Six Hours After Placing Order For Emergency Cook Top; My Kitchen Oven Stove Breaks

What should I expect from a supposed “CURSED” house?  There is a lot of fall out after a flood. Realizing that I live in a place abundant with emergencies, I did a lot of shopping around for an emergency cook top. I do not want a camping stove, as I think they are dangerous for indoor use and half the time I am too ill to go outside, and if that were not the case I have no outside place to use a camp stove. A lot of the restaurant supply places sell cleaner burning butane burners, that are used in store demos and at tables in restaurants. I did find that all those cook tops are not equal, just as all gas heaters are not equal. Some have to be readjusted every 1 to 2 thousand feet of change in elevation. Others can work within a range of 6,000 feet. Being that I am at about 4,000 feet and planning to move much lower, I need something that can accommodate that range.

The Max Burton Burner on amazon had better reviews and a more reasonable price. It also does not have to be professionally adjusted every time I move. I also ordered a case of fuel canisters with the stove. First because I need them to operate the stove and second, the post office is my area is so poor, I may not get the package. So ordering the fuel, means it has to go UPS ground to legally ship. Sort of a guarantee the package will reach me.

Max Burton burner with carrying/storage case

About 6 to 8 hours after I hit the “place order” button on amazon, I notice a heavy gas smell in my home. I test everything. When I got to the oven it did not ignite. I left a message, as emergency maintenance did not pick up. I was really too sick in bed to leave the house and was about to call the police, when the guy called and said he would be there in half an hour. He showed up and was not able to re-start the oven pilot, so the the stove had to be disconnected from the gas completely. That meant dinner was going to be a cup of yogurt. If only I had ordered that cook top a week and a half earlier.

The following day the pilots on the stove/oven got re-lit and I was back in business again. Some days later my Max Burton Burner arrived. The thing really stinks and so it remains in the bedroom off-gassing. I think it is more the case it comes in, than the burner itself. It is handy to have a compact carry case to store it in.

I gave it a test run. It works so nice and is easy to load and use. The flame adjusts just like my regular gas range. Next emergency, I will be able to boil water or even cook if I so desire. I eat half raw foods, but some things I cook, and more so now, as I am trying to save on money, so I eat more oatmeal and stove top items.

Things like the cook top are important to have for emergencies and this winter is supposed to be a brutal one. I dread that I have to stay here another winter. I am not going to let the same thing happen with heat. I will be getting a kerosene heater locally off craigslist, as soon as I am up and around. I do not want to risk needing it while it is in the mail and the price of the new ones is more than I can spend. This is a must, as I can not risk having the power go out and then the gas, during a winter freeze, when I have severe Reynauds. During freezes help can not get to you. And no that portable electric heater is not usable, as freezes cut the power.

In the past I have not wanted to waste the money, but better to have it and not need it, than not have it in an emergency. Having hot water for my water bottle is better relief than any painkiller, that has ever hit the market. I sure would have cherished my water bottle, when my stove was down. Having heat,  that means not loosing a foot is, well, just priceless.

This is supposed to be the coldest winter in 48 years. Are you prepared for an emergency?

From Here To 216 Square Feet

Even though my move got put off, the issue of what I am going to do with everything is still on my mind. First I currently live in 600 square feet. Doesn’t sound like much? Well my RV is 216 square feet. Most of my things are actually for sale. First I want to raise money for all the costs to move to the trailer and second I am going to want to change my decor from modern to gypsy-Bohemian.  When it comes to the rest, how much do I want to part with?

Messy, smelly chicken boxes that had to be re-mediated.

Living room full of stuff

When it comes to clothes, I am a clothes horse. Not an average one. I prefer quality to quantity. I have an entire collection of goth, medieval, hippy and general artistic clothing, much of which was picked up in expensive stores in New York City and surrounding areas. One of a kind beautiful items. On my up days, I am always putting together some combination I have never done before. I have pared down quite a bit. Putting the items that don’t fit or are not that unique up for sale, along with lower quality items that double other better items. Still there were racks left. I have purchased 4 “under bed” containers to put the current season’s clothes in. I am going to packed my current drawers tighter.

