To go without electricity for a couple of hours is a bad enough experience for most, but imagine the horror if the power grid were to stay down for days, or even weeks!
Imagine the unthinkable. Challenge yourself to consider life without electricity for a month or longer! (e.g. Solar SuperStorm or EMP)
The resulting shock to today’s modern man (and woman) would not only be an emotional jolt, but could quickly turn into a life threatening reality for those who have not prepared for such an occurrence. It could be life threatening even for those who have prepared!
Without electricity (even for a short time), these ten things will be high on the list for most people; the things that will be missed the most based on the modern lifestyle of today…
LIGHTS
The most basic of luxury that electricity provides is our light at night, and even during the day. How long will your batteries last in your flashlights? Then what? Do you have a plan?
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Solar Power Battery Charger
CELL PHONES
Most of today’s communications revolve around our cell phones / smartphones. They are the lifeblood of our social networks and the primary means of communicating with our family and friends. How will you cope without that ability to communicate?
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INTERNET AND COMPUTER
This category should almost go without saying… it is probably the most relied upon resource in our modern lives today. It is crucial to our communications, our finances, our economy, and our entertainment. Many people won’t know what to do without it.
TELEVISION
The average adult watches 4 hours of television a day while the typical child watches 6 hours TV per day including their video-games. It will be a shock to the (emotional) system without this distraction.
iPODS, STEREO, MUSIC
I mention this category due to the observation of so many people walking around with ear-buds attached to their iPod (and other) devices while listening to their music. There will be no recharging these little entertainment devices. Like television, music is a major part of the background (and foreground) entertainment for many people.
AIR CONDITIONING, FANS, AND HEAT
Many modern buildings will be completely uninhabitable without it, due to modern day HVAC design into large multi-story buildings. We have lived for many decades with the convenience of air-conditioning, and being without it will be a shock. Not sure how many could survive without it these days. If electricity were to fail in the winter, there will be even more grave consequences!
REFRIGERATOR AND FREEZER
This appliance is in its own category due to the important role it serves in keeping your food fresh longer and the ability to keep you supplied with fresh food for a time. Without electricity your frozen foods will be thawed within 24 hours and will need to be consumed immediately or tossed out. Then what?
KITCHEN APPLIANCES
How will you handle first thing in the morning without a cup of coffee brewed in your electric coffee pot? Think about ALL of your kitchen appliances that run on electricity and how you would manage without them. No dishwasher? No appliances to assist?
STOVE, OVEN AND MICROWAVE
The majority of people rely on an electric stove, oven or microwave for cooking their food. Let that sink in a moment…
CLOTHES WASHER AND DRYER
Keeping our clothes clean is something that we completely take for granted. It would not take long for this situation to become unhealthy.
Without Electricity Most Of The Population Will Not Survive
Observations and considerations…
Entertainment. Some of the categories listed above are really subsets of “Entertainment”. It WILL be a major emotional factor for many people when they lose it because most people rely on it for daily distraction. When things go “quiet”, it will be jarring for most who have become accustomed to the constant ‘noise’. They will be forced to deal with the reality of their own life and circumstances, and may not know what to do. It could even result in a rapid escalation of social chaos, particularly in densely populated areas as tempers flare while people are forced to deal not only with the loss of their distractions, but they will be forced to deal with survival itself.
Communications. My observations of the world we live in today reveal that many people, if not most, always seem to be on a cell phone talking with someone else – everywhere they go. In the car, in the store, at home, on the street, at work… It seems to reflect an insecurity of sorts. The need to be in constant contact with their circle of friends. Without this emotional support structure of constant communication, these people will have a very difficult time coping (with real life). Even if cell towers are up for awhile during a power outage, when your cell phone battery drains, that’s it… Silence.
Kitchen. You better start thinking about how you’ll manage without your electrical appliances – your stove – your microwave – your refrigerator and freezer – even if only for a week. Do you have the ability to put food on the table without them? Do you have food that doesn’t require cooking? Do you have any food at all? Think of a power outage or grid-down scenario in terms of various lengths of time. While it’s pretty easy to survive a few hours or even a day or two, start thinking about a week or more – and what you would do.
Water. While this resource is pretty much #1 for survival, during short term power outages you will not lose your water pressure. This will only become a critical issue if electricity is lost for a significant period of time. All water municipalities have power generators for their pumps, and so long as they can get fuel for their water pumps, they can keep the water flowing. A severe enough disaster however could throw a wrench in the works. This is similar for sewage treatment. A long-term outage will prove disastrous in the water and sewer category.
Hopefully these thoughts have given you something to think about. If you are inclined to become better prepared for such things, spend a day keeping track of everything that you do and see how many of those activities involve the requirement of electricity. Then imagine life without it. Figure out ways to survive without it.
Your thoughts?
I am not going to lie. I will miss my air conditioning the most. Here in Texas it gets 101+ in the summer. It feels like hell. Right now it is 83 degree and very humid. Sometimes we even have to run it in December! Whew.
Don’t care about the cell phone. But the Fridge and freezer….well yep…
It will be hard to get used to all the luxuries we are used too.
