EMP - Is what I'm reading a Joke or something?

[Arcticdude]

Yeah, a hundred years ago before air conditioning people did not know what it was like to not sweat all summer. Now, after becoming accustomed to it it would be a lot tougher to go back.

You got me to thinking about our dependency on modern conveniences such as AC. The majority of time when I was working in hot regions, such as the ME, Africa, Central Asia etc. I didn't have AC and somehow I managed to survive. I'm sure that most of us would do fine here too without it given enough time to acclimate to it. Heck, up until yesterday I didn't have heat. Of course I got sick from sleeping on the cold ground too.

 

[DrHenley]

When the climate is dry, it cools off at night and you can sleep. You can get hypothermia in the desert at night. But when it's humid, it doesn't cool off much at night. My wife is from Taiwan, and I've been there several times in the summer which is much like the Deep South - 80 degrees at night with high humidity. I slept directly under a ceiling fan one time to try to cool off and sleep. Even sleeping directly in front of a window unit A/C I was miserable.

And I'm old enough to remember life without A/C in the Deep South. Not quite so bad in our house because we had a huge attic fan in the hall that sucked air out of the house into the attic, keeping the attic cool (so no radiant heat coming through the ceiling) and giving a good breeze throughout the house. Our first air conditioner was a window unit in the den. Houses aren't built like that anymore. Summer school was unbearable (I swore I'd never ever go to summer school again).

So yes, been there, done that, and I do not want to go back.

 

[Silent Earth]

You guys reliant on Air Con need to read Alas Babylon again.

 

[Brent S]

Good point Doc brought up. The older houses were built with air movement in mind. Today's homes are not designed with that in mind. High ceilings, windows above doors that actually open, large porch overhangs for shade. There are lots of things to improve the effects of heat. What is sad is all the high rises in cities don't even have any windows that open.

 

[Silent Earth]

Good point Doc brought up. The older houses were built with air movement in mind. Today's homes are not designed with that in mind. High ceilings, windows above doors that actually open, large porch overhangs for shade. There are lots of things to improve the effects of heat. What is sad is all the high rises in cities don't even have any windows that open.

My old mate in Liberal KS fitted a couple of thermostatically controlled vents onto his roof set to open at 22 degrees (70ish in Americanese), plus a good view small mesh covered vents along the floor in order to create a venturi effect. he reckoned it cut his Air con bill by half. but it was Liberal KS so its nearly always breezy

 

[jeager]

You guys reliant on Air Con need to read Alas Babylon again.

Alas Babylon
Wassat???????

Never mind I googled it. I saw something like that on t-v years ago.
Perhaps it was a t-v remake of that book????

 

[Gazrok]

It really is. I did THINK about it, before....and thought, heck, our ancestors did it, how bad can it be? Right?

Thing is, THEIR homes were DESIGNED with this in mind. Modern homes do NOT consider airflow, and how heat rises, etc. without power, because modern architects don't need to concern themselves with it. So, when you take power out of the equation, the simple fact is that today's homes aren't MADE to stay cool without it.

Could be outside more, but it's SEPT, in FL....ack.

 

[Gazrok]

error post.

 

[jeager]

I have an all electric home.
I have a wood burner in the basement and 14 acres of woods.
I'll be warm in winter.
I need a hand pump for my water well.
I have a generator.

 

[Silent Earth]

I have an all electric home.
I have a wood burner in the basement and 14 acres of woods.
I'll be warm in winter.
I need a hand pump for my water well.
I have a generator.

Spare fuses and relays for the Generator??

 

[jeager]

"Spare fuses and relays for the Generator??"

OMG NO! THANK YOU!

I missed that entirely. GREAT thinking and I'll read the manual, see
what kind and get some.
I have spare spark plugs but missed the bit about the other necessary
items.
THIS IS WHY I CAME TO THIS SITE. TO LEARN.

 

[Silent Earth]

"Spare fuses and relays for the Generator??"

