# Dealing with power outages-lessons learned?



## Badfish740 (Nov 2, 2011)

Here in the Northeast it seems that we're getting hit with at least one storm a year that knocks out power for days, not hours.  Here in Northwest NJ two years ago it was a freak October ice storm, this year it was Irene (we didn't lose power then, thank goodness), and now this past October snow.  I thought it might be interesting to start a "lessons learned" thread about what worked and what didn't, what you'd do differently next time, etc...  Here is my list:

Generator connection/placement - My generator is nothing fancy.  It's a hand-me-down Generac from my FIL who used to use it in his construction business.  It's loud and not terribly powerful (4500W), but it did the job.  However, I realized that for extended periods especially, running a rats nest of cords to my critical systems (2 sump pumps, wood furnace blower, chest freezer, refrigerator) is not ideal.  I am going to invest in a 30 Amp power inlet along with an interlock switch for my main panel before the new year.  This will also allow me to cycle my hot water heater.  I had my first hot shower in four days yesterday.  Finally, since the plugs are a standard item, a different/larger generator could always be easily connected as well.  As far as placement, I had been running the generator on the deck, which for short periods is fine, but by the end of the second day it was driving us nuts.  I lucked out and was able to buy another cord at Lowes (literally the last 12 gauge cord they had) in order to move it off of my deck.  My property slopes down in the back of my house and I was thinking of building a little "house" into the hillside for the generator maybe 15 feet away from my foundation that would be open on one side.  The idea would be to place the generator inside under a roof in order to deaden the sound and protect it from weather. 

Headlamps - Can't say enough good things about these!  My wife had gotten me a set of four for Christmas as a stocking stuffer-she saw them at the checkout and grabbed them on her way out.  I hadn't opened them until the Friday before the storm hit.  Instead of fumbling with a flashlight when trying to set the air control on the furnace or start the generator in the middle of the night I had both hands free.  

Having a full freezer - When I first got my chest freezer I saved milk jugs, filled them with water, and froze them.  I would add or subtract jugs of ice as I added or took out food so that the freezer was always full to the brim.  Even after being off for 5 hours at one point the temps in the freezer were still in the high teens.  Not ideal, but not warm enough to spoil either.  

Wood furnace - This is really only specific to those with forced air wood furnaces, but I really need to get some kind of tee with a "trap door" that can function as a heat dump for when there is no power.  Whenever I was not running the generator I had to manually disconnect the duct work (I just peeled the tape off of the joint in order to let it dump into the basement.  Not ideal.  

Propane grill - We have an electric stove (which I hate) so we were SOL as far as cooking.  I was going to try a recipe that pen posted for some dutch oven bread in the woodstove, but I didn't get to it.  I'm going try it regardless of the power being on or not one of these days though.  I figured out that you can cook pretty much anything on a propane grill.  I removed one side of the grill to expose the burner which I used for setting a cast iron skillet directly on top of.  I made some really good cheese eggs and an omelet that way.  We had burgers of course along with some pork roll on the grill itself, but on night three I decided to wrap up some chicken nuggets and perogies (we only had frozen food at that point) in foil and they cooked even better than they do in the electric oven!   

Any others?


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## begreen (Nov 2, 2011)

Good to hear that you are back on the grid. For some it will be longer. And for a lot of people their gas stations are also out of power. So I would add that having a good supply of gas on hand is important. 

FYI, I think you will need a a larger generator to run the hw heater. In the most common size unit, each element is about 4500w (though only one comes on at a time).


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## smokinj (Nov 2, 2011)

+1 on the hot water. Glad I am  able to make my own. Gas stove top but the oven is eletric. 1 freezer and 2 fridges the rest will just have to wait. Warm, dry, clean and fed.


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## Badfish740 (Nov 2, 2011)

BeGreen said:
			
		

> Good to hear that you are back on the grid. For some it will be longer. And for a lot of people their gas stations are also out of power. So I would add that having a good supply of gas on hand is important.
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> FYI, I think you will need a a larger generator to run the hw heater. In the most common size unit, each element is about 4500w (though only one comes on at a time).



I usually try to keep at least 10 gallons on hand plus what's in the tank which I think is 4 gallons?  Always with a liberal dose of Seafoam as well-as was stated on here previously the stuff works miracles for cleaning out gunk, dispersing water, etc...  As for the HWH I think its something we can live without (at least until my daughter gets older :lol for now, but it did feel pretty good just to have a hot shower after four days, so this is yet another reason to look at a better generator for the house.  My current generator I got for free and would probably serve me well as a source of remote power for tools rather than a dedicated unit for powering the house.