Texas is hell in the summer(March thru November), but it is highly sustainable in most places(with water). I live at 8500 feet in Colorado and we have to really work hard at growing anything. Water and shelter(including warmth) can be had relatively easy, but the food thing is our biggest concern.
I agree with Texasgirl. The first two things I thought I would miss most before I read the article were air conditioning and fridge. I guess the computer would be next.
A small solar unit could take care of some lights, phone chargers, etc and a gas stove helps.
Amazon sells a plugnplay thermostat that will convert a chest freezer into a fridge. Chest freezers are better insulated and unlike the fridges we are all used to, the cold air doesn’t fall out every time you open the door. Think about the coolers/freezers at grocery stores. A small chest freezer/nowafridge can be run with even a small generator or a solar setup.
U GUYS ONLY GET 100. ITS 55 DEGREE CELCIUS [131 FAHRENHEIT] IN SUMMER OVER HERE!! UNITED ARAB EMIRATES..
Best of luck
what part of texas
dont tell me about it
Ken,
Thanks for the above article.
I was wondering if we could have an opposite article of how to deal with some or all of the things you mention above especially refrigerator/freezer – how to preserve foods and alternate method to clothes washing?
Also is there any solar generator effective enough to power all the other stuff or other alternate methods of a back up system from an “organic” source of electricity (for instance off a “mill wheel” where electricity can be generated in a “hydro” state)?
Basically, what would be the opposite “alternative” form of living?
Thanks, Don.
Don,
That is the whole purpose of this blog. Read the archives, they are full of ideas and alternate plans.
…indeed. But there’s always room for more 😉 I’ve also found that as I think about and write about the same subject at a later time, I often consider a different aspect or approach. There are so many ways to look at a given problem and it’s solution, which is why I don’t mind revisiting the same subject over again. It broadens the mind…
I totally agree.
Yes John I do realize the purpose of the blog. Its also part of the purpose to able to express opinion and ask questions. The blog is also open forum. I am just enquiring about having an opposite article to the above. Also suggestions come up at the end of each article to check about a previously written articles on the website. I believe Kens modern survival blog is the best on the internet.
@Don, sure thing – and an excellent idea for another article (Books can be written on this stuff 😉 ) And, yes, there are definitely methods and alternatives to keep our modern conveniences up and running.
Again, I totally agree.
Well, electricity will be hard for us all!
I meant, no electricity
this is interesting
They still sell refrigerators that will run off of 12vdc, natural gas, or propane… some all three. Most travel trailers and rv’s have them, and they can be bought used. I had a house size fridge for 15 years… as long as you have a heat source (gas or propane) or 12vdc from a solar battery bank, you can have cold food and ice.
My brother is stuck on the idea of having a generator large enough to run the whole house as normal. He has 5 gal. of gas in the barn.
Sad, but funny. 5 gallons ought to last an hour or two.
Sure he’s not one of my neighbors?? 🙂
Hildegard, 5 gal? Wow. If all was on pulling 8-10kw, I can’t see a regular generator have more than 3 hours run time on 5 gallons. Besides, unless you are heavily defended, a big loud generator is just a “come and get it” call to anyone who can hear it. That’s not even defective thinking. … “This isn’t your normal level of stupid, this is advanced stupid!!”
And I’m curious – even if it’s a Hannukhah generator, they need maintenance and parts to run for many hours… my logic says a person who has 5 gals doesn’t have much put back for repairs. Everything breaks. Everything.
Hopefully you have at least one more form of power generation (even if it’s a mule.)
Don get over yourself mate.
Yeah and the Government now controls the top four though and by the Presidents vote. Think TSHTF isn’t close? Scares me when one organization can control those four very basic Constitutional Rights of “Freedom of Speech, Press and Assembly” in one bill. Never thought I would see the day when I couldn’t be able to communicate with a loved one in a disaster because “someone” says it’s “National Security”. We have just as much right to be able to communicate to our loved ones in ANY way we want to When we want to, epically during disaster or other crises. Now if TSHTF they can effectively shut down phones, computers, cell towers, satellites and our power and call it ” National Security”. Thus making it almost impossible to know what is going on elsewhere and be able to evacuate or call your family. Scary thought isn’t it?
“Now if TSHTF they can effectively shut down phones, computers, cell towers, satellites and our power and call it ” National Security”. Thus making it almost impossible to know what is going on elsewhere and be able to evacuate or call your family. Scary thought isn’t it?”
…that is all the more reason to be reasonably (or better) self-sufficient and minimally dependent (or non-dependent) upon external systems of support, all the while living in a reasonably safe (or safer) region preferably with low population density. If disaster strikes, and communication systems are down (for whatever reason), those who are prepared and have made contingency plans WILL NOT BE SCARED.
Short wave radio or HAM. It’s surprising how bad things can be and the HAMs keep transmitting. If you’re thinking about being an unlicensed HAM, use very short transmissions. No license is required for recieving, and it’s harder to locate you while receiving. Easy while transmitting.
lol
Yep John. That’s why we will never leave! lol. We can grow our gardens all year round and we have access to water.
I would love to see more articles on alternatives for refrigeration and preserving food.
