Emergency Power Generation/Storage, EMP Protection, Heating/Cooling, Handy Tools and Tricks

Ah. I get it - the little engine is one of those that used to be used to power pushbike lights, yes?
 
Another thing to keep in mind...

If you do pressure cooking, then you can eat the product cold, so there's no need for cooking after storage. You can just eat from the jar. (Though, there are a few batches I have which are a couple of years old now, and I'd want to cook again after opening just to be on the safe side.)

I read over on the ol' canning thread that you'd ideally want to boil your pressure canned meat for 10 minutes to kill any suspected botulism. Of course, this safety tip only applies if your future reality includes the option to cook your food!
 
For Power: if you can and have the means you could also consider a so-called Multifuel Generator that "can be operated with diesel, heating oil, straight vegetable oil (rapeseed oil, canola oil, sunflower oil, coconut oil, copra oil, corn oil, soy bean oil, palm oil, jatropha oil, ...), cleaned waste vegetable oil or pyrolysis oil." When I looked into it a while ago, I found the following one quite interesting: ATG MULTIFUEL 3SP Power Generator 3 kW | ATG and this one Multifuel Biofuel Power Generator Diesel Biodiesel vegetable oil waste oil. The Multifuel idea for emergencies was something I researched a bit more extensively in the past, since there seem to be smaller type of devices that can do that you could actually carry.
Am I assuming correctly that we can't use old lard for the multi-fuel generator, because it's too dense, and the fuel should be more fluid like vegetable oil, even though this type of fuel clogs the filter at lower temperatures if I understood it correctly?

BTW, thank you so much for this thread. :flowers: It's really interesting, although I kept postponing these kind of decisions when it comes to energy! So, yesterday I finally took the bull by the horns and ordered a small infrared ceramic heater, but opted for another brand, as the brand Cosmos linked to was only available second-hand. I also bought a small stove which runs on propane gas as well.

I also did some research into propane gas tanks and found a Dutch company that actually delivers these gas tanks to your door, which is very useful if you don't drive. You can even subscribe to having your tanks filled when they run empty. Again, it's useful if you don't live near a filling station, but then again I don't know how this company will fare with all the supply chain issues that are coming our way, although having these kind of connections could turn out beneficial!

Speaking of supply chain issues, I had a look at these multi-fuel generators and noticed that it will take the larger ones three up to five months to arrive!!

Added: According to one of the reviewers of the small infrared ceramic heater it comes with a CO2 thingy, but I couldn't find that in the description.
 
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BTW, thank you so much for this thread. :flowers: It's really interesting, although I kept postponing these kind of decisions when it comes to energy! So, yesterday I finally took the bull by the horns and ordered a small infrared ceramic heater, but opted for another brand, as the brand Cosmos linked to was only available second-hand. I also bought a small stove which runs on propane gas as well.
Your post motivated me to finally get a gas heater. Found a couple that are similar to the one you opted for which I will purchase.
In terms of the gas to use, this website says that propane can better handle colder temperatures hence why it's more suited for outdoor use while butane is better suited for indoor use with appliances such as portable gas heaters and cooking stoves. Also, butane can be stored indoors while propane should be stored outside. Living in a flat, I will have to opt for butane gas tanks. Hope to find them at a local home improvement store given the already high transportation costs.
 
Am I assuming correctly that we can't use old lard for the multi-fuel generator, because it's too dense, and the fuel should be more fluid like vegetable oil, even though this type of fuel clogs the filter at lower temperatures if I understood it correctly?

My uneducated guess would be that it could theoretically be possible if the lard is in its liquid form (in warmer/hot temperatures). So, filling it in when it is liquid, BUT only if the whole generator system is hot enough to sustain the liquid form of the lard. Having said that, my guess is that they are not designed to handle lard and it could be potentially dangerous for the generator, so I would only consider it as the very last resort. I’m not an expert though, so I would strongly advise against putting lard in the generator, unless you are certain that it can handle it! The easiest and probably only way to find out, is to contact them and ask them directly about it and report back here what they are saying. Would be good to know.

According to one of the reviewers of the small infrared ceramic heater it comes with a CO2 thingy, but I couldn't find that in the description.

I haven’t looked much into those heaters, so I can’t tell you. Maybe some systems use additional CO2 to make the flame hotter? Could be. All I know is that this CO2 claim is new to me too. You would need to look into it a bit more.
 
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Speaking of supply chain issues, I had a look at these multi-fuel generators and noticed that it will take the larger ones three up to five months to arrive!!

The cause of that doesn’t necessarily have to be supply chain issues (although it could!). Generally speaking, the larger a machine is, it has always been the case and normal to have longer delivery times, as far as I know. Also, it seems like the interest and demand for such emergency generators has increased A LOT in the last couple of months, so, there is a good chance that this is contributing to the long delivery time (they might not be able to produce fast enough in order to meet the higher demand).
 
