# Solar Power after TSHTF



## mosquitomountainman (Jan 25, 2010)

I've been watching the progression of the thread about protecting solar panels and it's got me to thinking (at least I'm attempting to think!)

What do you think the odds are that local "governments" would "commandeer" solar panels from local residents for the public good and use them for powering hospital or medical clinics, etc. (or just "essential public services")?

Would you comply if they attempted to force the issue? 

Would you voluntarily donate your solar panels to a cause such as this if you determined it would benefit the public?

We've discussed this and have our own conclusions. I'm interested in how would you would handle it.


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

mosquitomountainman said:


> What do you think the odds are that local "governments" would "commandeer" solar panels?


If easily accessible and visible: High
Out in "the sticks": Low



mosquitomountainman said:


> Would you comply if they attempted to force the issue?


Ummm... if I am overwhelmed by force, do I have a choice at this point?



mosquitomountainman said:


> Would you voluntarily donate your solar panels to a cause such as this if you determined it would benefit the public?


Sorry, No - If I paid for them, I should be able to retain them for my own use.

The problem is this: If an entire platoon shows up on your doorstep, they are going to take what ever they need. I am not John Rambo and neither are my wife or kids. If it is just the local Sheriff (whom I know) I might be swayed if I felt he had a legitimate use for a *couple* of them (to charge batteries and operate HAM radio), but *not all* of them. I have my own radio shack to power! 
73,
KE5VMH


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## cowboyhermit (Nov 10, 2012)

Personally I think solar panels would still be low on TPTB's list of things to "acquire" in an emergency. They are still heavily in the generator/fuel/centralized distribution mindset for the most part. Much more likely to have fuel confiscated imo.

If they tried to confiscate them from me (if they knew I had them) I would have to object simply for the fact that I can't sanction an authoritarian regime. Would I die for them? HECK NO, we can survive just fine without electricity if it comes to it but we also have MANY ways to generate it.

More than likely in my situation TBTB could be dealt with and an arrangement could be made that was mutually beneficial.


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## Tirediron (Jul 12, 2010)

I suppose it you had a big grid tied system, you might get on the radar but as for the military to come around demanding your panels, I doubt it, those with panels would probably have communication and know about the raids, and have time to hide most of the system any way.


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

cowboyhermit said:


> More than likely in my situation TBTB could be dealt with and an arrangement could be made that was mutually beneficial.


Can you please give some details on how you would do this?


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## cowboyhermit (Nov 10, 2012)

Our circumstance is not typical I am sure, I would rather not get into too many details. What I can say though, is that the only government entity that has any real presence around here is the county and we know just about everyone there. I might be willing to offer some panels and expertise in exchange for some heavy equipment work for example, or maybe an agreement for closing a road or two (it does happen now occasionally).
The possibility of charging dead batteries is also an idea in a really bad situation. 

Can't say I have put too much thought into it because personal factors and our relative isolation makes it relatively unlikely. I am much more concerned about losing our land, food, livestock, fuel, etc than solar panels.


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## hiwall (Jun 15, 2012)

Out here many, many people have grid-tied solar on their roof. 99% of these would not work if the grid was down so they would not lose much if the panels were taken. 
As for my stuff no matter what it is - I may give but no one will ever take while I am alive.


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## smaj100 (Oct 17, 2012)

You know at first I thought maybe i wouldn't die for them or risk my family. The more I thought about it though, whats to stop them when they decide my livestock or garden or other essentials (Firearms, ammo) are needed for the greater good?

So while I would be willing to recharge batteries and help in that aspect they can take them over my dead body!


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## Caribou (Aug 18, 2012)

I have a medical device that requires electricity. In a grid down situation taking my solar panels would be a life threatening action. No, I don't see a scenario where I would willingly give up my solar panels or backup generator.


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## TheLazyL (Jun 5, 2012)

mosquitomountainman said:


> What do you think the odds are that local "governments" would "commandeer" solar panels from local residents for the public good?


The same odds that ANY resource that I have would be commandeered. Odds would depend on the ego of the "government" Officials and what knowledge they have of my resources.



> Would you comply if they attempted to force the issue?


A few "Officials" demanding my property would be ordered off my property. 
Trespassing charges would be filed (I know but it may give them something more to think about).

A large group of "Officials" demanding my property would be cooperated with. If practical their thief would be dealt with at a later date.



