Posted on 03/23/2018 11:52:20 AM PDT by cll
Your discussion is amazing! Thank you for sharing your first-hand knowledge of a hurricane disaster. Your preparation for the worst while hoping for the best is an inspiration. May God continue to bless you and your family.
My 2kw Honda generator is also my camping generator so I only need to test run during the off season. We have lived off our generator in deer camp for over a week in a camping trailer. The main draw was the propane furnace fan (battery charge simultaneously). We found we could get by on a gallon of gas a day.
Power outage at home I can get by with less as I am only running a freezer and fridge, microwave, coffee pot and LED lighting (simultaneously battery charge on low draws) for short periods. We had grandkids over for power outages because we could run TV off Dish.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience with us. Reading it, I realized how unprepared I am, most of us are, for such a situation. It also reminded me how we are all ultimately responsible for our own well being. Best wishes on you continuing recovery.
“So the concrete part on the bottom fared OK then? Right?”
In most cases, yes.
bflr
TRUCKERS STRIKE: A word about this. Early after the storms there were reports of merchandise and supplies being stuck at the ports, causing a backlog and that this didn’t allow for more shipments to come in, due to a lack of space, all due to a supposed trucker strike. This is not true. I know that because the drivers in my company, even if they are not truck/cargo drivers, they are Teamsters. And the Teamsters are the largest driver union on the island. My drivers, except for one who lost his home, all showed up to work. There was no strike. Everyone on the island was affected by the storm and many people just couldn’t go to work because they had to deal with survival at home. It was that simple. As the immediate danger passed, people started returning to work, including truck drivers, and the backlog then took some time to sort out. That’s all that happened.
“...seriously looking into a Generac...”
A word on Generac generators. First, a correction. The one in my office is 20 KW, not 22. Now, one thing we found out was, that even if it is obvious that these machines are not designed for prolonged use (I’d say over a few days), one thing we assumed it was doing, it wasn’t. The Generator battery recharges only with utility power, not with its own power. One morning about a week after the storm and loss of utility power, it didn’t start. We had to jump start it. Our maintenance guy realized it wasn’t charging from its own power, so he had to jury rig a trickle charger to the set so it would charge itself. Not sure if this was just a defect with ours, but that’s what happened to us.
Awesome post! Very well-written and informative. Have you posted this to SHTF? I’m sure they’re love it.
Glad to hear you’re doing well, considering. My son deployed there in September and ended up staying for months. He was pretty mad that they delayed their return thanks to the politics, but he was pretty pumped when he got to see Trump fly in.
God bless you, your family and compatriots.
“with nothing except weed and wine and woman”
Sounds like a plan, LOL. Thanks!
When I get back to the office on Monday, I’ll get you the fuel burn rate for various situations on our Generac.
Hey! I meant to copy or ping you and all the others who were so kind to me during the live thread, but I neglected to do so. Sorry.
I hear about caring for an AZ patient. My aunt had just fallen into that and it was really heartbreaking to watch her deteriorate that much faster under those dire conditions.
I have just started to write the story of how my husband’s AZ started, developed, and ended. If you like I can Private Mail you as I write each chapter. Let me know.
Thank you, that will be great. That is one thing I never even thought of – calculating how long propane would last with the generators. I can’t believe I missed it :-(
"Generally, the optimal conditions for storage of fruits and veggies are a temperature between 50 degrees and 55 degrees Fahrenheit
(pumpkins, winter squash, and sweet potatoes can tolerate up to 60 degrees) and low humidity.
Cabbages, celery, and root crops can handle cooler temperatures, down to 30 to 35 degrees Fahrenheit, and can tolerate more humidity."
" In other countries, such as Japan, meals are often left in a covered pot at room temperature.
The food is eaten as snacks throughout the day or is eaten at the next meal...,but requires portion control and advanced planning.
"Enter evaporative cooling methods.
Evaporative cooling isn’t necessarily a new thing, but it is something that has been used in the past that has been largely forgotten in this day and age that we live in.
(#1)"A Zeer Pot works through evaporative cooling. Instructions are at offgridnews.com website.
To make one, you will need two unglazed Terra Cotta pots that will nest together
and leave a space between the pots, wet sand to fill that space, and a wet cloth."
(#2) "Spring house" to keep food cool by storing it in water in a spring house* all the time (*a shed built over a spring, stream, or ditch with moving water).
It uses the underground aquifer stable temperature for cooling effect.
(#3) "Root Cellar" where the deeper in soil depth, the food/ product is insulated by soil from surface temperatures.
Have you ever gone into a tourist cavern and wondered why the air is so chilled ? Most caverns run cooler than 55 degrees, regardless of surface temps. (#4) A "Swamp cooler" as known in the military service as a 'room air conditioner' in arid climates, operates soley on evaporative technique. (#5) If you go to a camping world/ RV store, there are several models of refrigerators that run on propane (for portability sake)
and can be converted to natural gas.
Another system uses kerosene pilot light flame to heat, which produces a cooling effect, although wicks need to be kept clean, and there is residual soot.
I believe that Harbor Freight and other stores also have conversion systems from propane to natural gas.
In Florida, after Irma passed, Florida Electric told all owners of solar systems to disconnect their systems.
It was stated that didn't want electrical linemen working on power lines which might have (solar)power running through them.
I thought this directive was incongruous due to the massive state-wide power outage.
Thank you , very helpful information, since water is so vital in stressful situations, and is the most needed commodity for survival.
".. not the new fancy variations." It Cannot be stated enough to avoid the scented varieties for one's health sake.
Also, be aware of some of the varieties as some are marked "double strength" - know what you are using, and storing !!
What an amazing writeup. Thank you! You’re a wealth of information.
I want to dig a dairy here. That’s what the locals call them. They are a cave dug into a hill, with a door attached. They look adorable, this door on the side of a hill. The older folks remember when their parents stored dairy products in those caves, hence the name. Almost every older house in the holler has one. Sadly, our property didn’t ;(
Yes, please. Thanks.
Good links.
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