When the lights go out...

[jp61]

Most of us I think take electricity for granted. Flip the switch and voila, the lights come on. Load up the fridge/freezer and our foods are safely stored. Push a button and poof, news and entertainment as much as you care to watch. But what happens when the power goes out, especially for an extended period of time? Do you have a emergency generator? Or are you like me... go find the flash light then try to remember where I put the candles and hope the power will come back on soon.

Have any of you invested in a emergency power generator?

If so, could you share your experience? 

 

[boykjo]

I am a welder and have a miller trailblazer 301g and use it to back feed my house when the power goes out but the only problem is I bought it after hurricane fran came through. we were without power for 9 days. That was the longest period of time without power. since I bout it we havent been without power for more than a few hrs so I havent used it much to back feed.....looks like the power co has gotten better
 

 

[jp61]

That's very interesting! I've never heard of anyone using a welder for that purpose.

I'll have to seriously look into buying a generator. I know I can't afford what I'd like to have, which is a whole house generator, but  I should be able to get something and that's better than nothing when it's needed.

 

[desertlites]

7000 watt Kohler here. way to many people rely on the norm. and therefore are Lost when it really counts. 

 

[boykjo]

Heres my rig

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• boykjo
• Mar 13, 2013

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• boykjo
• Mar 13, 2013

Oh by the way I decided not to sell it

 

[jp61]

Nice rig! I like the truck..... what year is it? Looks like early 70's.

 

[boykjo]

Its a 75 ford f100 supercab with a long bed. I put a 390 in it and had the tranny rebuilt..... these pics were taken a few yrs ago and has gotten some rust spots but still runs like a top....
 

 

[bear55]

I live in hurricane country and own a portable generator.

 

[JckDanls 07]

I have a Dewalt 7500 (I think) and wired my breaker box for it... I put in a 220v breaker and ran my cord to it.. put a Female plug on it that plugs into the Gen. ... Make sure Main breaker is off before before plugging the cord into the Gen. ... turn all breakers off except fridge, water pump (on well), and receptacles.... It will run 8 plus hrs on a full tank.... If your not comfortable working with electricity do not try this yourself.... and always make sure the breaker for that plug is OFF when main power is on....

 

[woodcutter]

I have a 5000 Coleman generator for back feeding to my house. This is also the line I run my smoker on so it is dual duty. It is enough for me to run my wood boiler to heat the house and it will run my well pump. I have to toggle breakers around and run 1 fridge at a time or freezer or what ever.

 

[jp61]

Do you guys do anything to muffle the noise?

I can see my neighbors getting a bit annoyed after hours/days of running.

 

[chef jimmyj]

I live in an Apt so it's Hope and Pray. If the meat in the 20 cubic ft. freezer starts to defrost it's Mystery Meat Stew, Mystery Meat Chili and Mystery Meat Soup...JJ

 

[daveomak]

I'm like boykjo..... I have a Miller Trailblazer 275...  I think it's 8000 watts to run the house.... I've used it when the drunks hit the power pole down the road.....  Other than that, where I live now, sagebrush doesn't fall on power lines and tear them down....  When I lived on the coast, power was out all the time.... 

 

[woodcutter]

What about gas? I only use my generator 1-2 times per year. I was adding Seafoam additive but that only lasts so long. Right now I drain the gas when I'm done. I try to work out of 1- 6 gallon gas can for lawn mowers, chain saws etc.

 

[whittling chip]

I have a Generac whole house generator and a portable 7500 Watt. I shouldn't have any problems.

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• whittling chip
• Mar 14, 2013

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• whittling chip
• Mar 14, 2013

 

[pwillie]

Somebody said something about the neighbors and noise.  They are in the same boat that you are with no electricity and if they are bothered it's because you have emergency power and they don't.  If it really bothers them I think that they are the ones that are inconsiderate.  I have three generators and have used two at a time during Katrina.  I just used one of them for a day or two after a tornado missed me by about 300 yards.  You do what you have to do to save your freezer and have power.  I have four refrigerators with freezer compartments and one full size freeser.  I am not about to loose everything that I have in them because a neighbor can hear my generators going.  I guess I'm just a crankey old coot...........

 

[woodcutter]

I have a Generac whole house generator and a portable 7500 Watt. I shouldn't have any problems.

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• whittling chip
• Mar 14, 2013

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• whittling chip
• Mar 14, 2013

I didn't think of propane. I just googled how easy it is to convert.

They say a 20 lb tank= 5 gal of gas.

 

[jp61]

Thanks everyone! 

@ Whittling Chip..... that's a nice system you have there. How long could you run on a full tank? 

@ Tarbaby..... I hear ya! Not sure why the thought even crossed my mind, it hasn't crossed the neighbor's mind the last 20 years with other types of noise. But that's another story...

Time to do some research.... 

.... I wonder which ones are the loudest? (jk)

 

[appwsmsmkr1]

We were very lucky with hurricane irene (we got flooded) and with sandy. We did not loose power for either of them. But I definatly need to get a generator soon.

 

[whittling chip]

Somebody said something about the neighbors and noise.  They are in the same boat that you are with no electricity and if they are bothered it's because you have emergency power and they don't.  If it really bothers them I think that they are the ones that are inconsiderate. 

I agree with you completely. The main thing in my kind of system is to pull permits. There's a decibal limit you have to comform to. If your system is up to code there is no worries regarding the sound of the system running.

My system starts up every Saturday at noon for a maintanence routine. It makes sure all the seals are lubricated. It runs for 12 minutes and then shuts down. My neighbors hear my gernerator that's for sure, but it sounds ablut the same as a riding lawn mower.

PS-My neighbors also know I can provide 4 or 5 of them with enough electricity so thier freezers don't thaw out during an outage. That's bonus.

WC