Texas Freeze 2021 - Lessons Learned

We never want to miss an opportunity to get better at what we do. Therefore, Nan and I set down and evaluated how we fared through the winter conditions back around Valentine's Day.
We found we had adequately planned in most areas. However, we also learned that we can get better with a few minor changes at an affordable cost.
Are you prepared for the next event?
Email:[e-mail]

[@danam.8709]

PacifiNorthWest, Dec.13 2023, I deeply appreciate the detail you've gone to examining and correcting the weaknesses this storm revealed. Here we face the weather you describe regularly, that said, because of that it is easy to overlook aspects of preparedness because as they say "familiarity breeds contempt" . And contempt is an arrogance one cannot afford when dealing with Mother Nature. THANK YOU , the value of your production is not lost on me.

[@westerncanadianstacker]

Pick up the Water Bob. It goes in your bathtub and holds around 60 gallons of water. It also has its own pump so it is very easy to fill your pots with. It is a manual pump and requires no electricity to use.

[@thehomesteadinggrandparent8672]

We are definitely getting the bob. Lots of viewers have suggested this item. Hard to go wrong with the power of numbers. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@gilliantempleton3253]

in 2010/11 my city went thru earthquakes, the whole infrastructure of the city was gone, we had no water, no electricity, no toilets, no atm machines so cash only transcations. Houses were damaged most so badly they had to be rebuilt, What we learnt very quickly was to store enough water for at least a week, to have a portapotty - torches, headlamps, candles, alternative heat sources, lots of blankets, canned and packaged food, generators were in short supply and to be honest beyond the budget of most here. BBQs were the new way of cooking for months. We learnt that for the first 48 hours after such an event you are on your own, It takes time before the police and army can turn to the general populace - first they have to rescue those who are trapped in buildings etc then they do the house to house - Bread was in short supply, the most important thing as a mother of young children at that time I learnt was to treat it as an adventure as much as possible, i e we would go out on "the bread hunt" singing it to the tune of the kids song we are going on a bear hunt. Always make sure you have firewood, petrol in your car, that you can stay warm or cold when needed, look at alternative non powered versions, charcoal bbq as well as gas bbq, wood stove, and a gas heater - three backups where you can, even an alternative to a washing machine if possible. Christchurch, New Zealand is back up and running but we won't forget and i for one stay prepared.

[@thehomesteadinggrandparent8672]

Thanks so much for sharing your experience. During the summer months we cook outside on the pits just about as much as we cook inside. Which means we keep an ample supply of charcoal and wood on hand. However, this has not been the case for the colder months. Thanks for pointing out another option that I have overlooked for winter time. Need to up my supply of charcoal. After Hurricane Harvey (2017) we had to remodel and we sold our nice wood burning stove because we only used it maybe once a year for heating purposes. Sure wish I had that back now. God bless and thanks for watching and sharing.

[@kimmer6]

Greetings from California. I went through the 1971 Sylmar Earthquake, the 1989 Loma Prieta quake, and the 1994 Northridge quake. I know what you went through. I am prepared as much as practical. I know we are overdue for a big M-8.5 smackdown any time now. I do 5 backups for everything. There is no such thing as overkill when you in a disaster of any kind. My house has a seismic operated natural gas shutoff, automatic 12 volt power failure backup lighting that also has a Magnitude 4.5 operating trigger, and a single handle in the laundry room to shut off all water to the house. I stepped in broken glass and tripped over furniture in the dark in 1971 and never want to repeat that! Its hard to describe to others how scary it is for weeks afterwards to sleep in your own house. The aftershocks came randomly for months. But to hear Satan clearing his throat a few hundred feet below my house almost gave me a heart attack. Best of luck to you! 5 times everything.... gasoline generator, propane powered generator, natural gas powered generator, Onan Standby diesel generator on 40 gallon fuel tank base, and several ''solar generators'', the biggest portable one being 7200 watt hours to keep fridges and freezers cold. Best wishes to you!

[@gilliantempleton3253]

@@kimmer6 new zealand where i am is built right on the pacific ring of fire so there are daily little tiny quakes,we are waiting for the alpine fault to go, when it does there will be no more new zealand

[@kimmer6]

@@gilliantempleton3253 Hang in there! I'd hate to hear bad news. I'm waiting on the San Andreas or Hayward fault East of San Francisco to cut loose. My surveillance cameras are on battery backup so I can catch the rumble. Here's a test run...only a wimpy 4.5 magnitude but it certainly scared the cat. kzbin.info/www/bejne/b6muf5-udtV1kLs

[@sorrywrongplanet8873]

One future action: voting out a government that is making emergency preparedness so necessary!

[@wesr228]

I've added a smaller inverter to handle things like lights, fridge and window units. I'll use the large genset for 240v needs such as hotwater and well pump as needed. should save a ton of gas. Thank you so much for sharing your story and glad you all made it through relatively okay!

