Author Topic: emergency kits for power, etc, outages  (Read 11286 times)

scrubbyfish

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emergency kits for power, etc, outages
« on: November 27, 2014, 12:56:36 PM »
I newly live quite rurally. My suite is all electric (heat, fridge, stove, etc). I imagine my water tank is heated electrically, too, though I don't know for sure. Cell reception is intermittent.

In the last two months, we've had two outages (electric, landline phones, internet) across the region, one for a few hours, one for about 12. I believe most, if not all, gas lines continued functioning. In the longer stretch, neighbours with functioning gas fireplaces and gas stoves offered us access to those, plus coffee!, which was gorgeous and fun. (One neighbour has a gas fireplace that can only run when there's electricity, so she was without, too.) Some have wood stoves.

I know the basics like severely limit the opening and closing of the fridge/freezer door to keep the cold inside it, and we have cold weather sleeping bags and winter clothes that will get us through a night of no new heat, and our suite stayed very cozy through 12 hours of no heat. All good. About 7 hours into the outage, I put bags of snow into the fridge and freezer. At the 9th hour of no electric, the fridge food was seeming too warm so I put all fridge/freezer contents inside a snow bank, which worked great.

However, I'm wondering what else to consider, i.e.,

If there's no electricity, but also no snow to store the food in, what's the plan, Stan?

I had no form of communication with the larger world, and it was only when daytime finally rolled around and I eventually saw humans outside that I was able to learn the extent of things. And I could only learn the extent of things because two neighbours have battery-powered radios (a third was able to access internet via 3G/data).

The outage stretched across a very large region, so we'd have to have driven over two hours to reach a serviced area. (There were also heaps of large branches falling on zero notice, and major accidents blocking routes.)


So: What is the MMM version of an emergency kit for outages? There's basically no risk of other events, like tornados or earthquakes or natural floods, here so I think if we're set up for outages, fire, and interior flooding (e.g., burst water pipe), we're good to go. I rent, and cannot install anything (e.g., wood stove). Some stores sell "emergency kits" but they don't seem like particularly useful sets.

What I already have in this vein:
  • car
  • cold weather sleeping bags, basic winter clothes (snow pants, several toques and mitts to rotate through, etc)
  • cell phone (which works intermittently out here)
  • child's walkie-talkie sets that work well over 25 kilometres
  • enough non-perishable food to last us several days
  • 8 litres of bottled water for emergencies
  • excellent first aid kit
  • flashlight plus spare batteries for it
What else should I have, to stay safe, warm, and healthy for, say, 48 hours of outage and stuckness?

Rural

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Re: emergency kits for power, etc, outages
« Reply #1 on: November 27, 2014, 01:09:11 PM »
Can you purchase a freestanding kerosene or propane heater there? If so, that would be backup heat that could also warm a can of soup, at least past room temperature.


If it's cold enough outside, you don't need a snow bank for fridge food.

GuitarStv

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Re: emergency kits for power, etc, outages
« Reply #2 on: November 27, 2014, 01:16:38 PM »
Own a Prius:

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2014/01/04/ice_storm_2013_toyota_prius_powers_thornhill_mans_home.html

Use it to provide power to your house.  You don't need any other survival gear.

Annamal

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Re: emergency kits for power, etc, outages
« Reply #3 on: November 27, 2014, 04:26:12 PM »
With the freezer, keep it full to capacity with plastic bottles of water, that way you lose less over shorter power cuts as everything will take longer to defrost.

vagon

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Re: emergency kits for power, etc, outages
« Reply #4 on: November 27, 2014, 04:36:43 PM »
My view is purchase some good second hand camping gear.