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## Stegman (Nov 2, 2011)

I don't have a generator, but I'm toying with the idea of getting one before I fall victim to a long-term power outage. Just curious how much it costs [ballpark] to have an electrician come in and install one of those transfer switches. Are we talking a couple of hundred bucks, or $1,000 [or more).


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## Badfish740 (Nov 2, 2011)

Stegman said:
			
		

> I don't have a generator, but I'm toying with the idea of getting one before I fall victim to a long-term power outage. Just curious how much it costs [ballpark] to have an electrician come in and install one of those transfer switches. Are we talking a couple of hundred bucks, or $1,000 [or more).



It all depends on how fancy you want to get.  There are automatic switches which sense the loss of grid power, switch off the main, switch on the inlet, and tell the generator to start-with an electric start of course.  Then there are simple interlocks like this one:

http://www.interlockkit.com/ 

I am going to install the inlet and the cable to the main panel myself, then I'll have an electrician install a 50 Amp breaker in the box and connect the cable to the panel which should be a quick and easy job.  The interlock itself is $150, the cable (8/4) is probably going to be about $2.50 a foot (I need about 20 feet), so there's $50.  The power inlet box will run you about $80 and a 50 Amp breaker is about $20.  So right there I'm spending $300 in materials.  The labor cost is the big variable.


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## btuser (Nov 2, 2011)

Those interlock kits are great.  I think my neighbor has one.  In fact, I'm pretty sure he does because he's the only one in the development still running his generator.  Make sure you get the light/sounder that tells you when power is back.

Check your fuel:  The night/day before the storm fill your truck/car and check to see what you've got.  I had to drive 30 minutes on almost empty before I found a gas station open with fuel.  

Cash:  When I finally found an open station with gas they were only taking cash.

Paper Plates:   I wash the silverware but right now water is the precious resource.

Manage expectations:  5 minute shower is more than enough, especially when other people are sitting in the dark.   Everyone watches the same instead of headphones + laptops. Mary Poppins is a great flick.

Think about other people.  When I found out my friends were sitting in the dark and he couldn't get the generator running (float gummed up) I was pissed he waited 2 days to call. First serviceman charged him $175 to tell him he needed a new flyweel but the part was backorded.


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## Badfish740 (Nov 2, 2011)

btuser said:
			
		

> Those interlock kits are great.  I think my neighbor has one.  In fact, I pretty sure he does because he's the only one in the development still running his generator!



:lol:  I guess it helps to get outside and look around once in a while to see if the lights are on elsewhere


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## davmor (Nov 2, 2011)

Great advice. We seem to lose power here in Northern Michigan about once a month. I have a 5500 Watt generator (8500 surge) that I run the basics on. I use a reliant transfer switch. Another thing to try to do is run your generator about once a month. It is good to know things are working good when you need it. Also I add Stabil and Seafoam to the gas tank.


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## bogydave (Nov 2, 2011)

Good post
Some great points.
Being prepared feels  as good as having 2 years of ready fire wood.

btuser, go tell your neighbor running his generator that the power is back on.


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## daveswoodhauler (Nov 2, 2011)

Good idea and good post. Some ones we learned from the icestorm in 2008:

Crank flashlights that have a battery internal....good for the kids, and you don't have to run out and buy batteries.

Cash - as others have said....very useful

Small inverter that plugs into your cig lighter in your car. Works well if you don't have a cell phone car charger, but just a normal one that goes in an outlet. Got one from black and decker for like $12 or something, you can charge up stuff while dricing around looking for a gas station that is open or a working atm..lol

camping gear - small propane 2 burner stove works great for heating up water, sauces, breakfast....even had tacos a few nights, and the kids love tacos.

A non item for you folks with older friends or parents....they are old school, so they don't ask for help. (I hate asking for help, so I never do...just the way I am) If you are more prepared the others....stop by your family friends and just bring a hot mean over...something in the crock pot etc.....funny, we became closer to our friends and neighbors during the last storm as we all chipped in and helped each other.

Lets keep this thread going.....good ideas.


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## btuser (Nov 3, 2011)

bogydave said:
			
		

> btuser, go tell your neighbor running his generator that the power is back on.



Sorry, this is New England.  Ten years to melt the ice and another 20 before we're truly friends.  If it wasn't for the kids I'd only see people at funerals.


