Reminder to self: Today is Generator Day.
Took advantage of the nice weather to go out and do some yard cleaning. Took out the EU2000i , fired it up, plugged in an electric leaf blower, and spent an hour playing hockey with the leaves. Generator gets a workout and I get a better looking yard.
That Eu2000, by the by, has been a useful item. I put a run clock on it when I first got it and it has only about a dozen hours on the clock. This makes sense because I’ve only actually had to use it twice for emergencies, which turned out to be only of an hour or two duration, and the rest of the time are little 20-30 minute episodes of me running it every few months to verify it’s function.
For my needs, it’s enough generator..for now. The only thing I absolutely need to run is the freezer and maybe the security cams. Ive lighting that will last me a month on battery power, so no point in using the generator for that. I wouldn’t mind creating another small battery bank to keep the router running, though. Sure, its likely that a large enough power outage will take out local internet access but in the past the outages have been rather localized and I still had internet. (I was the only place in the neighborhood, actually, to still have wireless….made me very popular with the neighbors.)
It seems like every year for the past fifteen years I keep saying I’m going to get some big batteries, run a panel on the roof, and have a nice bank of backup power on hand. And, like a lot of things, I never seem to get to it. This year is proving to be the year of I-Should-Have-Taken-Care-Of-That. No blackouts or rolling brownouts yet, but fire season will be here soon and you never know what’s gonna happen next.
Whatever I wind up doing, it won’t be cheap. And right now is not the time to be spending money unnecessarily. But, I suppose I can keep an eye on Craigslist for panels or similar items that wind up hitting the market as people start seeing their cash reserves drop. Or as the local renewable energy* places try to drum up revenue.
* = As I recall, you cannot create or destroy energy, you can only change it. Thus, wouldn’t it seem that energy is not ‘renewable’? You’re not ‘making’ energy, you’re simply taking it from somewhere else.
“This year is proving to be the year of I-Should-Have-Taken-Care-Of-That.”
–no kidding. From the colonoscopy to the cracked windshield on the pickup, to the installation of the the transfer switch, to so many other things that I should have addressed when they first came up…. I’m just hoping that my A/C and water heater hold on for another season. Both should have been updated already.
Another ‘should have’, I prioritized getting a couple more trips to the store in before the shutdown, and now I can’t register my truck. I can’t get smogged (don’t want to be in the shop, or have them in the truck), and without the test, I can’t renew…
There are dozens of little things like that.
On the other hand, I’ve been collecting materials for various projects and didn’t have the time. I SHOULD find some time to start chipping away at them sometime soon…
nick
I have an older EU2000 that only has a few hours on it also. It’s been used a few times to charge batteries when dry camping in an RV. It’s currently stored with fuel and carb drained inside a galvanized garbage can in what I hope is a partially effective Faraday cage (I’ve no way to test impromptu Faraday cages). Fuel is ethanol free gas, stabilized, and rotated to fresh every six months or so.
My primary anticipated use is as yours, to keep a fridge and freezer in a grid down situation for at least a few days to weeks. The only time we had an extended power outage, we found ourselves 500 miles from home visiting a son in another state! Lesson learned: Have a trusted friend/neighbor/relative who knows where the keys are and how to hook up and run the generator if we ever leave home to that extent again! We were lucky, the power was restored before the freezer reached a critical temp.
Faraday Cage – make sure you attach that cage to a ground; as I recall from military training, that will significantly improve the performance. Where ever you have that located, best approach would be to drive a copper grounding rod into the ground, and a 4 gauge cable from that to the can. Other option (less effective) would be jumper cables between the can, and any metal pipe running into the ground (earth).
GROUND… beware and do your research. It seems that 50 percent advise it, and 50 percent don’t. Some say it depends on the size of the “box”. At a certain size, a ground may actually act as an antenna, some say.
Late winter mega-storm last week dropped the grid in Maine. Didn’t know the power would only be out for 72 hours, so it was sure nice to have a generator. Rural folks without one were reminded that their well pumps don’t work without power Neighbors were melting snow on their wood stoves so they could flush toilets, etc.
It was a fine lesson for all.
I live nearby… Just remember that in some areas, a “running” generator is a “stolen” generator.
Very true. And it’s another valid point supporting solar powered well pump. I need to get on that.
