Author Archives: AH Trimble

Non-Supportive Wife & Stay Balanced !

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  • I read your “Brand new to prepping…where do I start?” article and I wish I had read something like that before I started prepping. My wife isn’t exactly on the same page as I am when it comes to buying and storing preps. What should I do?

Firsts off…a marriage is far, far more important than prepping…any prepping…period! Second…I am really glad you enjoyed and found value in the brand new article. It’s great to hear folks feedback when they find useful info.

Couple thoughts from personal experience…stay balanced. Don’t become a prepper fanatic or obsessed with any single aspect of prepping. An abrupt change of behavior, and especially fanaticism, can scare any spouse…and children.

Also, I found it helpful to share an idea with my wife…I told her that food storage can help reduce household expenses come retirement time. And during one conversation my wife shared the following, “At least you aren’t spending money on booze, cigarettes, or gambling.” I took it as kind of a compliment.

Another strategy I found helpful was using the layering method. Buying only what I needed in an organized fashion kinda kept it all under control while still prepping. <click here to learn more about layering>

After a couple of years my wife started seeing the value in prepping based on current events at the time. She has become more and more sold ever since.She is 100% onboard now. But I had to be patient, understanding, cautious, and remember that my marriage to her was far more important than prepping. There is a lot to be said for, “Happy wife, happy life.”

The key was communication and not getting her mad at me or frustrated with what I was doing…and being balanced.

So how do you handle “balance” in a prepper life?

The concept comes from a class I took many decades ago. The speaker talked about wagon wheels and how each spoke had to be the same diameter, length, and strength. And the spokes had to be contained within a rim to hold it all together. I think the same concept can be applied to prepping.

I also think that there is a good case for the spoked wheel approach after an event occurs…be it an emergency, disaster, or a grid-down incident.

Yes, I included a lot of religious focus because I am a believer. If your not…then modify the wheel accordingly…or consider becoming a believer.

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Top 3 Apocalypse Vegetables

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This article came from a question asked of me: What would the top 3 vegetables be in your garden during the apocalypse?

Valid question…although the first time I have been asked that. And it is not an easy question to answer if you are looking for advice from me.

Why’s that? Because you might live in Alaska or Florida or the deserts of New Mexico…and, on top of that, I am no gardening expert.

I’ve lived in and learned to garden in the mid-west, the south-east, and the desert south-west; I am learning to garden in a really nice area of Arizona. Each area was/is different in terms of soil, weather, rain, humidity, sun intensity, etc. Each of those factors control how you garden. So I will answer it differently than you might have expected. I will give you my top vegetables, in priority order, but leave it up to you to decide which is best in your area based on your growing conditions and your health needs.

  1. Beans – great source for protein, amino acids, folate, antioxidant, and fiber.
  2. Potatoes – calories/fat/protein, Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, Potassium, Manganese, Phosphorus, Niacin, Folate, and fiber. Probably a genetic thing as well for me.
  3. Squash – vitamins A/C/B, potassium, magnesium, manganese, antioxidant, and fiber. Banana squash has been used to control blood glucose in diabetic patients and greatly assists hypoglycemics. Yellow squash is rich in anti-inflammatory compounds.
  4. Beats – Manganese, Copper, Potassium, Magnesium, Iron, Sodium, Vitamins C/B, folate, and fiber. May reduce blood pressure and blood sugar. May improve athletic ability. Really awesome when pickled.
  5. Cabbage – vitamins K/C/B6, folate, protein, calcium, potassium, antioxidant, and fiber. Helps regulate blood sugar and metabolized cholesterol. Anti-inflammatory that may reduce chronic inflammation.
  6. Tomatoes – calcium and vitamin A/B/C/E/K, and fiber. Beta-carotene, coumaric acid, and chlorogenic acid, and antioxidants. May be a protective food for people with type 2 diabetes.
  7. Peas – contains the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin. Vitimins A/B/C/E, iron, zinc, magnesium, potassium, catechin, epicatechin, coumestrol, and fiber. Rich in antioxidants and phytochemicals. May help as an anti-inflammatory, fight diabetes, control blood sugar, as well as preventing anemia. May assist the body’s immune system, and helps prevent scurvy.
  8. Peppers – vitamin A/B/C/E/K, potassium, folate, antioxidants, fiber, carbs
  9. Garlic – vitamins B/C, manganese, selenium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and fiber. Commonly associated with protection against or helps cure colds, infections, and flu; as well as reducing blood pressure, and reducing total and LDL cholesterol. May improve athletic ability. At high doses, the sulfur compounds in garlic have been shown to protect against organ damage from heavy metal toxicity. Garlic is an antibiotic herb and is marketed as a natural antibiotic supplement. And I have heard the term “poor man’s antibiotic” more than once when talking about the benefits of garlic.
  10. Carrots – contains beta carotene, fiber, vitamins B/K, potassium, sugar, carbs, and antioxidants. Also, Beta carotene, Alpha-carotene, Lutein, Lycopene, Polyacetylenes, and Anthocyanins.

Note: Antioxidants help fight the negative effects of stress.

For me…I would try to grow each of the “10” as much as possible. Each one of these garden beauties plays a part in overall health. And this is especially true while dealing with the stress during the apocalypse, TEOTWAWKI, SHFT, or grid-down.

