Portable Generator for temp power outages.

[Diggin It]

Wasn't there a rash of thefts during fuel rationing where thousands of gallons were siphoned at stations in the dark of night?

Tanker trucks would pull in and appear to be making deposits while really making withdrawls.

 

[kenmac]

Old style gas water heaters have a pilot light, but new ones have hot surface ignition, and power venting....saves energy, but won't operate without electric power!
Gas fired hot air furnaces, and boilers, need electricity to operate as well.

Some High efficiency water heaters have power venting and hot surface ign.

You can also buy a new WH. with a standing pilot. I installed one last week

Not All new gas waters require power to operate. Standing pilot light still made

Would not even be wise to install a gas fired W.H. with elec. ign. power vented
When you can install a tankless and save more money, over the tank type

I'm very aware furnaces, and boilers require power.

He used space heating and gas logs to stay warm which require no outside power source

Been in this game a long time

 

[Industrial Toys]

WHAT nowadays doesn't have a microprocessor (even hand tools/hair dryers) or an LCD display?

 

[grsthegreat]

I have several backups, which is only smart thing when living in cold country.
1. Gas fired portable generator
2. Propane whole house generator
3. Wood burning fireplace with 3 years worth of firewood split and stacked
4. Propane fireplace that requires no electricity...Last ditch to prevent frozen pipes.

Water system has 2 new backup generators in series.

 

[kenmac]

Electric power is still needed to run the equipment that burns the gas, and distributes the heat.

Not in his case. Gas logs Space heater, gas water heater

All three require no power (other than what they generate) to operate.
There are many people still using / having new water heaters with standing pilots.
They make them every day. I still install them

 

[Industrial Toys]

Kills me, when people move to the country and favour gas fire places. Hey, that may never bite them.

Remember years ago during a week long (or longer) outage for an ice storm. (Local Utility Workers had all booked off for Deer Season!)

Neighbor with big house, multiple heat pumps, shivered in their beds. I think I had just installed a wood stove in the Rec room that fall and was snug as a bug. Think I had my 15KW PTO Onan then.

NOTHING (In my way of thinking) is worse in a situation like that, then having to attempt some course of action, you hadn't figured on. Like getting fuel or a fuel delivery.

 

[newbury]

Looking for advice on Generators. We don't lose power for any length of time here; in 3+ years it's never been out for longer than 3-4 hrs and my neighbor who has lived here for 40 years said it's never been out as far as he can recall more than a day. (We moved from N Jersey where it's not unusual to lose power for days. After Sandy we didn't have power for 10 days. After Irene (I think) we were w/out for 1 week)

I searched the threads and found nothing recent.

I have a Porter Cable 5350w unit that is starting to show it's age. It has a 10HP B&S.

All the units I've been seeing are made in China and I trust their engines as far as I can throw them. While their design is fine (as they stole it from honda) their QC is +/-.

I'm thinking about 5-7kW would be sufficient as I'm looking to run my well pump and some refrigerators, fans and lights. As my home is all electric (except the cook top) I'd never be able to run the whole house w/out enormous expense.

Any experience or advice is appreciated.

For short term outages get a 300 gallon IBC tote and keep it filled and clean. That drops the need for a large generator to start the pump. Then you can get a relatively small Honda powered generator like Eddie has and bucket carry water for everything.

We woke up this morning with the power out and 8 inches of snow with 8 degrees F Temps.

We have 20 baby chicks in our feed room out at the barn. My wife said that we have to get them into the house to keep them warm.because there is no power for their heat lamps. I started up the little Honda generator on the 5th pull and ran my 2 longest extension cords out to the barn. Heat lamps are on and I have another heater under a metal chicken waterer.

I have another extension cord into the house to keep.our phones charged, make coffee, and now that coffee is done, my wife is steaming eggs for our dogs breakfast. 4 of them get a couple hard boiled eggs with their crockpot food, the other one prefers raw eggs over her food.

Our BBQ is propain and it's on wheels, so I moved it closer to the back door so we can fry some eggs for our breakfast.

This part of Texas is shut down from the snow. Maybe a lot of Texas is shut down? We have plenty of heat from our wood stove, but no internet, but good cell service so far.

I can see where a bigger generator would be better, but just having this small Honda is a life saver in so many ways. Small is better then nothing.

Eddie brings up several points.
If you normally don't need a generator often a small one will do.
Make sure you have fuel on hand.

Some years ago, we trid to siphon a little gas out of my lady friends HONDA FIT. That thing wouldn't give us a drop!

Actually, not a bad thing to know, if push comes to shove what you can get some fuel out of.

SOME vehicles can be bypassed with a small tube. My 2002 Ford F350 has the anti-siphon feature but I found I could snake down a narrow tube and slowly siphon.

Currently in Mississippi I'm snow/ice bound.

The pic is about 1/4 of my sloping drive. The "snow" depth is only about 3" but that includes a 1" sleet top coating. I can BARELY walk up and down it. I've been going back and forth to my sheds using a spade in one hand and a square shovel in the other as "ski poles".

The consistency of the accumulation is such that I could skate on it. I've frequently seen this stuff - in Northern Vermont when I was growing up. We used to love it because we could put on our ice skates and skate on the hillsides.

I don't want to put my new Ford Escape on it and slide off the road! Even though it is AWD. I don't even want to backdrag it with my M4700. And we are due an even worse sleet storm tomorrow. But then it's PREDICTED to be in the 60's next week

 

[Diggin It]

Kills me, when people move to the country and favour gas fire places. Hey, that may never bite them.

There are places that do not allow wood burning stoves or fireplaces. Some insurance companies will not write policies for homes with them.

For short term outages get a 300 gallon IBC tote and keep it filled and clean.

20° or less for several days will play havoc with that.

The "snow" depth is only about 3" but that includes a 1" sleet top coating. I can BARELY walk up and down it.

I got it the other way around. Ice first. Couldn't hardly even stand still, let alone walk anywhere. Then the snow on top of it gives enough footing to move quite easily.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Funny how the people that disallow such things, won't come and keep you warm at night. lol

I should clarify. My neighbor did have a 20KW PTO set running on a FORD 5610. But at bed time, he like me would shut it down and everything would stop. That's when the wood stove that continued to pump out heat all night long, (no technology required) was a beautiful companion.

 

[not2old]

I bought a Briggs Q6500 as a compromise. It's too big and heavy for camping but I manage. It's manual start but I manage that too as I needed 240v for my well. I can operate the well, the septic pump ,a few lights with the TV and computer, the fridge and freezer, or a microwave, if I organize their operation. I would need to turn everything off to power portable heaters but haven't experienced that yet. Even during freezing weather, the house stayed above 55F during an eight hour outage. The generator is not big enough to operate my geothermal.