I feel like something is headed our way in the next few years, if not sooner. I am learning so much everyday.
Why not get these things out of your life now?
– Lights: I found that a little intelligent design drastically reduced my needs for artificial lighting. Winter shorter days require a little more but still not a big deal at all really. My home solar powered LED setup could run every single light non-stop for days without sun before worrying about power.
– Cell phones: They can be powered on next to nothing. All that is really a concern is if nationwide outages bring down the network. In which case we go back to comms the way it once was.
– Internet/Computer: Newer laptops consume so little power they can be charged with a negligible impact on even a small solar setup. As for the internet you are only concerned if the network goes down as if it does you should have all the knowledge you need on paper and therefor not NEED internet.
– Television: Get rid of it. I haven’t had TV in years and don’t miss it one bit. We do watch movies (an occasional series) on the laptop however. Many benefits from removing regular tv from your life completely.
– Music: Why is this an issue exactly? I can get music out of my hand-crank/solar radio. If the radio stations are down I can get music out of several low power devices.
– HVAC: People all over the world live without it and you can too. A little creativity and you can have self sufficient hvac and not worry about grid power. Heat with renewable wood and cool with design and solar.
– Fridge/Freezer: This can be done with surprisingly little solar power. More importantly, refrigeration and freezing isn’t required for most things anyway. If I can run a self sufficient ranch in the desert with <3 square feet of fridge and no freezer you can too.
– Kitchen appliances: Start using manual tools and you wont go back to the high-tech options. If the power goes out … You wont care!
– Stove/Oven/Microwave: First off … Ditch the microwave. Don't worry, you wont miss it after a couple months. As for the stove and oven, there's only 500 options for cooking without electricity. Pick a few and set them up. You wont even notice a difference after a little.
– Clothes washer/dryer: This is a convenience that is hard to replicate. Manual labor and time must be sacrificed though there's options for solar power.
My point, run your life like you don't need electricity in the first place and if it goes away you wont even care!
To tell the truth I can and have done all the things you talk about ( or most of them ) but why would I want to do them now when I don’t have to? You say we will get used to being without these and I agree but we will get used to it after a SHTF situation also. Trying some of these to get the learning curve is a good idea but dumping modern conveniences for no other reason than I may have to one day seems like an extreme idea to me. I run some solar, I prepare my food manually, I have used solar cooking and heat with wood but I really see no reason to get rid of my TV,AC ect at this point. To each their own I guess.
All things learned are taught by need. You can have all the food, water and other things you think you need ready only to find out that you forgot this or should of gotten that. If you come off the grid for a learning experience don’t worry that it is “wasted time and energy”. You have been without power for almost 2 weeks. That is more than enough to know what you needed and what you had. The point is going off the grid for a week teaches your group what to expect. I would advise everyone to do this even for a few days just to better understand what survival items you used the most and what you needed but didn’t have. The only exception to this trial would be water. But I would make it understood that the water used is coming from a very limited source. Learning to understand survival in its very basic form is something you have to do and not watch a T-V show or video. Just having done it before will relieve a lot of stress in your group. And a stress free person thinks more clearly and reacts better to emergency’s.
I would miss the fridge. but could live without it by canning, smoking, drying, cheesemaking and root cellering. The rest of it I can take or leave. AC I would miss but we would get used to spending the biggest portion of the hottest part of the day under shade. In fact the only reason I have many of the luxury items is for kids and hubby. I have aladdin lamps for light, wood stove to cook on and such. Washer and dryer.. Did without it about 2 months ago and wrote an article on my blog on how to wash clothes the easiest by hand with a plunger. Internet and TV if TSHTF I will be too busy working and defending to worry about those things! Cell phone? I am always leaving it places and my hubby is always bringing it to me! But here is what I would miss….. My car!!! without electricity there is no go juice for it! And without my car I could not even get to church. No electricity means no bank, no stores and no GAS!
Something to think about with the range/stove is that even if it’s gas, it probably has an electric ignition. So the fuel won’t matter without electricity. Still non operational. Unless you can turn on the gas and light with a match, old school style.
Did you find that both oven and stove worked? My range top will work that way but the oven ( separate from he range top ) won’t. I could cook differently using cast iron dutch oven for baking but not everyone has either this ability or the tools to do it. I like to use different forms of cooking for fun ( find it interesting) but obviously cooking the normal way would be lots more convenient.
Not real sure about how electronic ovens work, but unlike the stove top that stays lit until turned off, the oven cycles on and off to regulate the temperature. It probably would not be able to cycle back on without the electronic ignition.
One aspect of all this that would result in the biggest impact during a power outage lasting more than a few hours (or a day or two) is… from the desperate actions of those who have not prepared at all.
Many or most of the things listed here will not be terribly impacting for the prepper, but I do believe these things will be among the most missed by today’s non-prepper, and will be a shock to them.
It would be wise to consider the follow-on effects from the actions of those around you who are not prepared, if and when they do lose these ‘things’. What will they do?
Predicting their behavior will help you with yours.
Let’s hope it never happens (a long term SHTF), but lets be prepared if it does.
