[Rhodes22-list] And now for something completely different - Power outages

[Bill Effros]

Brad,

The last time I was in Europe I rented a diesel.  I was amazed at how 
good that car was.  I owned a 1980 Toyota diesel.  It was okay, but you 
always knew it was a diesel.  With the modern diesels, you don't.  It 
used so little fuel, and we were driving all over the place, that fuel 
price became a nonissue.  You had to remember to pull up to the diesel 
pump, because it didn't drive like a diesel, it didn't sound like a 
diesel, and it didn't smell like a diesel.  I was really impressed.

Bill Effros



Brad Haslett wrote:
> Bill,
>
> Yup, I remember 1973.  I was supposed to fly to London for Christmas that
> year but BOAC cancelled the flight.  Avgas doubled and we bought fuel for
> the airport I was a mechanic at on the spot market.  I got rid of my 1966
> 283 cu. in. Chevy Nova for an Opel Manta.  When the second oil crisis 
> hit in
> 1979 I bought a diesel Rabbit.  My 12 year old Lexus is getting a bit 
> frayed
> and will probably need to be replaced in the next couple of years.  If
> forced, I'll go back to another diesel VW.  What I really want is a
> diesel-electric hybrid in the 80-90 mpg range.  It will come.  Now as 
> to our
> dump trucks and my jet, there ain't no solution.
>
> Brad
>
>
> On 7/27/06, Bill Effros <bill at effros.com> wrote:
>>
>> Thanks, Brad,
>>
>> The last time I had to seriously use a generator was in 1973 when we
>> moved into a new house that didn't have any electricity because a major
>> ice storm ate up all the available wire.  Then the oil crisis hit.
>> Diane was pregnant.  You could only buy gas on alternate days.  It was a
>> challenge (solved by a BMW racing motorcycle with a 10 gallon tank that
>> was allowed to go to the head of the line any day of the week) -- but
>> not something we soon forgot.  That generator was so loud that hearing
>> it run out of gas sounded good.  It was half a year before we could use
>> electricity without associating it with a deafening sound.
>>
>> Generators have been out of the question here ever since.  Until I saw
>> the one you guys were talking about.  The modern appliances are so
>> efficient it's amazing.  We have installed the new low-power air
>> conditioners throughout our home.  They really work!
>>
>> I kind of thought low-power low noise low weight was the way to go, but
>> it's good to get the confirmation before I have to step up to the plate.
>>
>> Bill Effros
>>
>>
>>
>> Brad Haslett wrote:
>> > Bill,
>> >
>> > I have a Honda 1000eu for home and a Yamaha 2000 watt at the gulf.  
>> The
>> > Honda is much lighter and can be handled by one person easily.  The 
>> 2000
>> > watt units need two men at our age.  With 1000 watts you can run a
>> > 5000 btu
>> > a/c unit or a small microvave.  I can run two fridges.  The Honda 
>> uses a
>> > quart of fuel about every six hours.  Fuel consumption is the real
>> > issue for
>> > long power outages, not comfort.
>> >
>> > Brad
>> >
>> >
>> > On 7/27/06, Arthur H. Czerwonky <czerwonky at earthlink.net> wrote:
>> >>
>> >> Bill,
>> >> You might want to look at the 2K Honda also, and make sure the
>> generator
>> >> is enough.  The extra 1K is little more in cost and same db, or
>> close...
>> >> Art
>> >>
>> >> -----Original Message-----
>> >> >From: Bill Effros <bill at effros.com>
>> >> >Sent: Jul 27, 2006 10:13 AM
>> >> >To: The Rhodes 22 mail list <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
>> >> >Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] And now for something completely
>> different
>> >> -      Power   outages
>> >> >
>> >> > Brad,
>> >> >
>> >> >I've come round on this one.  I hadn't looked at portable generators
>> >> for
>> >> >20 years, and am just about to buy a $700 Honda 1K because of the 
>> gas
>> >> >sipping qualities and extremely low noise.  The only reason I looked
>> >> >this time was because of you and ...Wally? talking about the
>> >> >practicality of bringing one on board.  I may even try that.
>> >> >
>> >> >Bill Effros
>> >> >
>> >> >Brad Haslett wrote:
>> >> >> Some of you that have been here for awhile may remember the rather
>> >> >> spirited
>> >> >> discussion we had on generators a few years back.  With the power
>> >> >> outages in
>> >> >> the NYC area and other cities, now may be a good time to review 
>> the
>> >> >> issue.
>> >> >> During Hurricane Elvis (strong line of thunderstorms that knocked
>> out
>> >> >> power
>> >> >> in Memphis for up to three weeks) my neighbors ran big Y2K
>> generators
>> >> for
>> >> >> ONE day until they ran out of gas, then went looking for filling
>> >> stations
>> >> >> with power.  We're putting the finishing touches on our MS Gulf
>> Coast
>> >> >> evacuation plan and hurricane preparedness skills.  Here's my
>> >> experience
>> >> >> from Elvis.  Small is better.  You need to run one window A/C unit
>> >> >> during the
>> >> >> day (available for $60 if you buy before the crisis) and a 
>> fridge at
>> >> >> night.  One 1000 watt genset  will run on 5 gallons of gas for a
>> >> week.
>> >> >> Someone on this list will go for days without power this summer