[@judiehavard4903]

Yes. We have storms Tornados and often the power is out for 2 weeks. I keep a barrel of water. And 4 - 5 gal. Water jugs that have a pump on top to get the water out. So I don't have to be lifting the jugs. And also keep 2- 30 gal garbage cans that I use only for emergency use to put water in. They are kept stacked and stored. I also keep emergency supplies inside. I keep 2 - battery operated 10 inch fans. I keep and emergency crank radio and a small regular radio. I keep 6 large LED Lanterns and 4 small ones. I do not use candles any more to much chance for fire. And make sure I have 2 good Flashlights that throw a beam for long distance. So if It is dark you can shine that light a long distance across the back or front yard to see if we have trees down whatever. Or torn fence. I have a smaller 2000 Predator generator. That has a sine wave inverter and It is portable. I can lift it with 2 hands and put it in my car if need be..and a larger Westinghouse 9500 generator. And had a transfer switch installed on the house. My husband and I are both getting older retired and he can't fix things like he used to. So I had to make everything where I could easily run it. My husband used to take care of anything like that but now I have to step up to do it. Some things I had to replace because they were just old. And some I had to modernize. We also keep stored plywood cut to fit our windows. And labeled for each window. So to put them in place. We keep a few bags of these window clips that will hold that plywood in place and grip into our brick on the outside. But keep in mind doing this will also block all views to the outside during a storm. Tarps. Need at least 2 large Tarps. In case you have roof damage And nails. If you can store some 2x4 to hold on your tarps after a storm. Tarps large enough to go over the roof ridge and down to cover any damage. The last storm we had was not predicted to be bad. But when I did hit land it increased in strength. My daughter did not prepare and their area was severely damaged and I was able to take all the supplies she needed to her to get them through a little over a week of power outage. Including water. It was that storm that made me stock up on tarps and nails and 2x4. Because the prices skyrocketed on them and they were gone in 3 days. Everyone was covering roofs.. I also now keep some small solar powered battery. They are small 100 watt. To keep a phone charged or if I have extra family there for their phones as well. If they had to evacuate their homes. I keep several blowup air mattresses sheet sets and blankets for those air mattresses. For family. I keep 4 singles and a queen set. And an electric pump to blow them up quickly.. Wal Mart does sell some very inexpensive sheet sets. You just have to look for them. So if need be I can take in up to 10 people now to stay with us during a storm if needed. And because of the Texas blackout. I have also purchased a Mr Buddy heater and extra long hose to hook up the grill size propane heater to . And have 4 propane tanks full. Also the heaters are what I am giving as Christmas gifts to other family members for Christmas with the hoses. So I don't have to worry about them in a power outage in Winter. Not something they would necessarily want for Christmas but practical.

[@thehomesteadinggrandparent8672]

@Judie Havard thanks for sharing the great ideas. I love how you are not only preparing for your self but other family members as well. Yes, they should be big boys and girls and prepare themselves BUT things happen. Mentioning the tarps reminds me of family that came to Texas from Louisiana for Hurricane Ida to get supplies and tarps was one of the primary items. Also love the idea of the Christmas gifts. We just bought a Mr. Buddy as well. God bless you and yours!

[@sperkins5244]

I need a hand crank emergency radio. Can you tell me a good brand you use? I've heard they are too hard to use (The hand crank).

[@kevinadams9468]

It's always good to have an after-action report, like the military uses, to evaluate what really happened. Most focus on preparing, not what happened afterwards. You gave us a good report. More people should do this type of self-evaluation AND share it with others. I am going for a dual fuel generator myself, gasoline for short term outages, and my propane system hooked up for longer outages. If power is out, often so are gas pumps as well as electronic payment methods. I think you evaluation should focus on living during an emergency rather than trying to meet the demands of a standard US household as it uses energy, etc. during normal times. AC is a luxury, for example, and your generator should not be purchased to run every single home appliance during a difficult period. In the winter, for instance, you can set items in coolers or boxes outside rather than use freezers or refrigerators. In an emergency you need only power lights, limited cooking source, computer and/or radio to stay informed. TVs are luxuries, and appliances such as toasters or even coffee machines (which use ASTRONOMICAL amounts of electricity) should be considered for very limited use only. Most people who prepare fail to mentally prepare, which includes assuming we need to power to supply our homes or homesteads at 100% pre-emergency levels. This is a recipe for disappointment, if not disaster. Great video. Keep up the good work. Best of luck to you!

[@thehomesteadinggrandparent8672]

Thanks so much for taking the time to watch the video and more importantly be willing to share your thoughts. We really appreciate the honesty in pointing out a shift in focus. Comments like yours and some of the others have made me realize we really need to learn how to live with less. Thanks again and God bless.

[@rockjockchick]

Ac is only a luxury in some areas. When temps get to 110-115 deg it is necessary to have cooling especially for little ones and elderly.

[@rickfetters4652]

@@rockjockchick early Arizonans and others survived in 100++ temps. And there aren't many places in the US that reach those high levels. 100 -105 is more common, and staying in shade with a breeze is doable for most because they are climatized to heat. With the ability to make ice, fans should get most thru if there is a CAPABLE adult near. Arizona used wet sheets out outside at night to combat the heat pre-electric days.

