So ice no power no cell no net no cable

[Mark W.]

Lost power 5pm Friday, lost cell about 11pm the during the night my beautiful Red Maple we transplanted into my front yard 30 years ago split in two. Some thoughts

Do not put off buying that generator. 10mib after power went out I was at NAPA buying an inverter to run the pellet stove. We have been able to keep the house above 50 degrees.

Years ago to save money I cut 2" foil backed foam insulation like barrel staves and wrapped them around the water heater. This morning we had water warm enough to comfortably wash dishes not hot but not cold either thats more then 62 hours since it ran. Obviously the foam made a big difference.

The fridge freezer still has Ice in the icemaker. There is also a bunch of blue ice in it. We will be able to eat lunch and dinner out of it. The ice made a huge diff. The big freezer has 4 gallons of water as Ice in it I will not open it until Wed when the generator is supposed to arrive.

We put the stuff from the fridge in open boxes in the unheated shop which has been about 40- 42 degrees so that stuff is fine.

Got full cell and data back sometime middle of the night ordered a gen from Amazon at 2am lol.

Hope everyone is doing as well.

Read More

 

[cigars]

Wow, sounds like a long weekend. Glad that you got the comms back at least. Your preps paid off!
(edited, misread)

 

[AllDayRay]

Had the sparkys come by last week and wire up transfer switch, already have 2- 10kw generators but wanted to be able to plug into the panel instead of running cords. I live in town tho, so don't usually lose power. I need a better way to store fuel, right now just using multiple 5 gallon VP fuel jugs. I would like to get a 55gal drum with hand crank pump eventually. Hope you get power restored soon. Stay warm.

 

[ron]

Panel cover generator interlock kits are the way to go for the homeowner. Power up all circuits if you have a
240 volt generator. Pretty simple to install. Interlocks the 'Main" breaker with the generator breaker so either
one or the other can be closed but not both. Scroll down to see several brands of panel kits. Retired Electrician.

SD-3 Generator Interlock Kit for Square D panel | eBay

This interlock is not listed. This interlock will only allow the generator breaker to be switched on if the main breaker is off. Or the main breaker to be turned on if the generator breaker is off.

www.ebay.com

 

[CountryGent]

Big plus one to not delaying putting in a whole house generator. Easily one of the best upgrades we made to the house.

Not much in the way of snow here. Just almost nonstop rain deluge. So ready for warmer weather.

 

[AllDayRay]

Panel cover generator interlock kits are the way to go for the homeowner. Power up all circuits if you have a
240 volt generator. Pretty simple to install. Interlocks the 'Main" breaker with the generator breaker so either
one or the other can be closed but not both. Scroll down to see several brands of panel kits. Retired Electrician.

SD-3 Generator Interlock Kit for Square D panel | eBay

This interlock is not listed. This interlock will only allow the generator breaker to be switched on if the main breaker is off. Or the main breaker to be turned on if the generator breaker is off.

www.ebay.com

Yes, this is what I had installed. Thanks for the clarification. Also has a big ol dangly to hook up to the gen.

 

[308]

Lost power 5pm Friday, lost cell about 11pm the during the night my beautiful Red Maple we transplanted into my front yard 30 years ago split in two. Some thoughts

Do not put off buying that generator. 10mib after power went out I was at NAPA buying an inverter to run the pellet stove. We have been able to keep the house above 50 degrees.

Years ago to save money I cut 2" foil backed foam insulation like barrel staves and wrapped them around the water heater. This morning we had water warm enough to comfortably wash dishes not hot but not cold either thats more then 62 hours since it ran. Obviously the foam made a big difference.

The fridge freezer still has Ice in the icemaker. There is also a bunch of blue ice in it. We will be able to eat lunch and dinner out of it. The ice made a huge diff. The big freezer has 4 gallons of water as Ice in it I will not open it until Wed when the generator is supposed to arrive.

We put the stuff from the fridge in open boxes in the unheated shop which has been about 40- 42 degrees so that stuff is fine.