Don’t neglect the idea/concept of having a fall or winter garden…and you can start your plants indoors to get a jump-start on your summer garden. Especially important if you have a short growing season.

Don’t forget to plant heirloom seeds whenever possible…and then seed save! Planting seeds from hybrid plants may result in some very strange plants with or without producing anything edible.

Yes, I know some of these are actually “fruit”…deal with it…I am talking about finding it in a garden which makes it a vegetable to me 😉

 

 

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Heads Up!

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I guess today is food, garden, & farmer day (another article coming later today).

I became aware of this horrible situation a couple of months ago and I have been following it waiting to see how it developed and wanting to verify some facts and sources.

Here are some key points to this situation:

  1. This is a a deeply religious family and they are farming according to their religious beliefs.
  2. This is a gasoline & diesel-free, fertilizer-free organic farmer.
  3. This is a family farm and family farmer.
  4. The farmer started a members-only food club for his customers, the food is not for sale to the public. The farm’s customers made the choice, with full understanding, that the food was organic and in pure holistic form.

Amos Miller and his family have been farming this way for generations. His farm has been selling direct to customers (cutting out all the commercial middle men) for years. When the US Department of Agriculture found out about it they began an investigation about 2 years ago. Then last year a judge stepped in and assigned a government “expert” to monitor his farm and ensure he was no longer feeding people and providing for his family.

When the federal government expert felt he didn’t have unimpeded and unrestricted access to the farm day or night he complained and asked the judge for armed assistance from US federal law enforcement. The federal bureaucrat wanted his unfettered access and wanted to enforce that at the point of a gun.

A judge then ordered the US Marshall Service (USMS) to provide heavily armed tactical teams, “..then ordered that the USMS was authorized to use whatever reasonable force was necessary to gain entry…”

This is an Amish family farm for God’s sake!!!

Amish are pacifists and they don’t serve in the military and this is well-known and well-documented.

The judge also laid $250,000 of fines against the family farmer and ordered the farmer to pay the salaries of the federal inspectors, employees, and agents assigned to his case. And to top it off…the judge said the farmer had to pay a $50,000 fee up-front as a show of good faith. A family farmer!!  But, to make sure this holistic farmer complied with government demands…they also threatened him with lengthy jail time. Prison for a family farmer!!

JAIL TIME for farming…organically farming and providing wholesome food to private customers who want his style of food products. Think about that for a second. Does that even remotely sound anything like justice.

As the farmer continued to object to and resist the tyranny being forced upon him, the federal government figured it was time to take him out. This summer heavily armed tactical teams from the US Marshalls service raided his farm.

Fortunately for the farmer he is a pacifist and wasn’t outright killed by the US Marshalls for “resisting”.

Now the farmer has been ordered to cease all farming operations. Which simply put, means he can no longer practice all of his religious beliefs, can no longer provide for his family, and can no longer provide organic and wholesome food for families that rely on his farm. And here is the key…he has no income to pay the US federal fines. Which means…he will lose his farm. Isn’t that interesting…think about that point for a minute.

So here are some additional points to ponder:

  1. The US government is attacking a farmer for operating outside of the control of huge multi-national agriculture chemical manufacturers.
  2. The US government is attacking a farmer for operating outside of the control of huge multi-national agriculture seed providers.
  3. The US government is attacking a farmer for operating outside of the control of huge multi-national oil & gas companies.
  4. The US government is attacking a farmer for operating outside of the control of huge national food supply chains.
  5. The US government is attacking a farmer for operating outside of the control of US Department of Agriculture facilities.
  6. The US government is willing to send heavily armed federal law enforcement tactical teams in a military-style operation to enforce its will on a pacifist, highly-religious farmer and his family…for farming.
  7. The US Marshalls that took place in the raid, highly armed and organized in military style tactical teams, had absolutely no problem rushing onto his farm, rounding up his family, holding them at gun point, and putting the farmer out of business.

All the farm related issues are bad enough…and I mean really bad. Your US Government Department of Agriculture at work. But here is the part that is most concerning to me…and should be of utmost concern to all freedom loving citizens.

Why did the US Marshalls participate in this at all? Why did these individuals, these Constitution oath-taking federal law enforcement officers, conduct a military-style raid against a religious family’s farm…for farming?

Is the answer something as simple as…these federal law enforcement officer love playing as badge toting tacti-cool thugs? Or maybe as fundamental as…they love their paycheck more than the US Constitution and Bill of Rights? Hell, maybe the thugs just hate vegetables!

My point…these federal law enforcement agents did it and love it!

I have personally talked to federal agents. I have heard at least one say that no person, other than law enforcement, should own any kind of gun, ever. Others are so trigger happy and gun-ho that they chomp at the bit to go full-tactical against any citizen that resists the government at all. During the Bundy/BLM issue I talked with a federal agent who told me there were lots of federal agents that wanted to be involved…and to open fire on those civilians involved in the peaceful resistance, especially the Bundy’s…to teach them a lesson.

