Generators

[PrivatePilot]

very very few people had any ability to look after themselves

Have you SEEN how helpless people are now?

There are people I see on community facebook groups that hire an electrician to come change lightbulbs in their bedroom ceiling fixture because they're terrified of even taking a light shade off. Or they hire a plumber to come and replace the ($10 at Home Depot and 30 seconds to replace) flapper in their toilet. Pool pump won't prime - call the pool store and have them rush over a tech for $150. Car won't start but the one parked next to it will....call CAA and wait for a boost even though a neighbour likely has a set of booster cables. Ditto a flat tire even when there's a perfectly good spare and all the required jacks and tools in the trunk - they've ZERO idea how to even get to the spare tire, much less replace it on the side of the road.

I often think that if there was ever an actual doomsday situation upwards of 80% of the population would be dead inside the first 2 weeks. 10% of the remainders will survive but not comfortably. The rest of those who have the skills and know-how to survive (or even thrive) in tough times will be doing just fine....

Has anyone else ever read the Mountain Man series by Kenneth Blackmore? I'm that guy....well, minus all the booze. Probably.

 

[GreyGhost]

Have you SEEN how helpless people are now?

There are people I see on community facebook groups that hire an electrician to come change lightbulbs in their bedroom ceiling fixture because they're terrified of even taking a light shade off. Or they hire a plumber to come and replace the ($10 at Home Depot and 30 seconds to replace) flapper in their toilet. Pool pump won't prime - call the pool store and have them rush over a tech for $150. Car won't start but the one parked next to it will....call CAA and wait for a boost even though a neighbour likely has a set of booster cables. Ditto a flat tire even when there's a perfectly good spare and all the required jacks and tools in the trunk - they've ZERO idea how to even get to the spare tire, much less replace it on the side of the road.

I often think that if there was ever an actual doomsday situation upwards of 80% of the population would be dead inside the first 2 weeks. 10% of the remainders will survive but not comfortably. The rest of those who have the skills and know-how to survive (or even thrive) in tough times will be doing just fine....

Has anyone else ever read the Mountain Man series by Kenneth Blackmore? I'm that guy....well, minus all the booze. Probably.

For better or for worse, my current house is on municipal water/sewer. If things went really sideways with a little warning, I could fill the bathtubs to have some water and start using hot tub water to flush but that would quickly be my limiting factor. If it really came down to it, I could pull out the filter and go to the local creek to get water but hopefully it never gets that far. If it's warmish out, we have a composting toilet with would solve waste issues.

 

[PrivatePilot]

I could fill the bathtubs

You lost 75% of the population right there who would ever even think of that. Proactive preparation is lost on many.

Water magically comes from the tap when they turn the lever.

Sewage magically disappears when they flush the toilet.

Electricity magically just does it's thing.

Food falls out of the ceiling of the grocery store at night onto the shelves.

Gas pumps work without electricity.

Gas just appears out of the ground.

Again, I turn back to the community facebook pages, I see it all the time.....we get 2 or 3 days notice of a major ice or wind storm that's expected to knock out power and some people make some efforts to buy batteries and charge up their cellphones and such, buy a little extra food, whatever.

Many do jack **** and then post on Facebook when the power has been out for an hour complaining that their phone is almost dead and they're not sure how to charge it up. The ones that really kill me are "the food in my fridge is going bad!" complaints when the power is out IN THE WINTER. Oh FFS...where could you POSSIBLY put food so it wouldn't spoil when it's hovering at zero degrees plus or minus 5 or 10 degrees outside.

Others like myself go out and get 50L of gas in Jerry cans for the generator, ensure both our EV's are charged up (because they're a nice source of 40kwh of electricity sitting to be tapped with an inverter before the generator even needs to be started), have extension cords, rechargeable lights ready to go, and backup battery sources for lots of stuff charged and at the ready, etc etc etc. When the power goes out within about 15 minutes we're usually sitting in our living room surfing and watching TV as normal.

 

[Trials]

How big is the circuit panel on the house now and how much do you want to put on generator back-up. Based on the numbers you were given I imagine you have a 100 amp service and the contractor has provided the price for a 100 amp panel service and the typical size generator to accommodate a 100 amp service panel.

You can save some money by doing some work yourself, run big-o pipe for them to put their lines and cables in. You will end up with more then one pressure regulator and each regulator needs to be vented remote from any fire source (the regulator itself is now considered a fire source) you might need some 4x4 posts sticking out of the ground to mount your vents on and a trench to it.
Generator is going to need a grounding rod, you can do that yourself too. The LP gas is run through steel pipe along the side of your wall or armour clad soft copper buried in the ground, everything is expensive, priced by the foot and requires a gas fitter for installation. The electrical part needs a certified electrician and the main power disconnected during installation, then you are going to bring in yet another professional to install the hardware on a concrete pad (none of those workers you hired so far are into concrete forming and trenching) Before hydro hooks you back up to the mains service, the hydro crew will test your circuits to make sure the house is adequately grounded.