[@jimm1738]

Maybe buy a Dietz kerosine lantern for the pool pump enclosure. It will put off a small amount of heat to keep things from freezing. Also lasts a long time between refills. I bought one for my sprinkler backflow preventer, which I normally heat with 2 electric lamps.

[@robertburnett5343]

A Plastic Sheet liner in the Tub works. Garage storage of can goods can freeze.

[@thehomesteadinggrandparent8672]

Agree. Extreme temperature on either end of the scale is not healthy for canned goods. In our case along the Texas Gulf Coast, we have to contend with 90-100 degrees during the summer, which prohibits storage in our garage. Thanks for commenting and God Bless.

[@davidz1681]

I barely stumbled upon your video. I live in Texas and I appreciate your advice. I've been prepping ever since that nightmare.

[@thehomesteadinggrandparent8672]

@davidz thanks so much for watching and commenting. Yes, I hope we do not have to go through that again anytime soon. But if we do, we will be better prepared this time. God bless you and yours.

[@maryjomccallister9102]

I looked up the specs on your generator. It only uts out 35.5 amps max. The 50 amp outlet on there is a "convenience" to be able to hook it to a transfer switch easier, but it will still only give you 35.5 amps. You'll just have to limit what you have running at one time. If your generator is made with parallel ports, you can get a Champion parallel kit at Lowe's and hook two generators together to give you a true 50 amps. My friend has two Harbor Freight Predator 3500 inverter generators with a champion parallel kit and gets true 50 amps for his food trailer.

[@thehomesteadinggrandparent8672]

Thanks so much for watching and presenting your thoughts.

[@joebrown8032]

There are several comments made about credit cards/ATM, etc. not working…IMHO, you must have what you deem to be adequate cash on hand to get you thru. Do no have any bills larger than $10 on hand…#1 there will likely be little chance of a business being able to break a large bill, nor after a short period of time will they likely be able to make change at all. As far as the water, you said you had a pool, so get the Berkey water filter and that would be a great source of water. Also get some “Life Straws,” so you can drink right from the source if necessary. This was a good report and got me to reconsidering some of my preps. A couple of Water Bob’s would be good to have on hand. Great job and great responses from everyone. What part of the world do you live in?

[@thehomesteadinggrandparent8672]

Thanks for watching and commenting. Excellent point on cash in small bills. During the freeze last year all electronic payment methods were down where power was not available. Fortunately a few businesses across our area maintained power but quickly ran out of fuel due to no deliveries. We are on the Texas Gulf Coast of the USA. God bless you and yours.

[@miranduri]

There is something named a water bob. You put it inside the bathtub and fill it up.

[@thehomesteadinggrandparent8672]

Last time we checked, they were on back order. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@paulchildress352]

In Virginia - we use 6 fully rebuilt Kerosun (Kerosun TM Only) heaters with new wicks and treated K1 clear kerosene along with a CM detector that too has battery backup. Has saved us many of times. Our generator is only 5500 watts that even runs the hot water heater as long as you you turn everything else off until the water heater is satisfied. We have many AM FM & SW battery radios. And if the peanut butter hits the fan, I have a ham station setup. General FCC operator. .

[@thehomesteadinggrandparent8672]

Thanks so much for watching and commenting. We keep a lot of batteries on hand but do not have a simple am/fm radio. Adding that to our list since a number of you have referenced the item.

[@bsykes]

If I may suggest before buying anymore electric device, check with a local electrician on which unit to buy. Also, look into buying the 7 1/2 gallon blue water storages jugs. Buy one for each person in your home or who you are responsible for.

[@thehomesteadinggrandparent8672]

Thanks for the input. As we are learning from comments received, we are shifting focus towards less energy consumption and alternate energy sources. Definitely, going to be checking into the water storage containers. Thanks so much for watching and again providing input.

[@loubzac3]

Good info. Make sure you have maintenance items for your generators such as oil, plugs, filters. Change the oil more often than the manufacture suggests. During hurricane Ike people burning up engines left and right because they where trying to run them around the clock and not changing oil. A window air conditioner is the best idea. Keep one room cool. Turn off all unnecessary electrical loads. Watts divided be voltage equals amps. Don’t forget the fuel stabilizer

[@thehomesteadinggrandparent8672]

Couldn’t agree with you more on frequent oil change and using fuel stabilizer. Also, been running our generators monthly as part of our maintenance program.

[@loubzac3]

@@thehomesteadinggrandparent8672 running the generators once a month is great. My experience is most people, myself included, aren’t good at sticking to that schedule or I think I just ran it a couple of weeks ago but in reality it was a couple of months lol

[@wishingb5859]

Totally agree about the maintenance things. Also, don't leave them filled with gas when not in use. During a hurricane in the Northeast, all of our generators didn't work because my brother had left the gas in. He got the parts then and fixed them within a day but maintaining them, running them once a year whether you need to or not and keeping things like maintenance items is so important.

[@loubzac3]

@@wishingb5859 I recommend running it once a month. Fuel goes bad quick. Stabilizer is great but my experience not guaranteed

[@wishingb5859]

@@loubzac3 Yeah. I have heard that the type of ethanol-free gas you can buy at places like Home Depot can last up to 5 years unopened. I try to not put the gas in the generator until the power is actually out.

