I have built several first aid kits for prepping, and made a significant error. I bought digital thermometers, with spare batteries a decade ago when I started this journey. I recently needed one, and the battery was flat. I went to the spare battery, and it also was dead!
What I didn't think about (no excuse, I'm an Electrical engineer) is that the life expectancy in an LCD thermometer; is about the same as the shelf storage life on the same battery. Sadly, I KNOW this fact...and just didn't think!
So you can avoid this same problem:
Get an old fashion glass thermometer! This one will work every time, last fifty years, and will never run out of batteries.
Also; if you have one, you have none! This is the third buy of a pair of these for my prepping supplies. All kits now have a proper thermometer, with only these two needing delivery to the homestead.
I am working on converting all my prepping test equipment to 18650 LiIon battery packs. I will have no critical gear using disposable batteries...that's a recipe for disaster, that I can fix Now!
One unit needs 90 volts DC, so I will use a DC to DC converter to cut the size on the battery pack. Today is the time to get creative, before parts become difficult!
All this, from a failed thermometer. We must continually analyze our planning for glitches, to avoid all problems we can before hand! Because there will be things we missed, that will be easy to fix now; that will take great effort to fix later.
We need to out think disaster, faster than they can spend us into Oblivion!
reminds me of when people tell me they are stocking up on dry goods. erm... those 20kg of rice are gonna be inedible without water and heat - don't forget the charcoal, lighters etc. lol ( I discovered that matches are totally useless here - too humid - 90% failure rate unless stored humidity-free).
Agreed, I have a large lake in walking distance, so I'm good on water. The area is heavily forested, so I can easily cook with wood; may use driftwood, since it's so plenty full.
Fire making is an art, try coating the matches in wax when you get them...good for decades. I even have a fire piston (because it's fun) as a deep backup for fire starting. I have matches stored in mylar under vacuum, as a backup for the lighters.
Keep on prepping!
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Good tips, thx - matches stored in mylar under vacuum -lol, that's serious!
I have heard that clear fingernail Polish also keeps them fresh, but I never tried it myself.
I'm thinking of mylar tiny bags, with a single box of matches each, just to see how good I am with the impulse sealer.
But the old school wax seems to be the best, because it makes a small candle from each match.
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yeah, old "cerini" in Italy were wax matches, I recall.
I should try to import those, if they still exist!
I used to fill a toilet paper tube with matches, and pour it full on wax. The tube peels off later to make a great fire starter.
One way or another, I'll have fire when needed, LOL!
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Good advice re thermometers.
Thanks, mistake corrected...life goes on! This has me reviewing plans from was back.
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