60+ year old thread.

Well, ain't I lucky! Bought a guarantee of an easy winter! On sale, so they put me in the club, gave me the discount, cut the extended warranty price, and I left convinced I saved money. Who knows. But, I have the push comes to shove extension cord power back up at minimum now!

 

Now there is a job for someone with more time than muscle. someone to do some kind of number thingy that can predict the value of buying a generator against the inconvenience and loss of personal need for electricity at home? We have refrigerators, computers, heat/cool needs on one hand, and the initial cost and expected generator usage within the warranty period on the other hand. To start with, I'd think the extended warranty would be money down the drain unless power would be expected to be out for say, two weeks or more.

In my case, I could bundle up in coats and blankets and take a nap till the power went back on. Someone else might lose his job if he couldn't work at home. Another would have a starving baby without heated formula. So many variables, but take an average family of four with average needs, I'd think a generator would tip the scales toward Luxury.

Any other thoughts?

 

I purchased generator about 3 or 4 years ago, took it out of the box and put a cover on it, never even fired it up. But it's there in case I need it. Peace of mind.

 

Good morning fellow Porchies!!

First sub-20 deg morning of this winter season - hanging at 16F right now. That will make heading out to the hot tube extra fun this morning!!! The coldest I've gone out to get in the tub was -11 so +16 is a piece of cake.

We put in an emergency generator when we built the house and replaced it with a new one two years ago. Runs of the 1000 gal propane tank we have buried in the yard that feeds our heat/hot water/stove top. Starts up automatically when power has been off for 20 seconds. I also have a back-up system for the computer/modem so that carries the load until the generator comes on. We lose power several times a year - most times just for a few hours but have had several times where it exceeded 12 hours and the longest was 5 days. Not losing all the food in two refrigerator/freezers and a separate freezer, having heat, hot water and connectivity and pretty much being able to continue life as normal makes the investment well worth it for me.

Stay safe out there!!

 

@Devious6...how's the work on the bridge coming along?

 

They are making steady progress. Started pouring concrete on Monday - poured the floor under the bridge that the water will flow over and started working on framing the support piers yesterday. They hope to be done before Christmas.

 

The older we get, and every time it starts up, we smile. These days, a whole home generator adds more to your home value than it costs you. So, it's money in the bank. It was like that with central air, back in the 60's.

 

I see that sale. None in my area..The only reason for me to think of upgrading is
The inverter. The Quiet 9000 is so bulky I would have to reroute my cables to run it
On the cement in the garage.. no way could I move that in a storm…
So, I’ll stick with my 7500 and gen box to store it and to quiet it down.

 

Thanks for the fond memories of myself, Dad, brother and a Brittnay Spaniel named Mike, aka Fireball.

 

Gotta burn this fiat cash on something. can't take either of it with you in the end...

 

Goodmorning, Wide spread ice storms can take down miles of power lines (or even giant wind turbins). I think I'd want my power back on sooner than when excell turns the switch back on....Piece of mind for sure

 

Good Morning: Decided to smoke the ham today and the turkey tomorrow. Washing throw rugs and cleaning the kitchen today.

 

Good Morning Porch Pals & Gals! An early Happy Thanksgiving wish to all of you! Need to catch up with plants and such after so many appointments in the past week. Put them in the greenhouse? Maybe! Only one 40* on the week ahead, but they could change. Might just get it done. Christmas lights and the climate control in the Taco to keep me busy over the weekend. Replaced both bulbs twice now, and the driver side isn't lighting up? How a circuit board could break I don't know. Time for a meter.

Go, bridge, go!

A little box on a bed of concrete blocks is in my plans Mike! And a wheel kit when they come in. Once I get it to the back, it will only move a few feet as the other plans take place.

Looking more towards adding more solar (for a longer day, not so much for more power), and a battery system on it. The battery would feed the existing inverter, adding to the "always on". I'm fairly sure the battery is controllable, and am looking into that. THAT would make the generator transfer switch MUCH smaller, as the transfer to generator would ONLY be when city and battery are out. Could be a good thing, if I can just actually get an installer to come here. All busy installing monster new installs, and no one wants to do an add on "way out" in Lockhart.

I hope I never need to use it, except to fire it up for maintenance. At this sale price, and actually physically there, could not turn it down. You can't buy one after the hurricane hits either.

Some of you may or may not remember winter storm Uri. We called it Snowmageddon, or Snowpocolypse, or worse. Virtually the ENTIRE STATE of Texas was without power. For nearly 7 days. Because we have our OWN grid. Rolling blackouts were ordered - they didn't happen - it all shut down. Because Texas. And it was freezing or below for those 7 days. Natural gas lines froze, and the process plants froze as well, having no protection. Electrical generation froze, having no protection. Miles and miles of transmission lines down due to the preceding ice storm. Water systems froze, creating a nightmare when they started to come back, with pipe burst from lack of flow, then sudden pressure returning. Of course, you could not travel because roads (we have no equipment), no gas (no power), no shopping (no roads or power), and no place to stay unless you got out of the state (no power) Somewhere near 200 folks died. You can be sure our Legislature enacted policies that had the utilities do the bare minimum. They crowed about that, but the news is that there are still a LOT of questions about actual prep work being done.

Somehow, we were the only circuit in Lockhart that never lost power, or gas service. We did lose water, but I was well prepped. We have a 20,000 gallon reservoir in the back yard too. While it was going on, I promised myself I was going to take steps to reduce our chances of being a one in a million house that got lucky during a one in a million storm. What I have managed is only the generator, and an improved fireplace (that will be later in winter), but that's the best that can be done. I'd gladly spend that money to make the house a place to stay warm and fed.

Anyway, Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

 

@Oldie2007
The pad is awesome and the box is in place 4 or 5 months.
Need it because with thaw and freeze the gen will freeze into the ground.
The gen is getting rusty because of the temp swings and no air flow so
After a few years I started to open the top of the box to get air into it
during dry days after weather came through and seems to have remedied
that. Since I’m home now on good days the top is open.

 

Afternoon all:
, just found some brass that I thought was .308 up at the range, headstamp says .308 Marlin exp., WTH, never saw that before, looked it up and it is a totally difference cartridge than the .308 Winchester.
I really don't think that I need a rifle chambered in that caliber!

 

it’s close.
How bad could it be?

 

It is bad Mike, one is rimmed and the other is rimless, also the .308 Winchester is .010 longer. I see no advantage to having a .308 Marlin Express over a .308 Winchester, other than the gots to have factor, probably way easier to find ammo for the .308 Winchester also!

 

Well, Rex approves.....

 

I was kidding lol

 

All the little plants are in and sheltered, even though we should be OK at least a week or so. Big ones will follow.
I know some of you have or are hitting the road, so wishing you ALL a Happy, and safe, Thanksgiving!