>> >> for one
>> >> >> reason or another.  Don't say you weren't warned!
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Brad
>> >> >>
>> >> >> ----------------
>> >> >>
>> >> >> JULY 21, 2006Posted 5 days and 0 hours ago on July 21, 2006 
>> Blackout
>> >> >> Survival Guide
>> >> >> <
>> >>
>> http://www.popularmechanics.com/blog/home/3391786.html?c=y&imageID=1338716&caption=%3Cb%3EBatteries+Included%3A%3C%2Fb%3E+Prepare+your+blackout+kit+now%2C+not+in+the+dark 
>>
>> .
>> >>
>> >> >
>> >> >>
>> >> >> <
>> >>
>> http://www.popularmechanics.com/blog/home/3391786.html?c=y&imageID=1338716&caption=%3Cb%3EBatteries+Included%3A%3C%2Fb%3E+Prepare+your+blackout+kit+now%2C+not+in+the+dark 
>>
>> .
>> >>
>> >> >
>> >> >>
>> >> >> *Batteries Included:* Prepare your blackout kit now, not in the
>> dark.
>> >> >> When it's as hot and humid outside as it is right now in the
>> >> >> northeast, air
>> >> >> conditioning feels like a miracle. Until the lights flicker, dim,
>> and
>> >> go
>> >> >> out. With air conditioning creating massive spikes power
>> consumption,
>> >> >> occasionally the grid calls it quits. That's just what happened on
>> >> >> Tuesday
>> >> >> evening, when more than 200,000 homes in the New York region lost
>> >> their
>> >> >> power. Many people are still waiting for the power to come back.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Before you're sweating it out in candlelight, take a look at our
>> >> blackout
>> >> >> survival guide.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Download the blackout survival podcast
>> >> >> here<
>> >>
>> http://media.popularmechanics.com/audio/Popular+Mechanics+PodcastBlackoutSurvival1.mp3 
>>
>> >>
>> >> >
>> >> >>
>> >> >> .
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Have a Flashlight: If you haven't done so already, go out and 
>> buy at
>> >> >> least
>> >> >> one small, inexpensive flashlight?one that takes 2 D cell or 2 AA
>> >> >> batteries.
>> >> >> If you already have a flashlight, swap in new batteries. Leave it
>> >> >> standing
>> >> >> on a book shelf, or on an easy-to-reach countertop so that you can
>> >> get
>> >> to
>> >> >> quickly and safely in the dark.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Be Prepared to Empty the Fridge: A freezer packed with dry ice 
>> will
>> >> stay
>> >> >> cold for days, but it's tough to find dry ice at the local corner
>> >> >> store. So
>> >> >> if you've been without power for more than four hours, start
>> emptying
>> >> the
>> >> >> fridge now. Even if the power does come back soon, chances are 
>> your
>> >> food
>> >> >> won't, and you don't want to let food melt in the freezer or, even
>> >> worse,
>> >> >> rot in the appliance. Cleaning that up is not a mess you want to
>> deal
>> >> >> with.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Shut Down Your Appliances: If your power goes out, make sure you
>> turn
>> >> off
>> >> >> your air conditioner or reset the thermostat so the air 
>> conditioner
>> >> >> will not
>> >> >> turn back on until you turn it on manually. When the power does 
>> turn
>> >> back
>> >> >> on, the combined load of thousands of air conditioner spooling up
>> >> >> simultaneously can be enough to trip the grid again, starting
>> another
>> >> >> blackout. However, if everybody turned on their air conditioners
>> >> >> individually, it would stagger the power demand on the grid. Every
>> >> >> small bit
>> >> >> of help counts during an emergency.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> (Also, now's a good time to unplug that circular saw you were 
>> using
>> >> >> when the
>> >> >> power went out.)
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Don't Overdue AC: When you do turn an air conditioner back on, 
>> don't
>> >> >> set the
>> >> >> thermostat lower than 78 F. This is good practice in general:
>> >> Although
>> >> it
>> >> >> doesn't seem very cool, the dehumidifying effect of air 
>> conditioning
>> >> will
>> >> >> make your house much more bearable, even at 78 F.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Use Passive Cooling: If the power goes out, open as many 
>> windows as
>> >> >> possible, especially windows and vents in the attic and the upper
>> >> floors.
>> >> >> However, use shades on the sunny side of the house (south and
>> >> west) to
>> >> >> minimize solar heating. This is a good practice in warm months, 
>> even
>> >> when
>> >> >> you've got your AC cranking like a Pratt and Whitney turbofan.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> If you really got caught off guard, take this opportunity to learn
>> >> >> from the
>> >> >> mistake and assemble an emergency preparedness
>> >> >> kit<
>> >>
>> http://www.popularmechanics.com/home_improvement/home_owner_clinic/2076037.html?page=4&c=y 
>>
>> >>
>> >> >consisting
>> >> >>
>> >> >> of lighting, food, water, a first aid kit, tools and anything
>> >> >> else you'll need. ?Roy Berendsohn
>> >> >> __________________________________________________
>> >> >> Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list
>> >> >>
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