W2R
Moderator Emeritus
Workers are just down the street; they have to replace poles.
That's encouraging, Khan! I hope you get your power back soon.
Workers are just down the street; they have to replace poles.
I'd be very wary of that thing for $1600.
Read the 'specs' carefully - they advertise this as "1800 Watts", but you get less than 5 minutes usage at that rate:
And after your 5 minutes (assuming the battery is at full capacity at that time), you need 16 hours of sunshine to recharge it. That's a couple of days, and the way they stretch their specs, I bet that's at the equator on a clear day in June.
But hey, it's 'green'!
Here's a 2500W inverter for less than $200:
Amazon.com: Cobra CPI 2575 2500 Watt 12 Volt DC to 120 Volt AC Power Inverter: Car Electronics
You can connect that to your car battery (you need heavy cables and rock-solid connections) and start up the car to recharge. And/or add a heavy duty battery which could also be recharged by connecting to the car. The separate battery will keep you from running down the car battery (but these do shut down when the battery gets down to ~ 10.2V) and provide some power with no car around.
This is similar to what I have for my sump pump backup, I could always power the fridge/freezer or other things if needed.
edit - cross-posted with Texas Proud - he's right
-ERD50
Workers are just down the street; they have to replace poles.
I think the word "interesting" got misinterpreted. Really didn't expect a rebuttal from my post
I know what you mean about not getting rid of a generator if you have it.But I know we'll need it the day after I sell it so I hang on to it.
The whole-house 15kw generators have dropped in price a lot since then. You may want to check into it again.
I look at it as cheap insurance.Having plunked down the money, I can pretty much guarantee that there will never be another storm that causes us to lose power in my lifetime....
I've been thinking about a generator too. Been without power now since about 10:30 Friday night, so tonite if it doesn't come on, it'll be 72 hours.
Anybody know what temperature would kill a cat? I'm not trying to be sick...but I have three of 'em. I've been making sure they have plenty of water, and they're not moping around the house panting, or anything like that. I'm keeping the windows in the house open so that it airs out at least. The thermostat for the heat pump is battery operated, and still shows a readout. Got up to 87 degrees yesterday inside the house. Not *too* bad I guess, considering it hit 98 outside!
I started throwing food out in the woods behind the house today, so tonite the woodland critters are gonna have a nice buffet!
The main thing I'm worried about right now, of all things, is a fish! My roommate bought a fish late last year...an Oscar, I think it is. I forget what he named it but I started calling it Taterhead after hearing that on "2 1/2 Men". Wasn't very big at first, but that sucker must be about 6" long by now. Probably depletes the oxygen in the water pretty quickly, at his size. So I've been trying to partially drain the tank each day and add fresh water. And running the garden hose out in the fish pond.
So hopefully, everything survives this ordeal!
Not if you know how to take care of it.One of the problems with buying a generator is lack of use... if you run gas through them, it gums it up if it sits....
Not if you know how to take care of it.
I use StaBil in the gas, exercise it for an hour or so under load a two or three times a year, plus shut the gas off at the tank and let it run dry. It has always started on the first pull.
Which reminds me, I need to run it tomorrow...
I have this one: Generac wheelhouse 5550 generator review | Portable Generators ReviewsWhat kind do you have? Some of the small ones that I have thought about do not look like they have a gas shut off... just a switch....
No different than lawn equipment in the fall/winter or snow removal equipment in the spring/summer.I did point out that 'if it sits'... yes, you have to run it every once in awhile to keep it working...