I have been warning you for over a decade of the unbelievable danger from US federal law enforcement agents and agencies. They do not understand, nor support, basic Constitutional and founding principles of rights, freedoms, and liberties. Their interests and intents are not the same as our Founding Fathers…they want only one thing…for you and I to comply. They are the tip of the spear for implementing total compliance with an all powerful federal government.

And that my friend is dangerous…maybe far more dangerous than most people can even imagine.

This isn’t going to end well. And in the meantime…it will be an increasing demonic hell.

* I added this in at the last minute to answer a question…

I have been asked more than once, “Isn’t this just some agents, most are good guys aren’t they?”

Well, I know the answer, but let’s test this concept to be fair:

  1. Did you hear of any US Marshall who refused to go on this family farm raid or speak out against it?
  2. Did you ever hear of any ATF or FBI agent refuse to participate in the murders of Weaver’s wife and child at Ruby Ridge or speak out against it?
  3. Did you ever hear of any ATF or FBI agent refuse to participate in the Waco Massacre or speak out against it?
  4. Did you ever hear of any FBI agent refuse to participate in the murder of Lavoy Finicum or speak out against it?
  5. Did you ever hear of any Secret Service or FBI agent refuse to participate in the Trump home raid or speak out against it?
  6. Did you ever hear of any federal law enforcement agent who refused to participate in or speak out against the coup against President Trump that started before he was even inaugurated or speak out against it?
  7. Have you ever heard of any federal law enforcement agent/officer refuse to participate in or speak out against any federal law enforcement action ever?

Think very, very seriously about that.

Let me share this with you…post 9/11 the federal law enforcement agencies began programs of unrestrained, unrestricted, extra-Constitutional actions in the USA. This has been well documented as factual through investigative journalism, reports to Congress, and actual court documents. As part of these actions they also began a “purge” of any federal law enforcement agent/officer or employee that was deemed a conservative or who outwardly espoused support for rights, freedoms, and liberties. I have had that confirmed to me personally.

So why?

Before you answer that, go back and answer the original question, “Isn’t this just some agents, most are good guys aren’t they?”

Describe “good” to me in this context of federal agents and their actions? For me:

  1. It is only those those agents/officers who 100% support the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the rights, liberties, and freedoms contained therein.
  2. It is only agents/officers who respect the true rule of law…not the phony Department of Justice crap.
  3. It is NOT an agent who attends church.
  4. It is NOT an agent who appears to be a family man with a nice spouse and great children.
  5. It is NOT an agent who is a parent, child, sibling, or friend to someone.
  6. It is NOT an agent who is a veteran.

What matters is only that which the agent/officer does in relation to the Constitution and the Bill of Rights (meaning rights, liberties, and freedoms). Basically it’s their morals, ethics, and principles related to the job. And only how those morals, ethics, and principles relate to their actions on the job through the action of those agents/officers.

And right now…morals, ethics, and principles appear to be an oxymoron when referring to federal law enforcement agencies and their people.

Let’s go back to the question in relation to the purge, “So why?”

The answer should be clear to you at this point. If not…what other evidence and facts do you need? It has been right in front of your face for over 30 years!

So you can decide for yourself who these agencies are…and who the agents and officers are. And that should tell you everything.

Just for the heck of it:

  • Why does the Department of Treasury IRS have SWAT teams?
  • Why does the Department of Agriculture have SWAT teams?
  • Why does the Department of Interior have SWAT teams?
  • Why the hell does the Department of Education have SWAT teams?
  • Why would those SWAT team members want to be on those SWAT teams?
  • Why is the IRS now recruiting armed IRS agents who are willing to use deadly force?
  • What kind of person would want to be an armed IRS agent ready/willing/able to kill?

I just can’t resist this…

Why are the combined federal law enforcement agencies, total number of armed federal law enforcement agents/officers, equal the 7th largest army in the world!?!?!?!?!!?!?

Have you got it yet? Does your family get it yet? Do your friends get it yet? Do the people at your church get it? Do the other people on your social media sites get it?

Everyone in Washington DC gets it…they are behind it!

It’s coming folks…it’s coming.

The only action right now that I think will save our country and our Constitution is prayer.

 

 2009 - 2022 Copyright © AHTrimble.com ~ All rights reserved
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#1 Rule !

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  • What would you say is the #1 rule for a complete collapse of the entire system?

Same as it would be for any emergency, disaster, or grid-down (i.e. complete collapse)…Rule #1 Don’t be stupid!

Meaning, think about you are doing and don’t do stupid stuff. Pretty freaking simple, eh?

Examples: 1) don’t try to hold off a mob of 100 people, 2) don’t get into a gun fight over a 5gal can of gas, 3) don’t let your neighbor’s kids starve to death, 4) don’t run your generator when the entire neighborhood is quiet and dark, 5) don’t tell everyone about your preps, especially your food, 6) don’t brag about or show off all your guns & ammo, 7) don’t prepare for a Walking Dead scenario, 8) don’t vote/act like a Democrat…or most Republicans.

If you want to know more specifically how not to be stupid…read L.I.P.S. <click here>

If you want to be aware of issues coming at you so you can avoid being stupid you could read about Situational Awareness. <click here>

Send me your thoughts, ideas, comments, questions, and concerns…

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Feedback & Comments : 8/19/2022

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AH Trimble Feedback and Comments

  • Hello A.H.!