 

[Trials]

We had an interesting power failure here a couple weeks ago. Literally half the hydro went out over a large geographic area, generator kicked on, but all the circuits that were still connected to the hydro mains were running at ~59 volts AC. I had to manually disconnect the mains panel circuit breaker, or anything with a motor on it (refrigerators and freezers) would have potentially fried the motors from low voltage.

Not a normal situation but one to be aware of if you ever notice your lights flickering and illuminating at half power.

 

[PrivatePilot]

Happens sometimes when only one phase goes out - usually a blown transformer somewhere.

 

[Trials]

Happens sometimes when only one phase goes out - usually a blown transformer somewhere.

Generator. It was missing half the alternating current sine wave, you can't make that happen with a faulty transformer.
Hundreds of residences were impacted all the way from lake ontario to north of #7.

 

[PrivatePilot]

Missed the bit about you being on generator at the time.

It happens on grid power sometimes as well.

 

[nobbie48]

Honestly I usually go outside and shut the Genny off when the power goes out no point in running it just for a few hours if the outage is longer I can turn it on for a bit the off a bit. It is nice having the peace of mind that it is there if needed and ready to go.

Sent from my KFMAWI using Tapatalk

My generator has a wireless link to Hydro in the event of an outage. I drag out the generator, fuel it, run the cords, connect the needed appliances and as I pull the recoil, Hydro flicks their switch back on.

 

[nobbie48]

The whole root reasons the grid fell apart in Texas is actually pretty interesting when you read the nuts and bolts full story.

The right wing "green energy failed, the windmills froze and the solar panels were covered in snow!" song and dance really isn't the true story.

It's everyone's fault.

One factor was that water is needed for generation and they didn't protect the water lines from freezing. Domino effect.

Even the consumers have to take a chunk of the blame. How many would now gladly trade their granite counters for a generator?

Penny pinch on spot prices for hydro.

Now it's state of emergency, government aid and loans. Next thing will be socialism.

 

[nobbie48]

I'm kind of surprised that so few managed to get their motorhomes in front of their houses prior to the mess. Don't they all own at least one? They come come with batteries and inverters and generators and lots of fuel. Live in the motorhome in your driveway and use the generator to keep the house from freezing. The whole situation just seems like a colossal screwup where very very few people had any ability to look after themselves yet alone help out a neighbour.

I've got a 2000w generator in the garage and normally ~5-15 gallons of fuel plus what's in the cars. My parents have a 4000W and 8500W sitting in the garage and ~15 gallons of fuel. Will we be able to keep functioning normally for a week? Hell no. Will we be ok if the power is out for a week or two, yup.

And how many people know how to siphon gas from a car without getting chemical pneumonia or setting the house on fire?

 

[GreyGhost]

And how many people know how to siphon gas from a car without getting chemical pneumonia or setting the house on fire?

I've got a syphon hose with ball check valve for that. People think I'm joking when i say the garage has one of almost everything.

 

[nobbie48]

Have you SEEN how helpless people are now?

There are people I see on community facebook groups that hire an electrician to come change lightbulbs in their bedroom ceiling fixture because they're terrified of even taking a light shade off. Or they hire a plumber to come and replace the ($10 at Home Depot and 30 seconds to replace) flapper in their toilet. Pool pump won't prime - call the pool store and have them rush over a tech for $150. Car won't start but the one parked next to it will....call CAA and wait for a boost even though a neighbour likely has a set of booster cables. Ditto a flat tire even when there's a perfectly good spare and all the required jacks and tools in the trunk - they've ZERO idea how to even get to the spare tire, much less replace it on the side of the road.

I often think that if there was ever an actual doomsday situation upwards of 80% of the population would be dead inside the first 2 weeks. 10% of the remainders will survive but not comfortably. The rest of those who have the skills and know-how to survive (or even thrive) in tough times will be doing just fine....

Has anyone else ever read the Mountain Man series by Kenneth Blackmore? I'm that guy....well, minus all the booze. Probably.

Getting out of the car at the grocery store the other day someone comes to me asking if I could help boost start their car as it won't start again. They had cables.

The key word that put me off was "AGAIN". Why didn't they fix the problem after the first time?

I said it wasn't my car and was afraid a power surge would do damage to the circuits. I read that somewhere and it sounded like a good excuse.

BTW if I had a flat on my Astro van I called CAA or plugged the tire myself (I carry a mini compressor). GM's jacking system is suicide for those things.

Priorities: When the power goes out the first thing is to phone and text all your FB friends until the phone is just about dead. Send pictures and videos. Then you Google solutions as the phone dies.

