Thread: Preparing for critical weather events

We have 3x rainwater tanks so drinking water isn't a problem and our house water is pumped from a well.
We also have a couple of gensets that can run all the important stuff in the house in the event of a blackout with enough fuel to run them for up to a week.
We also shop in bulk so we always have a full pantry and our freezers are always well stocked.
We also always have the fuel tanks in our vehicles full at all times.
As we do a lot of camping/caravanning we also have plenty of solar power options and accommodation in case the house gets flattened in a storm.

i used to be more prepared, but now im not.

at home i usualy have a little fuel - 20l
cars are suaully above half full.
some drinking water - 20l
have 10,000l rainwater tank but i dont consider that suitable for drinking.
usually no food.
no generator


my general plan is to pack up n move. camper trailer

Power is no problem, I have a 10KVA diesel Genset and enough fuel to run it for just shy of 3 days continuously. Water not so much, hadn't put too much thought into this to be honest. If we get hit with a storm big enough to knock out the power and water I'm guessing my Caravan might not survive that either, but if it did, I too could live almost indefinably in it and take it somewhere where there is water.

Given that the zone sub in our town is one of the major ones in the area, it has 3 different 66KV supplies coming into it from 3 different directions, so it would need to see a direct hit from a tornado or similar to be impacted long term. We have had storms knock out one incoming 66, but not more than that. A large storm could do enough damage to one of the 22KV feeders running up to our estate to put us out for a few days or more though.

Interesting conversation...

I have a 2000 gallon tank upslope of the house that can supply us for two weeks or more, I just have to remember to keep it over half full. A 22000 gallon concrete rainwater tank next to the house supplies 99% of our water needs. A big old Honda powered fire pump can be used to pump water up to the header tank if battery power fails.

Batteries, a 1.2kW inverter, a 12V genny and some old solar panels keep the lights, fridge, freezer and comms running. Before NBN we even had a working landline for a while. Cooking stove runs off gas bottles. HWS has solar booster panels. When we were hit with a monster storm on boxing day 2016 we just mooched around eating xmas leftovers until the roads were clear again, had 4G internet off a tower about 10km away so didn't have to worry about anything. The grid operators compensated us handsomely for 60 hours without power which paid for a jerry can of petrol and plenty more.

It was kinda surreal living in the middle of the apocalypse yet being almost untouched by it. One of our neighbours had very little backup equipment and had to charge her phone on our verandah. Another mate blew his freezer up with a dodgy old genny, ended up buying two linkable EU20i's not long after the storm moved on.

Hi,
Last winter we lost power for 24 hours.
Mobile still worked so we had phone and Internet.
The house is solar efficient, so heating was not a major problem that an extra jumper would not solve.
Not knowing if/when power would be restored was the biggest hassle.
That evening I fired up the 700W generator to run some lights, the TV and the small circulating pump for the wood fired stove and hot water heating.
I tried running the fridge as well, but as I expected, the start current tripped the overload on the Genny.
And we got paid $160:00.
Can't complain at that.
Cheers

ps If I was building again, I would have a change over switch Installed in the power box and an inlet for the Genny in a convenient location.

i do keep an umbrella by the front door

Originally Posted by Eevo

have 10,000l rainwater tank but i dont consider that suitable for drinking.

Why? We lived for years in Norfolk Island, Ceduna, and in Qld as a teen, with tank water. We have a 5,000 litre rain water tank here but it's presently only used for the garden. I'd be happy to use it for general use.

We have a cheap 750w gene that I bought for camping but never used it in that role.

If needs be, the camping equipment would get broken out. Our house stovetop is natural gas as is our hot water system but it requires main power.

Doomsday prepping.......plenty of ideas on the net.