Power out

[Vette67]

It has been an especially windy day here in northeast Ohio. At around 1:00 this afternoon, we lost power. I was away from home. I turned around so I could get my generator running. Around 2004, we lost power for a few days, so I bought a 5250 watt generator. It mostly sits in my shed collecting dust, but today I was sure glad I had it. I have extension cords running through my house, but for the few times I have needed it, I don’t mind doing this. I’ve thought about installing a transfer switch, but the cost doesn’t seem worth the effort, since it isn’t enough to run my whole house anyway.

Now the waiting game begins to see how long it takes for power to be restored. Reminder: plan for something like this to happen so you have the resources at your disposal to get things back up and running in a hurrry.

 

[Vette67]

I was able to back feed some romex into my furnace to get it running, since it is supposed to go down to 34 tonight. So now I have heat. The fish also have heat, plus recirculation, and skimmer. Should be enough to keep them alive. I guess it’s just a stormy day on the reef today, no sunshine!

Fortunately, I have about 30 gallons of RO water already made, so I should be able to manually refill evaporated water for quite some time.

 

[Zach B]

Wow, very good thing to have indeed

 

[Adamantium]

Glad to hear it! It’s a great feeling to be prepared like that.

I’m lucky enough to have a transfer switch, and my 5500 watt has easily powered our whole house. You must have a big place!

How have you been maintaining the generator since 2004? I run mine every 30-60 days for about 30 minutes with something plugged in.

 

[xxkenny90xx]

Good call being prepared. In case of a power outage my tank will be pretty bare bones (just a pump and a heater) running on my big marine deep cycle battery and power inverter (or if that battery dies an extension cord to the inverter in my car)

 

[Daddy-o]

I am in Ca. Still have a brand new in box generator and a handful of 12 volt livewell pumps from BassPro shops (and a huge marine battery all charged and ready to go)

 

[Mical]

Good on you for being prepared. Power outages are one of my biggest fears living in Minnesota.

I've run UPS's, and had a portable generator for awhile but lugging it, gas, cords through snow & sub zero weather just got old, even if it only happens occasionally. This year I bit the bullet, put a 16k whole house generator in. Runs on natural gas, auto transfer switch and it "exercises" weekly for 5 mins. I sleep a little easier these days.

 

[Jon Fishman]

NE OH here too. No sustained outage thankfully

 

[Vette67]

Glad to hear it! It’s a great feeling to be prepared like that.

I’m lucky enough to have a transfer switch, and my 5500 watt has easily powered our whole house. You must have a big place!

How have you been maintaining the generator since 2004? I run mine every 30-60 days for about 30 minutes with something plugged in.

Mine is just a portable gas powered generator. When I’m done using it, I’ll drain the fuel, and Run it until the carburetor is dry. Then I just store it. After putting gas in it and not having run it in at least 5 years, it started on the first pull.

Transfer switch is definitely on the menu now. Yeah, I don’t have a big place at all. 1600 sqft ranch is far from big. If I could just plug in a twist lock and be done, that’d be great. My fish tank probably uses the most electricity in my house, except the AC in the summer. 5250 would probably be more than enough to run everything. Even my range and clothes dryer are gas.

 

[Vette67]

NE OH here too. No sustained outage thankfully

Lucky you. I’m hearing 40,000 without power by me.

 

[Rickybobby]

Here in southern Ontario we lost power at 2pm. Nothing since. Tanks are losing 1 degree every 1.5 hours. We are on well and septic so we have no running water but a bathtub full of water to draw from.

 

[Adamantium]

Mine is just a portable gas powered generator. When I’m done using it, I’ll drain the fuel, and Run it until the carburetor is dry. Then I just store it. After putting gas in it and not having run it in at least 5 years, it started on the first pull.

Transfer switch is definitely on the menu now. Yeah, I don’t have a big place at all. 1600 sqft ranch is far from big. If I could just plug in a twist lock and be done, that’d be great. My fish tank probably uses the most electricity in my house, except the AC in the summer. 5250 would probably be more than enough to run everything. Even my range and clothes dryer are gas.

Oh, I thought you’d said the 5250 wouldn’t be enough to power the house.

I need to try running mine dry. I just do what the manufacturer suggests, which is to close the carb after shutting it down, but maybe I’ll do before and let it run dry. Thanks!

Good luck!

 

[Vette67]

Oh, I thought you’d said the 5250 wouldn’t be enough to power the house.

I need to try running mine dry. I just do what the manufacturer suggests, which is to close the carb after shutting it down, but maybe I’ll do before and let it run dry. Thanks!

Good luck!

Yeah, I just don’t trust leaving gas in the float bowl if I can help it. I know I’m not good enoug with remembering to run it every few months. I’d hate for the gas to evaporate and varnish up one of the capillary holes in the carburetor. So I drain it and run it dry. It seems to have worked.

Still no power. At least I can run my heater, so I shouldn’t be losing heat in my tank. Plus I got the furnace running, so that helps too.

High wind warning until 11:00. Rumor has it the electric company is waiting for the wind to subside before sending their crew up 30 feet in a bucket truck. Sounds reasonable. Nobody needs to get injured or die trying to restore power.

 

[Spieg]

Definitely worthwhile to have a generator on hand as they sell out fast in a extended outage. I picked up a portable propane generator several years ago just in case (of course I haven't had power go out for more than an hour since then).

 

[Adamantium]

Yeah, I just don’t trust leaving gas in the float bowl if I can help it. I know I’m not good enoug with remembering to run it every few months. I’d hate for the gas to evaporate and varnish up one of the capillary holes in the carburetor. So I drain it and run it dry. It seems to have worked.

Still no power. At least I can run my heater, so I shouldn’t be losing heat in my tank. Plus I got the furnace running, so that helps too.

High wind warning until 11:00. Rumor has it the electric company is waiting for the wind to subside before sending their crew up 30 feet in a bucket truck. Sounds reasonable. Nobody needs to get injured or die trying to restore power.

Mind my asking how you drain the fuel? Just siphon it out?

Glad you’ve got a good situation.

 

[Davem24]

Right with you! I live on the west side of Cleveland and my whole city is out. Got a 6k watt generator running right now and just got back from the gas station. Tank doesnt know anything happened!

 

[Jon Fishman]

Right with you! I live on the west side of Cleveland and my whole city is out. Got a 6k watt generator running right now and just got back from the gas station. Tank doesnt know anything happened!

What part?!? Lakewood here, and all is good....

 

[Davem24]

What part?!? Lakewood here, and all is good....

Middleburg. Half the city is out around pearl. Frustratingly the neighbors across the street have power lol

 

[Vette67]

Mind my asking how you drain the fuel? Just siphon it out?

Glad you’ve got a good situation.

I literally pull the fuel line off the carburetor and just let the tank gravity drain into a gas can. Then, put the fuel hose back on the carb, start it and let it run until it dies. That gets most of the gas out of the carb.

 

[Vette67]

What part?!? Lakewood here, and all is good....

I live in North Olmsted. Most of the city seems to still have power, just not us! At least the gas station still has power.