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## BrotherBart (Nov 3, 2011)

Buy fifteen gallons of genny gas every October and then burn what is left in the vehicles or lawn mower in the summer. Rinse and repeat next October.


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## jebatty (Nov 3, 2011)

I live in a rural area and power outages, although not frequent, are a concern. Fortunately, I  have a gravity septic system.

Generator: 5000 watt 240v generator with a 10 circuit manual transfer switch. I exercise the generator for 30-60 minutes several times/year with a 1500W electric heater on each leg of the supply. It also doubles as power for remote use of the MIG welder away from the shop.

Heat: the house is normally heated 24-7 with a wood stove, non electric, in the living room. No problem keeping the house warm no matter how low the temperature may go. The shop is heated with Tarm gasifier + storage; short term battery backup to keep the gasser and circulators running; longer term I can charge the batteries whenever the generator runs. Normally would only have to operate the Tarm about 6 hours every other day in the coldest of winter weather.

Water: the generator will run the 240v well pump, so water is not an issue. Septic system takes care of the other end of the pipe.

Refrigerator/freezer: these are on generator circuits and really do not take much power. Typically do not power these continuously but cycle them to save gas and run-time on the generator.

Lights: important lighting circuits are on the generator, all CFL's which work fine. Also have an Aladdin kerosene lamp, the kind that burns as bright as a light bulb, along with a few gallons of kerosene. If reason to suspect a long outage, I typically use the Aladdin rather than run the generator for electric lights.

Cooking: an outlet circuit is active for the microwave; can also heat enough water to keep dishes clean; warm water for sponge baths.

Fuel: I maintain a 30 gallon rotated supply of gasoline, use it for the car to keep the gas fresh.

Food: I keep a good supply of canned, dry and frozen food; enough to last a month and eat OK and much longer if rationed.

Sanity: an outlet circuit is available for the computer, broadband, TV, sound system, radio, etc. Have batteries on hand to keep the remotes in good order. Everything works fine on the generator. Liquor cabinet is usually well-stocked. A shot of whiskey makes everything warm and trouble free.

Community: very willing to put up neighbors who need help.

Worst case: tree falls on the house and exposes it in a major way to the elements -- move to a neighbor, bring the generator, food, etc. -- and the booze! Commiserate together.

Other: as I live in a rural area, 12 miles from the nearest town, our place is pretty well outfitted with just about everything needed for ordinary survival for quite a long time, including hunting and fishing. Up to a couple of weeks of power outage would not much affect us. Longer would be noticeable, mostly from a lack of normal comforts rather than essentials. Using up all the gasoline for the generator, even after siphoning out of the cars, would be the biggest concern. That's why we keep quite a bit of gas on hand. A summer/hot weather disaster would be worse than winter due to the need to maintain refrigeration and freezer; in cool weather/winter much could be stored outside to reduce refrig/freezer needs.


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## ISeeDeadBTUs (Nov 3, 2011)

Plenty of Birth Control . . . Hell, what else is there to do when there are no lights, it gets dark at like 5:30, and you can't get to sleep??


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## jimbom (Nov 3, 2011)

btuser said:
			
		

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 :lol: That and the fifty year school reunion.


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## Jags (Nov 3, 2011)

btuser said:
			
		

> Sorry, this is New England.  Ten years to melt the ice and another 20 before we're truly friends.



Remind me to never move there. :blank:


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## firefighterjake (Nov 3, 2011)

Jags said:
			
		

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Hey now . . . some of us folks are darn nice and friendly like . . . some of us even said folks free stuff even if we've never met them in person.


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## jharkin (Nov 3, 2011)

We have been lucky so far - less than 24hrs out for both Irene and  the Noreaster but I know our number will come eventually.

*Heat*
We are good as long as the wood pile holds out of course...

*Power*
We had a small 3500w genset to keep the sump pump going but I did put in a reliance 10 circuit transfer switch we can power the septic pump, gas boiler/HWH, and a few interior circuits (Fridge, microwave, kitchen, bath, living room/TV). This lets us cycle the septic, hot water heater, fridge and extra freezer a couple times a day. We can also use either the microwave, toaster oven or coffee maker for cooking, though not at once.

I thought about an interlock but decided against it as I would have to really juggle things not to overload this small generator... however If we ever have a week long outage I will seriously think about trading up to a bigger gen.

