Are you prepared? Trying to be more self sufficient

I remember all that happening

 

That was my first thought as well.

 

lol aka my brother in law.

 

Seriously? That’s kinda neat somebody posts his pic

 

Not that particular dude/pic, but yeah, the wife's family did stuff like that.

 

I have a question regarding ECM on Tacoma's (or other vehicles). I read a fair amount of SHTF type fiction, EMP, Asteroid, etc. Of course, in EMP scenario's vehicles stop working due to damaged electronics. One of the books ran through a scenario where older (not defined how old) vehicles with an ECM could have the ECM changed with a good one and be brought back to operational. For example, if you have a spare ECM in faraday box you could then swap it out and possibly be operational. It was also mentioned that newer vehicles (again undefined how new) typically have multiple processors so just replacing an ECM on newer vehicles wasn't really an option.
So, is this a possibility, and if yes about what year would it be a likely to work?

 

Many, if not all, new vehicles can have upwards of 20 computers on board all working in concert with each other. There are options out there you connect inline to insulate the system. Whether, or how good, they work I have no idea but are supposedly tested. Best bet is to go back to a vehicle with carburetor and no exam

 

The Korean hit squad

 

Liable to happen again in the not too distant future

 

Good possibility….

 

A faraday cage is basically a shitty antenna that receives the big radio pulse that burns things out and sends it to ground(or, usually, prevents signals from going out). most of the computing in vehicles are also surrounded by a metal frame (steel hood, etc) that will do something similar. Ex - vehicles hit by lightning don't usually fry the occupants.

Or a bike.

 

I just read a very interesting blurb in a sPOD brochure regarding CAN-Bus. "CAN-Bus (controller area network) is essentially a communications network for vehicles, similar to an office computer network. All 2003 and newer vehicles are fitted with 2 or more CAN-Bus backbones, to which all devices such as ABS, Engine management systems and sensors are attached".
Being somewhat experienced with computer and machine networking (but not autos) I expect this is what allows multiple computers to reside and communicate with each other. So likely this answers part of my previous question. Anything newer than 2003 will probably have multiple processors and will likely need more than just an ECM swap if an EMP event damaged the vehicle. I am sure some / many vehicles prior to 2003 also had some type of bus system and perhaps multiple processors, but sounds like anything after 2003 is more of a guarantee. Anyway, food for thought.

 

I k ow the vehicles I had back in the 80’s still had an ECM but it really was more or less for fuel injection. Vehicles I had from the 70’s had no computer.

 

I wouldn't do it.
Here's a different perspective...

What are you preparing for and what are you transitioning to?
Image above is my own. Words on the page are not absolute and could be moved around. It's just a thought exercise.

An EMP could be Regional if it's just one EMP but if it is a series it could be National. So if you save your electronics from an EMP, will there be a world to use them in afterwards? Reason I ask... How will you put gas in the EMP Proof truck? How will you change the oil assuming you get 5,000 miles of gas? How will you get new tires for it assuming you get 20,000 miles of gas and oil?

You have to decide what is right for you and your family in your region and what you need to do. People like to debate bug in vs bug out but I like to see it differently. I prepare for three strategies.

1. Ride Out the Disaster: Is this bugging in? Yes but with the assumption that you will be doing more than hiding in a bunker. You may be active in your area clearing storm debris, building back a home, etc. Most often associated with the green areas on the chart.
2. Move Out: Basically Bugging out or I'm not coming home - you are now a refugee relocating away from the effected area for safety and economic reasons. People usually thing about this in terms of bugging out with in what one tank of fuel and a few Jerry Cans will get you. I'm thinking about it in terms of Costa Rica or Canada.
3. Transition: This is the phase no one considers. This means that you are going to have to transition to a VASTLY different way of life - as in we are going aboriginal. Infrastructure gone. No bridges, no power, no gas, nothing. Cave men in huts, tribal warlords mad max stuff.

How many of those scenarios will an extra ECU help in? How much will it help?

 

Just found this thread.
We put away 12 qrts of marinara sauce between Sunday and Tuesday.
Overrun with blackberries, some went bad in the fridge, we just could not get to them in time.
Tried dehydrating blueberries, did not come out well. Maybe over-dried? Not raisin-like consistence (commercial dried blueberries), but flaky dry outside, and too wet inside...

We are on the well and have a dual fuel genny back up for the house.
Solar was too much for our checkbook.

 

Any given time we have 40 cases bottle water we do run it down 4 times a yr to 10 cases each quarter.

A mixture of Mountain house 10 lb cans and other bag items for roughly 2/3 meals per day for 2 people for 5/6 months. Plus other misc goods.

Gas lanterns multiple gas cook top stoves plus fuel options. Many tarps and hardware.

Couple solar panels for charging phones and other stuff.

 

Perhaps you were dehydrating too hot or too fast? I know when my wife does citrus it takes FOREVER and she has to do it at low temps to get the correct result. When she first started they were darkening too much and were wet inside despite being dry outside.

 

I set it on the fruit/berry setting, 145f, IIRC.
Will try again. maybe will try drying in the sun. It has been hot enough outside.

 

Here in oregon we deal with the local part of that chart on a dailey basis, were used to it.

 

Not sure what settings ours has but she also started out with what was recommended and it didn't work for her.