Tall fences, barbed wire, big dogs, big guns and lots of ammo. Oh yes and lots of guinea birds for the alarm system!
Great plan Christie, I’ll look for guinea hens now!
Guineas are awesome creatures. They eat the bugs in my garden. One row at a time up and down like a search grid. Every where else in my area is having a grasshopper plague abut I have only seen a handful! If you get chicks keep them inside a coup for the first couple of months and then they will never leave home. Growing up during their adolescent years they can be noisy but once they are adults then the only time they alarm is if there is a stranger or something out of the ordinary. If someone pulls into my driveway they have a fit. They also let me know when one of my goats was kidding. There were probably eight of them standing at the entrace to the loafing shed all squawking as loud as they could. Once I went out there and took care of it they all went off to do their own thing. I will never be without my guineas!
Christine,
the Guinea Hens sound great…and for sure earn their keep!
just curious, are they just kept for alert/guard purposes, or are they also for Sunday Dinner/Eggs for Breakfast?
The eggs are delicious. The yolks are big and rich. But you will find that their shells are almost rock hard! And you will have to hunt for them if you free range the guineas as I do. I recently came across a nest out in my field that had over 100 eggs in it. I loaded the incubator and gave the rest to the picgs since I was unsure of the age of the eggs!
that is so interesting about the eggs, with shells that hard, guess they would be safe from many predators…..100 in one nest..wow…I suppose that means they weren’t “sitting” on the nest? Had no idea they were so prolific…
Geese are great too, plus they are tasty!
A note on Guinea hens, we had a couple of them and they never shut up. I am so very jealous of those people who have had birds as good as Christine. Our birds were so bad we gave them away, our sanity was more important. Those dang things would find us working outside and scream and yell. Or just scream and yell for no reason at all. The worst was when they would sit outside our living room window and scream and yell when we were trying to watch the Packer game. SO….I would make sure your neighbors are OK with that or you just don’t have neighbors. I have also heard of birds as good as Christine’s but we didn’t have them.
I am a country boy, and I’m prepared, I am close to going off grid soon. The Government is planning to control the people by food Power and water but not me. I’ll feel sorry for the city dwellers.
IMHO everyone should do a weekend trying this. Just turn off the breaker. It may really open your eyes. I have spent 25 years in the mountains so I get a refresher course every winter as we lose power at least 2-3 times a year but now I have generators,lanterns,some solar lights ect so short term just doesn’t effect me. I run a few cords fire up the TV and satellite again and I’m good to go. I think I will follow my own advise this weekend as the wife will be gone out of town.
You’re spot on about the reaction of your neighbours – someone with a generator or solar power will stick out like a sore thumb. Also consider that it would be useful to have other people around to support you during whatever period of outage – give some consideration to how you would work with your neighbours, even those who won’t have prepared, as extra people can help protect the preparations that you have made. You have to sleep and it can be difficult to keep a 360 degree lookout with only your partner/ family while still doing the tasks that need doing. If you’ve seriously prepared for a SHTF event, then using a little of that preparation to buy protection in depth/ goodwill of your neighbours would let you continue to enjoy the fruits of your preparations, and have some security too.
More than once we have been without power for several days to a week. Surprisingly the first day always seems to be the hardest as we slowly adjust to a slower way of life. Out come the hurricane lamps, then we mostly sit around talking as the hurricane lamps don’t provide enough light to read by. I actually enjoy it, as the family seems to catch up on what is going on with each other. When there is electricity, my husband is glued to the tv, my sister to the computer, my son his gaming, my daughter-in-law its texting, and me I am mostly checking out Ken’s site and other prepper sites getting and printing info to file for when there is no electricity. I actually enjoy the quietness of the house as there is no constant humm from appliances.
Then we all seem to go to bed shortly after the sun goes down as it is too dark to do much more than talk. Then everyone seems to get up earlier as a result of the extra sleep. Now we start setting up things for the long haul. We pull out the camping stove, the radio, the water containers that are stored in the basement as we are on a well. We start moving the refrigertor items to a cooler and move it outside (in the winter only) or if it is summer we start to cook up and eat the food in the fridge first. If it is winter we bring in wood for the stove. I think as a family we grow a little closer during the down times. Over the days that we are down, I find I miss the conveinances less and less.
I know the one thing I would hate the most after a SHTF senario would be the fact that I would actually have to start a fire before I am really awake in order to boil water to make coffee. I learned that during our camping days. I really would miss that push of a button for practically instant coffee. Everything else I find I can live without.
After Hurricane Sandy we lost power for a week, it was the longest we’ve ever been without it in our lives,after the second day both the wife and teen were driving me crazy,I’m sure it was likewise with me. Day 3 I was able to borrow a generator from a friend, it was just nice to have a real lamp on, TV with just an antenna and a fridge you could open. Just those 3 things made a difference to make it the rest of the week. As for cooking I used my grill or my homemade sterno stove and for heat my propane fireplace. Needless to say I had no problem buying a generator that I always wanted as a prep, every time I was going purchase one the wife said No, it’s a waste of money, we’ll never use it! Funny how now I don’t get any hassles when I buy anything for prepping,plus she read One Second After, a real eye opener!