I also got a bunch of APC SmartUPS UPS units used cheap on ebay and plugged all the electronics Id want to use on generator into these. They do power conditioning and should help protect things from the dirty generator power. Plus you can keep some small electronics powered off them between generator cycles if you get a big enough unit.

Running the generator 24/7 is a waste, at minimal load it uses as much gas as half load. We try to run it in cycles when needed and rely on batteries, candles,etc in between.

*Light*
LED flashilights.  Battery life blows away incandescents.

I have been moving away from alkalines to Sanyo Eneloop rechargable AAs. They don't discharge in storage and if you run out of batteries you can recharge them from the generator.

Candles are ok, but I'd like to get some good oil lamps as well (to do)

*Water*
Water wise we are OK - town well water that's fed from water towers.  I guess if the entire town was out for a week that would run out as well. Maybe keep some jugs on hand.

*Food*
Cooking - I have a white gas camp stove and a couple gallons of Coleman fuel. But that has to be used outside. Might be better to have a propane stove and a few cylinders (to do)  or better yet extend the NG line to the kitchen and replace the electric range with gas (someday wish list)

Food wise we try to keep a few weeks of staples stocked around. BJs or Costco.

*Other*
Its more just for general emergencies but I also keep a big expedition grade first aid kit on hand and some other emergency supplies from my backpacking days like water filters etc.  If we ever had a storm so bad the streets were blocked and a bad injury at home it may come in handy.

We have a battery powered weather/emergency band radio.


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## Jags (Nov 3, 2011)

firefighterjake said:
			
		

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Yeah, your right.  I'm sure there are "normal" folks there too. :lol:


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## firefighterjake (Nov 3, 2011)

Jags said:
			
		

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   . . . never claimed I was normal . . .


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## Vic99 (Nov 3, 2011)

Especially if you do not have a generator:

1) Before storm hits charge all rechargeable batteries and cell phones

2) Run the freezer and fridge colder than you would.  Food less likely to spoil if power comes back sooner.  Could do the same for water heater - hotter

3) Get candles, matches, flashlights out ahead of time


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## EJL923 (Nov 3, 2011)

No generator here, and ive been going on 5 days now without power.  That also means no well water for me.

Water
The wife was smart enough to fill up water jugs, but drinking only.  I didnt get to filling up the 5 gallon pails for flushing.  Now that i can get out of our road, i fill up 3 of them at work to have on hand to fill the tanks after flushing, (usually only for the "special stuff").

Heat
Having a wood insert in a power outage is trying.  I have a flush face, which really relies on the blowers.  During the days, our house (lower level) can stay warm from the radiant heat without the surround on, but when the temp drops at night, i run an inverter off the car to power the blowers.  They are only about 70 watts for the pair.  I also plugged up the dog house air when running during the day to let the stove idle longer.  I have found you cant load up an insert if you are not running the blowers, it will overheat.  it may be just my setup.  Sad to say this is the least efficient i have ever run, but it is out of necessity.

Boredom
During the day i try to get stuff done around the garage and yard, but once nightfall comes, boredom ensues.  Sports radio passes the time until i fall asleep.  The wife likes to read.

Showers
Luckily a friend in the center of town was only without power for a day, so we head up there at night for a shower, few beers, and some time to gain some sanity back.


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## colebrookman (Nov 3, 2011)

firefighterjake said:
			
		

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Around here they lock up the "normal" and the rest of us are out here having fun! Be safe.
Ed


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## seige101 (Nov 3, 2011)

I am in the same boat as EJL923 and also live in western Ma (palmer to be specific) going on day 5 no power. Was just looking at a generator online thursday night or maybe even friday.


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## colebrookman (Nov 3, 2011)

seige101 said:
			
		

> I am in the same boat as EJL923 and also live in western Ma (palmer to be specific) going on day 5 no power. Was just looking at a generator online thursday night or maybe even friday.


Don't worry once the casino comes in (if ever) they won't allow the power to go out. lol Be safe.
Ed


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## EJL923 (Nov 3, 2011)

Seige, im right next door in Ware.  For me, it s too late to panic about a generator.  Its a pain, but im getting by.  I have been wanting to install a transfer switch etc for a while, i think this will give me a boot in the arss when everything becomes readily available.  I just dont trust anybody to take care of their equipment, especially something they purchased for an emergency just to run the heck out of it.  If it was a screaming deal, then maybe.