Got full cell and data back sometime middle of the night ordered a gen from Amazon at 2am lol.

Hope everyone is doing as well.

If you have ice outside, then the fridge and freezer are not that critical, right? Seems things can sit outside on a table or cooler...at least that's worked for us in the past.

 

[Gbirk]

If you have ice outside, then the fridge and freezer are not that critical, right? Seems things can sit outside on a table or cooler...at least that's worked for us in the past.

I would add that if you have any electronic equipment you want to protect a battery backup is a good investment as well. Even if the battery only lasts for a few minutes, a UPS is far better protection than a surge suppressor.

This was happening in SE Portland this weekend.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Portland/comments/lke8od

RIP anything electronic still plugged in while this is happening.

 

[ZA_Survivalist]

Man that sucks! Glad you got it all squared away. When generator did you go with?

 

[thorborg]

We lost power over 20 years ago one icy and snowy January and spent a week camping out in the basement in full winter regalia. Aftermath found me with a brand new generator which I have diligently dragged out, fired up and put to bed twice a year ever since just to ensure its running availability. Since then, three times I drug it out along with the cord paraphernalia only to have the power return, usually within a few hours or so, one time six hours, then, near another hour to drain and store. I guess it gave some peace of mind knowing its availability but was not without plenty of angst over if or when to employ its use.
Ironically, if it wasn't for the freezer in the basement which would have left us with plenty of suspect meat from one big wind storm when we were power out for four days, we have plenty of warm clothes and camping gear to weather the outage, at least in the short term. If for no other reason, I was thankful a generator did save our venison and Elk meat.

 

[Geardo]

How often does Vancouver lose power?

I live outside the city limits but still very much "Vancouver" and have not had an issue in 4-5 years.

I have no backup heat source and it is a major source of worry for me.

 

[fd15k]

I would point out that this is an example of free market failure. Power companies, being monopolies, have no incentive to upgrade the infrastructure (put power lines below ground), and aren't responsible for any inconvenience caused to the subscribers. Similarly communications companies are often in the same boat, though there is at least some competition happening in some areas. Generally firearms enthusiasts are against the government regulation, which is understandable, but unless they're prepared to go full off-grid, this is why government regulation in many areas is the way to go.

 

[Mark W.]

Some comments on the comments. As it pertains to us. Moving power under ground in our 130 year old neighborhood would be a night mare and I work for a co. that does underground so I know. we have no real shoulders on the streets a couple so tight people stop to let others go by.open ditches right close to the street in places. And 2ft down from Oct to July the ground is soaking wet.

In the 33 years we have lived here this is first time power has been out more then 24 hours. So a big investment in electrical generation would be a hard sell for me. We used to have a big loud 4000watt genset but the only time I ever fired it up the power was back on before the first tank was half gone. The little Wen 2000watt 4 stroke real quiet generator I have coming will run the fridge and pellet stove. And get used in the offroad camp trailer I am building next winter. And it was less then $400. I am seriously thinking about cladding the big freezer with 2" foam after seeing what it did for the water heater.

Though I will no longer have a huge beautiful Red Maple to clean up each fall I will get my little chainsaw back running (fubar fuel pickup hose).
The two lithium jump start batteries we have are great for charging the phones about threes each.

We were hoping to have power late today but that doesn't look likely now.

 

[The Heretic]

I've had four power outages so far since the first of the year. Had power out for three days when we had the wildfire here on the mountain (Chehalem) last September.

About 6 years or so ago I picked up a 5KW Honda construction grade generator (these idle until you put a load on them then they power up). It worked for 120V when I bought it used, but then about two years ago I bought a cable for it and tried it with the transfer switch/connection the previous homeowner had installed - it would stop the generator and trip the generator's breaker. Then the generator would not start anymore. So it sits in the shop with the carb partly torn apart, still not running.

In January I started a contract gig. Every week (except last week) it seemed something would happen that would interrupt my work - three power outages and then my long distance wifi (how I get internet) went out.