I went 11 days without heat and electricity when Hurricane Sandy hit the North East. You can survive for a while even in sub-freezing weather, if you are prepared for the event.
I used the event to test all of my preps, then I upgraded/added or replaced various items that needed inprovement.
The two main things that I learned during the 11 day period is, one is never taught how to deal with the boredom in a military cold weather survival course, the second is that after 4 days at the most, one will have no fresh meat. Fixed for the boredom…. I bought a LED Headlamp ($20) and fix for the second… every month I buy $40-$50 worth of canned chicken, ham, tuna, Dinty Moore Beef Stew, Chicken & Dumpling and Chicken Pot Pie. The cheapest place to get the canned foods is Walmart or Target.
If you have a pressure canner you can preserve your own stew, soup and meat for a fraction of the cost of a can of dinty more and it tastes better!
Definitely, but can the meat and vegetables separately and mix them together when you are ready to eat them. Open questions to anybody; Can you use a pressure canner on a outdoor propane burner? How can I convert my 500 gallon propane tank to connect to the outdoor propane burner?
The internet.
Life as we now know it is completely dependent on the internet.
Banking, Power distribution, energy distribution logistics, food distribution logistics.
Governments have done studies on the impact of losing the internet – the results of the studies are frightening. You will not see them readily published.
Another thing that is now controlling our lives is GPS. Not just air transport would have to be grounded with out it.
Food transport vehicles are now tracked and routed via GPS – also using the internet.
Without the internet the control systems for maintaining electrical, gas and fuel supplies will not function. Manual control using communications will not function – much telephone traffic is now routed via the internet rather than the old stand alone traditional systems.
Here’s the biggie.
Without electrical power the sewer pumping system backs up. It only takes a week for serious diseases to erupt. Four weeks and there is an outright pandemic.
Without electricity for a few days you will soon not be bored. There will be a multitude of things to do just to survive. Finding water and fuel. (Those who have not prepared that is)
If your main sanitary line has a cleanout near where it exits the house, get a plumber’s inflatable test plug (probably 3″). With this and a bike pump, you can keep sewage from backing up into your house. You may need some kind of blocks behind the plug to keep it from being pushed out, depending on your elevation relative to other parts of the system. People will continue pooping in their toilets long after the toilet stops working.
It’s not your own house that you need to worry about unless you want to completely quarantine yourself inside. Others will catch damaging diseases and spread it onto others including you.
This is a big city problem – not so much in a rural environment. Those who live in high rise apartments will be the first affected.
High rise apartments and office buildings probably will suffer fatalities from only a few days – from those caught in elevators.
I have had practice going without most if not all of this. I live in the Sierra Nevada Mountains and we lose power every winter at least once if not more.The longest was 13 days. If you are prepared you will have little or no problem with this. I have a generator now and enough fuel to run it for a week or so and can run the TV,SAT,FRIDGE and a couple of lights so life is good. I have aprox 600 books if things get boring. I keep about 800 candles,3 propane lanterns, LED battery operated push lights in the bathrooms and other forms of lighting and of course I have lots of food preps if need be. The point is we can all learn to go without you just need to practice a little to learn some different ways to get things done.
I live in the Midwest, and while it gets pretty warm on the main floor of my house in the summer and pretty cold in the winter without AC or heat, the basement in my homestead remains a constant 62 degrees. I’ve spent many a hot summer night downstairs sleeping on a military-style cot.
I’ve got about 10 or 12 solar-charged flashlights located around the house that are pretty bright. I got them at a local drugstore for just about $7 each–they definitely come in handy.
I’d really miss getting online if the grid was down for an extended period, but I’ve been collecting books for the past couple decades and have enough books on hand to read one a week for about 15 years. I’m stocking up on as much off-grid, hard-copy reading material as I can find.
The books are a great idea. We’ve got a few, mainly ‘how to’ and ‘diy’ types. Another good idea is playing cards, board games, dice, checkers, chess, marbles, jax, and dominoes. Also, don’t forget if you have kids or plan to, good children’s literature for a variety of ages.
Actually if you look around you can find some with on and off switch’s. I have a couple that I got at Walmart( I don’t see them there anymore ) that are 70 lumens which is pretty damn bright when you consider that most of the walkway lights are 1-1.5 lumens. They were classed as spotlights and ran about 30 dollars.
Those walkway lights make great battery chargers too. Just check to see what kind of battery they use before buying, as some of the cheapy ones use a small ‘button’ battery.
Banking has already been mentioned – no power, no ATMs, no computers, no withdrawals, no crediting, no nothing. Another that is frequently forgotten, besides water depending on electrical pumps, is fuel for transportation and heating, which also depends on pumping. That stops transportation. I lived recently a bout of bad weather which cut power for days and had entirely forgotten about those three.
Most people think the U.S. strategic petroleum reserve is for US. Think again.
A/C, showers and dental hygiene, AND COFFEEE!!!