You'll probably need:
- a camping fridge that takes LPG or can run off your car (or both).
- a LPG stove top

But you may find other things that could be of use to take the edge off any prolonged outage.

sandandsun

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Re: emergency kits for power, etc, outages
« Reply #5 on: November 27, 2014, 04:58:09 PM »
hand crank radio is great- pretty cheap now that they've been popular for a few years; +1 to previous poster- as long as its cold outside, no need for snow; having a full freezer (even with frozen water bottles) will keep food frozen/good longer.  You can get a gas powered generator for around 300.00, new (tractor supply, on sale), that will run 2 full size refrigerators or freezers- plus other random appliances- you'd want to run this periodically, so probably wouldn't heat w it. 
We lose power a few times every winter- have back up wood heat, and generator as described above for electric needs.  Just be sure you top off your gas supply as soon as power goes out- everyone else will be doing the same thing!

bogart

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Re: emergency kits for power, etc, outages
« Reply #6 on: November 27, 2014, 05:32:00 PM »
I'd probably keep more than 8 liters of water handy.  I keep 5 or 6 gallons around, and I live in town (no need for power to get tap water) -- but we have in the past decade once had unsafe town water (sewer flooding issues), and assuming space, water's easy to get and store.

I've gotten yelled at elsewhere here at MMM for pointing this out, but if you have a full(ish) tank of gas and one of those things that converts cigarette-lighter (in your car) power to a standard electric outlet/voltage, you can run simple appliances (e.g. an electric tea kettle) off your car engine, in a pinch.  Obviously not a good long-term strategy, but that + a french press = coffee, and that + a couple of traditional hot water bottles = prewarmed sleeping bags.  You can of course also use a car radio to get news of the outside world.

Mostly I'd recommend being friendly to your neighbors.  Typically in an outage, etc., everyone has a few useful things and no one has every useful thing, so being able to help and get help is important.

Prairie Stash

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Re: emergency kits for power, etc, outages
« Reply #7 on: November 27, 2014, 05:38:31 PM »
Candles and board games. Power outages can be fun, I have good memories of playing games with the family.

We had a well for water, electric pump. Remember to let the yellow mellow, toilets only get one flush ;).

hdatontodo

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Re: emergency kits for power, etc, outages
« Reply #8 on: November 27, 2014, 06:37:56 PM »
Putting your food outside was a good idea.

A like the comment about getting a gas generator. I have a 7000w one. I also have a transfer switch wired to my circuit breaker panel. Since I have gas heat, I can power the blower from the generator as well as anything else in the house except the A/C compressor.

If you have an emergency for heat or need to charge things, the car is useful. You can even get a 110V outlet to plug into the 12v outlet. Store extra gasoline.

I also have a Mr Heater Big Buddy propane heater as a backup.

begood

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Re: emergency kits for power, etc, outages
« Reply #9 on: November 27, 2014, 08:02:44 PM »
We keep two 5 gallon water dispenser containers filled with water and stored beneath our utility sink. That way if the power goes out to our well pump, we can still flush the toilet. We also keep 5-6 gallons of drinking water in unopened bottles in our basement.

Lights and heat I can do without. Water? Not so much!

scrubbyfish

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Re: emergency kits for power, etc, outages
« Reply #10 on: November 27, 2014, 08:19:03 PM »
Thanks, everyone! I'm paying close attention to the thread, taking notes. (I didn't even think of candles, for example! Though I do have a couple in an emergency kit for hikes.)

Yeah, it wasn't particularly cold outside after the big dump of snow overnight. It all started melting rapidly, so I built the snow pile around the food. The thickness of that pile kept the snow cold enough to stay put.

I'm confident in all the food except the fresh ground beef that went from fridge-cold to fridge-warm for probably 2-4 hours before I put it into the snow and eventually back into the fridge. Eat it? Chuck it? (I still have to store it in the fridge for now in any case; can't throw food into garbage cans before pick up day because of bears.) I'm so ticked that I didn't put it in the freezer as soon as I'd brought it home just hours before the outage!

homehandymum

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Re: emergency kits for power, etc, outages
« Reply #11 on: November 27, 2014, 10:56:15 PM »
We have a solar/hand cranked torch/radio that just sits on a window-sill all the time.
Candles are good, and tea-lights can warm up a can of beans if needed (google hobo stove for variations on this)
When we were kids, our holiday house/cabin frequently had outages, and no woodstove for cooking.  My parents bought a tiny portable camping stove and lpg bottle for emergencies.

