What are y’all buying for the next grid failure?

[Biff Tannen 45665]

11 minutes ago, NorthLoop said:

Okayyyy

He completely botched that part on the table reading fundraiser a few months ago and I was pissed.  He was so fucked up he could barely read any of his lines.  But it was still good.

[Mileslong 4728]

As I heard today, I will hire some poor people to run in a giant hamster wheel to generate power for my house...

[davidg 4036]

4 minutes ago, Nonbryan said:

Pretty good lists going on so far here.  I'm going to get some really good sleeping bags and I'm going to insulate my garage door as well.

My garage ceiling fell on top of a lot stuff stored on one side including 2 boxes of garage door insulation that I bought last year and have yet to install.  Probably soaking wet right now and if I would have put it up i bet it would have helped some. FML.

[immortal13 4059]

15 minutes ago, gsoda3 said:

29 minutes ago, immortal13 said:

Get the bigger size and the adapter hose to fit a large propane tank. The bigger unit has a fan that runs on 4 D batteries. The fan makes a huge difference in how much area it will heat up

Which model are you talking about?

 

I have 2 of the smaller size and 1 "big buddy" size. I think I got it for around $100 on ebay. The smaller ones are great, but if you need to warm your whole garage or large room, the big buddy is what you need.

 

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/mr-heater-big-buddy-portable-heater

 

Edited February 19, 2021 by immortal13

[fattyflattie 4639]

6 minutes ago, immortal13 said:

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/mr-heater-big-buddy-portable-heater

 

I wonder why only the 5’ and 12’ hoses need a filter, but not the 10’.    Odd.  Never was clear if it’s safe to use indoors on the 20# bottle either. 

[B00M 6413]

9 minutes ago, Nonbryan said:

Pretty good lists going on so far here.  I'm going to get some really good sleeping bags and I'm going to insulate my garage door as well.

Thoroughly recommend. Install was super easy and it improved our garage noticeably. It must to be a 20 degree improvement from whatever hellscape is outside. 

https://www.amazon.com/Matador-Garage-Door-Insulation-Designed/dp/B00RGZ9C10/ref=mp_s_a_1_6?dchild=1&keywords=Matador&qid=1613709925&sr=8-6&th=1&psc=1

[Chilly Water 415]

I had 2 generators, several heaters and a few 5 gallon gas cans in case we needed them. We never lost power but because of the  water pressure loss and boil notices, we definitely need more water storage. 4 days with no hot shower fucking sucks

[Chilly Water 415]

Just now, Chilly Water said:

I had 2 generators, several heaters and a few 5 gallon gas cans in case we needed them. We never lost power but because of the  water pressure loss and boil notices, we definitely need more water storage. 4 days with no hot shower sucks

 

[immortal13 4059]

8 minutes ago, fattyflattie said:

I wonder why only the 5’ and 12’ hoses need a filter, but not the 10’.    Odd.  Never was clear if it’s safe to use indoors on the 20# bottle either. 

Well we did it for about 48 hours straight with no problems, but our main downstairs area is huge with open floorplan. Between the Big Buddy and our fireplace we were pretty comfortable 

 

No clue on the filter thing, doesn't really makes sense to me why they would need one. I know there is more than one brand you can get. 

[washparkhorn 9939]

You guys appeared to be running in and out of doors to check on things.

If you are building or redesigning, you might want to consider a mudroom (room + airlock). 

In Denver, we used one entrance in and out during Winter Storms or any weather event where you want to conserve heat and protect against wind and wet. You lose a lot of heat with opening of a door. Outside boots go off there; inside shoes on - all nice and warm/er.

For anyone with a mudroom in Texas, did they work in this storm? 

[immortal13 4059]

We also have the spray foam insulation in walls and attic, so I think that helped us out as well

[Biff Tannen 45665]

2 minutes ago, washparkhorn said:

For anyone with a mudroom in Texas, did they work in this storm? 

Anyone who responds to this question is a fucking liar.

[immortal13 4059]

Just now, Biff Tannen said:

Anyone who responds to this question is a fucking liar.

 

[Guest Lobo]

I thought we weren't supposed to call that one guy's mom's butt---'the mudroom'  

[washparkhorn 9939]

2 minutes ago, Biff Tannen said:

Anyone who responds to this question is a fucking liar.

Missing out on the finer things in life.

[washparkhorn 9939]

Or just leave it to the wife:

 

[CHIEF 5076]

36 minutes ago, Biff Tannen said:

He completely botched that part on the table reading fundraiser a few months ago and I was pissed.  He was so fucked up he could barely read any of his lines.  But it was still good.

Wait, I was fucked up? No way.