I can tolerate a cold creek bath, & Yaupon Holly has almost as much caffeine as coffee and it could be flavored like coffee with roasted dandelion root (allegedly) but I think the lack of air conditioning is going to seriously impact my butthole tolerator. It may even completely fail if the right knucklehead makes me sweat more from an asinine mistake based on laziness or stubbornosis…. Oh well, I guess the policy of siesta will make a comeback.
Its easy to think about what conveniences would be missed, but I think the reality in prolonged grid-down would be much more dire. Think about it this way, if the power is off for an extended period, as in months, then there will be no fuel pumping, and the trucks will stop rolling. I think that is the single biggest mental block we need to get past: what happens when the trucks stop rolling?
We are a consumer driven society that is deeply integrated into “just-in-time” production. Remember the days when you ask a retail associate if they have your shirt size “in the back”? It doesn’t exist anymore because no one keeps inventory. It is ordered as it is needed, and it is made as it is ordered.
When the trucks stop rolling, people won’t have food. They can’t refill their meds. There are no more bullets unless they have the skills to reload. If someone has goods, many won’t have cash to buy it. And people get scared. Those who are perceived to have prepared will be at risk, they will have to defend what they have.
The best book I have read that illustrates this is “One Second After” …just something to ponder….
These are the reason’s we prep
A few years ago a big plow wind went though & took trees & powerlines down for miles. We were only out of power for a few hour twice but others were out for over a week. Our neice finally came & borrowed our generator at one week. One thing I learned from her was she piled quilts on & around her freezer & never opened it. She never lost anything. It was summer too.
Another thing I learned last Fri. was when there is lightning & a power flash, if the ATM is counting your money when it happens,it comes out of your account but not into your hand. It was supposed to reset in 15-20 minutes but I was in the bank for over an hour & it didn’t reset so a repairman was going to have to come out & fix it. No one else could use the machine until he got there & this was Fri. night. Lucky it was a small town so they just gave me the money & didn’t take it out of my account again. They had to leave a paper trail though.
A question I have is how safe is a pull start generator in case of a cme or emp. Does anyone have the answer to that. Right now we have high water table & need to keep sump pumps running so the thought has crossed my mind a few times.
Thank-you Ken for this excellent sight. I have learned so much here.
Look next to your furnace for a floor drain. It probably dumps into the sanitary sewer. You may be able to cut a slot into the floor from your sump to the sanitary line. Not a perfect solution, but better than a flooded basement. This overflow is for emergencies only. In an extended power outage, you will probably need the water to filter and drink anyway.
Well Ken , you wouldn’t have a blog anymore that’s for sure!
‘How long will your batteries last in your flashlights? Then what?’
Everyone–buy a solar battery charger soon!!!
Even if every other day is sunny, beats no batteries. Think LED.
Cell phones??
I carried my husband 25 miles from home to get a truck he bought. Cell was in a drawer at home as has been for weeks. I survived–he survived. I lived 45 years without one.
You can too!!!
Television???
Haven’t had cable for 6 years. Only use for our tv is Netflix. I’ll survive and so will you without tv.
Those ‘other’ appliances?? We better start thinking how we can do without.
Like washing laundry–I have two tubs, a mop wringer, a wash board, a plunger…..and soap that makes no suds.
I think the Refer is the only thing Ill really miss, got a small oil press, have tons of caster beans, made castor oil and tried it in an oil lamp, worked quite well, so theres my light!
Batteries eventually die for good.
Batteries die for good.
Right, but until that happens, I have a solar battery charger that is going to get me the most from all of them.
I have been discarding two batteries thinking both were dead–boy, was I wrong and wasteful.
I now have a tester and know which to recharge and which is still charged.
Little secrets the industry doesn’t want us to know.
You recharge alkaline dry cells? New one on me. I always heard it couldn’t be done & only worked with storage batteries.
Howdy again. Yeah a while back I saw a device that did work to bring back alkaline batteries but only a few times. It was a REAL slow charger and produced a lot of heat; I think that’s the problem is people want batteries recharged “NOW” and it’s not safe to fast charge the alkalines. (plus there is destruction each time an alkaline is recharged.)
As to when they are no longer rechargeable, do a little studies on battery chemistry. Even if they don’t give bunches of power, there’s always something that can be made into a battery (lemon battery anyone?) Salt water and copper and aluminum or copper and zinc can get you some power. Copper and zinc strips in a lemon can get you voltage as well (not much but in series?) Generally the acids will work better than saltwater (more ions?) but in a pinch.
I think the oldest batteries ever found were possibly BC. Certainly lower AD. Our recent materials (and the purity) have led to the synonymous “BATTERY” (2×1/2 diameter) – but in 1800s there were tons of batteries used…” Alessandro Volta described the first electrochemical battery, the voltaic pile in 1800.[4] This was a stack of copper and zinc plates, separated by brine soaked paper disks, that could produce a steady current for a considerable length of time. ”
Also there are batteries with vinegar, sour kraut, potatoes and other plants. You can be the alchemist-extraordinaire!