I am so inundated with emails every day, hundreds literally – there’s no way I have time to read them all, even the ones (like Forward Observer for example) that I have paid for, and generally do nothing more than quickly skim.

But, I always read your posts. And whether or not I comment, although I have not agreed 100% with you on everything all the time, I have great respect for your opinions, your perspective, and your thought process. You are a kindred spirit, and I appreciate all the time and thought you put into your research, your reasoning, and your site.

Keep up the good work! Thank you for all you do! Hope to cross paths again one day, sometime when we’re up in the old mountain home. Don’t get up there much, have turned the house into a VRBO – much as had believed otherwise, the Spirit told me that here, where we are, is where we are needed and need to focus our energy – at least for now. So….we keep on keeping on !! God bless!! (jiatingzhufu)

Well son-of-a-gun! Nice to hear from you. I am so happy to hear the value you place on the website and my articles. I don’t fish for compliments but it is good to hear every once in a while that I am making a positive difference…keeps me motivated and smiling.

I will keep up the work as long as I am able and the Internet stays up and running…and the government & big tech censors don’t shut me down 🙂

I am going to go back to focusing more on prepper articles vs current event articles. We all see what is happening in the world, who is behind it, and where it is all headed. That is pretty dang crystal clear. And just as clear is our need to be ready for it. So I will do what I can to help folks be ready.

Hope you do well with the VRBO…and remember the door is always open.

Hey, anything in particular that you want me to write about?

Send me your thoughts, ideas, comments, questions, and concerns…

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Our Solar Well Pump System

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OK, let’s talk water, solar power, splicing, planning, plan changes, and gasoline prices…

Back when we bought our place in 2016 we were lucky enough to buy a piece of property that already had a well on it. After we bought the place we had the well tested…all was good. We also had them pull the pump at the same time, we wanted to put in a new pump, pipe, etc. Little did I know how much we would eventually change it.

I knew a guy who owned a plumping supply house that specialized in wells, pumps, etc. so I thought he was the logical choice to talk to. After a few minutes of discussion I found out he lived kinda off-grid and knew a lot about off-grid well systems and such. I explained our situation to him, including our usage projections, budget, my skills/experience, and asked him for his recommendation.

He laid it out in very economical terms; 1) 120v AC 1/2hp pump, 2) 10/3 w/ground submersible wire, 3) QB control box, 4) circuit breaker box, 5) connection box with outlet, 6) 3000watt generator, 7) 1” Yellow Bimodal MDPE (Medium Density Polyethylene) Gas Pipe. That was the pump set-up, still had to get it from the wellhead to the house.

The system to move the water from the wellhead to the house was a separate operation and I was a little unclear how it would work out. I had to clarify the house side first and figure out how much storage capacity, redundancy, and reserve would be adequate. I wanted a 2500gal storage tank and choked at the price tag. While on multiple visits to a local plumbing supply house I kept seeing a storage tank sitting in their yard. It was 1100gal and really high quality (Snyder Industries). I eventually bought it for $500 out the door…a real steal. Today you would pay nearly $1,400 for the tank…then shipping charges on top of that.

Next I designed our utility room (100sqft addition on the rear of the house) which would contain the filter system. I also decided I wanted a 330gal reserve tank in the utility room as well.

I measured it out and it was almost 900’ from the wellhead to the house…at the same altitude/elevation. My pump guy said the well pump he recommended would have no issues moving the water from the wellhead to the house since there was no gain in head (no additional height to pump water above the wellhead). But, he did recommend that I use 1-1/4” – 1-1/2” pipe to move the water from the wellhead to the house (lowers the pressure and increases the GPM flow rate). I bought 750’ of 1-1/4” Yellow Bimodal MDPE (Medium Density Polyethylene) gas pipe that had been marked way down due to some minor nicks. The nicks meant any government agency would no longer purchase the pipe…it was considered “damaged” but perfectly suitable for moving water.

I found a good location for the storage tank that sits about 15’ above the house, and that gives me about 7.5psi going into the house…helps prime the house pressure pump. I ran just about 725’ of the 1-1/4” MDPE pipe underground from the wellhead to the storage tank. From the tank I ran 1-1/2” PVC underground into the utility room that houses the house system.

Our water usage required me to fill our storage tank meant I ran the generator every week during the summer and about every 2 weeks during the winter. That was about 2 gals of gasoline each time. At the old gas price it meant about $2.50 – $5 each week.

Then we changed it up a bit. Our largish backyard was nothing more than dirt, dust, or mud depending on the weather. So I wanted to plant some dry pasture grass to hold the soil in place and make it a bit more human-friendly…but not a lawn. Then my neighbor heard about my “yard project” and offered a bunch of grass seed he had in his barn that he was never going to use. Then I found about 5# of grass seed in my garage/barn. A new, more complicated project was born!

See, to get grass seed to germinate you have to keep it wet for two weeks…that means watering 2 – 3 times a day for two weeks. That is about 500 – 600 gals each watering. I was running the generator up to 4 hours a day. We were now spending about $12 – $15 per day and hauling more gas home than I wanted to. Yeah, I am a bit lazy. But it got worse…the grass started looking really good. So now it went from soil retention pasture project to a suburban backyard project requiring regular watering. Yeah, our water usage went through the roof…along with the gasoline bill.