After the second power outage I bought a UPS. On the third power outage the UPS worked for a while until I got power back, but it wasn't enough to power everything for as long as I needed it. So about two weeks ago I ordered a new genset - a Champion dual fuel 3.5 KW inverter generator. Last weekend I spent a good part of a day unboxing it, setting it up and testing it.

Power went out yesterday. Brought the generator up to the house and plugged it in. Ran it for 3 hours then went to bed. Today it has been running most of the day. Powering my office and a space heater. Learned it used fuel a lot faster when a good load.

Right now it is powering the heater and the fridge.

 

[The Heretic]

Underground power lines won't always help. Our private road with eight households has underground power the length of the road, but once out to the public road, power is all above ground. The trees do a number on the lines, not to mention cars taking out the poles (that has happened several times). Wildfires? They shut down the power ASAP with no notice.

 

[jake2far]

Had the sparkys come by last week and wire up transfer switch, already have 2- 10kw generators but wanted to be able to plug into the panel instead of running cords. I live in town tho, so don't usually lose power. I need a better way to store fuel, right now just using multiple 5 gallon VP fuel jugs. I would like to get a 55gal drum with hand crank pump eventually. Hope you get power restored soon. Stay warm.

Another way to look at fuel.
Buy or convert your generator to propane. I have converted all my generators to propane even my Honda EU2000's, both of them.
You can store propane forever.
Just my 2 cents.

 

[The Heretic]

My vulnerabilities.

I still don't have a working system to power any 240V appliances - gotta get an electrician up here this summer to look into that issue and get a genset with 240V that works or repair the one I have. That means no stove, no dryer, no water heater, no furnace, no water from the well - not sure about the dishwasher but without water that is a moot point. No whole house power.

The water from the well is the big issue - water heater next in line. I have drinking water for a while, but water for showers, toilets and washing dishes and clothes is an issue. I have some water pressure due to the accumulator tank on the well, but that is something like 5-10 gallons? Won't last long. Water heater keeps water heated for a while, but after a day or two?

My well pump which is probably 240V, does not run off the house power - it has an underground power line that comes straight from the meter (with its own breakers) which is outside on a pole about 20' from the house. Currently no transfer switch or external generator connector there.

So priority come spring/summer is to get an electrician here to deal with providing power to the meter via a generator, and providing some kind of shelter for the generator, and getting a new generator that can power everything.

The smaller generator I have now that works, would work for powering the shop and as a more mobile generator, and for the RV.

 

[The Heretic]

Another way to look at fuel.
Buy or convert your generator to propane. I have converted all my generators to propane even my Honda EU2000's, both of them.
You can store propane forever.
Just my 2 cents.

My genset runs on either gasoline or propane with the flip of a switch. Runs longer on propane, but at 3KW max vs 3.5KW max for gasoline.

I have not had any problems with gasoline. I have a 55 gallon barrel of which I use about half every year, mostly during the summer. I put PRI-G in it, and I have enough PRI-G and PRI-D to treat 2K gallons of each type of fuel. At the end of summer I had filled the barrel to the brim and a week ago I got ten gallons of gas in two five gallon cans. So I am good for a few weeks.

Not to mention the 20# propane tank I have - going to order two 100# tanks from Costco - cheaper than 20# tanks on a per # basis.

 

[The Heretic]

BTW - it is a real PITA hauling a 110# genset through the snow, up an incline from a shop about 75 yards away, even though I was using a hand truck.

Thirty seconds after I hauled it past a tree, a widow maker limb, a good 20' long and 3" thick, broke off the tree and fell on right where I passed the tree.

 

[fd15k]

Underground power lines won't always help. Our private road with eight households has underground power the length of the road, but once out to the public road, power is all above ground. The trees do a number on the lines, not to mention cars taking out the poles (that has happened several times). Wildfires? They shut down the power ASAP with no notice.

The goal is to reduce the number of points of failure. If 20% of the lines are buried, that means potentially 20% less work for the crews. Additionally, many roads are blocked and non-power crews can't work on unblocking them due to presence of damaged power lines. I have no power since Friday night.