Apocalypse Now: Living Off Grid?

[Diver4242]

My wife and I have been looking for a used class A to snowbird when we retire in a year or so. Lately, we've been getting real nervous about things going on here in the US and in our world. For example, the escalation of cyber attacks of countries against each other, and more and more crazy people being selected to lead their countries. I work in IT security and know fully well that more than one country has the ability to turn our lights off (the US does as well), meaning the electrical grid. If we buy something, like the 2014 Newmar Bay Star 2903 we're looking at, which has a 600W inverter and generator, what would we need to do to be able to live off the grid for a more extended period of time? I'm guessing we'd need to install solar panels on the roof, maybe lithium ion batteries, etc? (and of course, need a good supply of water from somewhere, maybe an upgraded filtration or purifying system?). Has anyone explored or researched this and know what mods and expense we would be getting into?

[Bill_Satellite]

Now we have gone from fantasy to bigotry to crazy!

[rockhillmanor]

Me, I've always been a little concerned about 'who' owns all the gas stations nowadays and 'why' this anomaly has happened.

They could all get one phone call and band together one day and just turn one key and bam we would have no fuel across the entire USA and that would be the end of it. Quite simple don't you think? And I do believe it will happen some day.

[rgatijnet1]

sonora wrote:
The original poster is not alone. CLICKY

Too bad that most of them live in areas where they are not allowed to own guns for self defense. :B

[sonora]

The original poster is not alone. CLICKY

[Mile_High]

korbe wrote:

2oldman wrote:

wa8yxm wrote:
Most people do not know this but the Y2K fears were indeed justified,

Some were, just not the ones about buying a generator and heading for the hills due to fears of mass power outages and chaos.

My neighbor, in fear of the Y2K, filled a portable swimming pool in his back yard with fresh water in case we lost power or something so he would still have water. A couple days before the new year, I saw his pool and asked what was up. After he told me his concern, I mentioned that our city water system was completely gravity and the tank up out of town was gravity fed by a spring - no electrical power needed.

🙂 Ya, my mother in low did the same thing, filled the bathtubs and sinks. I showed her the elevated tank on the hill.

[korbe]

2oldman wrote:

wa8yxm wrote:
Most people do not know this but the Y2K fears were indeed justified,

Some were, just not the ones about buying a generator and heading for the hills due to fears of mass power outages and chaos.

My neighbor, in fear of the Y2K, filled a portable swimming pool in his back yard with fresh water in case we lost power or something so he would still have water. A couple days before the new year, I saw his pool and asked what was up. After he told me his concern, I mentioned that our city water system was completely gravity and the tank up out of town was gravity fed by a spring - no electrical power needed.

[2oldman]

wa8yxm wrote:
Most people do not know this but the Y2K fears were indeed justified,

Some were, just not the ones about buying a generator and heading for the hills due to fears of mass power outages and chaos.

[John___Angela]

doc brown wrote:

2oldman wrote:

Diver4242 wrote:
I always thought the whole prepper thing was overblown paranoia. Now, every day, it seems more viable to me. We're talking more nuclear proliferation, breaking down the few agreements that have kept the peace..

bad-mouthing companies and individuals on Twitter, making foreign policy on Twitter, ignoring global warming...

In the late 1980's I believe the sky is falling people said the earth would be frozen by the year 2000. Since that didn't happen it seems the obvious, to them, was global warming. Since that concept is weak they now say climate change. Well of course climate changes. The earth is 4.6 billion years old, 4 ice ages were ended by global warming. Can 100+\- years of weather data really tell us about climate modifications over 4.6 billion years?

I'm not sure I am a suporter of the global changing thing but pollution is pollution. The two are connected though and it was nice to see the world come together to recognize our planet needs attention. So weird that people consider that political. Anyway, I would say that is over for at least the next decade. Kinda sad.

[2oldman]

doc brown wrote:
Can 100+\- years of weather data really tell us about climate modifications over 4.6 billion years?

No, but 800,000 years can. I'm not going any farther with this. Do your own research.

[doc_brown]

2oldman wrote:

Diver4242 wrote:
I always thought the whole prepper thing was overblown paranoia. Now, every day, it seems more viable to me. We're talking more nuclear proliferation, breaking down the few agreements that have kept the peace..

bad-mouthing companies and individuals on Twitter, making foreign policy on Twitter, ignoring global warming...

In the late 1980's I believe the sky is falling people said the earth would be frozen by the year 2000. Since that didn't happen it seems the obvious, to them, was global warming. Since that concept is weak they now say climate change. Well of course climate changes. The earth is 4.6 billion years old, 4 ice ages were ended by global warming. Can 100+\- years of weather data really tell us about climate modifications over 4.6 billion years?

[wa8yxm]

DutchmenSport wrote:
Anyone alive shortly before January 1, 2000 well remember the doomsday fear of total computer shutdown and chaos. Jan 1, 2000 was one of the most peaceful days and completely uneventful.

Most people do not know this but the Y2K fears were indeed justified, There were many people who were indeed affected, starting back as far as 1996. Now, you did not hear about it because of folks such as myself who used our brains to override the computers (By the way there are thousands of folks like me out there,, Though I'm now retired in 1996 I was a Police Dispatcher)

Michigan, being a leader in police software had already upgraded the Department of Motor Vehicles (Secretary of State) Computer system to a 4 Digit date system so we had no problem but when I ran drivers from Ohio, a mere 50 miles distant. I started seeing "License expired 2000" in 1996.. This was because "00" was smaller than "96".. now I read that and said "AH, Y2K issue" but I suspect a few tickets did get issued.. and dismissed.

But the problems were real.. Just not as bad as predicted and for the most part hidden by human brains "fixing" it in real time.

[jaycocreek]

roam1 wrote:
I could easily last 30 days in a fueled and provisioned RV
Isn't that what the OP wanted to know?

X2..Piece of cake..

[roam1]

I could easily last 30 days in a fueled and provisioned RV
Isn't that what the OP wanted to know?

[Diver4242]

"To be self sufficient for any length of time you really need 'land'. Rolling in an RV won't work."

Agreed, but if you don't want to take it to the extent that you live like that, 24x7, *now*, you need to get to the land somehow (hence the rig). I admit if the worst happens, it's better to be there, be prepared, and already acclimated to living that way, with all systems thoroughly tested and functional.

Enjoying the discussion, it's very informative and entertaining. I keep envisioning the naysayers "oh nothing happened before" who use that argument as "nothing will happen in the future" (silly) as being the ones we have to defend ourselves against 🙂

I always thought the whole prepper thing was overblown paranoia. Now, every day, it seems more viable to me. We're talking more nuclear proliferation, breaking down the few agreements that have kept the peace, things are unraveling rather quickly.