Edit: You can drive on a flat tire. Watch the police chase videos, not that I recommend the speeds. I drove the Astro a half a mile on a flat. I'd rather write off a tire than lose my life changing a tire at 427 and 401.

 

[nobbie48]

I've got a syphon hose with ball check valve for that. People think I'm joking when i say the garage has one of almost everything.

I have a squeeze bulb from an outboard motor or use a second hose, using your breath to pressurize the car tank.

 

[nobbie48]

How big is the circuit panel on the house now and how much do you want to put on generator back-up. Based on the numbers you were given I imagine you have a 100 amp service and the contractor has provided the price for a 100 amp panel service and the typical size generator to accommodate a 100 amp service panel.

You can save some money by doing some work yourself, run big-o pipe for them to put their lines and cables in. You will end up with more then one pressure regulator and each regulator needs to be vented remote from any fire source (the regulator itself is now considered a fire source) you might need some 4x4 posts sticking out of the ground to mount your vents on and a trench to it.
Generator is going to need a grounding rod, you can do that yourself too. The LP gas is run through steel pipe along the side of your wall or armour clad soft copper buried in the ground, everything is expensive, priced by the foot and requires a gas fitter for installation. The electrical part needs a certified electrician and the main power disconnected during installation, then you are going to bring in yet another professional to install the hardware on a concrete pad (none of those workers you hired so far are into concrete forming and trenching) Before hydro hooks you back up to the mains service, the hydro crew will test your circuits to make sure the house is adequately grounded.

The Big O has to be installed by the electrician. Is Big O approved as an electrical conduit?

A buddy went through it with ESA. The pipe has to be kicked into the trench by an electrician's boot.

 

[PrivatePilot]

I've got a syphon hose with ball check valve for that. People think I'm joking when i say the garage has one of almost everything.

Be careful about collecting one of everything. That's me as well. Problem is you start having problems finding spots for the new ones of everythings you keep bringing home.

You can drive on a flat tire. Watch the police chase videos, not that I recommend the speeds. I drove the Astro a half a mile on a flat.

Indeed but it borks the tire if there was every any hope of saving it.

We had a flat on my daughters Kia on the way to pickup our new camper last weekend. Side of the 401, 10km or something to the next exit (Murphy's law I'd just passed the last exit a few km back) and -19c. Little option at that point except to swap on the compact spare, which trust me, I was very thankful for, especially considering we were on a schedule. I think I swapped that tire in literally 10 or 15 minutes flat from the time I got out of the car to the time I got back in....it was feckin COLD.

In related news, the "remove as soon as possible" and "80kph maximum speed" warnings on those things are just suggestions, right?

Had it fixed at point B in a Canadian Tire parking lot.

 

[nobbie48]

Be careful about collecting one of everything. That's me as well. Problem is you start having problems finding spots for the new ones of everythings you keep bringing home.



Indeed but it borks the tire if there was every any hope of saving it.

We had a flat on my daughters Kia on the way to pickup our new camper last weekend. Side of the 401, 10km or something to the next exit (Murphy's law I'd just passed the last exit a few km back) and -19c. Little option at that point except to swap on the compact spare, which trust me, I was very thankful for, especially considering we were on a schedule. I think I swapped that tire in literally 10 or 15 minutes flat from the time I got out of the car to the time I got back in....it was feckin COLD.

In related news, the "remove as soon as possible" and "80kph maximum speed" warnings on those things are just suggestions, right?

Had it fixed at point B in a Canadian Tire parking lot.

I resolved that a half worn $200 tire wasn't worth my life trying to change it on 427 south at the 401 / airport mad land.

 

[GreyGhost]

I resolved that a half worn $200 tire wasn't worth my life trying to change it on 427 south at the 401 / airport mad land.

I'm more concerned about aluminum rims than a ruined tire. Steel rims drive on (slowly as a tire that tears itself apart makes a hell of a mess of the car).

 

[PrivatePilot]

I resolved that a half worn $200 tire wasn't worth my life trying to change it on 427 south at the 401 / airport mad land.

Yeah, in that area I'd not stop either....but where I was I had a nice big shoulder (and thankfully it was dry, if not freakin cold) to work on, and with eleventy thousand kilometers to the next exit...just continuing on while the tire came apart and beat the hell out of the car as well as potentially ruined the alloy, well, yeah...I stopped and changed it out.

 

[nobbie48]

Yeah, in that area I'd not stop either....but where I was I had a nice big shoulder (and thankfully it was dry, if not freakin cold) to work on, and with eleventy thousand kilometers to the next exit...just continuing on while the tire came apart and beat the hell out of the car as well as potentially ruined the alloy, well, yeah...I stopped and changed it out.

A couple of summers ago a Corvette drove by the house on the rim. I hate to guess the price on that one.