So we have no issues with water supply…it is the largest aquifer in the country…meaning trillions and trillions of gallons…probably more. Moving it from the aquifer to the yard was a whole other story.

From the beginning I had a plan in the back of my mind to build a stand-alone solar system in the well house located at the wellhead to power the well pump. I had the solar panels, charge controller, and most of the little bits & pieces. I had a modified sine wave 3000watt inverter lined up. I just needed the batteries to put it all together. I was going to purchase 4 used 6v lead acid solar batteries from a buddy of mine that owns a solar shop/store.

I invited him to lunch and 1-1/2 hours later he had convinced me that a solar pump system was the right way to go. Easier to maintain, longer lifespan, no manual effort, etc. $3,000 later I had the pump and controller. My solar panels on hand would be plenty of power. Another $900 in wire, bits and pieces I was ready to go.

Total time to install was:

  • 1/2 day to run signal wire from the tank to the wellhead.
  • 1-1/2 days to build the array rack, paint it, and install the PVs onto the rack and wire them together in series.
  • Another 1/2 day to wire the PVs to the combiner, install ground rods, wire it all, and test everything.
  • 1 day to pull the old pump, install, wire splice the new pump into the system, and putting the pump back down the well.
  • 1/4 day testing the new pump and it failed…bad wire splice at the pump.
  • 1 day to pull the new pump, resplice the wire connection, run the pump back down the well, and test…it was a success.
  • 1/2 to install the storage tank float switch, wire it in the controller, and test the entire system…success.

Now we have an automated system that refills the storage tank when it hits 50% capacity (500gal). We don’t have to do anything manually. The old well house gets torn down. The concrete wellhead structure is 24” tall with a berm of dirt that protects it and conceals it. It is amazing!!!

The problem we had was the splice that we did at the well pump. We used a standard submersible splice kit. It didn’t work right but we thought we had compensated for it. We didn’t, and it failed.

When I did the splice again the next day I used Ace Hardware 30986 Self-Fusing Splicing Tape and then Scotch 2242 electric tape to protect from abrasion. When I did the splice I used a standard 10g yellow butt connector. Then I wrapped a layer of the 30986 tape covering the butt connector ends really well by about 2”. Then going the opposite direction I used another layer of the 30986 ensuring that I covered the ends of the first layer by 2”. Once that was done I used the 2242 in a heavy layer (2” overlap on the ends) to protect the first layers from any abrasion issues going up or down the casing. It worked just fine.

If I was to do it again I would:

  • Use a 10g butt connector.
  • Using Gardner Bender LTB-400 I would force it into the ends of the butt connector until they were full. Then I would cover the entire butt connector with LTB-400 to ensure that no part of the connector was exposed. But I would also make sure it was smooth. Let it dry and cure completely for 24 hours.
  • Then I would spray two coats of Gardner Bender LTS-400 allowing 30 minutes between coats, and then allow 24 hours for it to cure.
  • Then I would wrap two layers of Ace 30986, each going in a different direction (wrap direction). The first layer would cover the butt connector and extend 2” past the ends. The second layer would go in the opposite wrap direction and extend 2” past the ends of the first layer.
  • Finally I would use a single layer of Scotch 2242 wrapped over the entire splice, covering the ends of the splice by 2” for abrasion protection.

I absolutely love the pump and controller made by Sun Pumps!!! At their tech support was nothing short of amazing!!!  I highly suggest you look at them if you are embarking on such a product.

Next comes a schematic of my water system from ground to storage tank.

General Overview
( click to enlarge )

Wellhead Plumbing
( click to enlarge )

Power & Wiring
( click to enlarge )

Water Tank Plumbing & Wiring
( click to enlarge )

You can download a PDF of my water system by <clicking here>

Equipment –

You can download Pump Installation and Operations Information PDF file

You can download Control Module Installation and Operations PDF file

Sun Pumps website <click here>

Sun Pump Dealer locator <click here>

If you have any questions please ask. And of course, as always, I would love to hear your thoughts, comments, and recommendations.

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TIP: Prepping for Electrical Issues

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This is actually a sub-article to a larger project article and it includes some items from previous articles. However, I think there is a solid case for writing this article as a stand-alone. Wow…mouthful of word salad!

So there I was…time to finally upgrade my water well system to a solar pump water well system. You can read more about it here <click here to read about it>. It came time to do my wire splicing…and that is where this article came from.

During an emergency, disaster, or grid-down event you may find yourself having to do some electrical work. And if you find yourself having to do some splicing it would be nice to have the needed supplies on hand. Here are a couple of things that I feel could be invaluable in those situations.

Let’s start with the basics…Electrical Tape –

Not all electrical tape is created equal. And let’s start this off with a general statement…you get what you pay for. That means I buy Scotch brand electrical tape, or private label electrical tape made by Scotch. I don’t buy the knock-offs or the cheap stuff. Why? Because I am entrusting personal safety and/or my house and/or my equipment to this electrical tape…I don’t want cheap-junk vs expensive-quality. Nice thing is…the quality stuff isn’t really that much more expensive.

