what did you do this week to prepare

[BENESSE]

Ms B. have your tried that brand? I haven't tried that brand and was wondering if you actually like them.

I tried a couple of free samples Wise sent me as a promotion last year. Liked them but didn't buy any until now. The price is right, the sealed bucket to hold it all is a great idea and I love the fact that I can forget about it for +-25yrs. Rotating is fine but can be a pita with my type of setup where it's not easy to get to stuff.

The only negative I see with this type of food is that the sodium content is excetionally high; (that's why it tastes good) but in a SHTF scenario that'll be the least of your problems.

[SpecWar]

Picked up some tether cord & mini sol lights from County Comm
new to me Randall #15 Airmen knife (Awesome Blade)
MH & Coleman meals
Misc First Aid supplies
3k of Zombie ammo (never enough)
4 HP Streamlights for mounting on AR's

[1stimestar]

Purging 3 bedroom house full of crap to fit into a small cabin, again. That has to count for some type of preparedness!

[hunter63]

Yes that does and a job it is.......
Spent some time yesterday cleaning out and checking water collection system on the taj ma shed....cleaned and flushed both barrels, bleached, and flushed again.....transferred 50 gal from collection drum to pump equipped drum, flushed water heater, and lines....made sure mice hadn't eaten wiring.

Installed solar shed light, started up 4 wheelers, gen sets and mowers......needed battery service on a couple of units........

[hunter63]

It has come to my attention that the more stuff you have the more time and money is needed to keep up with it all..........

[1stimestar]

That's what I love about cabin dwelling. You only can keep something if it is really, really important, and you can find a space to put it. Cuts down on the detritus of life.

Hunter, I looked in my 55 gallon water barrel and it looked clean. Do you think I should bleach it out before using it for drinking water? It was about 1/3 of the way full and I would hate to waste that water since I am hauling it in by 5 gallon jugs. I also put a board over the top. Wouldn't want any varmints falling in. They tend to try to come inside when it gets cold.

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[hunter63]

Actually it looks just like the ones I use, but I'm getting my water for this system from the shed roof and gutter system.

I wouldn't think it would have near the problems of keeping it clean as I do, mine being out side and all.
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As long as the water is clean when you put it in the drum,.....should stay that way, I think you are good to go.

[Jimmyq]

Would you think electrical that close to water should be GFI? I am pretty sure thats building code around these parts, all outdoor outlets and any near a sink are that way for years now.

[your_comforting_company]

Nice setup H. We just sit buckets in the corners of the valleys and collect that way.
I need to set up something like this that will reach the garden.

[1stimestar]

What is this "building code" of which you speak? Bwahahahhaaaa!

[Sourdough]

What is this "building code" of which you speak? Bwahahahhaaaa!

Building Codes, Alaskans don't need no stinking Building Codes.

[hunter63]

Yeah well, there 'really" isn't any electricity in the shed either......that's just an illusion.....besides my electric company guy says that the fog in the valley trips the GFI anyway....if you know what I mean......Thats when the mice don't chew the wires.

Oh yeah, you can take as long of shower as you want....but you will only have 2-1/2 gal of hot water.......

[silvergma]

moved some of our preps to the mag leaders house,, we are going to be staying there for awhile while things get changed ... tightening up and tweaking tomorrow and creating soup mixes for the stash..

[kyratshooter]

Hunter, I looked in my 55 gallon water barrel and it looked clean. Do you think I should bleach it out before using it for drinking water? It was about 1/3 of the way full and I would hate to waste that water since I am hauling it in by 5 gallon jugs.

Hey 1TS, think about getting a 12V RV waterpump. You can plug it into the electric of your vehicle and pump water directly from one tank to the other. No hauling of 5gal containers at 50 pounds each.

I once had a system like yours/hunter's only with 2 barrels outside and one inside, one barrel stayed empty for the transport duty. Even a plastic garbage can would work for the hauling. 150 gallons would last me 2-3 weeks.

I pumped from my spring into barrel #1, transported and placed in tower tank #2. The whole system gravity fed from there.

