Establishing Standards for Prepping

Those in the Army and other corps know that using standards is a good choice, and used extensively for good reasons. If you already have a diesel engine in your tractor and rely on this for most of your homestead chores, a wise choice is to use diesel as the main fuel, for instance.

It can be expensive, but with reasonable financial management (which you will need anyway in an economic storm), you could create an emergency fund for “engine emergencies” with the fuel savings.

Diesel mechanics can be relatively simple, but it is not as cheap as gasoline engines. However, reliability is a plus that could be priceless in the long run. Like in situations where you have to cross a flooded road with 1600 pounds of products or gear on your pickup, water covering the lower half of your engine, and you make it to the other side without hesitation. This is doable with planning and wise investment.

Let´s see another example: buying 100 gallons when the price is low, and designating a fixed amount per week or month to an account only for fuel is something I would do if my business depended on that. Trying to find a local biodiesel supplier is another means to improve self-reliance, also, if you are a farmer. But it is an issue to discuss in another article.

Summarizing, there is a good reason why practically all industries use standards.

The seamless operation of machinery, vehicles, and farm equipment is reliant on the availability of fuels, lubricants, and parts. Establishing standards and buying in bulk can significantly reduce operating costs, optimize your maintenance processes, and extend the lifespan of the equipment. In the past I witnessed cooperatives working with good savings.

Advantages of Standardization

There are plenty of advantages if you use only one fuel, one hydraulic (transmission/gearbox), and engine oil. Beginning with the savings in transport. Let´s elaborate.

Cost Reduction: By standardizing fuels and lubricants, you can negotiate better prices from suppliers due to increased purchasing volume.

If your homestead is far away, you would reduce costs by getting a few 4-gallon buckets of, say engine oil, that will work on your tractor, generator, ATV, and pickup. The mere transport expense in some cases can justify the money. Not to mention that it´s much cheaper in the long run. For example, check out this link with 16 filters, resulting in each filter costing 3.25$. With the 4-pack, prices go up to 5$ per unit. Or you could see the price of this 2.5-gallon pack at roughly 60$ versus the 5-gallon pail, saving almost 20$ if both machines use the same engine oil. Get another pail for your ATV, store it wisely and it should last for 2 more oil changes. Another 20$ saved. Then, 40$ saved somewhere else, and so on.

Reduced storage needs

By using a single fuel type, you minimize the need to store and manage multiple fuels, reducing storage space and the risk of spills or contamination. One tank for all the fuel you need, instead of two. Same with the oil. And you will avoid the temptation to use one that could be available, but not exactly within specs of the machinery you intend to service. Seen it happening.

Increasing operation time

Imagine your alternator fails exactly when you need to get your truck to town and don´t have another car available. But you have taken your precautions, and you have a trusty generator that fits right in place with the same brand and specifications. Just wrench 20-30 minutes (if you are like me) and you´re ready to hit the road. You may want to install the same alternator if you have a second car, meaning that when you need to rebuild one, getting the parts by half a dozen you could get good deals. Use a spreadsheet to keep track of the maintenance by mileage or time, and it will be almost automatic. These investments usually pay back after a couple of years, but the price of having them at hand when you need them the most is incalculable. Mind you, we still rebuild those parts in some countries, whether doing the work ourselves or getting the parts and taking everything to a shade tree guy to do it for a small fee)—mostly starters and alternators.

Much cheaper than getting a new part, and they last the same time or twice the new cheap overseas-built junk. Personally, when I have the coin, I get the brand-new, OEM stuff and stash the part I take out of the car. The roads I usually transit are usually desert, hot, and lonely. I can´t afford any failure that leaves me stranded. A couple of hours under a scorching sun and you´ll run through a couple of liters of water. Reliability means a lot here.

Supplier Selection

We all know how networking is important in crisis or SHTF scenarios. Having reliable suppliers who can consistently provide the products you need to keep the machines oiled has a remarkable added value. Imagine you produce biodiesel in your homestead and trade for the engine and gearbox oils you need, face-to-face, only a couple times per year. Not even cash changing hands. Mutual agreement, off-the-books.

This is the sort of business that will keep you sleeping at night, trust me.

Testing 

When the batch is a large one, like a 200-liter barrel or so, the quality is usually good. You could always verify the quality with one of these testers. Test it within reasonable intervals (get advice from the supplier), especially before using it. This will alert any potential contamination or degradation. I bought in advance 5 gallons for oil changes for my brand new car back in 2009 (I had a small business running, bringing cheese from my hometown to the East), and they lasted me for almost 2 years, with a 1000 km (550 miles) round trip every month.

Even better if you can make the oil filters a match, but that is more complicated. However, if you get the same engine on your pickup that in your generator, would be a blast. Getting the same parts to rebuild them and at the same time cutting a good deal with the mechanic in a 2×1 offer sounds like money savings.

Weaponry

I am sure this area is already pretty well covered somewhere, but I had to mention it at least.

This is a topic that could fill a book, and sadly one where I have not too much knowledge. Only barely enough to not shoot myself on a foot. I´d rather leave it to the pros.

Voltage and current

Standardizing on a single voltage and current for the electrical system (e.g., 12V DC) simplifies wiring, reduces the risk of electrical faults, and allows for easier integration of new components.

Mind you, 24V is highly efficient for solar inverters. I have been running some calculations and this will very likely be my choice for the battery rack. The efficiency of the conversion is 85-90% which is not bad at all.

Even standardizing the bulbs for lighting could save you some money. I´d like to have more bulbs with a good distribution than a few high-powered bulbs here and there that will be expensive to replace. Bulbs are articles that can be found, usually, at good prices in bulk.

Plumbing

Although this can be tricky, or plainly impossible, it´s good to give it a try. It´s impractical to have a different spare for every faucet at home. You have it much easier up there, as standardization in households goes a long way back. We have manufacturers from different countries, using all sort of odd diameters and threads and compatibility was an issue until not too long ago. With the influx of Far East cheap products things are not much better: quality is an issue. I know people that has installed three different toilets and they have to get different spares.

Storage containers and methods

Believe it or not, standardizing common storage containers can improve food storage efficiency and time at the moment of an evacuation. You can get good deals on stackable containers. You don´t need new boxes. They´re going to be moved around, and surely will take a beating. Measuring the cargo area of our vehicles is a good idea before getting our containers, so we can pre-plan everything accordingly. Remember involving your kids. For instance, a group could use boxes like these for dry foods and cookware , or these colors for first aid/medical kits. Using these boxes, for example, with a different color for each family/group you could stack them up and the owners never lose track of where their gear is if they have to use another vehicle for some reason. Use your creativity!

Gear

It was almost impossible to write this type of article without quoting the importance of having standard gear on your group so everybody can exchange gear with everyone else. These guys cover the topic in an interesting conversation.

Thanks for understanding that there is much more to this idea than what I have compiled here. My own application back in the day of this concept was getting one of the most common cars we had in the country (a used one with 7 years old, but still). This model was sold by the thousands, as an affordable family car with bank financing programs, and as a taxi. My idea was to get another car that shared the exact same gearbox; A/T TH 125, but had the opportunity to get the SUV, larger, more powerful and newer but with a different motor and tranny. Anyways, I made sure that both cars could use the same engine oil, brake fluid, and tranny oil.

Be safe, and stay tuned!

J.