Electric's Been Off

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John B.

Well-known Member

• Aug 23, 2014

• #1

At 4:30 this afternoon our power went out here in
Midwest, Highland IL. It's 9pm now and it's still
not on. Almost the hottest day of this year and the
whole town is out of power. All the businesses
closed. No stock car races either. My little
generator isn't big enough to pull the central air
but the ceiling fans help a bunch, that and keeping
all the doors closed to keep the humidity and heat
out.

 

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notjustair

Well-known Member

• Aug 23, 2014

• #1

I'd go out of my mind. I don't mind the cold but the heat just zaps me. I swear my body is just different after chemo - maybe it is getting older but I blame it on that. I was in the tractor today so I stayed cool. App on my phone said 103. Cows just stood in the pond most of the day.

I assume you have the generator for the fridge and deep freezers. It wouldn't take long to thaw in this heat. You'd have to open a soup kitchen right quick!

 

J

JD Seller

Well-known Member

• Aug 23, 2014

• #1

John you need the generator I am working on for a fellow. It is a military 100KW diesel unit. That would take care of you LOL.

Keep safe in this heat. Us older fellows melt easier. LOL

 

OP

OP

J

John B.

Well-known Member

• Aug 23, 2014

• #1

My little generator is just an 11hp 40 amps max. It pulls everything but the AC. Sitting under the ceiling fan now. Power has been off for 5 hours now.

 

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old

Well-known Member

• Aug 23, 2014

• #1

Ya I can feel for you this time of year and no power. I know my 6.5 KW unit will not run my AC system and would love to have something bigger but just not in the budget. That is why I hope I can find the $$ to build the house I want that way little to no power to heat or cool

 

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buickanddeere

Well-known Member

• Aug 23, 2014

• #1

(quoted from post at 21:58:38 08/23/14) At 4:30 this afternoon our power went out here in
Midwest, Highland IL. It's 9pm now and it's still
not on. Almost the hottest day of this year and the
whole town is out of power. All the businesses
closed. No stock car races either. My little
generator isn't big enough to pull the central air
but the ceiling fans help a bunch, that and keeping
all the doors closed to keep the humidity and heat
out.

Click to expand...

This

http://www.championpowerequipment.com/generators/41537/

and this

http://www.generlink.com/about_generlink.cfm

 

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W_B

Well-known Member

• Aug 23, 2014

• #1

Been there, power was off for over a week a couple of years ago during the hottest time of the year. Our smallish generator was enough to keep the fridge and some fans going in the house and the well pump, so we had water to the house and barn. But we normally keep some fans going on the llamas, being a cool climate animal they do not do very well in the heat. Thought we were going to have some go into heat stress but was able to keep them cool enough with water spray. All ended up well but it sure is inconvenient without electricity.

 

Geo-TH,In

Well-known Member

• Aug 23, 2014

• #1

If I lost power, I would camp out in the cool basement.

My boy has a home without a basement. He misses a basement, especially when there is a tornado.

 

5

504

Well-known Member

• Aug 23, 2014

• #1

My A/C quit a few weeks ago and I moved to the camper for the night!

 

M

Mark - IN.

Well-known Member

• Aug 23, 2014

• #1

We had a big storm a couple of decades ago when I lived in Romeoville, IL where I lost my power on Sunday night and didn't get it back until Wednesday evening. It too was hot summer. The folks across the road from me lost their power too but were on a different grid. I watched them lose their power and get it back two more times over the next couple of days before I got mine back once. I had a big cook out too because had I not, everything that I took out of the freezer would have gone in the trash. So, hey everyone bring some plates and beer.

Mark

 

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charlie n

Well-known Member

• Aug 23, 2014

• #1

We got it in Alton and Godfrey.

 

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bill mart

Well-known Member

• Aug 24, 2014

• #1

don"t care for the made in China generator but the generlink is interesting if your utility company/state allows it. Bill

 

Geo-TH,In

Well-known Member

• Aug 24, 2014

• #1

I have two 3500-4000w champion RV gennies. One is
electric start. Well worth the extra $165 for the
electric start.

For what I use them for, electric chain saw, power
well, refrig, and coffee pot, they work great
after I designed the energy management circuit
that turns everything off when pump kicks on.

I never plan to run a centeral AC. Way too many
lock rotor amps to start one of thoses.

If I were hard up, I may think of using a 5000 BTU
window AC, install a hard start kit, turn AC to
coldest setting so it would stay on and never try
to restart. Then I wouldn't try to power up
anything else with genny.

I'm a believer you shouldn't push anything to full
power if you want it to last.

 

Geo-TH,In

Well-known Member

• Aug 24, 2014

• #1

Old,
It took me 5 years to build my energy efficient super insulated home. Started in 1991 finished Aug 1996. I am convinced that brick siding may have been the best thing, over 20K brick. I did 90% of the work myself. Good air tight anderson casement windows, insulated doors, 16 inches of insulation in attic, and walls with over R20 also help.

Most of this summer we've had nights in the 60's days in the 80's, house stays at the average temp 70's without the AC running very much at all.

Friend in HVAC business came over one day. We walked past AC. He asked if it was broken because it wasn't running. I told him no, that's how it is if you design a home the right way.
George

 

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buickanddeere

Well-known Member

• Aug 24, 2014

• #1

Used to be nobody wanted a made in Japan generator either. Of the Chinese clones, the Champion brand are made to Honda spec.

 

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El Toro

Well-known Member

• Aug 24, 2014

• #1

That's why I had a 14KW Kohler installed in 2012.
Sure came in handy when that storm hit the East coast in Oct 2012. Power was off for 26 hours, but the Kohler started automatically when we lost power. It will run on LP or NG. Hal

 

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El Toro

Well-known Member

• Aug 24, 2014

• #1

My neighbor was telling me when he and his wife were baby sitting their daughter's home while she
and her husband were on vacation and they lost power. He said you couldn't even flush the toilets as they're on well water. Both are medical doctors. Another time when they lost power her husband told his wife to stay with the house while he went to a motel. Hal

 

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old

Well-known Member

• Aug 24, 2014

• #1

I want to do an earth home and tap into the cave system I have. South side a green house room. If it goes as I hope the house will not be seen unless you know where to look

 

Geo-TH,In

Well-known Member

• Aug 24, 2014

• #1

Old,
My idea of earth home is the old fashion CLAY BRICK.

I know of a house built in the side of a hill, south facing windows. I worked with the woman who lived there. My concerns about earth homes was humidity and mold. I know what's it like with 60-70 degree dew points, creating a moldy mess in a basement. So I asked her about just that. She said their house smells like a basement, even though they have a dehumidifier in each room.

I have homes with basements. A dehumidifier runs all the time. Some large basements are on sand, no water leaking in. It's the warm humid air brings in tons of moisture. I have 2 dehumidifiers running all the time. I hate the new dehumidifiers with electronic controls. Each time we have a storm, lights flicker, you have to reset dehumidifier, turn it on. I hate that. Some day, I rewire it with old controls.

Here is what my earth home looks like, from a previous post from Indiana wilson.

George
energy efficient earth home