CHIEF

[mchookem 16321]

a home in Colorado

[MNLonghornFUKM 8817]

I started a list Monday that was full of little things like head lamps and a crank radio but now I’m onto AWD truck and possibly moving out of state. 

4wd truck unless you’re thinking the Subaru Baja which was sweet

[Jkwellborn 6688]

This thing: https://www.amazon.com/Mr-Heater-F232000-Indoor-Safe-Portable/dp/B002G51BZU/

These were on sale at academy for like $50 or $60 during deer season. I grabbed on. Works pretty dang good in my stand.

[texas08 1599]

All these came through for me. The two way/HAM radio I’ve had just for the hell of it (you can’t transmit without a cheap/easy to obtain license) but you can listen...being without power for long periods of time sucked...someone was broadcasting the local news and kept me up to date. You can also listen to the NOAA weather frequency. The other little radio was great to listen to music (the two way radio also has an FM band).

Ideas for others:

[Homercles 10205]

Was the hood for your gimp?

Edited February 19, 2021 by Homercles

[phdhorn 6224]

- portable propane stove burner
- 20K watt or so generator
- 1,500 gal water storage tank (actually coming in March)
- gas-propelled portable heat blower (for snow melt)
- set of tire chains (we live on top of 2 steep hills) -or-
- 4WD F-150

I had everything else I needed.

[XYZ 2154]

20 kW seems like overkill.

Edit: I mean, I guess it’s probably not overkill if you are Michael Dell.

Edited February 19, 2021 by XYZ

[dcar00 14153]

1 hour ago, Snake Diggity said:

Had and glad we did: firewood, back stock of non-perishable food, swimming pool full of water, camping gear (propane grill, sleeping bags), back stock of basic medicine, 100w solar power rig

Dont have but wish we did: back stock of bottled water, a truck, basic electrical/plumbing supplies/tools

I don’t want a generator because all it would do is piss me off when I neglected it and it failed to work when needed.

if you start the honda Eu 1K or 2K a couple of times a year(I do it on the first and last mow of the year) and run it for 20-30 min my experience is they run like a top.  there is some oil change required but its very easy.

[Jkwellborn 6688]

20 kW seems like overkill.
Edit: I mean, I guess it’s probably not overkill if you are Michael Dell.

Not for a whole house. Electric heat is usually 15kw.

I was already planning on getting a NG whole house generator. We never lost power or had water lines freeze. In reality, I’ve acquired a bunch of the stuff y’all are listing behind hunting and not wanting to be without power and stuff living in a rural area.

[phdhorn 6224]

4 minutes ago, XYZ said:

20 kW seems like overkill.

Edit: I mean, I guess it’s probably not overkill if you are Michael Dell.

Alright, 15KW.  I'll go without the home theater.

[clapclapclap 9000]

Adding a rotating bookcase secret entrance to our tornado shelter/utilities control room/dungeon.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Biff Tannen said:

Anyone who responds to this question is a fucking liar.

Who wears 'indoor shoes?' 80 year old folks and their slippers?

[troph 24781]

18 minutes ago, Jkwellborn said:

Not for a whole house. Electric heat is usually 15kw.

I was already planning on getting a NG whole house generator. We never lost power or had water lines freeze. In reality, I’ve acquired a bunch of the stuff y’all are listing behind hunting and not wanting to be without power and stuff living in a rural area.

Yeah the hunters campers and RVers just need to keep their gear near the house and most of the survival problems are solved.  We have enough gear in our fifth wheel to boondock with heat for nearly a week.  Unfortunately we can’t keep it on site. 

Edited February 19, 2021 by troph

[NeverMarryAStripper 21872]

[washparkhorn 9939]

1 minute ago, NeverMarryAStripper said:

Facts.

Diversionary entertainment in the form of a busker - always helpful, and makes for good eats (plus lye soap).

[DonkeyCigars 144]

2 hours ago, kevwun said:

Generac or Kohler are both good for whole home generators.  Just as an FYI, Generac generators were scare before this because of the rona.  They will be even tougher to get now, so be prepared to wait.  I have been thinking about it for a couple of years, but this finally motivated me.  My cousin got a Kohler a few months ago and it worked great for him during this.  If you have your own propane tank, you will want to get at least a 500 gallon one if you have a 250 now.  Based on the math I have done, a 500 gallon tank would run my house for about a week or so.

What about Trane? I saw a Trane whole house generator for like $9k which seemed like a steal and I have heard good enough things from them as an HVAC OEM.

I think I'm definitely looking at a whole house generator and will probably buy a big bruiser generator (4-5000). I have a 1000w Honda that only takes like 0.9 gallons of gasoline, so I was refueling it in 0 degrees like every 2-2.5 hours (but the living room never got below 63 degrees with no power: if I had two generators I could have been at 70 potentially).

