Net Control – N0KMO
N0KMO – I like to think that I’m pretty much prepared for anything, but I had a wake up call when I realized that I wasn’t maintaining my generators.
Had power outage yesterday and got me thinking about my generators. Getting ready to convert a generator to propane.
Do you feel prepared for the next event that may occur in Denver? What about first aid kit? My focus last month was my first aid kit. What about training?
KF0GZK – I don’t have a lot of items, but I work on acquainting myself with the items that I do have.
N0KMO – I always thought that I would never be ready, but then I thought about the list. The list may be massive, but can I train the family so that everyone has a job to do so that nobody gets bored.
Who’s in charge of different areas. So now my list got small, because I was able to break up tasks among my “team”.
I need to make sure I train, and I found that I wasn’t really doing that with my generators.
Does anyone have a team, and does that team train together? Do you split up your list among your team.
K0STR – My problem is that there isn’t a lot of people I trust. Those people I do trust I encourage to prepare. I’m here on my own by myself. The people I do trust just seem to poo-poo the idea of being prepared.
N0KMO – That’s a good point. The people you trust may not be into the same things you are. When you think of preparedness, if you think of it as a group around you and the things that are on your preparedness assessment. A friend is into woodworking. A table broke, and if someone has a hard skill that they can actually use during preparedness, then they are actually preparing.
Get people into preparing for things that they are already interested in to get them started.
KE0TWN – The number one investment you can make for when things go south is investment in yourself and good hard skills. Learning woodworking, metal working, auto repair. These will be really important when things start to go south.
How prepared are you do deal with home emergencies. Do you have skills to fix things, or do you have friends to do these things.
N0KMO – Think about the people in your circle and what they can provide. You don’t have to be prepared for everything, but you need to have people in your circle and invest in your skills.
K0STR – Could you give me more details on your solar generator?
N0KMO – There’s a company in Colorado that builds solar generators. I’m testing these generators. I needed something that was more commercially built that I don’t have to maintain all the time. Was looking at something around 1200 watts.
K0STR – I bought a small portable solar panel kit with charge controller, and is designed to recharge my 12 volt power station. I wanted to have something other than my propane/gas generator so incase those won’t work I have something else to charge my power station.
N0KMO – I want something simple enough to use that my family can use and understand. The main thing is that it’ll charge most of my radios and run my freezer before I have to charge the battery itself.
K0STR – One of the frustrating things is that the panels on my house are useless if the grid goes down.
N0KMO – I believe that’s incorrect. Any other stations that can comment?
KD0ZZZ – Master electrician here: That is correct if you have a system tied into the grid, it will not work if the grid goes down.
AE0CU – You would need to disconnect from the utility inverter, then you’re ok.
N0KMO – There are transfer switches that you can throw. This is the approach I would go, switch to a solar controller.
KE0TWN – Basically what you need a battery backup system. This will essentially give you the grid tie, but if something happens to your grid, it will switch to your battery backup system.
KD0CIG – Get together to show off go box. I am interested.