Preparing for grid failure.. need advice

Doomsday Prepper Forums

Help Support Doomsday Prepper Forums:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Dresden Files.

I've actually met (and have pictures with) both the author (Jim Butcher) of the books that were the basis for the show, and the actor (Paul Blackthorn) who played Harry Dresden in the series. Paul even posted a pic (from his own camera) from when we met, on his own Facebook page. (He's holding my Bob the Skull in the pic, which is also signed by both). It was at DragonCon this year, so my wife and I are both in our dragon armor in the pic. I'll dig them up and edit the post.

With Paul:

0-DC-Blackthorne.jpg


With Jim (and I'm dressed as Dresden, from the books):

B3-1.jpg
 
Nice I don't know much about the show but it is fun to have an obsession sometimes isn't... GO GEEK or GO HOME :)
 
Nice I don't know much about the show but it is fun to have an obsession sometimes isn't... GO GEEK or GO HOME

Sadly, the show only lasted about a season, but there are a lot of books in the series, and the author pretty much cranks out at least one per year. The books are better than the show, of course, but the show was good in it's own right. Had the show been out now (vs. years ago), it would have thrived on CW or SiFi, for example.
 
Leasing the tank seems to be the way to go, if you're ok with an above ground install. Much cheaper to do a yearly lease fee than buy one outright, plus they service it. (and of course, it's already there if the SHTF, so not like they will come and get back). This would dramatically reduce the cost outlay (especially as it will take a lot of $ to actually fill the tank too). I'm really liking this paired with a propane generator though. And in short term issues (like power outages, etc.), having the full power capability (and with seamless transition) throughout the house is simply too cool for words.

Granted, post SHTF, we'd enact some strict power usage rules, to stretch the supply out.
$135.00 a year rent fee ... 500 gallon tank buried , about 12 feet from my generator , 20 feet from the garage and the panel.
 
$135.00 a year rent fee ... 500 gallon tank buried , about 12 feet from my generator , 20 feet from the garage and the panel.

Wow, that's pretty good. We'll definitely be checking into it, when ready to do the propane generator and electrical.
 
Yes, sure is.
I picked it because I can identify with Harry.
I'm a big fan of the books (and show), and I've even met Jim Butcher (Author) and Paul Blackthorne (guy in my avatar and who played Harry) before (both have signed my version of Bob the Skull).

Jim and I (dressed as Harry Dresden from the books)

B3-1.jpg


Paul, my wife, and I (the wife and I were in our armor at the time)

0-DC-Blackthorne.jpg
 
We're big nerds like that. These were both at DragonCon (big Sci-Fi, Comics, Gaming convention), in Atlanta (though different years). Pretty comparable size-wise to ComicCon. Hundreds of celebs, mostly from Sci-Fi shows and movies. We met actors from old Sci-Fi shows, like Buck Rogers, Land of the Lost, Incredible Hulk, original Star Trek (and new), old Sci-Fi movies, and current shows and movies, like Once Upon A Time, Arrow (why Paul was there), Defiance, Warehouse 13, True Blood, Walking Dead, Face Off and many more I'm forgetting.

We actually got to talk to Paul a lot, and he even posted the same pic on his personal Facebook page. He's a pretty cool guy. Some other fun folks were contestants from King of the Nerds (great show for nerds, if you haven't seen it). They weren't even official Con guests, just attending as regular nerds like us, but the Convention gave them a room to have a panel. Were all very cool people. We had a blast as we always do there (this year's Con was just in Sept).

Some pics from it (different times)

True Blood Cast
7.jpg


Shatner
2.jpg


My wife with Ralph Maccio and C. Thomas Howell
0-DC-RalphMachioCthomas2.jpg


Robin Hood from Once Upon A Time
0-DC-RobinHood.jpg


Lots of others, but just to give you an idea of how fun it is to go. Highly recommended to my fellow geeks and nerds. :)
 
Last edited:
Yes, sure is.
I picked it because I can identify with Harry.
I'm a big fan of the books (and show), and I've even met Jim Butcher (Author) and Paul Blackthorne (guy in my avatar and who played Harry) before (both have signed my version of Bob the Skull).

Jim and I (dressed as Harry Dresden from the books)

B3-1.jpg


Paul, my wife, and I (the wife and I were in our armor at the time)

0-DC-Blackthorne.jpg
Great costumes!
 
You are so lucky I'm jealous I'm not big into comic books but I love the walking dead warehouse 13 etc I'm guna have to check out one of these conventions one day if the world doesn't go into hell in a hand basket!!
 
$135.00 a year rent fee ... 500 gallon tank buried , about 12 feet from my generator , 20 feet from the garage and the panel.
My rental for the 500gal tank was only 45$, and I mentioned burying it and they said no. I would have to buy it to bury it. I think they wanted 7 or 8hundred to purchase. Rental was just better for me, with the long payback time for purchase. And as I said before, if the economy goes bust, the tank is on my property. Just sayin.
 
Yeah, I looked into it, and came to the same conclusion. Just not worth it to buy it, as the payback time is just too long. Same with solar. You're much better off renting it. Then if things go south, well, you still have all the setup.

With an above ground tank, could always build a wall to hide, protect, etc. (just be sure there's a way to remove the tank, as that is what the rental folks will care about.
 
Yeah, I looked into it, and came to the same conclusion. Just not worth it to buy it, as the payback time is just too long. Same with solar. You're much better off renting it. Then if things go south, well, you still have all the setup.

With an above ground tank, could always build a wall to hide, protect, etc. (just be sure there's a way to remove the tank, as that is what the rental folks will care about.
I allready have the cedar fence pickets to hide it as its right next to our main entry to the house. Added to my to do list anyways. As far as moving it, they had a boom arm on the truck that can easily lift it over a six foot fence.
 
Post SHTF, I'd definitely want concrete blocks around that thing (and a metal sheet roof)....to keep someone from firing at it, or tossing a Molotov at it.
 
Post SHTF, I'd definitely want concrete blocks around that thing (and a metal sheet roof)....to keep someone from firing at it, or tossing a Molotov at it.
Although I currently have propane for cooking and backup heat, I'm gearing up for wood to be more independent, and in case of SHTF. We saw a propane "shortage" a couple winters ago and propane went up to $6.00 per gallon. I'll never be held hostage to any utility company or be gouged with those kind of prices again. We own several hundred acres of timber, and are totally surrounded by public domain land, so wood won't be a problem (plus its free).
 

Latest posts

Back
Top