Friggin WIND! Still no damn power going into the 6th night.

[trularin]

We loose power every year for at least a week.

In the winter, you learn what to do and what not to do.

My best wish that you are up and running soon.

[Trueoo7]

Just heard on the news that some places might be out till Christmas, the damage was that bad. Hang in there Brent !!!!

[skibum2]

I hooked up a customers generator the other day to Natural Gas...Might cost a little more but you don't feed it petrol......I am surprised more people don't do this...The gas never goes out around here...

[Sharroll Celby]

"...the gas never goes out around here".

You live near Jamo???!!!??? LOL

[Excaliber]

I spent a summer in West Virgina working on many different Natural Gas generators back in them "hollers". Seems like EVERYBODY had a gas well on their property, gas refrigertors, gas lights, the whole thing. Anyway, folks back there used an oil drip system to keep the valves\stems lubricated as Natural Gas doesn't provide enough lubrication when your running your generator 365 days a year!

[Badger]

Hi Brent...We've also been without grid power for a week now, but our little Honda generator has kept life on a fairly even keel, giving enough power to keep a few lights on and the furnace working. With another storm coming in tonight we'll have to see if we go backwards or not. Hang in there... That natural gas conversion sounds pretty good skibum. What's involved? any compensation for valve gear lubrication? Right now we use about 10 gals per 24 hours. Badger

[Bill Wells]

I live in a heavily treed area that is frequently without power in storms , many times for several days - sometimes just a few hours . Above ground wires take the hit from falling trees and large branches causing the outages .

As such, I installed back up natural gas generators at two homes . One is a GENERAC ( 15kw ) brand and the other a KOHLER ( 25 kw). Other mfrs exist too. Search Generac or Kohler online and they describe their back up generators quite well. I have plenty of power to juice the entire house including heat/ multiple air conditioning units. Last big storm my gen ran for 131 hours straight while neighbors were in the dark.

There are several types of NG Generators - air cooled ( usually 12 kw or less ) and water cooled- larger kw output. The air cooled versions will run at higher rpm's at peak load while the water cooled gens are steady rpm's at peak or lower. The air cooled units make more noise . Many of the communities here - mine too- have a decible limit for noise for back up generators which many times dictates which type unit you get - or you option up for the suppliers noise attenuator package that reduces noise levels - but is more costly. Generally the air cooled lower kw units are much less costly than the water cooled units . Both of mine are water cooled and have been trouble free .

Power goes out adn after 45 secs the gens' kick in . when power comes back the gens run for a couple minutes monitoring the power source to see if it remains on. They both 'test run' once a week automatically for about 25 mins to charge the battery . Both have block heaters for cold weather conditions . they use a car 12 v battery .

my 25kw unit is a GM 4 cyl car engine converted for natural gas and the 15 kw unit is a Fiat 4 cyl similarly converted . Different manufacturers use different engines .

Home Depot stores also sell do it yourself ( or provide someone who will do it ) natural gas generators . A neighbor put one in for several grand . The larger 15 kw and up units can cost $12-15,000 installed. " Switch back" panels are included in that cost, which separates/monitors the power source between power co and generator-so that the gen does not back feed the power co and shut them down. they run a grand or so depending on the power needs, my 25Kw unit has two switchback panels to handle 400 amps supplied to two main circuit boards.

Many communities require permits for installation in addition to the noise limits - my town required 4 permits per generator . noise limit as mentioned . even has dictates as to location of unit in yard . some areas dont have any ordinances .

It is nice knowing you have power full time > I have been thru several storms before generators where i was out of power for 4-7 days and it is not fun. I no longer have that worry . Bill.

[G.R.]

Bill
All well and good when you have a natural gas supply. Most of western WA, where I live has no NG...propane yes. I don't know about Brent's area.
On top of that almost all the power lines are above ground in this state. A state that is blessed with a multitude of trees. Hmmm....Trees fall in a windstorm...power lines are in the way ....trees disrupt power supply by falling on them in a windstorm....Hmmmm

Go figure....why don't the power companies bury the lines?

Because they have to deal with the EPA, greenies and enivronmentalists here.

[Jamo]

Originally Posted by Sharroll Celby

"...the gas never goes out around here".

You live near Jamo???!!!??? LOL

Bite me you snake headed POS.

[Bill Wells]

G.R.
all well and good when you have PROPANE powered standby generators too ! as I said before, check out their websites .

Both Generac and Kohler's back up generators can be powered by EITHER natural gas OR propane . I am sure the other mfr's of back up generators offer similar NG or LP powered units .

Bill ( prior 5 yr resident of Seattle and power outages there too at times )

[Steve Bisson]

"Go figure....why don't the power companies bury the lines?"
G.R.
Per Puget Sound Energy the cost for above ground power is 1 million $ per mile, below ground 4 million $ per mile.

Steve

[Tony Ripepi]

Brent,

Are you guys back on the grid????

Come on down to Norcal....you can recover in peace, drive the snake and commiserate with the Cobra crowd.

You know where we are and the guest room is always open.

Tony R.

[1bad66]

try getting thru 3 feet of snow!!!!!

[Scott S]

Trees are the problem, damn things blow over and take the lines down with them.

I can help, just let me at all the trees.

Scott S

Oregon Logger

[Brent Mills]

Got the power back last night, but no cable, so I'm still frequenting coffee shops with wireless access!

Tony, thanks for that! Sherrie and I would like to get back down there to see you my friend. Your hospitality the last time was fantastic and so appreciated!

Scott, you can cut them all and haul them away!

[G.R.]

1bad66

I am so glad I no longer live there in CO. I do not miss the snow or winters and I was born and reared there, lived there most of my life until about 10 yrs. ago.

Bill
I know all about back-up propane generators from Generac and Kohler we often install them in our custom homes. Problem I have is that I live in a townhouse and because of building dept. laws and set-back issues I have no where that I can install a propane tank, generator yes, but no propane tank...

[Bill Wells]

Yep, GR. I have been down that road, while not a townhouse I had setback issues at the one house and had to go to the city 's zoning board of appeals for a variance for "side yard location and location distance from the main house structure ". Fortunately I have NG and didn't have to mess wiht the extra baggage of a propane tank - above ground or under . I lucked out .

I love the trees, but : not when the leaves fall...and...not when the branches take out the power lines . while the power lines are underground at my house, all the feeder lines in the area are all above ground , and all are below trees . arrggghhh....however, the generators save the day every time . Bill

[Eliems]

Here's an idea. install a wind generator ... only works when the power goes out!

[Andrew Teal]

Brent,
You forgot to thje pink eye at the Cobra bash Reno. It just has to get better. We where only out 4 days, how about the snow this mourning. I did start the Cobra up in the shop and tryed to gas myself to death.
Merrry xmass and happy new year. The days are getting longer now.

Andy