I keep three basic types of electrical tape on hand; 1) Scotch 700, 2) Scotch 2242, 3) Ace 30986.

Scotch 700: A high quality, vinyl insulating tape. Resists a wide range of chemicals and abrasive materials. Can be used indoor/outdoor and even below ground. And a roll has about 66’ on it. It is good down to about 15 degrees or so. Pretty much a general purpose electrical tape that I would use where the tape is not exposed directly to the weather and not exposed to moisture…so basically dry indoors. Don’t over stretch this tape when using.

 

Scotch 2242: A high quality general purpose rubber tape. Used correctly it provides an immediate moisture resistant seal as well as insulation. This is a great weather resistant electrical tape. Stretching doesn’t really affect this tape. Since it is made out of rubber it is pretty dang resistant to abrasion. It is good down to about 0 degrees. A bit more expensive and only 15’ on the roll. This what I would use when the job was exposed to the weather or on my equipment (i.e. tractor) used outside.

 

Ace 30986: Self-fusing, water-tight, rubber based electrical tape. It seals based on a rubber resin, “vulcanized” as my electrician buddy explained it to me. It is pricey but well worth the money when a water-tight seal is needed. This is the tape I used to protect the splices on my well pump installation. Yes, that means the splice was submerged in water…and will be for years to come. I used multiple layers, medium stretch, pressed together hard.

 

I also keep two types of Gardner Bender Liquid Tape on hand; 1) the brush on variety, 2) spray on version.

Brush on version (GB LTB-400): It’s a rubber based brush on electrical sealant. It can be sued indoors/outdoors and creates a waterproof seal when used correctly. It’s also very UV resistant which is nice here in Arizona. It is resistant to chemicals, solvents, and saltwater. It is dry in 5 minutes, fully cured in 24 hours. Can be used in harsh temperature conditions…30 degrees below zero to 200 degrees above zero. And it stays pretty dang flexible. I like it when I use butt connectors and want to make a water tight seal around them.  If I wanted a really good, virtually fool-proof water tight seal I would use the Ace 30986, then use two coats of GB LTB-400 allowing 24 hours between coats. First coat of GB LTB-400 would overlap the Ace 30986 tape ends. Then the second coat of GB LTB-400 would overlap the first coat of GB LTB-400. WARNING: don’t think an opened container of the GB LTB-400 will be acceptable for storing! Once opened it tends to dry out. Store a brand new, unopened container.

Spray on version (GB LTS-400): This is kinda like the brush on version, but not entirely. This stuff is vinyl based vs rubber based and is much thinner obviously since it is sprayed on. Yes, you can spray on multiple coats to build up the thickness. It dries quickly (5 minutes) and is fully cured in 24 hours. It is very protective and insulating but I would not count on it being water-tight with a single application, more like water-resistant. Water-tight if you build up multiple, correctly applied layers, each of which is allowed to properly cure. Can be sued indoors/outdoors and a temperature range of 30 degrees below zero to 200 degrees above zero and resistant to chemicals, solvents, and saltwater.

So there you go…there is my electrical prepper kit for electrical work.

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Brand new to prepping…where do I start?

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  • I found your site and love it. I am brand new to prepping and have basically nothing ready for anything. Where do I start? (Tim)

First off…Welcome! Glad to have you aboard even if you are a little late to the party 😉

OK, now…”Where to start?”

I will believe you when you say you are “brand new”…so let me start you at the very beginning.

Full disclosure: some folks have different opinions than I do…but most of them don’t have the training, skills, or experience that I do and they don’t have an organized approach to learning the necessary and required prepping knowledge. So, I am methodical, organized, and deliberate in my approach learned over the better part of 4 decades of professional emergency management Prepper Geek with equipment and gearexperience and nearly 50 years of prepping.

First four steps are learning steps, learning the principles of preparedness. This prevents a haphazard, disorganized approach to prepping. It also ensures you more fully avoid HUGE mistakes that many folks make as they prepare. Each step, except the first, will have articles…read them all before moving on. Watch for the “next” button at the bottom of articles. Also, it might be a good idea with you read the “Related Articles” in each posting as well before coming back to the next step.

#1 – Who are you? That is a purely rhetorical question. Do you know yourself, do you have principles, ethics, morals, and do you have foundational beliefs? Why and how do you want to survive emergencies, disasters, and grid-down events? If not, solidify those first. I suggest you write them down.

#2 – Learn Risk Identification and Mitigation.

# 3 – Learn the 7 Common Risks/Threats to all emergencies, disasters, and grid-down. Then learn how to “layer” to mitigate those threats.

#4 – Make a plan to start prepping.

This is your plan! It needs to be singular to you and your family. Lay it out any way you want…but I suggest you write it down. And I insist that it be based on “layering”…or you won’t be a successful as you could have been. You will have wasted your time, money, and resources if you don’t layer.

Next comes the actual prepping Step #5…

Now start accomplishing your plan. You can multi-task as you go. Meaning, you can buy a pistol at the same time you are buying food, OTC medicines, and ammo…while you identify a potential bugout location and start storing water correctly.