20 years ago I was homeless and dead broke for a whole year. Electricity ? Since I grew a beard for years I had no problem – scissors managed to cut it to a humanlike length. Washing clothes? I lived in the vicinity of a river so this was no big issue. Fridge? No problem _ I had to poach to get something to eat. So I was busy all day long and didn’t miss TV, computer, etc. Since no friends were left after my breakdown I hadn’t really to communicate with somebody. All my relatives had died long ago… So: what issue would it be to be without electricity nowadays? Heating in winter? Yes, but only the outside temperature would fall below 30°C. In the time of my homelessness I had to withstand temperatures below 20°C – and I only owned my (thin) parka and a blanket. Yes of course the snowstorms were bad, but I survived.
As I mentioned the temperatures of 30°C and 20°C: Of course below the freezing point!
I think I would miss the fridge mostly. Living out in the country “Up North” that is only a problem for half the year. As for communication there isn’t much cell service out here anyways so we have a regular land line. On top of that we have a plug in phone that doesn’t need a power source. We have used that several times after a storm knocks out the power out here, very handy. However, in a SHTF situation the land line might be out as well. We also can as much as possible, it takes up storage space but doesn’t require power to store. This year I am going to try canning venison, keep it out of the freezer.
Northern Boy. Your point is why I dehydrate as often as possible to keep only necessaries in the freezer.
That or can, but can is second choice.
Northern Boy, if power is gone, so will be the land lines (at least the phone company’s.) IIRC, there’s a low amperage 48v charge on the system constantly, your voice is carried over that. Without the charge, it’s just a copper wire. Now, do you remember the old wooden crank phones? That was a magneto you spun to add voltage to the local battery, and added line – user supplied voltage. I’ve read if too many people try to listen the voltage drop can kill the call. I saw one of the phones for sale the other day, $350. I just couldn’t spare that much for a non-working, but repairable, phone right now.
Basic phone service is pretty low tech so if some preppers put down new lines or used present lines (IF the phone company is gone) party phones could make a big come back. You’d have to do some fancy switching or add operators to go outside of your party line.
Whoops. I lied (was wrong.) The voltage is just for the ringer, but without it, how would someone know to get on the line? 🙂
Here are my thoughts, For what they are worth. I would “Miss” very few of the above. The only one I can see that I would truly find difficulty adapting without is a fridge. It would be much more work food preservation wise. Yes, life may be a bit more challenging without modern conveniences, but honestly look at the gains- Less stress from a rat race lifestyle, the ability to see the best of the night sky, ACTUAL face to face communication and interaction with family members, family game nights by candle light, there are nearly as many positives as there are negatives to the power going out for a lengthy time (in my book anyway). Obviously medical technology and medications would become extinct or very hard to come by, but I do believe that 1- Nature provides many better alternatives to medicines, 2- the added work of an electricity free lifestyle will cut down on sedentary obesity, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension and a host of other ailments making medical tech less needed. 3- the reduced stress of constantly running in the rat race will help as well. Many may disagree, but I see alot of positive in this instance.
as an aside- recently switched TV providers and we were without television for a whole weekend, Friday through Monday, Best weekend I’ve had in a long time, played games, conversation, books, and the children didn’t complain or miss it at all. My choice-DITCH it altogether. Unplug and live free….LOL
Spud–I have saved for 5 years not having cable.
$70 X 66 months =$4620.
I have used all that for preps. You can do it. Join Netflix.
My husband who had NEVER read books began reading 5 years ago–he has a huge cardboard box of western books in the attic to sell–books he paid only 50¢ to $1 for used.
30 days without power after Hurricane Andrew. One of the things we missed most was a hot shower after a hard day. 5 gallons in a solar bucket on the roof didn’t last nearly long enough.
What will happen when we have no fridge??
We will learn to cook ONLY what we eat. Measuring will have an all new meaning.
Still will be the a/c. It feels like hell outside. You open the car door and it feels like an oven. A friend put cookies on a cookie sheet on the dash board and they cooked,well done, but enough.
I worry about refrigeration when it hits the fan. Most here do not have cellars due to the ground settling and cracking. It will be an all new experience. At least we can grow food all year. Heatstroke is very common.
We are also going through a drought. It is very dry.
Sounds like it’ll be Spring or Fall digging of the ground shelter; I think I read somewhere that in general in the US, go down 3 to 10 feet, and you are into ‘permanent’ 55 degrees F. It’s not the 33 (or more) in the fridge, but it’s 50 to 60 below the air temp!
What’s going to matter is how long without electricity.
A few days or a weeks.
But if it goes years many people won’t make it.
Think no meds. And no natural gas, it uses electricity to pump.
And a lot more things depends on electricity.
So think long term.
We recently became homeless when we lost our home to foreclosure. We lived in an rv for a couple of months. Laundromats were getting to be expensive, so we washed our cothes and bedding by hand. We have 7 people in our family, and we were pretty much washing clothes and doing dishes all day. Very labor intensive. Air conditioning? Find some shade or go down the basement. We are now renting a house and are so happy to have a washer and dryer. We’re gonna hang on to the rv for a BOV.
Rob, did hanging any clothes out in the rain allow you more time between washings? I know you can’t go forever but could it help? Glad you are back in a house and sorry about previous house. I spent a year or so homeless BUT that was by choice and it was me alone. A few times it really sucked (mostly in big cities.)