OMG NO! THANK YOU!

I missed that entirely. GREAT thinking and I'll read the manual, see
what kind and get some.
I have spare spark plugs but missed the bit about the other necessary
items.
THIS IS WHY I CAME TO THIS SITE. TO LEARN.

Your welcome, no doubt one of the gang would have picked up on it before to long.
Gennies need FUEL, LUBE OIL Lithium Grease, Air Filter , Water Filter/ Sedimenter ( if fitted) Oil filter, Usually a set of rings, gudgeon pins and a gasket set ( if your a worrier like me ) . Fuses, Relays, Air Sensor (if fitted) Belts, Hoses and hose clips if water cooled. Plus ignition consumables if Gasoline powered ( plugs, HT leads TDC sensor.)

Fuel stabiliser like STA- BIL is a good accessory.

One point some of my US friends often get caught out on is that many Chinese , Korean and Jap gennies are METRIC but most of you guys still use Imperial tools so make sure you have the correct Wrenches ( Spanners in English) Socket keys ( Allen Keys in English) and Torq bits. and even some Merkin Gennies are starting to be built in metric specs.

 

[Arcticdude]

"Spare fuses and relays for the Generator??"

OMG NO! THANK YOU!

I missed that entirely. GREAT thinking and I'll read the manual, see
what kind and get some.
I have spare spark plugs but missed the bit about the other necessary
items.
THIS IS WHY I CAME TO THIS SITE. TO LEARN.

When I ordered my generators I also ordered two years worth of spare parts and filters.

 

[Brent S]

Alas Babylon
Wassat???????

Never mind I googled it. I saw something like that on t-v years ago.
Perhaps it was a t-v remake of that book????

Great read. One of my first doomsday books and probably helped shape my attitude about prepping.

 

[Maverick]

I have 3 fireplaces in my house, if I open the windows and doors I would get some draft going through the house it's when I open the dampers on the fireplaces upstairs that the draft is very noticeable more so if warmer inside than outside. My house was more built for warmth but the cooling affect is a bi-product of the way it was built. My house is sealed tight and framed with 2x6 it's insulated extremely good, the way I heat it is with a wood stove on the first floor with vents in the ceiling above the wood stove going to the second floor, to create an upward draft so the heat rises to the 2nd floor more quickly I would open the dampers to both of the fireplace upstairs, adjust the dampers accordingly, the fireplace pulls the air from the floor, the heat would rise while pulling the cooler air but also keep the second level from becoming a sweatbox. The principle is the same for creating a draft in the house.

Worst case, get a hammock with a mosquito net, get the hammock nice and wet and sleep nude in it, it was a practice in the jungle, no, you won't find it in any TMs. Also, You can hang your rifle from the ridgeline under the netting keeping it within reach

 

[Silent Earth]

When I ordered my generators I also ordered two years worth of spare parts and filters.

thats cos you are a practical thinker living in a wild artic location and not a consumer.

 

[Silent Earth]

Worst case, get a hammock with a mosquito net, get the hammock nice and wet and sleep nude in it, it was a practice in the jungle, no, you won't find it in any TMs. Also, You can hang your rifle from the ridgeline under the netting keeping it within reach

Oh god to much information, I;m so pleased you did not post a picture of your hairy ### hanging out of a soggy hammock

 

[Silent Earth]

Great read. One of my first doomsday books and probably helped shape my attitude about prepping.

It certainly was massively formative for me, First time I read it was in 79, then after days of my brain hurting I read it again, INSPIRATIONAL.

 

[Brent S]

It certainly was massively formative for me, First time I read it was in 79, then after days of my brain hurting I read it again, INSPIRATIONAL.

I grew up near where the story was set so it made it even more enjoyable!

 

[Silent Earth]

Go to admit American post apoc fiction is generally absolutely superb, Alas Babylon, Patriots etc truly iconic works of art.