Layering is vitally important. Example: You start storing water before you have a way to filter/purify it. A problem develops and water shuts off. You may have 100’s of gallons of water stored but not be 100% sure if it is safe to drink and no way to filter/purify it. But, if you have correctly layered then you have a filter/purifier and can make virtually any water safe to drink.

Let me be more clear…each of the 7 Common Risks/Threats have specific layers to them. Each layer is unambiguous in what needs to be done. Work from the inside out using each layer as a “step to take”.

IMPORTANT – while carrying out the practical aspects of prepping (i.e. acquisition of resources) you also need to learn how to set priorities and also learn what Situational Awareness is. You do that by reading and studying SA & LIPS while carrying out your new plan.

Once you have read those articles and you are working your plan of acquiring and organizing your 7 Common Risks/Threats mitigation resources you could start testing yourself…and learning more along the way by reading through the series “Days of September – 9/1/2019 Opening” <click here>

To help you out…while you get started on learning the “principles” why don’t you go to your pantry, find the 10 foods that you use the most, then go buy 2 cans of each, continue to do so for the next 3 weeks. That will be some immediate gratification and get/keep you motivated to keep going.

So why do I have you learn the “principles” first? Why do all that reading? Why not just get started and do stuff?

Well, that would make you like many, maybe most, other preppers that are inexperienced, unorganized, untrained, unskilled, and chaotically going about preparing…or rather, thinking they are preparing. To be truly successful at prepping it is vitally important that you understand the big picture, then important bit and pieces of that big picture before you start spending your hard earned money and time.

I will send you my personal email, let me know how you are doing…or if you have any questions. I would love to hear from you and lend a hand if I can.

Now, a serious message from me to you…You are late to the party, meaning you are behind the curve on preparing. But, you are not too late…not too late at all. But you have to get moving and get stuff done…don’t delay or procrastinate. As I said in my article “Intensify” we have fallen as a country…it’s over. I lay out the case clearly in my article “The Fall of the U.S. Empire“. Don’t get me wrong…our country has not ceased to exist…and our people won’t…and the Constitution will continue to be a guiding document for those dedicated to the principle of a Constitutional Republic.

The Roman Empire didn’t simply vanish after its fall…it degraded and then over the course of some 1600 years it morphed into present day Italy, the socialist democracy it is today. Same with the British Empire…it too didn’t simply vanish…it shrank to a fraction of the size it once was and then became the socialist democracy it is today (i.e. Britain, England).

The USA will follow, is following, the same path as all empires…unless the globalists make their final move. So you have time to do a lot of prepping…probably more time than you think…so no need to panic. But time is of the essence. There are two major resources at your disposal; 1) time, 2) money. If you have enough money you can go do everything you need to do in a short period of time. If you are not wealthy then you will have to use your time wisely in acquiring that which you decide you need…and it will take longer to adequately prepare.

A final thought for now…Do you plan to shelter in-place or bug-out? The answer to that question will really make a difference on how you prepare and for what. Answer that question soon, very soon. Here are some articles that might help you decide that answer:

Try to avoid stupid mistakes…

For anyone that can’t or doesn’t want to make a “comment”…use the form below to send me questions, thoughts, concerns, issues, or ask for help. If you would like me to respond to you directly and confidentially just tell me when you send the form.

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Immediate Action Warning!

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8/15/2022

Federal Authority Violence

Background –

With all the recent federal law enforcement activity, specifically the FBI, there is allegedly an increase in violent threats targeting federal agents, federal LEOs, and federal employees in general. And since the FBI raid on former President Trump’s home those threats have allegedly increased significantly.  There are no third-party or unbiased confirmation of the threat increase. However, both the FBI and DHS are claiming that threat increase and doing so in written form.

In addition the FBI recently released a document entitled “Federal Bureau of Investigation – Domestic Terrorism Symbols Guide: Militia Violent Extremism”. That document labels virtually any Republican, any conservative, any libertarian, any veteran, any prepper, and any self-identifying patriot as a potential domestic terrorist and further identifies them as a violent extremist.

These events and actions create a very tenuous confluence of violence and actions on the part of federal agents reacting to a perceived threat, real or otherwise. Any interaction with federal agents could lead to them perceiving you as a violent threat against them, their fellow agents/employees, or any federal facility. The recent alleged attack on an FBI facility in Ohio is being touted as an example of the increased threat level.

The joint FBI/DHS uses specific terminology such as; “civil war” and “armed rebellion” in order to legally authorize extra-Constitutional tactics. The special interest group, “The Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association”, has released a very strong statement virtually urging extreme violence towards anyone who opposes any action that federal law enforcement officers take. This goes to the current mindset among federal law enforcement personnel, clearly indicating their intentions.

Warning Specifics –

Based on the events, allegations, and actions mentioned above you could expect to see:

  • Increased security personnel and protective measures at any federal facility but especially at federal law enforcement facilities.
  • A significant increase in weapons carried by and brandished by federal officers.
  • A dramatic increase in violent actions/reactions by federal officers while dealing with or interacting with the public.
  • A continued increased in anti-citizen activity based on their (FBI/DHS) definition of potential domestic terrorist and patriot-related violent extremism.