Edited February 19, 2021 by DonkeyCigars

[GringoSalado 1651]

27 minutes ago, XYZ said:

20 kW seems like overkill.

Edit: I mean, I guess it’s probably not overkill if you are Michael Dell.

Hmm if the grid fails in August and you have more than, I dunno, 1,700 sf you're probably pulling more than 15KW. Or maybe not.

As for the genset you don't need to buy a Generac kit, you just need the switch

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GTZTF4W/?coliid=I2V5OENC7FV2Y5&colid=2TVYNXM23F8RU&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

and an electrician.  But you do obv need a gas-powered genset so you can plumb to your nat gas supply (probably want a propane or gasoline backup). That said good sized diesel powered gensets are easy to find and cheap to buy but you don't really see gas powered ones over 7.5kw or so on the used market.

 

 

csb about 15 years ago my dad lost power at his ranch in SE OK, in July, and we ran the AC separately (off the panel) with our welder and the rest of the panel with our 7kw yanmar. genset  /csb geterdone

[Guest]

[workswithseed 2088]

21 minutes ago, GringoSalado said:

Hmm if the grid fails in August and you have more than, I dunno, 1,700 sf you're probably pulling more than 15KW. Or maybe not.

As for the genset you don't need to buy a Generac kit, you just need the switch

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GTZTF4W/?coliid=I2V5OENC7FV2Y5&colid=2TVYNXM23F8RU&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

and an electrician.  But you do obv need a gas-powered genset so you can plumb to your nat gas supply (probably want a propane or gasoline backup). That said good sized diesel powered gensets are easy to find and cheap to buy but you don't really see gas powered ones over 7.5kw or so on the used market.

 

 

csb about 15 years ago my dad lost power at his ranch in SE OK, in July, and we ran the AC separately (off the panel) with our welder and the rest of the panel with our 7kw yanmar. genset  /csb geterdone

Lincoln, or Miller? Was it one of those huge old times ones from the 50s or a newer model? Give me the details, man!?

[tx 3 putt 76869]

2 hours ago, phdhorn said:

- portable propane stove burner

 

coleman two burner camping stove is a great thing to have 

[tx 3 putt 76869]

1. back up sealing system for bath tub drain. both tub drains have worked like champs, but I want a back up. gel and thick piece of plastic. something simple

2. get better organized. i have plenty of emergency items, just need to keep things in one spot. especially cold weather gear

3. 3 or 4 - Five gallon buckets. Easy to collect rain water

4. 2 or 3 collapsible water containers. Extra water outside of the tubs

5. my current house has a gas stove. maybe a coleman camping stove but if gas goes out, shit has collapsed. 

6. single man here, so it's simple for me to keep 7 to 10 days of water, canned and dry food. probably vacuum seal some pasta.  

7. 2nd ice chest 

8. big box of matches

Edited February 19, 2021 by tx 3 putt

[Bookman 4638]

I'm probably going to get a home backup generator and tie it to the gas line.

[Parliament 14239]

I'm not a crazy prepper, but I do prepare. Here is my outsider's perspective.

If you're gonna get a portable generator, make it a Honda. Don't make this a thing. And as noted above, rotate your gas. Or if you choose, I think you can buy gallon bottles of gas that's sealed. (Think of it as an antifreeze jug but with gasoline.) Sealed up like that, it'll last for a very long time.

If you're going whole-house generator route, any name brand is fine. Generac is popular but there are plenty of good options. When you plumb it, add an option to hook it up to a grill tank. If in the rare case your 1000 gallon tank ran out, you could limp through on grill tanks.

A DVD player and lotsa movies and music CD's would be nice. You gotta keep yourself and your kids from going nutso. Books and board games would be cool too.

And yes, a firearm is necessary. You'll never experience an apocalypse, but one random ne'r do good can ruin your experience. And one Glock pointed at him can change his mind. If you don't know guns, pop over to the gun-owners' thread on the Hobbies Board. Lotsa good, helpful, non-political folks over there.

[Nice Guy Eddie 13508]

i can’t stress enough that generators are a necessity for home owners. If you’re looking to start on a gas generator, this is a cheaper copy of the Hondas and yamahas. I can’t speak to long term maintenance on it though. And you want the inverter generators because of noise and fuel efficiency. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07XZX5FTR/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

i would also recommend an old school tv antenna. If cable/internet is down, you can still be entertained as long as you can get power to the tv. And not discussed much but over-the-air is slowing switching to 4K. Better picture than cable/internet. Google atsc 3.0.