Some of the racks of clothes

“Under bed” storage box and boxed stuff for sale

There are no moving companies where I live. The person helping me used dirty chicken boxes from the meat department, which was something I would not dream anyone would do. I found this out when the room started to stink so bad.  After getting advice from a remediation company, I had to toss the boxes and have the contents cleaned. Anything that could not be cleaned had to be discarded, including the bedroom rug and pad. Salmonella does not die in carpet the way it does in kitchens. I only allowed boxes in from then on, after I could inspect them to make sure what had been in them. Fortunately the nice stuff had not been packed yet and it was mostly things I had up for sale.

The chicken boxes are gone and most of this is for sale

I purchased 2 more tubs to hold the off-season clothes and all the summer clothes went in there. I held a few out in case I was going somewhere warm like Arizona, or if there were any last warm days or early spring days. Then I started in on the racks. I placed all the long items that have to hang in the kitchen closet and all the short things that have to hang on one section of one of the racks. I then packed the rest in the “under bed” containers. I left them in an easy spot where I could access them each day. From 3 racks, I am now down to one, plus the kitchen closet. That adds up to about the same as the closet space in the trailer.

I also decided while I have the help to move out everything I want to sell: furniture, clothes, housewares, books, media, etc..and they will be sold for me by someone else. I was originally going to take everything to Arizona with me and stockpile it in the trailer, as nice things sell faster in Arizona. Since I am here now, this is a better option. It’s a lot less stuff to move, if I get a notice and do not have any help. The moving help I had will not be back for some months.

Before a portion of the kitchen is packed

The “under bed” storage containers are packed and placed for easy access

I am grateful to the wonderful people who helped me, though some of them ran up a bill and I am now left with what I want to have in the trailer, plus several things I need for use as long as I am here.

Folding table and stool. Great for tight spots or hide them away.

The bar table and living room table have been replace by my little folding table, I used for special occasions and for sewing. I pared that with a folding stool. If one did not know it, they would think I purchased it at a tiny house furniture store. No such store exists to my knowledge, but if one did they would carry those items. I put the table and stool, where the old bar table was by the kitchen window. Note: the old bar table and the living room table are multi use pieces of furniture and would go great in a tiny house or trailer, that is using a modern decor.

Folding multi-purpose end table

I am taking the black cubes with me as they will stack and very versatile on where they can be fit in. Right now 2 of them are replacing the old TV stand. The contents of the dresser are in three boxes, one for each drawer.

One of the nightstands/file cabinets

The two nightstands [they are really file cabinets] are going along with the other file cabinet. Everything but the basics is already packed and ready to go when the time comes.

I am actually starting to feel hope that I will be able to fit in 216 square feet.

Trip To Arizona To See My Trailer And Look At Parking Spaces

Last Tuesday I went to Arizona and saw my trailer for the first time, since July when I bought it. It was a very long trip and a very long day. I cannot stay in any hotels, as they all have wifi, so I must make a straight round trip. On the way I pulled over at my favorite rest stop and shot this video. I cannot walk well enough to use any of the facilities at this rest stop, as they are quite far from the car.

My first stop was to see the progress on the trailer. It was a big disappointment.  One of the exterior repairs on the corner was only half done and the solar is going to have to be redone. The installer had agreed to make the frame per my design and I confirmed this with him 3 times.

My Solar Stand Design

I ended up getting something else. The manufacturer of these panels informed me that this frame would cost me about 10% efficiency!  The installer was angry that I could not have the panels, on the roof, due to the fact, I can NOT take the emissions, and I guess this is my punishment.  There are more options on the ground: tilting them for the sun and being able to get solar, while parking in the shade. I deducted the frame from the bill and will be taking it elsewhere to have the adjustment bars changed to something that does not shade any of the solar cells. A few other things are going to have to be redone elsewhere, as well. Renogy gave me a name of someone they recommend.

Pieces sticking up will cast shade on panels!

Those wires will be the perfect play and chew toy for the first cat that comes along!

After that I felt kind of down. I then traveled 3 1/2 hours away to look at spaces in another area. My mouth stayed numb for a couple hours: there was a lot of RF radiation at the shop where the trailer was, though their wifi was off, the neighbors’ wifi was still going.

