If you can install a battery in your car, and connect the red wire to the red post, and the black wire to the black post, then you can build your own battery backup system!
A battery backup system, sometimes called a "solar generator" is a handy system that can power devices like fridges and freezers, charge phones, or even run your entire house. There are many brand-name products available, but in general, they are not a good investment.
In this article we'll explore how you can build you own, with better parts, at a fraction of the price.
In any survival situation, having access to clean water is crucial. Whether you're stranded on a remote island, dealing with a disaster that has disrupted local infrastructure, or preparing for an extended emergency, the ability to convert virtually any water source into clean, fresh water can be a literal lifesaver.
How It Works: A Simple Explanation
The process of converting seawater into freshwater involves several key components that work together to filter, purify, and desalinate the water. Here’s a breakdown of how it works:
Pre-Filtering: The first step is to remove large debris from the seawater to prevent damage to the more sensitive components of the system. This is often done using a simple strainer or filter.
Pressurization and Filtering: The water is then pushed through a series of filters that further purify it. These include pre-filters designed to remove sediment and other contaminants, ensuring that the high-pressure pump remains intact and functioning optimally.
Reverse Osmosis Membrane: The heart of the system is the reverse osmosis membrane, which acts as a filter with microscopic pores. This membrane separates freshwater from seawater by allowing only molecules smaller than a certain size (typically 0.0001 microns) to pass through. This process is what effectively desalinates the water.
High-Pressure Pump and Storage: The purified freshwater is then pressurized using a high-pressure pump, which sends it through a storage tank or directly into your system for use. Pressure gauges and valves are used to monitor and control the flow of water, ensuring that everything operates smoothly.
Why It’s Essential for Preppers
For preppers and survivalists, building your own watermaker offers several advantages:
Independence from Stored Water: If you're relying on stored water or a local water source that might become unavailable, having a self-contained system ensures you always have access to clean water.
Versatility: This system can be adapted to work with various water sources, including brackish water (a mix of seawater and freshwater) or even saltwater from the ocean.
Portability: Depending on the design, your watermaker can be set up in a portable configuration, making it ideal for emergency situations where you need to relocate quickly.
Cost-Effectiveness: While building a sophisticated system requires an initial investment, it’s often more cost-effective than purchasing pre-made units, especially if you source parts second-hand or through specialized suppliers.
Why Watch the Video?
The associated video provides a detailed, step-by-step guide to building your own watermaker. It covers everything from selecting the right components to understanding how to set up and maintain the system. The video also includes practical advice on wiring, pressure management, and troubleshooting common issues.
So, if you're ready to take control of your water supply and ensure you’re never left without clean drinking water, watch the video and start learning how to build your own watermaker today!
When we imagine a world thrown into chaos by an economic collapse or social anarchy, it’s tempting to think that guns and self-defense would be the most important tools for survival. However, history, particularly the experience of the Great Depression, teaches us that while security is important, the skills needed to survive—and even thrive—are much broader. Practical, everyday survival skills, such as cooking, sewing, and agriculture, were essential in the 1930s, and would be just as valuable today in the event of a societal breakdown.
In this article, we’ll explore the most important skills you would need to sustain yourself and your community if modern conveniences disappeared.
What happens when the lights go out? It's likely that you've experienced a power outage that lasted a few hours, but few people have experience with days or weeks long power loss.
On our Northern Ontario farm we were affected by the Northeast blackout of 2003 (click here to see the Wikipedia article). While that blackout was fixed within 2 days, it did make many people stop and think. On our farm we already had several generators, and the ability to switch over to them. Since we lived on well water and a septic system, the power outage had nearly no affect on our life. We switched over to the generators and started them every few hours to pump water, cool the fridge/freezers, and cook food. Since this happened during the summer, heating was luckily not an issue.
We have also gone through several blackouts during the winter that were just as long (or longer), but much more localised. Again, they had little impact on our day-to-day living.
We now live on our catamaran and provide all our own electrical power. This means that we are not affected by grid blackouts, with the exception of cell phone service and grocery shopping.
This article is the result of another post on Facebook, asking for videos and groups to learn about living aboard.
This Youtube series is probably the best. It's The Complete Small Boat Liveaboard Series by Idyllic Dreams. He's got 34 (as of August 2023) short videos, each about 9 minutes long. Every one specializes in one single topic on living aboard a small boat. While I recommend the link above and you watch them all, you can also jump to any of his videos directly below.
We are very sorry, but due to the complexity of this article, an audio version is not available.
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Before I give you my list, I should explain my stance on post-apocalyptic entertainment.
Primarily, I like it realistic. I occasionally enjoy some simple action films (Mad Max), but mostly, they have to be an accurate representation of possible futures. You will find very few zombie movies on my list. Despite being a popular subject, zombies are just as realistic as vampires, demons, and similar fictitious creatures.
Ratings:
Green: definitely watch this!
Yellow: it's okay, and has some good points. If you're bored, go for it.
Red: Maybe keep a copy in your fallout bunker. Watch them when you've been locked in for a few years, you'll be desperate for ANYTHING to end the relentless boredom!!
Summary: The terms VHF (Very High Frequency) and UHF (Ultra High Frequency) refer to specific ranges on the radio frequency spectrum that are used for various communication and broadcasting purposes. Both VHF and UHF bands have distinct characteristics that make them suitable for different applications. This article aims to elucidate the key differences between VHF and UHF, offering insights into how these differences play out in practical use, as well as answering common questions on the topic.
Understanding VHF and UHF
Radio waves are electromagnetic waves with varying frequencies and wavelengths. Frequencies are measured in hertz (Hz), and the radio spectrum is divided into bands based on these frequencies.
Many people think you must be a millionaire to purchase a sailboat. That simply is not true.
Sure, having a million dollars to spend on a boat will probably get you a bigger, and more reliable boat. But it is not required. If you can afford the downpayment on a home, you have enough to purchase a liveaboard sailboat outright, without any loan.
It may not be ready to face the end of the world when you buy it. But you can then invest in your new floating home to improve your vessel. You should be able to spend a bit each month to add or upgrade all the systems on the boat. This can be done with money that would otherwise be going towards a mortgage (yours, or your landlord's).
