Posted on 08/24/2013 5:52:29 AM PDT by Kartographer
Thanks. Marcella.
D Rechargeable Batteries:
I was pissed that Energizer and Duracell and others you would buy at Walmart, grocery store, drug stores, changed their D batteries and put the power of a AA in their D rechargeables. What an absolute rip off, especially when you need high powered Ds as they used to make.
Here are high capacity low self-discharge Tenergy Centura Ds I need for my fans and two lanterns: “Provides ultra-long use time per charge with this super high 8000mAh capacity”. There is a 10,000 mAh and maybe one more higher, but the charger using solar power will not charge these to capacity so it’s a waste of money to buy higher than 8000. Note the color of these batteries – it is white. They have these 8000 in another color but that color is NOT the low self-discharge. These white ones are the NEW low self-discharge type. If you buy these elsewhere, make sure they are the white ones.
Please note it was stated with humor. I refuse to hold back comments, remarks on just what I think about the demise of my America. Being an older person doesn’t hurt either. Not too long ago, I remarked to my current boss...about the age of 55 I figured I didn’t have to take crap from anybody anymore...and I pretty much don’t. So I guess in my own little way, I’m standing my ground. Note: I refuse to give up my sense of humor.
I knew it was humor, however, it is a real worry with a Muslim president who wants we Christians/patriots out of the way.
You are a baby at 55 compared to my 80. From the time I could reason, I have never seen the country like this, on the verge of collapse from within.
Thank you for the info.
Thank you also for the info and link.
I save every phone book for that. A non-prepper relative was helping me re-organize this house and opened a cabinet door under a bathroom sink - looked at me and said, “We can throw away these old phone books.” I said, “Toilet paper”, and he rolled his eyes and shut the door to the cabinet.
He so doesn't know what is here and has stayed here many times. He knows there are big cans of something under the bed he sleeps on but has never bothered to see what they are or ask me what they are. Those are cans of 20-25 yr. life food.
He is an engineer and always wants to fix anything that is wrong here. Once he asked what he could do and I said he could put an insert into a downspout.
He can do anything and as he figured out the reason for the insert was to divert rain water to a water barrel sitting close by, he said, “Oh, like the boy scouts, always be prepared. You're gong to use this water to water the garden.” I said, “No, I'm going to drink this water.” He could not comprehend I would save rainwater and purify it to drink and cook. He had never heard of a Berkey water purifier.
Once, they were getting ready to leave and there was a half bottle of wine. He said it's too bad I don't have a cork to put in this bottle to take it with us. I opened a drawer and handed him a wine cork. He said, “I should have known you would have a cork.”
They live on the coast and have nothing stored except what I have given them as Christmas presents and that isn't food. The wife won't eat anything that comes in a can so there are no canned goods in the house. If I have to save their lives some day, she will have a rude awakening if she wants to eat.
Thanks again, Marcella. Good info for all.
For filters, also look at the Monolithic CAMP-352, also sold at Cheaper Than Dirt. Less expensive than Berkey and has very good reviews at multiple survival and Prepper sites.
It consists of putting one big plastic bucket on top of another big plastic bucket and that is not perfectly enclosed and not likely to remain completely sanitary.
At Cheaper Than Dirt, you buy the filter, a sock, and spigot for $29.97, and buy your own buckets.
It removes, if it is kept sanitary which I doubt, from 85% to 99% of various contaminates. The Berkey, a stainless steel unit, removes them to undetectable. I don't want to get the 15% to 1% of contaminates left in the water using these buckets. I'll stick with the Berkey - there is a reason why it costs what it does and that is a stainless steel enclosed unit taking out contaminates to undetectable levels.
The Berkey, using two black filters, and filling it 14 times a week, will last 3.7 years before needing two more filters. It will also take four filters instead of two, so if four is used, it would last 7.4 years plus filter faster.
If one does not have the money for a Berkey, the buckets are better than nothing but I wouldn't use really contaminated water such as stagnant pond water or ditch water in these buckets.
I have really enjoyed this thread and all the postings, suggestions, and dumb remarks. I live in the boonies, have a 55ft drilled well, a whole gas generator which runs on my own NG, as well as an utility generator. But shlt still happens. There is a creek, or as it is also called, a crick, running thru my property. That is going to be my alternate source of water. I am going to use 5 gallon buckets with whatever Berkey recommends. I am waiting for a response from them now.
I don’t really consider myself a prepper just doing what needs to be done. I am going to buy two more cases of something from Aldi’s tomorrow. Lots of food in the basement, frozen, canned, home canned, bottled water, and yes, lots of TP on hand. I remember the Sears and Monkey Ward catalogues. Never used corn cobs tho. Thankfully.
I really appreciate all the comments, suggestions. Good reading.
Dear FRiend, that is the definition of a prepper - you are one. That is all the rest of us do - doing what needs to be done in case of an emergency. I know for sure I will lose power when the next hurricane comes through here - I always do. I'm just doing what needs to be done to prepare for that happening and hope it doesn't happen next month which is the likely time for them to happen.
Then, I added more to it in case power was out for a long time - just doing what has to be done.
You have a lot of good equipment and resources to prepare for an emergency. You're a fine prepper - yes, you are a prepper.
save for later....
Thank you ma’am Rannug says blushingly.
You ladies have the advantage of having seen how to survive with less, like our grandparents and great-grandparents did. I’ve always been fascinated with the early days of this country and how people lived – so I have a little bit of knowledge, albeit just through books and by quizzing my grandparents, nothing first hand.
I worry about our younger generation. They think cell phones and video games are an entitlement. How will they manage when those things are gone, as are many of the ‘necessities’ we have today? I think their whole mental attitude will deteriorate quickly and they will be at a complete loss of what to do. Other than wait for Big Government to help them.
I plan to wear dirty, torn, too-big clothes, have my hair in a rat’s nest, mutter to myself, and walk with a slow, irregular gait. And drool. Nobody wants to deal with drool.
What’s in a word? I call myself a prepper now. When I get to my farm, I will be homesteading. Being in California now, I am just preparing for an earthquake, which I would be stupid NOT to do. Although having a year’s supply of things isn’t actually necessary for an earthquake ;)
“...they will be at a complete loss of what to do.”
That will not last long as they will want to eat and that takes work to get food. No fast food - they will end up helping in the kitchen to have food.
If they want clean clothes, they will have to pitch in to do washing and hanging clothes. The parents will need them to help so the family can exist.
Remember, in a really bad situation, the parents will not have anything stored, likely no more than three days of food if that much. With nothing, that family will likely die as FEMA will not be able to save many at all and none if there is no fuel for their trucks.
And I'm old and love my children and grandchildren. I'm also a pretty good shot so if I get paranoid about what's going on around me look out. There are a lot of us early boomers who remember when life was less liberalized and want our descendants to experience the same.
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