Based on the increase in what you can expect to see, I am issuing the following warnings:

  • Do not interact with federal law enforcement officers without a lawyer present. Or, at the very least, multiple witnesses that can both see and hear whatever takes place during the interaction with federal authorities.
  • Do not visit any federal facility, especially federal law enforcement facility, unless absolutely necessary. And then, do so only with a lawyer or multiple witnesses present.
  • Do not attend any anti-government rally, protest, demonstration, or meeting of any kind. There will be federal agents and/or informants reporting on the people in attendance, subjects discussed, and they may even be an “agent provocateur” trying to instigate a problem, including violence. This is a popular tactic by federal agents so they can then pursue those in attendance under the guise of domestic terrorism or violent extremist activities.
  • Immediately disassociate yourself from anyone who speaks in any way, to any degree, advocating violent interactions directed towards any federal employee, especially law enforcement officers.
  • Do not visit or participate in any website, including social media, that in anyway discusses/advocates violent interactions to any degree directed towards any federal employee, especially law enforcement officers.
  • Anyone who advocates to any degree any violent interaction with a federal employee, especially a federal law enforcement officer, is probably a federal agent or a confidential informer for a federal law enforcement agency. Have no contact with or interaction with anyone such as this. If they are on a website, leave the site immediately. If they are part of a web group, on a social media, or part of a prepper website…leave that website and do not return.
  • Do not discuss, especially advocate, any violent interaction with a federal employee, especially a federal law enforcement officer with anyone at any time.
  • Based on these current events, if you personally feel that any violent interaction with a federal employee, especially a federal law enforcement officer, is appropriate then leave this website and do not return.
General Word of Caution –

This is a very stressful and tenuous time for the US right now. I cannot stress enough to keep a low profile at this point, avoid all interactions with federal authorities, and DO NOT take part in any perceived activity that can be seen as a threat to the federal government, specifically federal law enforcement agents. Your life and/or freedom could be in immediate and imminent jeopardy.

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Feedback & Comments : 8/15/2022

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AH Trimble Feedback and Comments

  • You are a “go to source” for me when I am evaluating a situation. I have many of your articles saved and refer to them often. I hate to bug you about Escape from Home but are you going to finish it? (Jack)

Thank you for the nice compliment! How are you saving the articles? Robin asked about that yesterday. Yes! I love that story and a bunch happens…lots of action. I have written most of the rough draft. But it takes a huge amount of time to write, edit, edit again…and edit again. About 6 – hours for each day’s entry. But it is my first love and my passion. For a couple years now I got caught up in writing about current events and warning what is happening, what is coming, and why. But, I have made a commitment to get back to the story…it is just about timing at this point. I will let everyone know when it starts back up.

I have some articles saved in PDF format already. You can download see the list and download them <click here to see the list>

Doug, you are a man of few words…and to the point I might add. And thank you for the kind compliment. I wish more people would have read the article, there is always time for to read it the first time…or read it again <click here to read the article> That article is timely, informative, cautioning, and appropriate for what we are seeing right now.

  • Thank you so much for taking the time to prepare these articles. I’m a relative newcomer to this blog, but very much appreciate it. I read through the full May sitrep suite. It must take a lot of time to prepare these articles but I find your content very well researched and thought-through. It helps me sanity check my own thought processes and conclusions. I work at an employee owned engineering consulting firm that is doing very well (power systems). I am halfway through my career. If things continue to go well I could see the employee ownership investment carrying me to a comfortable retirement. However, I’m considering taking a lower paying job at an electric coop where I can be more involved in the local communities and help influence local grid reliability. I’d convert the previous employer ownership investment to real-estate by paying off my mortgage. Normally this wouldn’t be a good idea since the mortgage is a low interest rate, but I ask myself how likely it is that my normal investments will actually be around in 20-25 years when I reach retirement. The probability of that outcome seems to be dwindling rapidly. People I talk to think this is just another storm we’ll pass through in a few years with all societal systems intact. However, I think ever more rapid deterioration until the Savior comes (with some refuge in Zion) better fits the scriptural model. I try to be prudent and recognize I don’t know the future (I keep some 401K investment for example) and I try to give the Lord opportunity to guide my decisions. However, your articles provide some nice guideposts to help me avoid the all-is-well (denial) or sky is falling (fear porn) extremes that would lead to inaction or rash action. I look forward to further sitreps. (Jon)

Hey, glad to have you newbie! Am I am thrilled you see value in the SitReps and yes, it takes considerable amount of time to produce each SitRep. I don’t think I have less than 8 hours in any SitRep and May’s SitRep took about 10 days of 6 hours each to write. Thank you again for the nice compliment. While I don’t fish for compliments…it is nice to hear positive feedback from all that hard work on those articles. And yes, I don’t write anything I haven’t thoroughly researched and/or have special “sources” of information.

You sound as if you are very balanced in your approach to…well, everything. I like you “hedging” when it comes to retirement. I also really appreciate your beliefs and view of the Savior.

And I gotta tell you…your stating that I help you avoid fear porn and denial is the best compliment I have had in a long time. So many websites peddle one or the other…mostly fear pron. Some sites actual promote both…weird. You can figure out what is best for you…your family, your congregation and your community. And maybe, just maybe I can be of some help along the way.

Send me your thoughts, ideas, comments, questions, and concerns…

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