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The easiest and probably only way to find out, is to contact them and ask them directly about it and report back here what they are saying. Would be good to know.
That's a good idea, will do and report back if I get an answer.
I haven’t looked much into those heaters, so I can’t tell you. Maybe some systems use additional CO2 to make the flame hotter? Could be. All I know is that this CO2 claim is new to me too. You would need to look into it a bit more.
Apologies, I wasn't being clear. The reviewer on German Amazon mentioned the word "wächter", now I understand what he meant, but couldn't think of the English word, which is: detection device. So, when it arrives I will have a look and report back if it's there or not.
The cause of that doesn’t necessarily have to be supply chain issues (although it could!). Generally speaking, the larger a machine is, it has always been the case and normal to have longer delivery times, as far as I know. Also, it seems like the interest and demand for such emergency generators has increased A LOT in the last couple of months, so there is a good chance that this is contributing to the long delivery time (they might not be able to produce fast enough in order to meet the higher demand).
That makes sense and it could well be the reason why. I have never seen waiting times like these, but then I have never looked at a website that sells generators before!

Thank you for your replies, Cosmos!
In terms of the gas to use, this website says that propane can better handle colder temperatures hence why it's more suited for outdoor use while butane is better suited for indoor use with appliances such as portable gas heaters and cooking stoves. Also, butane can be stored indoors while propane should be stored outside. Living in a flat, I will have to opt for butane gas tanks.
That's a good point. I think both propane and butane could come in handy, especially when it gets really cold. Anyway, that was my reasoning behind buying propane, but perhaps it's faulty.
 
The adapt 2030 dude suggests that the real reason for prohibition (of spirits/booze) in the US was that farmers were making grain alcohol to run their tractors and therefore bypassing the oil and gas companies. Much like the demonization of hemp which was also in the 1930’s. IOW, another government intervention for the sake of corporate welfare. So investing in a distillation set-up might be a thing.

Or hook up your peloton to that generator with some super extreme gearing. JK.
 
Your post motivated me to finally get a gas heater. Found a couple that are similar to the one you opted for which I will purchase.
In terms of the gas to use, this website says that propane can better handle colder temperatures hence why it's more suited for outdoor use while butane is better suited for indoor use with appliances such as portable gas heaters and cooking stoves. Also, butane can be stored indoors while propane should be stored outside. Living in a flat, I will have to opt for butane gas tanks. Hope to find them at a local home improvement store given the already high transportation costs.

As for portable gas heaters I bought one that uses butane canisters (227g). They usually came at 2-2,50 Euros a can.
Make sure you don't order the 250g canisters as they only work in cooking stoves and are double the price.

Additionally I have bought a carbonmonoxide detector ('CO Alarm2') which is set to last for ten years. 🔥
 
This article was published on SOTT, and I thought it would be a good idea to post it in this thread:
"I can guarantee that we will do everything to avoid private households being left without gas. But we have learned from the coronavirus crisis that we shouldn't make promises that we are not certain of being able to keep."
SOTT's comment: It's unlikely 'households' will be given much priority, but they have to at least try and pretend.
 
My uneducated guess would be that it could theoretically be possible if the lard is in its liquid form (in warmer/hot temperatures). So, filling it in when it is liquid, BUT only if the whole generator system is hot enough to sustain the liquid form of the lard. Having said that, my guess is that they are not designed to handle lard and it could be potentially dangerous for the generator, so I would only consider it as the very last resort. I’m not an expert though, so I would strongly advise against putting lard in the generator, unless you are certain that it can handle it! The easiest and probably only way to find out, is to contact them and ask them directly about it and report back here what they are saying. Would be good to know.
I found out that I cannot buy a multi-fuel generator from Germany, being a private Dutch citizen, so I didn't ask them whether lard was suitable for these kind of generators...
As for portable gas heaters I bought one that uses butane canisters (227g). They usually came at 2-2,50 Euros a can.
Make sure you don't order the 250g canisters as they only work in cooking stoves and are double the price.
You could also look at larger butane gas tanks which are generally cheaper than these smaller canisters or don't they fit?

I spoke to the company that sells these gas tanks and the lady said that I wasn't the only one who was buying these gas tanks (read storing them) which I thought was interesting. She is also preparing for "a cold winter" by getting her firewood ready. I told her about Germany where they have started rationing hot water and heating.
First landlords in Germany have started cutting hot water and heating hours amid rising gas and electricity prices - Bild

The 600 flats in Saxony's Dippoldiswald will now have hot water from 4am to 8am, 11am to 1pm and 5pm to 9pm. Tenants are outraged:

"This was - I heard from my grandmother - only after (World War II). I don't know how I will bathe my daughter".

Electricity prices in Europe have already hit new all-time highs due to declining gas supplies from Russia.

According to a study by the British Financial Times, in Germany and France, the leading EU countries, prices per megawatt hour for next year's base load have set new records, reaching 325 and 366 euros respectively.

Source: News Front on Telegram
 
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