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## dswitham (Nov 3, 2011)

One of the few things I like about the house we are in is that our water supply doesn't depend on power. Our house is supplied by a gravity fed spring, no pump required. And our septic isn't pumped so no worries there on that end. I suppose if there was a problem with the septic we could always use the old outhouse in the shed.  :sick: 

We keep plenty of food on hand to last a couple of weeks. We can cook on top of the fireview or the gas stove. Coffee is supplied by keeping a percolator on hand that we use when camping. 

We do want to get a generator to run the inflation fan for the greenhouse and to keep the fridge and freezers going. 

We only lost power for a few hours during this last storm, due to one of our oak trees taking out the power line.  :shut:


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## basswidow (Nov 3, 2011)

Losing power is becoming a frequent thing in NNJ.  I will be buying a generator soon.

Here's what we do:

Before the storm hits,  we fill our bath tubs.  The one in the MBR is a big soaker and holds alot.  The well runs on electric so we lose water too when the power goes out.  This way we can take a bucket to fill the tank and flush,  brush our teeth, and wash up.

We make sure we have plenty of candles and flash lights.  I also buy Baby wipes.  After shoveling all the snow,  it was nice to clean up.  

We use our propane grill to cook with.  It has a side burner so we can heat up stuff.  

Plenty of free wood heat,

All the food goes into coolers and we are good to go.

So my tip is baby wipes, candles, and fill the tubs before the storm.


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## bogydave (Nov 3, 2011)

firefighterjake said:
			
		

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So I guess it would be out of the  realm of possibilities, to add" check on your neighbors" to the list. LOL :lol:
I know you guys are a tough bunch, what would youns do to a home with a "Steelers banner" in the front yard? Fill their "cellar" with ashes or just "huck a louey" at him . 
Waddaya think'n, Everything is going to be  "oaotay", since most of youns must all be real posh. I bet you rarely drink from a bubbler, or have to mess with rubbish & have a TV in the parlor.
 I may be a "leaf peeper" some day. But  I'll just be passing thru.
Don't burn anymore witches, use the wood for your stoves.
Yall got a good sense of humor & are  pretty wicked crowd.  
I hope all the power is back up. I worry about the "lower 48 crowd"


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## colebrookman (Nov 3, 2011)

Fresh batteries for the smoke and Co detectors. People are ignoring the beeping of low batteries to their detriment and even death.  Be safe.
Ed


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## BrotherBart (Nov 3, 2011)

While we are  at it, use that Kill-A-Watt meter you bought to find stray power usage in the house to set the speed on your generator to make sure the volt output is 120.


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## seige101 (Nov 4, 2011)

EJL923 said:
			
		

> Seige, im right next door in Ware.  For me, it s too late to panic about a generator.  Its a pain, but im getting by.  I have been wanting to install a transfer switch etc for a while, i think this will give me a boot in the arss when everything becomes readily available.  I just dont trust anybody to take care of their equipment, especially something they purchased for an emergency just to run the heck out of it.  If it was a screaming deal, then maybe.



I am an electrician by trade, give you a heck of a good deal to install a generator panel when things are back to normal around here. I plan on doing the same my self.


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## Danno77 (Nov 4, 2011)

One thing I learned from my last power outage is that I plan on running the genny ASAP. Last time I assumed that i could just wait and if it stayed off for so long that I worried about the stuff in the freezer and fridge then I would get one going. Well, a couple of hours went by and then i got the generators going, but the moisture caused frost buildup and was a pita. Even my self defrosting freezer (the one on the fridge) had too much frost on it to take care of itself when the power did come back on. Food was never at risk, but the hassle would have been worth the few bucks in gas.


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## begreen (Nov 4, 2011)

Can't believe this thread has gotten this far without the mention of toilet paper. Have plenty on hand along with batteries and emergency candles. I really like LED lanterns and the 5 day oil candles. I also keep a couple tarps and a couple 10x25 rolls of plastic on hand. You never know it a limb is going to poke a hole in your roof or a window blows out. Worst case scenario you may be making yourself a temporary shelter.


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## colebrookman (Nov 4, 2011)

+1 on those LED lanterns BeGreen.  Some even come with a night light switch and the batteries last a long time. Be safe.
Ed


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## velvetfoot (Nov 4, 2011)

I don't recall reading about filling the bathtubs before the storm.  Also, the probe from a simple outdoor thermometer can be placed inside the fridge or freezer before the storm hits.