[@JoePolvino]

Aside from having on hand the supplies you anticipate you'll need, it is critical to actually run scenarios for an adequate duration. I've found that while I had the necessary supplies, the execution didn't always go smoothly, because there will be unexpected snags in the actual implementation. For example, did you consider the need to plastic off a set of rooms to reduce the amount of space to heat or cool? Have you actually tried to use the curb water shutoff valve? Do you have what you need to shut off the natural gas supply? Does the outlet that feeds your house actually work? Did you actually test the garage door release and can your spouse effectively lift the door? Do you have correct grade of spare oil for your generator and do you know how to change the oil? Also consider a checklist. There is a chance that while you can probably figure out what do do on the fly, you could make a costly mistake. We all think differently under stress, so having known good instructions is important. Maybe you're away and your spouse or child needs to figure out what do to and how to do it. Sometimes, the sequence of steps is critical, and until you actually run a live simulation, you might not have those nailed down.

[@stephensuter7242]

Well done! We made similar changes - especially spare power sources

[@wishingb5859]

I believe strongly in having multiple backup plans. For instance, I have a gas generator, but there were times when trees were down on every single street and it took days before it was safe to drive to a gas station. I had enough fuel until they were open, but they only took cash because their credit card machines didn't work and I had cash but that storm lasted 10 days and eventually, that would have been a problem. I ended up getting a solar generator. There are ones like a Titan which people use to run a cabin or a Bluetti EP500 or getting solar and a Tesla power wall is another option. Some of those are expensive, but if you know that someone from your family will be in the house for 20 years, my next-door neighbor did the zero money lease and loves it. Her electricity is $9.75 per month now and she didn't have to buy the panels. It is only good if you know you will be keeping the property for 20 years because they put a lien on the property and you would be responsible for the loan if the person who bought the house didn't keep it and it makes it harder to sell your house for that reason.

[@judiehavard4903]

I purchased 2 large garbage cans to hold water. They are approx. 30 gal. A piece. So 60 gal. of water extra. Just make sure they DO NOT HAVE WHEELS OR DRAINAGE HOLES IN THE BOTTOMS. You certainly don't want to purchase the containers and get home to find they have holes in them. They can also be used for storage of emergency supplies inside. Be sure to get the lids. To help keep the water clean. Just wash with a little soapy water before use. And rinse.

[@mobilecomptrek]

For both bathtubs, get a water bob for each. You won't need to worry about leakage and the water will be cleaner.

[@thehomesteadinggrandparent8672]

Interesting! Have not heard of this device. Looked it up. Great 💡!

[@Cyberhacker3]

My work was throwing away a 275 gal IBC tote (it held corn syrup) and i took it home and washed it out and im going to fill it to 150 gallons with drinking water (and 3 bottles of water preserver) I'm going to simply let it freeze and either it survives the winter or it will water my lawn in the spring where it cracks, my hope is that by only filling it to slightly above half way , it will give it room to expand without ripping itself apart. If it works , i'll toss a couple more totes out in the shed.

[@thehomesteadinggrandparent8672]

I really like the idea of the food grade totes for water storage. Thanks so much for watching and commenting.

[@jonathand3613]

You could probably fill it to 175-200 gallons

[@tooshieg2059]

Great video thanks for sharing. Pertaining to water storage, look at 55-gal blue barrels. Stick them in the garage with a 2x4 plywood and you have a workbench.

[@thehomesteadinggrandparent8672]

Thanks so much for watching and sharing ideas. Great comment concerning “temporary” use of the barrels and plywood top. God bless and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

[@rockwilliams457]

Texas Hill Country here....very good video. That was very rough for us down here. Not looking forward to this winter coming up, but am taking measures to improve our position if we have another outage....thank you my brother and God bless you and yours..

[@thehomesteadinggrandparent8672]

True. Infrastructure in our part of the country is not structured to handle extreme temperatures, hot or cold. We are learning so much from responses received and adjusting accordingly. God bless and thanks for commenting and subscribing.

[@richardrobertson1331]

I missed any discussion about cooking indoors. If your neighborhood and home have natural gas, I would consider using that for the generators, as well. I spend a few days every week in the mountains of Nevada (no electricity or plumbing) and live off a gasoline generator and I haul water. Small butane cooking stoves are cheap, easy to set up, and many are "safe" to use indoors (get a carbon monoxide monitor, anyway). One can of butane (less than $4 each) cooks seven meals, with judicial use . . . no wasted burner time. Air conditioning really eats up electricity, so I'd consider a swamp cooler. Your pond may not always be a safe water storehouse, so I'd consider having a shallow well dug and a hand pump, if you water table is high enough. Otherwise the blue 40 gallon plastic bottles (with a hand crank pump) work well and food grade left-overs are cheap ($25 or so). If you are considering a wood stove for heat, I'd suggest one with a cook top, as well. There are several on the market. I used one for seven years . . . even used it to boil down maple syrup. The most important thing I heard you say is that you and your wife were re-evaluating past experiences. Keep it up . . . always re-evaluate. Part of my professional career was spend repairing damage from bacteria, so if you are considering canning meat, please use a pressure cooker. It's tough to kill botulism producing bacteria in canned meat without a pressure cooker. Even then, cook your bottled meat, again, before eating it since cooking usually degrades botulism toxin. I enjoyed your video.

