Ugh - Power Outage

[Time2]

One thing I’d be interested to hear is what folks do for safe fuel storage. This particular unit is powered by gasoline, not propane or natural gas. Storing the gasoline cans in the garage seems less than ideal (fumes, fire hazard, etc.)

Just a warning keep all stored gasoline away from water heaters, especially Gas water heaters. That is a bad combination!

 

[CRLLS]

I keep up to 13 gallons of gas stored in my garage, not counting the various gas powered equipment. No problem IMO. I do not have any open flame devices like a heater or clothes drier.

 

[Car-Guy]

I usually keep up to ~30 gallons of "extra" fuel (~10 gals of gas ~20 gals of diesel) in one of my barns to run all the machines/equipment I use... I do use approved containers and store it securely. I say "extra" fuel since I also have my two cars typically parked in the same barn. Both of those have 20+ gallons fuel tanks so there is another 40+.... Add the fuel that's sitting in the tanks for all the equipment (tractor, riding lawn mower, portable generator(s), chain saw, weed eaters, power washer, etc, and I probably have ~100 gallons in total in that barn at times...

 

[NW-Bound]

Some unfortunate folks in California may have their power cut off in the middle of baking their turkey on Thanksgiving Day.

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Just in time for Thanksgiving, Southern California Edison is considering shutting off power to more than 73,000 customers as forecasts call for increased fire danger on the holiday.

The utility's Public Safety Power Shutoff program is designed to lower the risk of fires caused by damage to electrical equipment when strong winds are expected.

Edison said it is monitoring conditions for a possible shutdown starting around noon on Thanksgiving Day until 3 p.m. Friday.

 

[gauss]

Would that be 4 to 8 hours for that size generator? Probably enough for most situations. I was just thinking back and the major power outages I've experienced, here and on the mainland, affected fueling stations as well. IIRC car manufacturers have also made it more difficult to siphon fuel from tanks. I guess we all give it our best shot and then hope for the best.

Here in our building, we are not allowed generators. Fortunately, lack of home power isn't usually life-threatening in the Islands. We just prepare for having enough light with several LED lanterns and flashlights. We don't open the fridge once the lights go out, so roughly 24 hours for food storage. We keep enough water stored to flush for at least 24 hours since we eventually lose water in a lengthy power outage. Just one more YMMV situation.

I get about 6 hours on a gallon of gas in eco-mode so my small stash of fuel would last more like 24 hours.

This is a small portable (one-hand) Honda eu2000i that most folks use standalone. I bought it in 2003 after the 3 day power outage that took out most of the states in the east coast and midwest simultaneously.

-gauss

 

[Telly]

I get about 6 hours on a gallon of gas in eco-mode so my small stash of fuel would last more like 24 hours.

This is a small portable (one-hand) Honda eu2000i that most folks use standalone. I bought it in 2003 after the 3 day power outage that took out most of the states in the east coast and midwest simultaneously.

-gauss

For Koolau, the spec on the eu2000i is 8 hours run time at 1/4 load. The eco-throttle mode really helps, in both reducing gas usage and noise output, though the gen is really quiet. I start it non-eco throttle, and after it warms up a bit switch to eco. If the refrigerator starts up, and there are no other loads on it just before, the gen stumbles a bit to go from idle speed up to what is needed. It has always done it without killing. Adding a total 100 watt or so resistive load to bring engine speed just up off of idle seems to allow the gen to take the sudden refrigerator start-up load without much/any stumble. This is more a matter for me if running in daytime, no other loads like multiple lights, etc. on.

 

[teetee]

It has been many years that I resisted getting a generator. Power outage is not common in my state (RI) and I live by myself so in a way it is a good thing to experience the inconveniences like this to remind me don't store too much perishables in the fridge at any given time. And stop working when the battery runs out.

One of my neighbors has a generator. I use the noise from it to tell if my power outage is just me or the whole block. I too have trouble sleeping from the noise but again it is just something I should be able handle like those people living in large cities..

What I can't handle is the random parties raising hell in the neighborhood at 3am with drunk people exchanging their life stories loudly outside of their houses like they own the block during the summer. That is when I seriously considering buying the central AC so I can keep my windows shut to block the noise...

 

[Koolau]

For Koolau, the spec on the eu2000i is 8 hours run time at 1/4 load. The eco-throttle mode really helps, in both reducing gas usage and noise output, though the gen is really quiet. I start it non-eco throttle, and after it warms up a bit switch to eco. If the refrigerator starts up, and there are no other loads on it just before, the gen stumbles a bit to go from idle speed up to what is needed. It has always done it without killing. Adding a total 100 watt or so resistive load to bring engine speed just up off of idle seems to allow the gen to take the sudden refrigerator start-up load without much/any stumble. This is more a matter for me if running in daytime, no other loads like multiple lights, etc. on.

Telly, thanks for the update. It sounds very efficient and practical for occasional power fails. Here is hoping you don't need it too often!!