What I’m thinking of for future disasters

• Rainwater collection for flushing
• keep more gallons of freshwater. Use and replace every so often. Is there an expiration or safety date for water?
• More paper plates and plastic cups. Plastic forks, etc.
• I didn’t lose power much but I should have had more ready to eat meals with minimal prep reqd.
• better space heater
• Faster setup of gas generator. I also have to run the extension cord thru an slightly open window which brings in heat/cold/humidity. Can you put a plug on both sides of an exterior/interior wall to bring the power into the house?
• I’ve become too dependent on my Keurig. I need some decent ground coffee around to use my French press.

[next2naus 438]

Generac is the king of the Home Gene world, followed by Kohler and couple others. They are all all about the same and Generac is probably the most consumer friendly. Local code variances aside, you want a Gene that runs off NG vs Petro as you don't have to fuck with fueling it, presumes you are residentials and have constant NG. You want it placed 10ft from the house for ventilation purposes. You will need a plumber and the local gas company to collaborate on the install, very easy and happens all the time. You might need a bigger gas meter, not a big deal, they will swap it. You may also need some black pipe and the Gas Company and or Plumber will handle that. W.r.t whole home Gene...you want an Auto Transfer Switch so it kicks in automagically and there are no wires to connect, which means no opening to the outside of house. 

 

https://www.generac.com/all-products/generators/home-backup-generators/guardian-series/22kw-7043-whole-house-switch-wifi-enabled

 

Lead Time: get ready to wait. Generac and most others were already experiencing manufacturing delays due to Covid 19, then this summers storms impacted the timeline as well as everyone up here ordered the after the August storms.Expect a few months.

 

I look at it as insurance and in investment in my property. a whole house project (on Long Island) can run between $8k and $20k depending in size, complexity of install requirements ,etc. the units themselves are pretty standard w.r.t cost, its the install that gets you. 

[Dahobbs 17525]

9 hours ago, utexas8 said:

Dumb question, but would solar panels have helped during this time or no?

 

9 hours ago, Biff Tannen said:

Easy answer. With battery storage, yes. Even without battery storage yes, during the day, but battery storage would be key. Tesla Powerwall or similar. 

Grid connected solar is automatically shut off if the grid goes down. This is a safety issue to prevent workers from being shocked by unexpected power in the lines from the solar array. You need battery backup and a disconnect to switch the solar to battery otherwise it does nothing. 

[Murfdogg21 4412]

10 hours ago, CleverNickname said:

I built my own barndo. My regret is listening to the women folk and making any attempt to look "finished." I think we should embrace the industrial loft look. Put all electrical in accessible (and ugly) conduit. Put pex water lines behind easily removable fascia, maybe just halved pvc, or maybe just out in the open. Nothing in walls but studs and insulation. Function over form.

Just cover your lines with shiplap or faux beams! Panties will get wetter than your walls!

[Biff Tannen 45665]

12 minutes ago, Dahobbs said:

 

Grid connected solar is automatically shut off if the grid goes down. This is a safety issue to prevent workers from being shocked by unexpected power in the lines from the solar array. You need battery backup and a disconnect to switch the solar to battery otherwise it does nothing. 

Good call. Forgot about this. 

[Murfdogg21 4412]

We went under contract 6 weeks ago on a house still under construction. This winter disaster has pissed me off on a few fronts related to the house. First, sheetrock was up before we first visited so I got no pics of wires and piping. Second, I had been shopping for whole house generators and this was the right time of year, opposite hurricane season. Not anymore, I’ll probably end up paying 30% more when we close in April. Third, the mofos installed all the plumbing fixtures and turned on the water about 10 days ago. I look forward to their weekly update. 

[TwiceHorn 31438]

OK, this is a stupid question.  Having a generator seems like a good idea in the abstract.

But you can't run it inside, so you have to run extension cords to it on the porch or whatever.  Is there some way I'm not thinking of that avoids having an open window or something?

[Dewey 3286]

2 minutes ago, TwiceHorn said:

OK, this is a stupid question.  Having a generator seems like a good idea in the abstract.

But you can't run it inside, so you have to run extension cords to it on the porch or whatever.  Is there some way I'm not thinking of that avoids having an open window or something?

Neighbor has an outlet outside in which he hooks the generator up to, powers most of the house. 

[crimsonlonghorn 2306]

8 hours ago, Mileslong said:

As I heard today, I will hire some poor people to run in a giant hamster wheel to generate power for my house...

It will keep them warm too. So philanthropic for the community. 

[TwiceHorn 31438]

2 minutes ago, Dewey said:

Neighbor has an outlet outside in which he hooks the generator up to, powers most of the house. 

Add that to the list then.