> Would you voluntarily donate your solar panels to a cause such as this if you determined it would benefit the public?


Depends on the need and how it would affect the community. Sheriff needs radio batteries recharged. Drop them of at my place and I'll recharged them. Send a Deputy out the next morning to pick them up and I'll feed the Deputy breakfast. Win win.


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

cowboyhermit said:


> What I can say .. the only government entity that has any real presence around here is the county and we know just about everyone there.


Same with me here, but that certainly doesn't go for everyone.

Agreed, Your circumstance is probably not typical. 
I can deal with Sheriffs and deputies that know the locals and treat them well. I don't want any NATO or UN forces in the area for sure... Not even regular US Army.


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

mosquitomountainman said:


> We've discussed this and have our own conclusions. I'm interested in how would you would handle it.


OK, MMM - you have our side .... let's hear your side


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## tc556guy (Apr 28, 2011)

Theres a big push in local gov't circles here to go solar. The local library has had solar for a decade, and the SPCA just added solar this year. " Go solar" signs are sprouting up all over my county.
I am sure OP is right and they wouldn't hesitate to grab your panels if they believed they could get away with it


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## tsrwivey (Dec 31, 2010)

We're out in the sticks, & moving out even further, so the odds aren't good that TPTB would even know we had them. 

They're not TAKING anything. I'd blow holes in the panels first. I could be persuaded to lend a some for a particular cause, though.


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## mosquitomountainman (Jan 25, 2010)

tsrwivey said:


> We're out in the sticks, & moving out even further, so the odds aren't good that TPTB would even know we had them.
> 
> They're not TAKING anything. I'd blow holes in the panels first. I could be persuaded to lend a some for a particular cause, though.


We've reached the same decision. We can live quite well without electricity and would likely loan our solar power system if the cause was good (hospital, clinic, etc.). If they come with force they will be met with force. Taking things from the citizenry would set a bad precedent ... there's been too much of that already.


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## northstarprepper (Mar 19, 2013)

A very interesting discussion with some varied and quite valid views on the subject. I do tend to agree with the argument that goes against just allowing them to be taken, unless it is by a force of overwhelming size and power. That does set a very bad precedent for the rest of your goods/food/firearms/etc. 

The argument of the solar being for a hospital or clinic does make me pause however and wonder if my family or friends would directly benefit from my "donation" or better yet, a trade worked out that would be mutually beneficial. In a SHTF situation, local gov't might not be quite the bully that the Feds would be.


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## Jimbo777 (Jun 21, 2014)

After the SHTF and the grid goes down...

The first thing that will happen is that Martial Law will be declared.

The Feds will then block off all main roads preventing people from leaving cities.

Then when it is safe they will go door to door.

They will want all your freeze dried food, your solar panels, your solar generators, your guns and ammo, all your canned food, your garden seeds,
all your potato's that you haven't dug up yet,,,,, etc. etc. etc.

Then they will throw all of our A$$es in a FEMA camp.

Issue you a sleeping bag and a pillow and a ticket. (like the ones you get when you get your drivers license renewed.)

It just so happens that I own some very nice Goal Zero solar panels and a Yeti 400 solar generator.

When the grid is down my MAXSA 12V electric blankets cannot function without my Yeti 400 solar generator.

Those Federal SOB's ain't gettin none of my personal property! :club:

http://www.amazon.com/Innovations-20013-Cruise-Heated-Blanket/dp/B0009A2NYM/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top


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## hiwall (Jun 15, 2012)

> The first thing that will happen is that Martial Law will be declared.
> The Feds will then block off all main roads preventing people from leaving cities.
> Then when it is safe they will go door to door.
> They will want all your freeze dried food, your solar panels, your solar generators, your guns and ammo, all your canned food


I certainly agree with this much of your statement.
Roads/highways can be easily closed with those portable cement barriers that are seen everywhere with only a few spots being manned entry/exits.


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## helicopter5472 (Feb 25, 2013)

It just makes me happy I'm not living in a city. By the time they get to me either I will be gone or all the important stuff will be hidden.


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## FatTire (Mar 20, 2012)

For me the heart of the issue is wether its the state initiating the use of force to take what I have built, or its someone I know asking for a mutually beneficial arrangement to use what I have built. 

Ill turn it all into a pile of slowly smoking ash before I willingly hand it over to the state. 

