Your secret hidden bunker

[tombogan03884]

True, but home invasions don't just happen the city and we all have to sleep. Personally, I don't worry so much as I am a bit of a fatalist. When it comes to this kind of stuff, I have a couple of plans and I intend to follow them. You do what you reasonably can, but sometimes, it doesn't work. There a lot of things outside your control and some guy in a ghillie suit 500 yards out who's camped in a sniper hide for a week qualifies in that category. If someone wants me that bad, odds are 99-1 I'm screwed.
FQ13

There isn't any one on the planet that can't be "got", Don't believe me, ask Reagan or Kennedy.
But the chances that Looters are going to go to that level of effort is something only a troll or unbalanced individual would consider.
Now can we get back to the OT  and discuss practical considerations like off grid power, low maintainance landscaping ,  and locations that lend themselves to self sufficiency.

[Rastus]

There isn't any one on the planet that can't be "got", Don't believe me, ask Reagan or Kennedy.
But the chances that Looters are going to go to that level of effort is something only a troll or unbalanced individual would consider.
Now can we get back to the OT  and discuss practical considerations like off grid power, low maintainance landscaping ,  and locations that lend themselves to self sufficiency.

I think a survival topic would be good.  Maybe Marshal and Teresa would consider one.   Lacking that...start a thread Mr. Bogan.  It's a good idea.  I would like to know more about low maintenance landscaping and where 3 phase generators are available that couple with a good Lister type diesel.

[blackwolfe]

OK Tim, What is the purpose of a "Sheepshank" 
As to BM, He apparently has never lived in the country, between watch dogs and just the natural activities of local animals and birds even if you are alone, and set out no other form of perimeter security, unless you are totally oblivious you will be able to tell if an intruder enters the area. This will lead to false alarms because what the animals react to is not always something that will be important to you, but they will react to more than concerns you not less.

Crickets

[blackwolfe]

I think a survival topic would be good.  Maybe Marshal and Teresa would consider one.   Lacking that...start a thread Mr. Bogan.  It's a good idea.  I would like to know more about low maintenance landscaping and where 3 phase generators are available that couple with a good Lister type diesel.

Friend of mine has a place 20 miles off the pavement in the middle of nowhere in the Big North Woods.  We go deer hunting there.  It's not a bunker for when the SHTF, but just a place away from everything else.  It is off the electric grid and when he bought it there were already two stationary diseal generators in place.  One is a 4 cylinder John Deere powered genset and the other is a Lister 2 cylinder.  The Lister turns at a lower RPM than the Deere but doesn't provide quite the power the Deere does either.  It also uses about 1/3 the fuel as the Deere.  I don't remember what the power ratings are on the gesets are or if they are capable of three phase.  I'll have to take a closer look the next time I'm there.  This isn't a small cabin, but a multibuilding compound including an old 5 bedroom log home probably built as a logging camp supertendent's quarters nearly a hundred years ago.  At night when the gensets are off it is very dark and very quiet except for natures lights and sounds.  We have seen deer, moose, bear, wolves, pine martins, eagles, loones, geese, ducks, partridge, and numerouse other small wildlife there.  For heat in the main house there are two conventional furnaces that run when the power is on.  When the power is off there are several propane fireplace styl heaters and a huge conventional fireplace that we usually just use for abiance.  Surprisingly there is phone at his place. 

[Hazcat]

I have a 15KW gas genset that will easily run 50 amps.  I would like to convert it to run from propane as well.  They make a kit but it is $250  and all it looks like it a ring with a bunch of small holes in it that goes between the intake filter and the carb intake.  Anyone know how I might make one?  (with normal hand tools)

[Sponsor]

[blackwolfe]

HAZ, I'm no mechanic by a long shot, but that almost sounds like it may be a propane "carburator".  Much like the burner on a gas stove.  Does it have an inlet on it to hook up to a propane line?  I think the key would be getiing the number of holes (jets) and size of them correct.

[TAB]

haz its not going to happen.

propane carbs are nothing like gas carbs.

[PegLeg45]

Proper pressure regulation and the right number of holes in the 'diffuser' is the key, according to a guy in a neighboring town. They interviewed him on the local news last year for having all his lawn equipment for his business converted to propane. He said it cost him about $30.00 to do one lawn mower and all the parts come from Lowes.
Looked like all he had done was pulled the carb, gutted it and run a copper line (plugged, but with 1/8" holes drilled into it) inside the carb shell. Then he used trial and error to set the flow rate with a regular old regulator.


Read up on this a while back...

http://theepicenter.com/tow102899.html

Quote;
We contacted the experts in carburetion and asked for help!  They said, "been there, done that, been doing it for years." The key is a vacuum controlled flow rate regulator, linked directly to a modified carburetor.

The 'variable' regulator is really only needed on engines that change speeds. If you have a generator that runs a constant, once you find the flow rate, set it and forget it.

[fightingquaker13]

I've got a nice Honda that runs on gas and propane. Its enough to run 75% of the lights and everything but the the range, water heater and AC. The key with this is to pay an electrician to set up a secondary breaker box so you don't overload anything. It will cost a couple of bills but is well worth it as you dont have to worry about shorts. Just turn off the circuit breakers, switch to the secondry and you're good. Also propane is a big plus. I keep 11 tanks in my garage, no way in hell am I keeping that much gas in cans.
FQ13

[blackwolfe]

I'm not an electrician either, but I think you want a tranfer switch between the utility power and any backup power source.
If not set up and isolated properly you can backfeed the grid through the transformer, stepping up the power, making it dangerouse to utility workers.  Lineman really frown on that.  Also if not done correctly and utility power is restored all your equipment may be fried as well as risk to your home circuits, fire, and electrocution.   I have heard tales of linemen and power companies having uncooperative cutomers running a generator during a power outage.  At least one of them insisted on not turning off and disconnecting his generator.  The homeowner insisted it was installed correctly.  The homeowner found out very dramatically it wasn't installed right when the utility restored power.