they are also reporting on different shortages- both real and unsubstantiated. Some are in the present and others in the near future. First it was toilet paper and hand sanitizer. Then it was N95 masks and disinfectant wipes. This past week it was meat- poultry, beef, and pork.

For those of us who have been preparing for such times, we were not shaken as those who had barely enough food in the cupboard/fridge to cook tonight’s dinner. We didn’t panic when the toilet paper aisle was offering nothing but empty shelves. And now, when meat may be as scarce as toilet paper, we are busy feeding the livestock in our fields and serving dinner from our freezers and pantries.

But what do you do when you learn of someone in need of these basic items (food, personal care items, etc.)? Now is the time to share from your bountiful harvests and prior planning. Now, when desperation is beginning to settle in their minds and hearts, is a great time and opportunity to teach them about preparedness. These world events that have affected them within their own home could simply be a wake-up call to the preparedness lifestyle.

TO SHARE OR NOT TO SHARE

But should you give away some of your larder? Should you take the chance of exposing your seemingly endless supply of daily sustenance? Should you become as easy a target as the neighborhood soup kitchen and food pantry? These are just a few of the questions that must be answered prior to the situation arising.

Am I suggesting that you advertise the expense of your pantry? Au contraire. The knowledge of your preparation is the main lifeline for your survival during desperate times. But the question of whether and when and what to give from your storehouse of supplies must be handled with discernment and discretion.Continue reading“Generosity in Dire Times, by Elli O.”

SurvivalBlog’s News From The American Redoubt

8

This weekly column features news stories and event announcements from around the American Redoubt region. (Idaho, Montana, eastern Oregon, eastern Washington, and Wyoming.) Much of the region is also more commonly known as The Inland Northwest. We also mention companies of interest to preppers and survivalists that are located in the American Redoubt region. Today, we focus on the proposed shift in the border between Oregon and Idaho.  (See the Region-Wide section.)

Region-Wide

‘Move Oregon’s Border’ petition gets OK in Union County. Here is an excerpt from the article:

“The Move Oregon’s Border group would reduce Oregon to only 17 counties, all on the state’s west side. The other 19 counties along with several in northern California would become part of the new state of Greater Idaho. McCarter said 12 of the 19 counties have approved the petition, with Jackson County on Thursday giving its OK.

‘So that’s a big one,” McCarter said, because Jackson County’s population accounts for 25% of the total population for the 19 counties.'”

o  o  o

Adams County Sheriff’s Department releases details about Ritzville homicide that led to Oregon shootout

Idaho

McGeachin slams Governor Little’s handling of coronavirus re-opening plan

o  o  o

This retreat in north Idaho available through SurvivalRealty.com really stands out, for its real self-sufficiency: Hydro-power in the American Redoubt!  There is a lot to be said for a hydro power system that generates power 24 hours a day!

o  o  o

Over at INWReport:  Ada County deputies visit covert – possibly illegal – hair salon during statewide shutdown

o  o  o

Boise police recover stolen merchandise after dismantling reshipping scam

Continue reading“SurvivalBlog’s News From The American Redoubt”