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## Danno77 (Nov 4, 2011)

velvetfoot said:
			
		

> I don't recall reading about filling the bathtubs before the storm.  Also, the probe from a simple outdoor thermometer can be placed inside the fridge or freezer before the storm hits.


I like that idea about the probe. Lets you tell the temp without opening up. very nice.


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## Badfish740 (Nov 4, 2011)

Danno77 said:
			
		

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Does anyone know if there are units out there that allow multiple probes?  I have one that I have used to make sure my chest freezer was working properly, but then I don't know what the temp is outside or in my fridge for that matter.  I'd rather not buy two more of them.


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## Danno77 (Nov 4, 2011)

Badfish740 said:
			
		

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I'm interested in knowing as well. I looked for something last year because I wanted a master station that could have a handful of sensors to monitor temps in many different rooms of my house. Either I didn't find one, or they were wayyyy outta my price range.


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## firefighterjake (Nov 4, 2011)

bogydave said:
			
		

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Well since my wife is a Steelers fan and I'm a Pats fan . . . I guess I wouldn't do anything too mean.   Needless to say she was quite happy on Sunday . . . I was a bit disappointed.


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## metalsped (Nov 5, 2011)

I see I have some 'neighbors' here on the forum (I live in Hardwick, MA and work in Palmer). We lost juice on Sat afternoon, and got it back last night around 6. Thank god my father has a generator, and plenty of space to take the wife and our young daughters. It couldnt have happened at a worse time too... we lost our oil furnace a few weeks back, and there is no heating system currently in the house (past these space heaters which are making the national grid meter sound like a jet turbine). I believe we will get our new heating system in the first two days of this coming week.

To the heart of the question of this thread.... I will be inheriting my dads 5000 w honda generator this spring I figure, when he finally sets his Kohler bigboy in place (propane fired). After this storm, I really think more than ever, that we need a wood stove in this house.


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## jimbom (Nov 5, 2011)

metalsped said:
			
		

> ... I really think more than ever, that we need a wood stove in this house.



Be careful.  That is what started me back with wood.  When we set up an emergency backup heat wood stove system in the basement, we found ourselves gathered around that stove during the testing, shake down month.  

Based on that, we decided to take out a fireplace that we did not use and put in a nice wood stove in the family-dining-kitchen room.  Turns out that easily heats the whole house.  So now I am thinning the woodlot and heating the house.  All because some ice storms and tornadoes brought home to us the folly of always relying on the electric grid for our needs.

It takes a while for us as we are funds constrained, but eventually we found a great buy on a nice stove in good condition that came with everything from the chimney cap on down.  At the end of this heating season, we will break even financially, the physical exercise is good for me, and the forest where I have cut looks great.

So for us, easing back into wood heat has been a good thing on several levels.  Quite frankly, had it not been for those on this forum willing to share their knowledge, it may never had happened for us.  I have learned so much and am so thankful.


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## Danno77 (Nov 5, 2011)

I will never ever ever be without the option for wood heat again. (never say never, right?) even if I was handicapped to the point I had to pay for the wood, I would do so for the reassurance that I could use it in an emergency.


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## maverick06 (Nov 5, 2011)

my 2 comments to amplify the above
1) before you fill your bathtub with water, put masking tape over the drain! Even when closed, mine has a slow leak that would empty it in a day or 2 (leaks down the drain, not onto the floor or underneath)

2)!  If it is a rainstorm, START YOUR GENERATOR RIGHT AWAY!!  My sump has been dry for about 3 years, when the hurricane rolled through, we lost power and 30 min later the water alarm in the basement went off, water was rushing out of the sump pit! (It was dry when power went off 30 min before, I can hear when the sump pump runs). So i wont be taking any chances from now on. If rain is coming down, and power goes out, I am going straight to the generator. 

3) test the sump pump before the storm to make sure that it still works (I bring in the hose)


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## velvetfoot (Nov 5, 2011)

I hear you about the tub.  Last time we filled them up, one of the plugs did leak, and we replaced it.


