What do you all do to be prepared for long term power loss?

[ultrarunner]

Dairy farm where mom grew up didn't get electricity until the late 1930's...

Having electricity meant a monthly bill but also fewer bodies needed to milk the cows.

The belt drive from the tractor did all manor of work and gradually it shifted to electric motors.

They did have a radio powered by a small hydro in the creek before power.

 

[1Mech]

Canned goods is the way to go. You can always eat and make a fire. I don't understand high priced prepper stuff.

Don't forget to rotate your supplies, keeping the oldest product in the front, moving the newly purchased or self preserved goods to the rear.
Fermentation is an effective, healthy and tasty process for preservation too in addition to traditional canning.

 

[Camofurever1]

I am generator rich and have a few dozen gallons of fuel stashed that I keep on rotation. If the grid is out more than a couple of weeks, we have ways of getting more generator fuel. I have several chest freezers packed with food and a massive pantry full of dry goods. One generator on econo-mode will handle all of the freezers, fridge, lights,TV, transceiver radios, etc. I'll be good for a while. We have underground propane storage, which I just had topped off a couple of weeks ago. So we can cook until the cows come home. I have one generator that I can tap into my underground propane storage. We don't eat like kings when the power is on, so it will be just business as usual if the power goes off. I can survive without AC in the house. I won't like it, but I can survive.

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

Curious what preppers believe is going to happen? If someone has, say, a truckload of ammo, what's the purpose? Same with supplies if one has 500 cans of food, how long will that last...then what? A stash of gold...who's buying and for what? Water would be my main concern, but we have springs, well, pond & creek. Fuel storage for I guess generator, tractor?
I'm not being flippant, but we have prepper neighbors who actually believe the world will end soon, and since I've known them 40 years "soon" has occurred 50 times already!
But...very soon...wait and see they tell us.

 

[Too many Kubotas]

I am generator rich and have a few dozen gallons of fuel stashed that I keep on rotation.

No real reason to keep it in rotation (unlike food).

Unless you have bacteria in the fuel (which can be treated with relative ease), in which case it doesn't matter how often you rotate it.

Keep it from gelling and from having water in it (which the bacteria needs to exist) and it'll be good for at least 10 years.

 

[Camofurever1]

No real reason to keep it in rotation (unlike food).

Unless you have bacteria in the fuel (which can be treated with relative ease), in which case it doesn't matter how often you rotate it.

Keep it from gelling and from having water in it (which the bacteria needs to exist) and it'll be good for at least 10 years.

I also have a couple drums of diesel for the tractor and the RTV, but most of my fuel I keep in Jerry Cans is non-ethanol gasoline. That is what I keep in rotation.

 

[Camofurever1]

Curious what preppers believe is going to happen? If someone has, say, a truckload of ammo, what's the purpose? Same with supplies if one has 500 cans of food, how long will that last...then what? A stash of gold...who's buying and for what? Water would be my main concern, but we have springs, well, pond & creek. Fuel storage for I guess generator, tractor?
I'm not being flippant, but we have prepper neighbors who actually believe the world will end soon, and since I've known them 40 years "soon" has occurred 50 times already!
But...very soon...wait and see they tell us.

Just about all of the "preppers" I personally know all came out of the same mold. They are all highly religious, they are all in the same cliche (Not that there is anything wrong with that), all let fear, doom and gloom control and dictate their lives, they all have an over-abundance of firearms and ammunition (Hope their house doesn't catch on fire) and I firmly believe they would be devastated that when they die from old age, the SHTF event never materialized. They eat, drink, and breathe the prepper religion 24/7/365. They have broadcast to everyone they know (kind of like being a vegan) that they are a prepper and then proceed to tell and show everyone their whole inventory. Dumb asses.

I only know one guy that is a prepper and isn't BS crazy eat up with it. The only reason I even know he is a prepper is he is one of my farm neighbors and we have had each others back for years.

 

[shooterdon]

Curious what preppers believe is going to happen? If someone has, say, a truckload of ammo, what's the purpose? Same with supplies if one has 500 cans of food, how long will that last...then what? A stash of gold...who's buying and for what? Water would be my main concern, but we have springs, well, pond & creek. Fuel storage for I guess generator, tractor?
I'm not being flippant, but we have prepper neighbors who actually believe the world will end soon, and since I've known them 40 years "soon" has occurred 50 times already!
But...very soon...wait and see they tell us.

In my case I prep to hopefully last long enough for things to stabilize.

It has cost me less than $5,000 to prep enough food to survive for 12 months. It is not a real cost as we cycle through it. It is like having food “in the bank”.

Guns and ammunition are not necessary if dying early is your choice. It is not mine. Same applies for the other supplies and resources needed.

As my moniker implies, I shoot a lot. Having a decade or more of ammunition and reloading supplies is normal for me. I have been through cyclic shortages and have profited from each one. My current inventory is essential “free”. I have ammunition and components for 75,000 rounds. I no longer shoot 20,000 rounds a year but have maintained my stocks.

Prepping is not for everyone. If you are not capable of killing others, prepping does not make sense. You will need to kill to keep the stuff you have.

My fear is there are a people who plan to take what they need from “chumps” who have prepped. Some are ex-military.

The tribe I will be a member of has ex-military members who have played in the “Sandbox”. I am glad i will be on their side. They need me because I can repair guns, make bullets, and reload rifle, pistol and shotgun ammunition.

Food and stuff is important…essential skills are important too.

In a SHTF event, 50% will be dead in less than two months. Most will be citiots and suburbanites. 90% will be dead in 12 months. Planning to die is a safe bet.

I like a challenge….

 

[FPGT72]

I have 48 birds and get about 3 dozen a day, i have a steady stream of customers at $4/doz eggs. It's not very profitable, but it pays for itself and then some, while providing us with fresh eggs. Plus it's a neat hobby on the side. And I find between that and the garden, I'm going to the grocery store less often.

After I retire in about a month I am going to do it again. It was difficult before with my hours.

 

[FPGT72]

Solar chargers for phones are about $30 - $40. Not that it matters if the cell tower(s) don't have power.

Cold is actually easier on batteries than heat is.

And the only way a lead acid battery can freeze is if it's discharged.

I would say not at full charge. The one I saw the lights would come on, but it would not start the car. They pulled it into the shop, someone hooked a boost charger to it, started it closed the hood and went to put the charger away. KABOOM, bent the hood, knocked the battery out of its home, went into the fan (back in the day of belt driven fans) and sprayed acid all over the inside of the engine bay. Real mess. Sounded like a bomb went of.

When I told the story over on the solar power forum I was shocked at how many said they have seen the same thing, and the stories are about like mine, some juice but not enough to do what was wanted.

Was a new car as well, not sure what they did with it. I was working at a dealer at the time.

Whenever I tell that story I need to close with this.

Next time children I will tell you about the trailer that came in with one wheel smoking like hell, bearing went bad, hottest days of summer. The trailer was full of hogs, and they are not happy. That was an interesting story. Glad I had hose duty.