If an outage occurs and outside temperatures aren't below 4degC, have a look at this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coolgardie_safe  It works in Australia, it will work anywhere :) 
Basically, the principle is that evaporation is an energy-using process, which cools stuff down.  The most basic version of this is to put your fridge stuff in a washing basket or bucket and throw a soaking wet towel over them, but you can get fancier than that if you get inspired :) 
(As an aside, a bottle of beer placed inside a wet sock and hung in a tree will be beautifully cold when you want it later)

It really depends on the types of emergencies you're likely to encounter, but a good bucket with a lid can be a life-saver if you aren't able to use your normal toilet. And a bottle of hand sanitiser never goes astray in the ol' emergency kit either.

Water purification tablets also useful, because if the water supply is compromised, you need to boil the water at a rolling boil for 3 minutes to make it safe, and you want to preserve your fuel for other purposes.

MikeBear

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Re: emergency kits for power, etc, outages
« Reply #12 on: November 27, 2014, 11:04:47 PM »
I have a 6KW Diesel generator that can run nearly the whole house, and it runs on off-road diesel, which is cheaper. Diesel fuel doesn't go stale either, so it'll stay in the tank fine until I need it. I also have ups's on ALL my electronics, and I recommend you do that if nothing else. Frequent power outages and brown-outs will damage your devices. No, my ups's can't run 12 hours, but they filter on/off/on/off outage types and power dips.

Also, stock up on led flashlights, or lanterns and some batteries. Maybe a camping stove or some Sterno, and some canned food that doesn't need cooking. Do NOT use a camping stove inside with all the windows closed. Especially if it's propane. You'll die.

GuitarStv

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Re: emergency kits for power, etc, outages
« Reply #13 on: November 28, 2014, 06:12:48 AM »
Do NOT use a camping stove inside with all the windows closed. Especially if it's propane. You'll die.

Good advice here.  During the power outage we had last year several people killed themselves doing just this.

Greg

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Re: emergency kits for power, etc, outages
« Reply #14 on: November 28, 2014, 10:28:57 AM »
Do NOT use a camping stove inside with all the windows closed. Especially if it's propane. You'll die.

Good advice here.  During the power outage we had last year several people killed themselves doing just this.

They must have been using it for heat.  Using a camp stove for cooking indoors is no different than using a gas (or propane) stove for cooking.  Stove for heat = bad.  Stove for cooking = normal and OK.

GuitarStv

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Re: emergency kits for power, etc, outages
« Reply #15 on: November 28, 2014, 11:27:04 AM »
Most camping stoves aren't rated for indoor use.  They don't burn as cleanly as indoor designed propane appliances and are dangerous to use in your house.

TrMama

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Re: emergency kits for power, etc, outages
« Reply #16 on: November 28, 2014, 01:29:34 PM »
We used to live in an area like yours. Honestly, I'd discuss the issue with your landlord. I'd also strongly push him/her to put in either a wood stove or a generator. A lot of the makeshift emergency items (fuel powered heaters, candles, etc) are serious hazards. As a LL I wouldn't want my tenant to burn the house down, or poison us all, because she was just trying to stay warm.

The first thing we did when we realized the extent of the power outages to our house was to install a wood stove with a flat top. It provided an enormous amount of heat and we could do some light cooking on it. We used to sleep in the same room as the stove on cold nights.

We also kept a BBQ with two 20lb tanks of propane on the covered porch. When the meat in the fridge/freezer started to warm up, we'd have a feast.

If your water is supplied via well and electric pump, try filling the bathtub just prior to any storms you think may cut your power. The water can be used for flushing toilets, cleaning, etc. However, do not fill the bathtub if you have young children in the house since you don't want them to drown.

scrubbyfish

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Re: emergency kits for power, etc, outages
« Reply #17 on: November 28, 2014, 02:57:12 PM »
If your water is supplied via well and electric pump, try filling the bathtub just prior to any storms you think may cut your power. The water can be used for flushing toilets, cleaning, etc. However, do not fill the bathtub if you have young children in the house since you don't want them to drown.

No bathtub, but also no well :)

There are BBQs I could access if it went on too long.