I had picked three very rural half empty parks to see, but only actually was able to consider one.  The other 2 had no wired internet service available period. This is a requirement, when I can’t get to stores or even go in them, if I did. My food comes by fed-ex and UPS and so does every other necessity. Homebound people need some internet access.  I drove for what seemed like eternity to see this park. It is out there. It felt calming to be away from the sprawl.  The spaces I looked at were far from neighbors and would have been perfection had the power lines in the park not been hooked to the smart grid and were now RF antennas.  After checking the most remote spaces, I tried some of the ones closer in. They were further from the lines, but still not good. The best one is about the same or better, than where I am now.

I am seriously considering it, in case my current landlords do not agree to give me more time. If they do not then I will go with this to avoid ending up in something worse, as it’s hard to find a place as good as the unsafe place I have now. Over time I can pay off the bills and continue to look for something further away from frequencies. It will be easier to find something if I am living in the state and do not have to drive a day each way to see these spaces. My goal is to get my own land to park on. This is also a bad time to find parking in Southern Arizona, as fall is, when all the snowbirds are after spaces. People tend to stay one last winter and give up their great long-term spaces in the spring.

After leaving the park, one of the other parks that had no internet service was on the way, so I stopped and checked it out. That way I would know about it, if the phone company ever expands their DSL area. This second park was far worse.  There were smart meters on each post, pulsing away.  The park itself was less densely populated and further away from anything. It was a very nice park.  Too bad it was blasted by the smart meters.

So I will have to see if I can have till spring or if I will have to make a lateral move, as far as RFs go and take the best of what I saw today so I can be out in October. Outside of RFs it’s a big improvement: No blasting train, a nicer area, more peaceful and a better environment.

The Project Is On Hold Again: Horrible Hampton H27 Is Not Going To Work

September 14, 2015:

I have been trying to find a workaround for the issue with the Hampton H27 stove requiring AC power. OK that can be “mickey moused”, but it will still have emissions.

On top of that I find out that it is in fact a “smart heater”.  This means it sends and receives RF signals, just like a smart meter does.

It’s not that I failed to do my homework before buying the stove. I called the company and they verified that could run with NO electricity. Between the time of this call and the time I placed the order, they changed the model for the worse. I called the company I told them I thought it was a poor call to change it to a unit that requires electricity. This makes it a very poor option for off grid heat and also makes it a very poor option for those trying to minimize EMFs,  Not good to have EMFs transmitting from something that is on as much as a heater. The most used appliance in my home and that included, also the time I lived in the Phoenix, Arizona area.

The real deal breaker in the end was the fact that this heater transmits RF signals. In 2011 the World Health Organization declared RF radiation a class 2B carcinogen, just like asbestos. I do not want asbestos in my home nor do I want this heater. Top that off, with the fact that wireless items have caused me numerous issues not limited to: mini strokes, heart palpitations, dizziness, falling, headaches, insomnia and more. Yes this Hampton H27 is a horrid turkey!

About a week and a half ago now, I called the dealer and requested to return the stove, for a refund, as some days passed and not getting an answer, I filed a dispute with my credit card, while still trying to work out something with the dealer.

This also means I can not go forward with moving into the trailer, as high heat is a serious medical requirement for me. I have incurred some serious debt to buy this heater stove that was the best heat option and it’s no way in my budget to buy another on top of it, without first getting a refund on the first item.

I have to move the first part of October or I will loose the only people that can help me, if I move later they will not be available. They will not be available again till next year. I live in an area, where there are little in the way of services of any kind and it is almost impossible to get a decent mover. People here all do it themselves, or sell or just leave their stuff.  The other option is use one of the regular companies and have everything completely destroyed.

The casita I rent, through the section 8 program, was sold in June.  The new owners wanted me out, but due to the fact, I have been a good tenant I have been allowed to stay a little longer. The property manager is trying to talk the new owners into giving me 6 more months, but I would have to stay the entire time, as a lease would then be required. I am hoping this can be arranged, as I would then have enough time to replace the heat, finish the trailer and set up parking. Note here that I have tried to rent a place that is not worse for me than this, but after several weeks of calls, no one would accept section 8 and that is when I decided to go for the trailer early.

September 19, 2015

New Update:  I spoke with the stove dealer a couple days ago, and if I sign their papers, and agree to a refund that would be about 50% of the total cost, I could get some money back. I signed their papers, as half a refund would give me enough to continue and get some new heat, but I have heard nothing about when they will pick the stove back up to ship. I am running out of time, unless the landlord says yes to more time.

Wish I had never gone near the horrible Hampton H27 turkey!