[@thehomesteadinggrandparent8672]

Excellent comments! Agree, carbon monoxide takes the lives of folk every year. We have two carbon monoxide detectors in our home and multiple smoke detectors. Love your attention to detail, even know how many meals a bottle of gas yields. We are definitely believers in pressure canning. Not worth the risk! Thanks so much watching and providing feedback. God bless and enjoy the mountains, which I’m sure you do.

[@arnoldreiter435]

some thoughts on changes for better results....a water bob to put in the tub, less chance of leaks and get one with a pump to easily remove water as needed. as for generators, add a second one for some redundancy and flexibility for maintenance and fuel conservation. Did you say you have a pool? find a method to use that already huge amount of water. for heat and cool look into mini splits....you can assign one area in your house to be mainlined by one of these and reduce your electrical load greatly and lastly solar panels.....they can reduce fuel use on the generator, help power the mini split, run a lot of electrical during the day. and last batteries, expensive but with generators and solar you can have options of how you get thru the dark hours.

[@thehomesteadinggrandparent8672]

Agree. The water bob seems to be a popular item. Based on number of recommendations, we have that on our “to get “ list. Thanks for watching and the suggestions!

[@wishingb5859]

Have you thought about Mr. Buddy Heaters?

[@thehomesteadinggrandparent8672]

Just checked them out. Nice looking little heater. We need something for our back patio we just closed in. I believe this little guy will do the job. Thanks for watching and the great ideas!

[@wishingb5859]

@@thehomesteadinggrandparent8672 I love the process you are doing. I have had to re-evaluate this every power outage. We have had a few long ones. More than one of them it was dangerous to drive to a gas station. I used to go back and forth trying to figure out the logic but now I have a little bit of everything. I have a few solar things but it is often a storm when power goes out so I use the gas generator to recharge the solar generator at times.

[@judiehavard4903]

Homestead Heart on KZbin does an excellent video for beginner pressure canning. Takes the fear out of it.

[@peetsnort]

One old fashion thing is the bow saw. It heats you twice. Once cutting the wood and second the fire

[@thehomesteadinggrandparent8672]

Very true. Thanks for watching a commenting.

[@ronvance1958]

We have a 15K water tank that was put there for the fire department to use but they told us they won't use it. We are on a well and when the power goes out no water from the well that is shared with 29 other households. I have a hose and the others on the well come over with buckets for there needs. We are thinking of getting a freeze dryer so we can freeze meat and food products.We also have a 250 gallon propane tank to rely on. Bought years ago the Lost Ways books on how our ancestors survived without all the goodies we have

[@thehomesteadinggrandparent8672]

Ron, thanks so much for watching and providing your thoughts. Great that you have a size-able water source available during an emergency. We have not checked I. To the freeze drying equipment. Do pressure can a lot though. God bless you and yours.

[@billmafturack8189]

I would add a naphtha lantern, stove and heater made by Colman with four containers of fuel , a few coal oil lamps wouldn’t hurt . Good luck . 👍 one tip I would add is heating a bunch medium rocks outside by a fire and using large pots you can transport into the house for a long lasting renewable heat source ..

[@thehomesteadinggrandparent8672]

Great idea of using an outdoor heating source for indoor heating!

[@bennoah1673]

We went the whole time on our wood stove, and LP Dearborn and oil lamps, we distilled our water we caught off the house, cold enough outside to hang meat.

[@thehomesteadinggrandparent8672]

Thanks for watching and commenting. You just reminded me, we have a Dearborn heater in our attic that I completely forgot about. Put it up there probably 10 yrs ago when we gave up our hunting lease. I’ll be getting that bad boy down soon!

[@canadianneo-frontiersmen6165]

May I suggest a water bob next time to fill water in the bath thub.

[@thehomesteadinggrandparent8672]

Definitely. You along with others who have responded have convinced me this is a necessary item for our homestead. Thanks so much for commenting and subscribing. God bless you!

[@alexandrastarks]

Lot of good ideas. We're going do a few of those. We gotta figure out what to do about the back leaking into the house just from heavy rain. If we get flooding this year we're gonna end up with a small flood in the back room. We've been thinking on that too.

[@commonman7776]

consider a water bob i goes in your tub lay a towel down first, it comes with a siphon, wonderful product, aslo a 55 gal drum for water, you need to get a siphon and bung wrench, keep i filled or fill it just befor the next freeze, i do both of these things, just me and my wife ty god bless Tom

[@thehomesteadinggrandparent8672]

Yes sir. Thanks for watching and subscribing! God bless.

[@bradgimbert582]

9500 watts is 39.5 amps at 240 volts. You were close to your Gensets limit.