Holyoak

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Re: emergency kits for power, etc, outages
« Reply #18 on: November 28, 2014, 06:05:37 PM »
I kept about 30 gals of water on hand because I had a well...  Also, if you have a conventional water heater, right there are many gallons of water ready to use...  Attach a short hose to the flushing spigot, open er up and you're is business.

Goldielocks

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Re: emergency kits for power, etc, outages
« Reply #19 on: November 28, 2014, 07:18:34 PM »
Old Kerosene lamp is very nice (get the non-smelly oil).  All my rural relatives insist on them, give them out as Christmas presents.

Battery Radio.  Find out who near you has a wired phone, they usually still work in power outage.

Try making a rocket stove as a fun family project on weekend, then put it to use (outside).  (Google it, ours was made with free materials).  You only need small dry twigs to boil a lot of water, and if you are in BC, you should be able to find water most times of the year that only needs boiling.   We can cook on ours for fun while camping, so it should work for you.  Need to include twigs/ sticks/ wood chips, cotton balls (for starter), matches, and an old pot that can get blackened.

There are indoor rated propane heaters - with a CO detector -- maybe your landlord will spring for that, if not a generator.

Games, pencils / papers!!!  This was my first thought.

If it gets really cold inside, you can sleep inside a tent, inside your house.  Your body heat will keep it warmer, or you can drape it with blankets.   Ask neighbors if anyone has an old tent you can use / keep.  If not, and you are local, I may have one, along with an extra propane camping stove, (if DH has not given it away yet).  Just PM me.


The_path_less_taken

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Re: emergency kits for power, etc, outages
« Reply #20 on: November 29, 2014, 02:57:16 PM »
There are camp stoves and camping lanterns that are dual fuel: you can use the pricey Coleman canned fuel or  you can use regular gas from your car (that thing that looks like two bikes side by side with a metal top?). They sell 'em at Walmart.

I have two windup flashlights, couple of those lanterns, a battery powered lantern, and mega food storage...not zombie apocalypse amounts but probably six months of canned good. Ya never know. I'm also rural and have seen the mountain pass snowed in for a week at a time.

I think you should have a gallon of water, per person, per day. That doesn't include toilet flushing, although if you're rural...a shovel would work just as well.




jamal utah

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Re: emergency kits for power, etc, outages
« Reply #21 on: November 30, 2014, 01:18:59 PM »
Get a handheld ham radio and learn to use it. Many of the more popular models can run on aa batteries.

scrubbyfish

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Re: emergency kits for power, etc, outages
« Reply #22 on: December 02, 2014, 08:48:05 PM »
Collating. Did I cover everything listed so far??

To be clear, I'm not as rural as some of you. Just in a hamlet in the country, no real grocery store, etc, but neighbours very near, not isolated, not on a well, etc. The outages have been caused by a fire to a transformer thing, and a crazy snowstorm. The wired phones were goners for 11 hours in this outage. Goldielocks: I do have a tent, thank you, though! :)  I didn't list it because I didn't know it would be a helpful thing in these events. Now I do!

Communications
handheld ham radio, AA batteries
electronics - Uninterruptible Power Supply to navigate shifts in power
battery radio
car radio

Cooking
portable camp stove, dual fuel - use only outside
the bbqs that are just over there < + two 20lb tanks of propane
tea-lights can warm up a can of beans if needed (google hobo stove for variations on this)
6KW diesel generator that can run nearly the whole house; running off-road diesel is cheaper; diesel doesn't go stale
Sterno
install wood stove with flat top
Google rocket stove, get supplies in place including twigs/woodchips, cotton balls (for starter), matches, and an old pot
car lighter adapter to power simple appliances (e.g. an electric tea kettle) off your car engine, in a pinch. + a french press = coffee, + a hot water bottles = prewarmed sleeping bags

Light
old kerosene lamp (get the non-smelly oil)
camping lantern (dual fuel)
candles
lantern-style flashlight, lots of batteries
solar/hand cranked flashlight/radio that just sits on a window-sill all the time