People working honestly together for mutual voluntary benefit is a great thing, and thats the sort of place I eventually want to settle. People deciding to use the force of the state for coercion, to forcibly take like a bully after lunch money.. no thanks, I barely put up with it now...


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## Jimbo777 (Jun 21, 2014)

helicopter5472 said:


> It just makes me happy I'm not living in a city. By the time they get to me either I will be gone or all the important stuff will be hidden.


After the SHTF people living outside of cities will have to deal with roving gangs in vehicles.

Picture five pickup trucks loaded with gang members (and all heavily armed) coming down your dirt road. They will want everything you own!


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## helicopter5472 (Feb 25, 2013)

Jimbo777 said:


> After the SHTF people living outside of cities will have to deal with roving gangs in vehicles.
> 
> Picture five pickup trucks loaded with gang members (and all heavily armed) coming down your dirt road. They will want everything you own!


Fortunately they will have to go thru 8 miles of angry folks first. We have next to non for gang activity in our region. Believe me they will have to deal with a lot of gun fire and a lot of heavy equipment. Other than a few old folks most everyone around here is self-sufficient, they all have wells, gardens, and guns.
By the time they get up this far, the neighbors plan on having the roads blocked off.
Lets just say we will have a much better chance of being trouble free then the Small city of Bangor and surrounding areas, "but nothing is for sure"


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## cowboyhermit (Nov 10, 2012)

Jimbo777 said:


> After the SHTF and the grid goes down...
> 
> Things will not go down the way you or anyone else predict.


I guarantee it.


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## helicopter5472 (Feb 25, 2013)

Nothing is "for sure" but most of us here do have some advantage. One, we are already aware, and we can prepare best for the surrounding areas, and we know our home 20 area. We have supplies and tactics prepared. This is a lot more than the average Joe.
(no offence to anyone named Joe)


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## cowboyhermit (Nov 10, 2012)

Just in case someone doesn't get it, when I said "I guarantee it" I was being somewhat facetious. I can't know that what someone else predicts won't come true except to the extent of it being an illogical prediction, for instance different areas will all experience things differently. As an example, I am not even in the U.S so I seriously doubt FEMA will come into play. All "rural" areas are also obviously not created equal.

One thing I have learned over the years though, if someone says they KNOW what is going to happen in a hypothetical situation, the "grain of salt":"truth" quotient skyrockets.


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## tsrwivey (Dec 31, 2010)

Jimbo777 said:


> After the SHTF and the grid goes down...
> 
> The first thing that will happen is that Martial Law will be declared.
> 
> ...


It works for me if they keep all the city folk in the city but I don't see that happening. There are thousands of ways out of most cities, there's no way of blocking all of them. Even if the could produce enough manpower to block all of the roads, they wouldn't have enough to go door to door.

I don't know what folks are like where you live but around here there would be no going door to door taking food or anything else. That would be a suicide mission to even attempt & all of the local & state LEOs would know that.


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## CulexPipiens (Nov 17, 2010)

They can't get their act together on "small" things like Katrina or Sandy. A nation wide organized door to door program? Not likely. If they really needed stuff they'd go after the warehouses and distributors first. By the time they're hitting your local big box store for whatever (solar, food, etc.) they have it will probably have degraded almost to the point of everyone for themselves anyway. At this point, as others have stated, you're going to be dealing with petty locals and organized gangs.

Of course being out in the middle of no where is no guarantee. Many times gangs would go raiding in the country figuring a bunch of them against a single family (house/homestead/farm/etc.) stands a good chance of them leaving with whatever they want.

Example: http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Gang-attacks-Camperdown-farm-20140221

A few searches will yield many more reports like this.


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## Jimbo777 (Jun 21, 2014)

I work in a major retail grocery store that is very similar to Walmart.

I have seen with my own eyes how power grid failures effect people.

*They immediately panic, and head for the nearest grocery store because they are not prepared!*

The bread / pastries / granola aisle gets emptied out real quick.
The camping / flashlight / battery aisles get emptied out real quick like also.

*And if the grid goes down for a week like it did in the winter of 2007 here in the Seattle area, then a SHTF scenario is a done deal!
*

Major grid failures are now a common occurence in the USA!

Thank God for Solar Panels and Solar Generators!

http://electrical-engineering-porta...-in-united-states-and-around-the-world-part-1


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