[@rock283]

Please consider a propane fuel gauge for your propane tanks if you do go with the propane conversion on your generator. Most are around 15-20 dollars at a hardware store. The other thing to consider would be a device called a Kill-A-Watt meter. That way you can get an accurate look at how much power each device you have is pulling. That way if you write it all down and have a hard copy, you are able to know how much you can run at any one time before you trip a breaker. Another youtube channel called PreppingOver50 used solar generators during that whole cold snap and highlighted the pros and cons of those machines. Basically how they're a big battery that you charge up before hand, and that gives you the ability to run appliances at night or without using up gas. The big takeaway I got from him was how an electric blanket draws a lot less power than a space heater. Hope you all have a good thanksgiving and christmas.

[@thehomesteadinggrandparent8672]

Excellent feedback. I can see me using the kilowatt meter for sure. Will check the other channel, as well. Good to know about the electric blanket versus space heater. We did purchase the Lil Buddy another subscriber suggested, which operates on propane versus electricity. Thanks so much for watching and especially the feedback. We are learning so much from you guys commenting!

[@rock283]

@@thehomesteadinggrandparent8672 That's good to hear. I am thinking about getting an adapter hose for my Lil Buddy to run on the 20lb propane tanks instead of the 1Lb Coleman size bottles. You have a good thanksgiving.

[@kimmer6]

@@rock283 I got the 20 lb BBQ propane tank, 10 foot hose, and a propane FILTER, to run my Little Buddy for a long time. Don't skimp on the filter as some hoses have oils that ruin the heating element. I'm into lithium iron phosphate batteries, inverters, solar generators, engine powered generators for every fuel type and have FIVE Kill-A-Watt meters with everything in the house marked in wattage draw and Volt Amps. When the power is out, I do an Apollo 13 type electrical load audit while on batteries. Its a hobby of sorts tinkering with this stuff. I need a prepping channel called Damn Near 70 With Ass Dragging 24/7. Haha, ''solar generators''. I despise the term but built several of my own. Since you know about Kw loads, I'm attaching my #7 homebuilt solar generator video I made for my camper friend a few months ago. I built it for my son and daughter in law to keep their home fridge cold and 2 chest freezers running. It can also run their central gas furnace with their Reliance furnace transfer switch. At 130 pounds, it takes a truck and 2 strong backs to move so its not a camper special. I love watching the battery state of charge meter recalculate battery life as loads vary. It ran my wire feed welder during testing as well as a 10K BTU window AC with no trouble. Its 7200 watt hours 560 amp hours. kzbin.info/www/bejne/hIrTlK2Ijql5gLM

[@bhamptonkc7]

Your using a ton of power, more generators still cost more fuel. Led lights, solar panels and a way to store power like a lithium battery bank, any solar will help even if only 100 watts , for you propane heat makes the most sense you could up your storage and it will be there when you need it, Salt in the pool will lower the freezing point a lot and is not expensive. Air conditioning is tough you would need to run a generator constantly to support even a small unit.

[@thehomesteadinggrandparent8672]

Great feedback. I agree, we do use a lot of electricity (family of 6), which is probably our biggest challenge. Reducing energy consumption is certainly preferred over adding additional resources. Roof-mounted solar panels seem to be on the rise in our area. However, the little research I have done indicates they are still out of my price range. Also, can’t imagine the cost to have the panels removed and re-installed when the roof needs replacing. Our pool is saltwater, so yea we already have some salt in it, which is probably why it made it through as good as it did. Thanks so much for watching and the feedback. God bless.

[@bhamptonkc7]

@@thehomesteadinggrandparent8672 very nice, as I said even a 100 watt panel in the back yard can make a difference it is not an all or nothing decision, when the power came on during the outage and the Power Company was struggling to get things back on line if you turn all your heat and lights on that contributes to the power failing over and over as long as there is not enough to go around.. Add same portable led lights with some good rechargeable battery’s and you won’t need open flame candles all over the house. Keep yo the good work and I will keep improving also.

[@peetsnort]

The reasons for going camping You will learn what you can't get and you will never be without a backup barrel of essential items

[@joebrown8032]

Don’t forget to have back up power consideration as a backup for those folks that have lifesaving medical devices that are necessary to live. The generator is the backup, but what if the generator runs out of fuel or breaks down.

[@Ryan-be8jf]

I know fuel, backup heat, and movement,were my weak areas, I've remedied all those with large propane tanks, large fuel tanks, snow chains, and feet cleats

[@davidjones1393]

THKS GOOD JOB

[@Cenlalowell]

Got that generator it's a beast

[@randywolfe44]

As soon as we noticed the water pressure dropping we filled the tub and it saved our bacon 🥓. We were without water for 5 days.

[@thehomesteadinggrandparent8672]

Randy Wolfe fortunately we never lost water supply. Went to order the Bob and looks like it is on backorder. We do have 20-25 two gallon Shipley Donut buckets with lids we can fill in an emergency for now. Thanks for watching and commenting. God bless and have an awesome Thanksgiving.