I keep telling the wife we need two of the pop-up RVs. Not for us, but a place we can point the ‘grown up’ daughters to and say “Gee, there’s lots of room out there!!! By the way, here’s a hoe, a shovel and gloves; garden and dirt are that way…”
They were adopted later in life so we had much less time to prepare them. ‘Dad’s crazy’ and ‘Mom’s crazy to be with him…’ My own would have been rolled in mud and seawater, leaves and moss. None of this ‘ewww… it’s making my hands sticky’ and “OMG a bug… kill it!’ ‘You kill it! Wait, with YOUR shoe…!’ Life is fun, ain’t it?
What I would miss most is A/C. It gets over 110 degrees here in the summer and stays that way for weeks at a time, not even cooling down at night. We would have to move into the cellars, we have 3 dirt-floored cellars on the property. I’ve been seriously thinking of building another very large one for some of my animals, even to use now, since I’ve had really bad luck with rabbits dying of heat.
I am now 70 yrs old..lived 1/2 my life in the woods and
mountains.no elect.it is
nice but you don’t have to
have it.main thing is to have
light to see in winter and for
emergency
We need to talk about how to make 120 volts.
Wind and sun need battery storage.
That’s fine if you have enough battery back up.
Generators need gasoline / LP, if you can get it.
Water power, if you can.
Agreed on hydro, but not everyone lives near moving water (but you should dang well try!)
“We need to talk about how to make 120 volts.
Wind and sun need battery storage.
That’s fine if you have enough battery back up.
Generators need gasoline / LP, if you can get it.
Water power, if you can.”
Add to that, animal (dog, donkey, cow, people) power, wood and detritus as fuel, sun can be used to split water (hydrolysis) into O2 and H2 (gas) – it’s not easy to make gobs of power, but for emergencies, it’s a ‘battery’ of it’s own. For those on bodies of water, the wave motion can be turned to electricity or heat. Those in desert areas can make PV or passive solar into power. Something that moves can always be harnessed for power (even lava, if your equipment can stand it!) There’s also temperature gradient generation of electricity; there’s lot’s of ways, just gotta find one that works best in your area.
As if to emphasis this electrical problem, the media is currently full of reports from NASA and other solar scientists concerning the July23 2012 multi-CME’s from the Sun.
The earth missed being sent back to the stone age by only one week when several solar storms erupted on the sun which were as big if not bigger than the 1859 Carrington event.
The kicker in these reports is that a NASA solar Physicist has calculated the likelihood of a severe damaging CME is 12% in the next ten years or a certainty within 50 years.
One thing about owning a motorhome and using it a lot is you actually put a lot of the SHTF survival issues to a test. Well, maybe not “real” survival. But I have to deal with limited or unavailable electricity. I have 45 watts of PV panels and two deep cycle batteries on board. When I boon docking I have to manage my water usage too. And depending on where I am I have to cut back usage of propane so that I will always have enough to keep the fridge going. Yeah I know, compared to real SHTF a motorhome is luxury but it is great prep training without any suffering. I use cheap ($1-$10) outdoor solar lights to read at night to save the onboard batteries. I cook over an open fire when it is practical where I’m staying. Then there is the generator and air conditioning. I rarely use the generator and then only for some short term specific thing. I never use the air conditioner and I plan my trips accordingly. That is I do go to Las Vegas but not in the Summer. Ditto for most of Arizona and New Mexico. I do go to Southern California in the summer but it’s either the coast or the mountains. I like to use the laptop and the PV panels can easily give me 4 hours worth of laptop time everyday. Of course if the grandkids are with me that is usually used up by the TV and DVD. But whatever I use I can get about 150-200 watts everyday that I have good sun. Days without good sun we have been known to sit and talk by the dim light of a small dollar store solar lamp or just sit around the fire until it’s bedtime. The good news is my laptop averages 22 watts so it doesn’t take much PV power to keep it running for hours each day.
Cool I agree
I would definitely miss the heating, I live in England and it gets freezing during the winter and sometimes stays freezing in the spring all the way up to June then gets cold again In September. I would also miss my laptop and the fridge.
i like this
the best
true. Cell phones and music will be the biggest loss
MAN….. without these appliances this world would be hELL!!!! SPEAKING from the bottom of my heart
HERE in PAKISTAN its already pretty HOT but man without airconditioning or fans…………… GOSH i dont wanna think about WHATS GONNA HAPPEN!:-P
I got a feel for how easy electricity has made our modern life while exercising on an exercise bike I made out of an electric generator and an old bicycle. I generate 125 watts for 15 minutes and get just as winded as in a two mile jog. I imagined having to do a two mile jog every time I ran a 125 watt appliance for 15 min or a 60 watt appliance for 30 minutes. That is how easy electricity has made our lives. The energy comes from oil, coal, gas, or nuclear sources but electricity lets us use that energy in so many ways.
thnx
Thank you so much I had an assignment to do and we needed that thanks again!!! Love you guys BTW P.S. I and 10 years old
Thanks a lot! I really needed that info for my interdisciplinary project
I am 8