Ambient Heat
car - for heat or charging things, get a 110V outlet to plug into the 12v outlet (store extra gasoline)
gas generator (7000w)
6KW diesel generator that can run nearly the whole house; running off-road diesel is cheaper; diesel doesn't go stale
Mr Heater Big Buddy propane heater
install wood stove (flat top for light cooking)
indoor-rated propane heater with a CO detector
sleep inside a tent, inside your house; your body heat will keep it warmer, or you can drape it with blankets
Prius ;)
top off your gas supply as soon as power goes out; everyone else will be doing the same thing!
kerosene heater (good heating, plus minimal can of bean warming); best if you can get kerosene at a gas station, the stuff in jars is too expensive for heating if you have another option

Food
wet sock for beer ;)
some canned food that doesn't need cooking, can opener
store outside if cold enough; inside snow if outdoors is warming
keep freezer full with plastic bottles of water to maintain temp longer
camping fridge that takes LPG or can run off your car (or both)

Water
(no tub)
gallon of water, per person, per day
water purification tablets - to get compromised water okay without using up fuel
to conventional water heater, attach a short hose to the flushing spigot, open 'er up [get a short hose]

Toilet
trowel
bucket with lid
+ hand sanitizer

Fun
neighbours
board games
pencils, paper

Questions:

1. If a toilet is not on a well/pump, is flushing still impacted by outages, etc? No, your flushing shouldn't be affected unless your pipes freeze. Thanks, Rural!

2. What is a ups (electronics)? Answered by deborah immediately below. Thanks, deborah!
« Last Edit: December 03, 2014, 09:08:59 AM by scrubbyfish »

deborah

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Re: emergency kits for power, etc, outages
« Reply #23 on: December 02, 2014, 08:56:09 PM »
An Uninterruptible Power Supply. Basically a bank of batteries that get charged all the time your power is on, in the hope that they can run everything for the entire time the power is off. Usually always on whichever circuit is being protected by them.

Rural

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Re: emergency kits for power, etc, outages
« Reply #24 on: December 03, 2014, 06:36:42 AM »
You missed the possibility of a kerosene heater (for good heating plus minimal can of bean warming). Works best if you can get kerosene at a gas station; the stuff in jars is too expensive for heating if you have another option IMO.


The answer to question 1 is that your flushing shouldn't be affected unless your pipes freeze (in which case all bets are off).
« Last Edit: December 03, 2014, 06:39:25 AM by Rural »

Spork

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Re: emergency kits for power, etc, outages
« Reply #25 on: December 03, 2014, 08:10:56 AM »
I have a 6KW Diesel generator that can run nearly the whole house, and it runs on off-road diesel, which is cheaper. Diesel fuel doesn't go stale either, so it'll stay in the tank fine until I need it. I also have ups's on ALL my electronics, and I recommend you do that if nothing else. Frequent power outages and brown-outs will damage your devices. No, my ups's can't run 12 hours, but they filter on/off/on/off outage types and power dips.

Also, stock up on led flashlights, or lanterns and some batteries. Maybe a camping stove or some Sterno, and some canned food that doesn't need cooking. Do NOT use a camping stove inside with all the windows closed. Especially if it's propane. You'll die.

Maybe I'm threadjacking... but I've been jonesing for a diesel genset of about that size for a while.  Did you buy it used?  (Or: any advice on where to find a reasonable price on one?)   I've got a 55g drum of red diesel and have the house entirely wired for it... I've just not been able to force myself to spend the money on the generator yet.

scrubbyfish

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Re: emergency kits for power, etc, outages
« Reply #26 on: December 03, 2014, 09:10:32 AM »
Maybe I'm threadjacking...

Not at all! Please discuss any of this stuff here. Those of us who need to learn more about these options and make decisions will learn from it :)

Villanelle

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Re: emergency kits for power, etc, outages
« Reply #27 on: December 03, 2014, 09:18:29 AM »
Before moving, I had a radio that was powered via hand crank and was also a flashlight and a cellphone (or other device) charger.

A few chemical hand warmer packets are good to have around.  I keep a couple in my car, lest I ever get stuck or have to leave the car and walk for some reason.  But they could come in handy in a home with no heat as well. 

Chranstronaut

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Re: emergency kits for power, etc, outages
« Reply #28 on: December 03, 2014, 09:49:55 AM »
The answer to question 1 is that your flushing shouldn't be affected unless your pipes freeze (in which case all bets are off).