[@oby-1607]

The generator is for emergency only. The larger the generator, the more fuel it will burn and the more fuel you will have to use and one has to measure what you are going to use in the event of an emergency. One may not have access to fuel if power is out everywhere close and fuel doesn't store forever so it has to be updated regularly. Some people talk about how you need at least a 50 amp circuit to survive, but you do not. Try to think of the long term and in a worst case scenario one could be down for power for weeks. So conservative wins, not huge power. We have a 3 kilowatt and a 7 kilowatt generator on standby which are started monthly to make sure they work and renew the fuel. Air conditioning running off of a generator is not a priority for us but we don't live in Texas. I have been to El Paso in April and it can be hot even then, so we do know how hot it can be there, so that is a personal consideration for air conditioning . Its only going to get worse with calamities in this world. Be prepared.

[@thehomesteadinggrandparent8672]

Thanks for watching and your comments. I couldn’t agree more with the need to be prepared. Thanks so much for sharing your perspective on “generator philosophy”. We are learning a lot from our viewer feedback. For us, powering refrigeration equipment is priority (food storage). Also agree, A/C is convenience but I sure wake up in a better mood when I’ve had a good nights rest. 🤣 it does get hot and sultry here along the Texas Gulf Coast in the summer months. God bless you and yours!

[@NYHalfassprepper]

Great after action report. Hopefully it will inspire your viewers to be better prepared. A couple of pro tips from the northeast. Every house up here has backup heat. I have a coal stove but use what you can get wood propane pellets etc. Another pro tip, 30 or 40 lb propane tanks if you can lift them. Some other considerations Mr buddy style heater, butane cooktop with a dozen cans. A hot meal will go a long way for morale.

[@thehomesteadinggrandparent8672]

Thanks so much for watching, commenting and vote of confidence. We just purchased and received a Mr. Buddy, which we can use on our enclosed patio. God bless you and yours. P.S. love your name. I feel that way sometimes too! Lol!

[@drknockers5716]

Lets go Brandon f j b

[@Rich33527]

Those portable AC units are very inefficient and pull alot of AMPS. You are better off with a couple window units. My plan in a hurricane was to power 2 small window units that could cool a couple bedrooms to hang out in for the duration . You'll use much less fuel than trying to cool the whole house. The window units I bought only pulled about 500 amps each. Anything that generates heat also pulls alot of AMPs, like ovens/toasters and such. I decided we would go without those options and use propane stoves/grills for cooking. Use your fuel to keep the refrigerators/freezers operating and not cooling the whole house.

[@thehomesteadinggrandparent8672]

@Damuson thanks so much for the feedback on the portable a/c unit. Based on viewer comments and additional research, we too have put in our 2022 budget a small window unit to cool one area for sleeping. Our primary power focus now is as you stated, to keep refrigeration equipment operational, especially during the hotter months (Hurricane season). We plan to run the generator sparingly and rotate power supply to the refrigeration equipment. For gasoline fuel, we have multiple 5 gallon storage containers, which we keep fresh by using the fuel in lawn equipment and vehicles. Then re-filling them about every month. Thanks again for watching and sharing your point of view.

[@rocketsurgery8337]

Your generator is too big. Keep it as a backup but you need one thar puts out 3500 watts otherwise you're throwing gasoline away. Save the larger generator to run things intermittently like 240v well pump... I keep a minimum of 40 gallons of gasoline in cans and a full tank in my Suburban with a 40 gallon tank and 16 gallons in my Buick. I don't drive the Suburban much so I put ethanol free gasoline from the local co-op that's also where I get my 40 gallons of stored fuel. Ethanol only attracts water and problems. Add some fuel stabilizer and it will keep for 2 years. My son is disabled and lives with me so I prep because there's no bugging out. I keep over 250 gallons of water stored in 55 gallon barrels and 6 gallon water jugs plus 12 cases of water. The barrels have been treated with calcium hypochlorite and have a shelf life over one year. I also keep 2 Water Bob's handy for my bath tubs. Our local grocery limits canned food purchases so I order from Wal-Mart online. Watch the prices and make sure the seller ships and the food isn't for pick-up. I just bought 36 cans of cream of mushroom soup and 36 cans of canned red beans. Wal-Mart sells white rice for $17.48 for 20 pounds. I keep 300 pounds. When I get the rice I put it in my freezer to kill any weevils, even the best rice can have weevils although I've never seen any from Wal-Mart. Store your rice in plastic totes to keep pests out. Look up KZbin videos for rice recipes that use beans and cream of mushroom soup. Powdered eggs actually taste pretty good if you cook with them. Invest in larger containers (1 pound) of spices that you can only find online, you'll need them to spice up the rice and beans. Buy in bulk now, the prices are only going to go up. This grandparent has been preaching to his children and siblings for years and they're just starting to realize that I'm not so crazy, well maybe a little 😜 Hope you found this information useful. Good luck!

[@thehomesteadinggrandparent8672]

Great input! We store rice, sugar, flour, beans, honey, etc in plastic containers we purchase from Shipley Donuts.

[@judiehavard4903]

Do a DIY Berkey Water Filter. Will save a lot of money. Videos for that on KZbin.

[@thehomesteadinggrandparent8672]

@Judie Havard thanks for the tip. Watched a couple of the videos and really like the setup and the cost savings. Thanks for watching and God Bless.