I bit the bullet and put in a couple Lithium Ion batteries with 3.2kw of panels. It was a painful expenditure, but has already proven useful. We put it in as a grid-tie with battery backup, so I save $$ even when I don’t even during regular times. Here in Idaho’s panhandle we frequently have power outages – and it’s fun to go outside and hear everyone else’s gennies running while my system just quietly rocks on. In a true grid down scenario I could mostly live off the solar – and when the demand exceeds what I can harvest from the sun, my propane-powered generator can replenish my batteries. Expensive, but worth it. The ability to keep my freezers and security operational is worth it by itself. Also, the ability to judiciously run some power tools is awesome!
I was looking at the Lithiums….which ones did you get?
Hey C.Z. please post his answer. TY. Not sure if your Genny is on the recall list but give it a Look..https://powerequipment.honda.com/support/recalls-and-updates
Schneider – From Backwoods Solar between Hope and Sandpoint. I bought the older model – which is on sale and I think a steal of a deal. The newer iteration is a higher capacity, but really more than I needed. I can run my critical systems for several days – and the really nice thing about the lithiums over lead acid is that they require virtually no attention. Me like.
Just looked at their website – looks like they’ve moved on to Eclipse batteries – more choices now…
Jeez – Discover batteries – interfaces with Schneider’s charge controllers/inverters.
Old age is taking its toll…
I’m starting to look at the Li battery powered chainsaws. I can recharge them with the solar system. A local source is selling 3 year old (25 year warranty to the original owner) Sharp 216 Watt panels for a third of their new price. I bought ~2kW worth and bought a Schneider Electric 4kW 120/240V Pure sine inverter. The inverter was pricey, but runs my well pump and all my appliances.
I’m figuring that we might find ourselves with a SERIOUS shortage of petroleum products. I remember both the 1974 and 1979 oil crises. Both of them were really only about having no gasoline (’74 was worse). Imagine if there is no gasoline OR heating fuel come winter.
Pray for the best, prepare for the worst.
Fuel oil is currently $2.29 in my AO.
I’m thinking that if it hits $2 I’m filling the reserve barrels that have been empty lately. 18-24 months of useful storage, so I’ll lay in this winter and maybe next winters if the price gets right.
18-24 months? Fuel oil lasts nearly indefinitely if you keep air and water away from it. It’s not like gasoline where there are lighter parts of the mixture that evaporate or go sour over time. Put some preservative in it if it makes you feel better.
“I bought ~2kW worth and bought a Schneider Electric 4kW 120/240V Pure sine inverter. The inverter was pricey, but runs my well pump and all my appliances.”
May I ask how deep your well is? And did you wire that yourself, or get professional help? I would sorely loved to have solar-powered well-pump.
Our generator is “plan B”, but we really need a viable “plan C”.
Thanks!
Got out the lawn mower and fired up(nothing to cut yet),have seen a lot of the Generac solar system commercials (probably pricey but a name brand system is probably a selling point for resale/appraisal). Most places with high electric prices a solar system makes more sense as sell back(when batteries are full you put excess to grid and get paid),there are incentives(low cost installations/loans). The program in New Jersey was too popular and was shutdown as the monopoly was worried about losing money as meters were spinning backwards and they had to send out checks(no kickbacks for tony soprano). Keep a eye on fuel prices(I like gasbuddy) the refineries are going to adjust to the lack of demand (falling prices) and shutdown(claim maintenence/small fire/explosion) renege on contracts to deliver to raise prices. Good time to rotate stored fuel as price declines. For heating oil can you lock in prices from a supplier for later delivery?
Energy only is in two states 1 potential or2 kinetic(motion/heat/light/radiation etc). On this planet we have only 3 energy sources 1 solar(heat/light/photosynthesis/wind) 2geoenergy-spinning iron core of the planet creates a magnetic sphere,heat from friction melts rock(tectonic plate shift and volcanoes,gravity creates pressures to turn coal(dead plants-photosynthesis) to diamonds and dead dinosaurs to oil(texas tea/black gold-potential energy) 3 radiation -the left over energy from the breakdown of unstable elements created in exploding supernovas 4 dark energy/zero point-theoretical/unmeasured, as more observations are made it is clear other things we don’t yet understand are happening. We think all equations should balance(inputs outputs/no free lunch)so where is the rest of the matter/potential /energy? Maybe different dimensions(we only use 4 of 11?) maybe things to be discovered(cold fusion/antimatter/ antienergy/unrecognized potential energy).