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## Fi-Q (Nov 5, 2011)

The house is still getting build, 3 yar after foundation was poored. Working on the road, not home too often. But when stori g the rv in the yard, i always fill up he 2 x 30 lbs propane bottle , and i have an adapter , so i can use a coleman stove on the big bottle. I have 2 generators and always have 2 x 5 gallons gas can and 2 diesel can on hands. We haven t ran out of power in 3 years now, but, we always better be well prepaired. I have a good back up plan in mind ( 12v well pump, lister generator, solar panel, ect....) but haven t had the time to get the plan going yet, need to finish he house first..... One thing at a time..... But with burning wood and my 300$ champion genny we can get by for a while. There is a gas station around the corner who is as well a fuel/ gas diatributor. They have PLENTY of fuel / gas and a genny to run the pumps in a power outage


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## colebrookman (Nov 5, 2011)

We use a direct vent propane heater if we are away in winter.  If and when I can't handle wood we are going to add another propane heater.  Not as cheap as wood but it works when power is out.  If you go this way make sure to get one with a pilot light and that it does not have a power vent. Also if you buy a new gas stove for cooking be aware that some have a safety that shuts the gas line when power goes out, useless.  Re. most gas stations in our area were without power leaving people to travel dangerous roads only to find either long lines at the few that had power or they were sold out of fuel.  Boston politicians are now thinking of a law making generators mandatory at gas stations. Be safe.
Ed


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## Flatbedford (Nov 5, 2011)

I learned that with the wood stove, gas stove top, town water, candles, flashlights, and LED headlights we can run the house on only one extension cord from the neighbor's genny. My other neighbor (licensed electrician) added a tail with male plug out of the box that powers the furnace. With that one cord, I was able to cycle between the two refrigerators, and run the propane furnace for hot water as needed. I kept one floor lamp in the kitchen and had an extension cord with a multi tap handy to charge phone and laptop batteries. I would say that we were in pretty good shape with this setup. It was a PIA, but we were warm, had hot water, and could cook unspoiled food. There were some problems though. We have Verizon Fios phone, tv, and internet. After about 8 hours the battery on the box that converts the fiber signal to the copper wires in the house died. No phone. I was able to recharge it when I sent power to the furnace and downstairs fridge, but it took a long time to get enough charge for it to hold for more than an hour or two. The other problem was that my 19 yo son was having a very hard time dealing with no computer, internet, music etc. Next time I'll get some power to his room sooner so he doesn't lose his mind. I'll also have to reconfigure things so that I can keep the internet going in the house. I could probably do it again with the one 20 amp line from the neighbor if I put a little more thought into my power distribution, but I'd like to have my own genny and be a little more self sufficient. I also think the family would be happier with a less hands on system. Being able to run only one appliance at a time and manually switching power distribution did not come as naturally to them as it it did me. here's picture of the "power distribution center".


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## willworkforwood (Nov 6, 2011)

After being without power for 6 days during the ice storm we had here in 2008, I said never again and installed a Reliance transfer switch/sub-panel and an outdoor receptacle.  I ended up pulling practically every circuit out of the main panel, in order to get at the ones actually being moved over - a real PITA, and lots of time spent to get the job done.  I figured that would guarantee never again being without power for more than a few hours  ;-).  Well, wrong again - the storm last Saturday took us out for 4 days (many are currently still out).  The B&S 5550/8550 did really well, and it made me thankful to have done the work and grateful to see it work exactly as planned.  Although I tested everything after the install, there was one "lesson" learned from the 4 days of continuous use.  I knew from testing that my wood boiler controller wasn't happy with the quality of power (harmonic distortion) from the B&S, and had already decided in advance to run the oil burner instead - a minor irritation and no big deal for an occasional outage.  But over the course of the 4 days, I became aware that other "things" were happening as well.  The first indicator was the microwave not going to full power.  And then I noticed that when the microwave was on, the sound of the oil burner motor changed pitch when it was running at the same time.  I thought that was my imagination, but a few on/off tests showed it happened all the time.  So what I'm doing now is trying to find out if there is any information about the effect on motors of non-inverted power.  Haven't found anything really good yet - most everything is wishy-washy generic disclaimers.  Does anyone know of a scientific study of the effect of various generators on motor life?   There is some flexibility in when and how much various appliances are run, and it would be nice to know if it would be better to run some things (such as a microwave) less or not at all.


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## btuser (Nov 6, 2011)

Check to make sure your loads are balanced on each phase of your generator.  If you've got the meters on the transfer switch start the microwave while the oil burner is running (they may both be on the same phase and not enough load on the other side) and see how out of whack it gets.  

As far as the boiler contol I had the same issue with my Tekmar 260 not working on the old genset.  Check your voltage at the control to see if its high enough (while you're at it check it at an outlet) to see if its just too low.  I was getting 105vac  (barely enough) at the control but it would drop whenever the burner would kick on and that would shut down the control again.  Click, click over and over.  You've got a larger genset with plenty of pwer so that may not be it.  Are you trying to use the idle control per chance?