I just wanted to clarify that the flushing action is all based on the weight of the water in the toilet bowl, so Rural is correct.  You can get your toilet to flush by pouring water into the bowl by hand if your toilet tank can't be filled from the water supply.  This is a possible use of non-drinking water or melted snow.

I've always lived in earthquake and fire prone areas, so my emergency preparedness is always focused on getting out of the house.  I like to keep most of my emergency items in a backpack as a Grab-and-Run kit, even if I use them at home.  That way if we need to get out of the house quickly, I've got the main items I'll need for 48-72 hours.   I personally usually choose hand-crank radios and flashlights over battery powered, and it's a good idea to test them periodically.

I recommend keeping some cash in a safe place for emergencies only.  Stores might stay open without power, but no one will be able to process cards.  It's a good idea to have small bills and quarters as well.  Luckily you have friendly neighbors!

Also, with water treatment, make sure you know if it's bleach based or iodine based treatment.  Iodine treated water is fine to drink for several days, but it will poison you in large doses or drinking it long term (problems set in after several weeks, I believe).  Keep it away from kids and pets.

Along with Villanelle's comment for chemical hand warmers, I like the large back warmers.  They stay warm 6-8 hours and are great under your shirt.

The Architect

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Re: emergency kits for power, etc, outages
« Reply #29 on: December 03, 2014, 10:03:29 AM »
Pfffttt... We used to live in the Seattle metro area and lost power for a week in sub-freezing temperatures one year. We used to expect a power loss a few times a year; apparently that doesn't happen out east? Now we live with underground wires and still expect to loose power once or twice a year.

Most of what you need has been said, but many people I know fill up (new) trash cans or barrels with water and stash them in the garage if they loose water with their power. You need to have or be able to get water - you'll die in 3 days without it. As has been mentioned, a full-supply is 1-gallon per person per day. See if you can shut off the water and winterize the pipes if you can't heat and it's super cold.

A regular coleman propane stove/grill is great for such situations, and you can take it with you when you camp. We used ours in a semi-enclosed outdoor room. A gas or charcoal BBQ is also a great way to cook in a power outage (outside, of course).

MikeBear

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Re: emergency kits for power, etc, outages
« Reply #30 on: December 03, 2014, 01:13:59 PM »
I have a 6KW Diesel generator that can run nearly the whole house, and it runs on off-road diesel, which is cheaper. Diesel fuel doesn't go stale either, so it'll stay in the tank fine until I need it. I also have ups's on ALL my electronics, and I recommend you do that if nothing else. Frequent power outages and brown-outs will damage your devices. No, my ups's can't run 12 hours, but they filter on/off/on/off outage types and power dips.

Also, stock up on led flashlights, or lanterns and some batteries. Maybe a camping stove or some Sterno, and some canned food that doesn't need cooking. Do NOT use a camping stove inside with all the windows closed. Especially if it's propane. You'll die.

Maybe I'm threadjacking... but I've been jonesing for a diesel genset of about that size for a while.  Did you buy it used?  (Or: any advice on where to find a reasonable price on one?)   I've got a 55g drum of red diesel and have the house entirely wired for it... I've just not been able to force myself to spend the money on the generator yet.

Technically it was used. It had 2 hours run time on it! Not even warmed up. I have a local gas station that sells off road diesel, and they have their own generators to run the whole station in case of an outage.

I bought it at an living estate auction around 10-12 years ago. Dude was selling everything off to go to Africa to evangelize the natives. Luckily, this was in a hick area, and nobody there was paying any high prices for anything (unlike regular auctions around here where stuff goes higher than new). I ended up buying it for $1,000, and I was amazed to get it that cheap. He originally paid over $4,000 for it, but I think they are cheaper nowadays. The brand name is Gillette. https://www.gillettegenerators.com/index

I wired a transfer switch into my power panel, and only have the circuits wired that I need in an emergency. This will run everything I need with no issues due to the way this generator was built. Most cheap generators bought in a store will need to be upsized to around 11KW to provide the same amount of power this one does.