I found that my Zodi shower unit would give a very good shower on 2 gallons of water. Soak down, lather up, spray off and you are good for another month!

You want to learn how a shower unit works take it to a rondy mid summer in TN! I know exactly how many showers you can get from a single 1# propane can, how much water it takes for shower/hair washing (as seperate or continuious activities) and the exact temperature it needs to be to prevent the Misses from smacking you up side of the head when she comes out of that little tent!

[crashdive123]

1stimestar - unless you know for sure - I would recommend disinfecting the barrel.

[hunter63]

Mine get doused with chlorine from time to time....just did that.....These weren't made to drink but for the shower.
Shower started with "The hanging solar bag", moved to the Zolar, in the location the present set up is in.....slanted roof was to clear the propane Zolar heater....(you can't shut it off, or it will over heat, so in between hose and nozzle get dropped back in bucket to recirculate).

My Zolar pump was powered by 4 D-cells, and was self contained.

The progression from the "pump in the bucket" to "pump in the drum"...12 volt sprayer pump (w/addaptor from 120 to 12 v)with pressure shut off, shut off nozzle, pump would shut down(shut off not working right now)....water from drum with long hose..but still used the Zolar heater......

Next moved to the electric water heater, w/out mixing valve.......worked well and still does very well.
You can see the shower curtains that closed off the "shower porch"

I used to transport water from neighbors pump and fill the drum.....then added the rain catchment gutters.

Didn't use it last year, so had to do the service work, and make sure it still was working well.

My transport drum went with the Zolar kit and was sold to the neighbor to the east.....he hasn't used it yet.

[hunter63]

Would you think electrical that close to water should be GFI? I am pretty sure thats building code around these parts, all outdoor outlets and any near a sink are that way for years now.

The switch in the pic is 12v and is in a Bell box now, runs the pump.......yeah does look odd.....

[1stimestar]

Hey 1TS, think about getting a 12V RV waterpump. You can plug it into the electric of your vehicle and pump water directly from one tank to the other. No hauling of 5gal containers at 50 pounds each.

I once had a system like yours/hunter's only with 2 barrels outside and one inside, one barrel stayed empty for the transport duty. Even a plastic garbage can would work for the hauling. 150 gallons would last me 2-3 weeks.

I pumped from my spring into barrel #1, transported and placed in tower tank #2. The whole system gravity fed from there.

I found that my Zodi shower unit would give a very good shower on 2 gallons of water. Soak down, lather up, spray off and you are good for another month!

You want to learn how a shower unit works take it to a rondy mid summer in TN! I know exactly how many showers you can get from a single 1# propane can, how much water it takes for shower/hair washing (as seperate or continuious activities) and the exact temperature it needs to be to prevent the Misses from smacking you up side of the head when she comes out of that little tent!

I thought about an actual tank that could just ride around in the back of my 4 runner and one of those little pumps. My main problem with that is that in the winter, my back window doesn't work. I think it needs a new switch. But yea, I will be looking into the pump because these stairs are steep to haul water up and it's only going to be more difficult after it snows.
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1stimestar - unless you know for sure - I would recommend disinfecting the barrel.

Yea, I've pretty much resigned myself to add bleach to existing water, use it for cleaning and run it out. Then start with fresh water that I can be sure of.

[1stimestar]

Here's my old shower set up. I also belonged to the gym and took most of my showers there.
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[hunter63]

The transfer pump i use to pump one drum to the other, is actually a 120 v pump for emptying water beds.....
Now if you were to pull up as close as you can, drop a hose in the drum in the truck, then plug in in the house, transferring the water to your inside tank.

Before gutters, I hauled a drum in a trailer behind the 4 wheeler, then transfer it with that pump....like this one.

http://www.harborfreight.com/12-volt...ump-94639.html

Mine is 120 volts, this one is 12 volt so could plug into vechical to load and un load water.

Funny on how little water you use in a shower....if you have to haul it 5 gal at a time....LOl