[@MichaelSHartman]

For those who have medication that requires refrigeration a small energy efficient refrigerator/ freezer might be an idea. I am seriously unimpressed with electronic coolers. I have not used a kerosene refrigerator. Keeping water filled 2 liter soda bottles frozen for thermal chest might be good. Today's planned obsolescence machines can quit at any time. Canning, or drying some of one's frozen food might prevent a total loss. Basement, and root cellars have natural cooling. Of course, hurricane and flood regions wouldn’t be able to take advantage.

[@thehomesteadinggrandparent8672]

Excellent point on medication and refrigeration. I have not even given that a thought, as we have no meds requiring refrigeration. I am with you on life expectancy of refrigeration products these days. Seems pricing over-rides quality. In my line of work we say, “you can have a quality product, better pricing or reduced time to produce the product but you can’t have all three. Here in America, it’s all about cost/pricing. We are canning more and more of our own produce. Trying to convince Nan to can meat as well. Thanks for the watching and the feedback.

[@MichaelSHartman]

@@thehomesteadinggrandparent8672 Regarding canning meat once I got started, I didn't stop. Meat (chicken) is fall off the bone tender. If it siphons, it's a mess. Wipe the trims with vinegar, and use wide mouth jars. Here pork and beef jumped over 30% overnight.

[@mun6884]

Your new generator will handle your a.c. and lights in your house and fridge

[@jbkarma1977]

A water Bob for the bathtub .

[@thehomesteadinggrandparent8672]

This is an idea We are moving forward with for sure, especially considering hurricane season. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@wishingb5859]

My generator ran 2 window a/c's for 10+ hours a day when I lost power the year before last and I think it is the same size as yours but it isn't that brand. I would be seriously surprised if yours wouldn't.

[@thehomesteadinggrandparent8672]

I agree. Hopefully, we don’t have to find out anytime soon and the generator remains a backup. Lol!

[@commonman7776]

i am ne to your channel thumbs up my friend Tom

[@thehomesteadinggrandparent8672]

Thank you sir for subscribing. God bless.

[@robertprestonsr2453]

I would encourage you to make more ways to store PROPANE... Why? Because it is easy to store and can be kept fresh for years... 2.) LP can be used with VENT LESS or VENT FREE HEATERS... these require NO electricity and also are portable as needed.. 3.) So I heat all winter in MICHIGAN with propane.... While I have a 600 lb tank on hand... I also have 8 100lb tanks...(full)... 10 40lb tanks, (full) and 12 30lb tanks (full)... I also have plenty of extra parts, fittings, gas hose lines, gauges, and regulators... Why? Because, in a real crisis... you just cannot have too much in my opinion.. (can be used for barter... but also a real target for THEFT).... But anyway, best to have a couple of vent less heaters-- most regular furnaces will not work without electricity... good also to have lp gas grille top burners... (3 top... :Royale Gourmet... can go right into regular lp can...) Now, I know this may seem strange, but, I have a good number of deep cycle batteries on hand.. 12 volt-- marine type--... These can be hooked up in parallel... I use groups of 4 and run these through an INVERTOR... And I use this for most LOW AMP electrical devices... Instead of the Grid.. Why? Because this gives me 3 to 5 days worth of power without NOISE and running the damn GENERATOR... I use my generator to recharge the batteries.... or, of course, I use the grid if it is up and on... Now, I suggest you KNOW the AMPS needed for all of your electrical devices.... Refrigerators, Freezers, computers do not use many AMPS at all... Forget about Hot Water Heaters, A/C units... and anything which takes 220 V... (and the pool) And to me, SOLAR is useless in Michigan, and, Solar does NOT HAVE enough AMPS, and NEVER WILL... (I have never seen a solar system that does not use and run through BATTERIES... never..) Now no offense intended, but you are thinking in terms of a week or so without the grid... I suggest you think of a crisis of at least 6 months.... OR... you probably won't make it...

[@thehomesteadinggrandparent8672]

@Robert Preston thanks so much for taking the time to respond. Great feedback! Your planning and preparation detail is impressive. No offense taken. Thanks again for the great ideas. God bless you and your family.

[@chrisbarberi4173]

Use bathtub…with a liner.

[@thehomesteadinggrandparent8672]

Great idea! Thanks for watching and providing feedback.

[@baldeagle2128]

Solar power

[@thehomesteadinggrandparent8672]

We received a private message asking where we purchased the generator. In case you are wondering the same. electricgeneratorsdirect.com. We are very pleased with the timely delivery and condition of the shipment.

[@georgemoomaw9437]

Great video. Great advice. HOWEVER …… when it comes to air conditioning in a power outage, I think I will look to 99% of the world population and 100% of my ancestors to just suck it up and deal with the heat. You may wish to consider the same and not be such a panzie

[@thehomesteadinggrandparent8672]

Lol! Agree, we have become very spoiled here in America. Your comment along with others has lead us to re-evaluate our power allocation. Focused more on minimizing generator use now and less on personal comfort. Thanks so much for watching and providing your perspective.