Start Here

If this is your first time to the site then please read the Welcome Page.

Feel you are the only one concerned about the future? Read Am I Alone?

This site will help you generate Shopping Lists and To Do Lists from your specific set of risks and concerns. The Get Started Here page, also available via the Toolbar, will walk you through it.

The Forum will help you discuss your issues, learn about how others and tailor your preperations for your situation.

How we need to prepare


Categories

Obsolescence

One of the things that stops you keeping your kit and making sure you have to buy new stuff every time a new upgrade is out is that the manufacturers just stop making the spare parts you need.

I’ve just had to replace my fridge/freezer. The brushes are worn out and although it was running fine when it stopped during a power outage it just wouldn’t start again. You could hear it trying but it just wouldn’t go. I asked about new brushes but apparently they just don’t exist any more and they couldn’t even replace the compressor because the gas in the fridge was not allowed any more. It would need to be removed, disposed of and then the compressor replaced and then refilled with some new, approved, gas.

Ironically the cost was in the removal and the disposal of the gas. If I just let it out myself and then asked them to replace the compressor and refill it would be much cheaper. I did honestly think about it but the fridge/freezer has served its time and I felt it should be left to go out with dignity. So I bought a new one and the old one was removed and taken to the old fridge/freezer home, thats what I told the kids anyway.

As we know that is what is done to increase sales of electrical products. Almost everything with a wire is has built in obsolescence and will eventually become irreparable. There will be no spare parts at all. Even if there is no event all our equipment will need to be replaced sooner than we think. To keep a modern home and take advantage of technology however you just have to put up with replacing units on a regular basis. If only they mandated that all items be supported while they existed rather than put the onus on us to do things. I’m sure repairable is more cost effective than just efficient.

What I’m looking at doing is trying to buy only equipment that can be repaired at home by ourselves. That seems to exclude all electrical equipment and most modern technology so I’m looking at everything I have, does it have more than a few wires or not? If it does then it is unlikely to be of use in the future.

Simple wiring is what we want, simple motors, simple panels and no pesky electronics. Electronics will be useful for transition but we won’t have any for long term.

One thing I have found though is that many of the older obsolete equipment that is being thrown out doesn’t have complicated circuitry and this is the stuff you should look out for. I’m thinking of starting a house clearance firm and seeing what I can find which will last me into the future. I’m finding it ironic that the old stuff that is obsolete is the stuff that will be of more use to us after an event.

I need more storage space though.

3 comments to Obsolescence

  • Ellen

    That whole tale ended with what is the problem for a lot of people, “STORAGE SPACE”.
    I am a worn out ol’ dog from taking stuff out of tubs I had it stored in and putting it on shelf units. The tub system took up a little less room but I couldn’t get to anything and it was getting ruff moving tubs to get to tubs to see what was in the bottom tub.
    It was sure a job.
    The problem with my storage is it is in my bedroom and it is also the trail to the throne room. So OPSEC is pretty well nill. I thank God I am not a socialite nor have a slew of friends that come around that does save some worry about opsec.
    There is a guy that buried his old refrigerator under his trailer and used it like a root cellar. But he was energetic and inventive where when my old freezer died the thought of trying to dig a hole to use for storage seemed impossible so had to call the junk man to pick the poor thing up.
    Well if something really drastic happens we will figure something out and if it manages to get past the cave man living arrangements we will be thankful. But I pray we would learn from it and not let our lives be controlled like it is now.

  • half

    My fridge broke down last week, the light was still working so I didn’t notice it had stopped working so I lost a little bit of food. Using frozen bottles in the fridge I’ve found that I don’t really need a working fridge as long as I have a freezer. I’m in no hurry to replace it.

    • Ellen

      half
      Great how it worked out, back to the ol’ ice box.
      The only plus is now we can freeze plastic bottles full of water and no drip, drip, drip pan to empty and if it gets even worse can use the water.