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## willworkforwood (Nov 6, 2011)

btuser said:
			
		

> Check to make sure your loads are balanced on each phase of your generator.  If you've got the meters on the transfer switch start the microwave while the oil burner is running (they may both be on the same phase and not enough load on the other side) and see how out of whack it gets.
> 
> As far as the boiler contol I had the same issue with my Tekmar 260 not working on the old genset.  Check your voltage at the control to see if its high enough (while you're at it check it at an outlet) to see if its just too low.  I was getting 105vac  (barely enough) at the control but it would drop whenever the burner would kick on and that would shut down the control again.  Click, click over and over.  You've got a larger genset with plenty of pwer so that may not be it.  Are you trying to use the idle control per chance?


I balanced the circuits well, and the Reliance meters show a good, consistent split between the two phases.  No idle control in use.  The voltage reads 124 at the genset outlet, and I figured it wouldn't be a good idea to try to adjust it higher.  As an aside, I haven't found any doc how to adjust the AVR on these B&S gensets - maybe they don't have an adjust capability?   Outside of the wood boiler controller, everything runs fine, even the 240 well pump which takes 6600 surge watts.  But all of our other electronics are fairly old, and I'm not concerned if something gets fried - most are getting ready to be replaced anyway.  What I'm trying to figure out is if the distorted power is reducing the life of motors, and if so, by how much.  I would like to find out it's just a nit, and be able to fuggadaboutit.  And, just a reminder to everyone running gensets during the past week - probably time to take it to Jiffylube for an oil change  ;-) .  I'm using syn 5w-30, which seems to be the overwhelming favorite for running in colder climates.


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## btuser (Nov 7, 2011)

Is the voltage steady or does it fluxuate?  Mine was running up + down (sure sign the AVR needed replacing) and I needed a bigger genset anyway so I sold + traded up.   The AVR may not be adjustable so ou may want to consider a small UPS and then back out to the control.  Use the battery to filter the power.


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## ssupercoolss (Nov 9, 2011)

if you recently had your power go out, and are thinking to yourself, "i should get a generator", do it now.  dont procrastinate any longer, its a worthwhile expenditure.

run your generator every month or so, maybe more frequently if you are anal, like me.  run it with a load on it.  generators that sit for long peirods can turn into, well just an engine that doesnt produce any electricity.  google "flashing a generator" for the fix.  not something you want to be doing when the power is out.  as said the kill-o-watt meter is a great device for checking proper voltage and hertz.


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## cwill (Nov 14, 2011)

One thing i noticed that nobody has mentioned was pet food. If you have a pet make sure you have enough dog/cat food for them, extra water as well.


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## btuser (Nov 14, 2011)

cwill said:
			
		

> One thing i noticed that nobody has mentioned was pet food. If you have a pet make sure you have enough dog/cat food for them, extra water as well.




If the power stays out long enough the pets ARE food.

MWAHHHAAHAAHAAA! (that's my evil laugh)


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## Flatbedford (Nov 14, 2011)

Meat does stay fresh on the hoof.


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## woodmeister (Nov 14, 2011)

Like the boy scouts motto says "be prepared" plenty of good ideas here the one thing I haven't seen here is how to deal the incessant whining. It got to the point where you couldn't watch the news or listen to the radio. What ever happened to tough old New Englanders? Generator + woodpile + bourbon = no worries.


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## firefighterjake (Nov 14, 2011)

woodmeister said:
			
		

> Like the boy scouts motto says "be prepared" plenty of good ideas here the one thing I haven't seen here is how to deal the incessant whining. It got to the point where you couldn't watch the news or listen to the radio. What ever happened to tough old New Englanders? Generator + woodpile + bourbon = no worries.



Correction . . . up this away it's either generator + woodpile + Budweiser = no worries OR generator + woodpile + Allen's Coffee Brandy = no worries.


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## HeatsTwice (Nov 14, 2011)

Badfish740 said:
			
		

> Danno77 said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



This was posted on one of the other forums:

http://www.oregonscientificstore.co...ic-+ECO-Clima-Control-Weather-Monitor.product

I will probably buy one myself.


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## velvetfoot (Nov 15, 2011)

Would the wireless transmitters work from inside a fridge or freezer?
The simple wired thermometers are pretty cheap, as I recall.


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