Generator time???

[danl]

I went out last night and made sure the generator started and actually generated electricity. Filled up both trucks and my wifes Jeep as well as two five gallon gas cans. Covered the wood pile. Covered the son in laws wood pile, he doesn't think of these things.

I am hoping by being prepared it will trick the ice into staying away. I don't want a repeat of 2009, I still have dead limbs falling out from almost five years ago..

If the weather people are right we are probably going to need it.

 

[Bigfoot]

I spent the day yesterday trying to run the storm away. Got the generator out of the horse trailer. Filling up cans today. Got the horse stalls ready for an extended stay.

 

[dun]

I went out last night and made sure the generator started and actually generated electricity. Filled up both trucks and my wifes Jeep as well as two five gallon gas cans. Covered the wood pile. Covered the son in laws wood pile, he doesn't think of these things.

I am hoping by being prepared it will trick the ice into staying away. I don't want a repeat of 2009, I still have dead limbs falling out from almost five years ago..

If the weather people are right we are probably going to need it.

What;s really nice is having a generator that you can get ready. Our bad icestorm was 2007. A friend of mine had bought several generators for the Y2k fiasco and had never used them so I bought one from him in 2005. Wife groused about wasting the money. When we were without power for 2 weeks she decided that it had been a pretty darn good idea to have the generator and not having to pay the redicules prices people were getting for them when the power went out.
I spent yesterday staging hay, testing the generator out and stockpiling gas.
So we're as ready as we can get for it. Plan for the worst, hope for the best and accept whatever Ma Nature throws at you.

 

[danl]

Yesterday it seemed impossible we could be getting winter weather. It was 70 degrees and I was splitting wood wearing a t shirt.

Seems more likely this morning, the wind is out of the northwest and 41 degrees at 5 am.

 

[danl]

I have a brand new spare generator in the shop, never been started. I hope it really works. A guy bought right after the 2009 ice storm and needed $300.00 a couple of years ago, it was still in the box. I unboxed it, put the wheels on and filled it with oil, no gas.

I had to clean my carburetor to get mine to run last night even though I ran it dry the last time I used it. I guess there was some gas in a pocket in the tank that went stale and ended up in the carburetor when I moved it.

 

[J&D Cattle]

Freezing rain and low 20's here in Dent County. Kids got to school and they are already dismissing at 8:30. We were going to only go a half day but the little storm in front of the big band called our bluff.

I loaded wood on my lunch break yesterday. I'm headed to Memphis tomorrow to run 13.1 miles for St Jude's. Might need skates.

Hope all stay warm and well.

 

[dun]

I have a brand new spare generator in the shop, never been started. I hope it really works. A guy bought right after the 2009 ice storm and needed $300.00 a couple of years ago, it was still in the box. I unboxed it, put the wheels on and filled it with oil, no gas.

I had to clean my carburetor to get mine to run last night even though I ran it dry the last time I used it. I guess there was some gas in a pocket in the tank that went stale and ended up in the carburetor when I moved it.

Always, always use Stabil in your fuel in cans. Since I started doing that 10 years or so ago I havern;t had any issues with stale fuel, even after just sitting for a couple of years. Condensation in the can is a bigger problem.

 

[dun]

Freezing rain and low 20's here in Dent County.

About the same here 68 degrees yesterday and right after midnight the temp dropped from the 40s to the 20s, intermittent mix of sleet and freezing rain. Friends of ours went to Brownsville tx to get away from the cold and they're whining about it only getting to 40 today

 

[danl]

I forgot the Stabil, I try to always make sure and put it in the chainsaw gas.

I got on a kick of using aviation fuel a few years ago, then quit because it is a pain to go to the airport.
That stuff lasts a long time and burns clean. I should always use it in the chainsaws

 

[Limomike]

I have a brand new spare generator in the shop, never been started. I hope it really works. A guy bought right after the 2009 ice storm and needed $300.00 a couple of years ago, it was still in the box. I unboxed it, put the wheels on and filled it with oil, no gas.

I had to clean my carburetor to get mine to run last night even though I ran it dry the last time I used it. I guess there was some gas in a pocket in the tank that went stale and ended up in the carburetor when I moved it.

Always, always use Stabil in your fuel in cans. Since I started doing that 10 years or so ago I havern;t had any issues with stale fuel, even after just sitting for a couple of years. Condensation in the can is a bigger problem.

Thats some good advice right there dun.. I have always used it in chainsaws, my generator, and anything else that sits for a while with gas in it.

 

[TN Cattle Man]

You all be extra safe... Here in my part of Tennessee we are expecting some severe weather (leading edge of the storm) but it shouldn't be anything compared to North of us. We are prepared as best we can!

Brian

 

[Anonymous]

Good luck all. Hope it doesn't get as bad as they say it's going to

 

[Fire Sweep Ranch]

We are getting some good snow here now. The kids had an early release, 12:30. My last class (of course, to prepare my students for finals next week) goes from 1 to 2:50, and I had some students that still needed to present on their diseases. I made a judgement call, told the students to email me the presentations, covered the basics of the final, and kicked them out at 1:10. Made it home just in time, it was sleeting and hitting with ice pretty hard on the way home. Farm roads are not so fun to drive on without 4 wheel drive! But, I made it home, and the kids were waiting for me.
I bought a snow sled at Sam's t his morning, hoping we get enough snow so we can play with it. I am going to bet school will be canceled tomorrow... so we can have a fun day!

 

[skyhightree1]

While on generators I have a generator for the house and shop whether be a true generator or a welder ... I have still been fighting with the idea of getting a whole house generator installed. I typically don't loose power alot and im still wondering whether its worth the 10k ball park of estimates I have got to put in one. Does anyone in here have one and can speak on their experience with them? I am speaking of systems like the generac generators.

 

[jedstivers]

While on generators I have a generator for the house and shop whether be a true generator or a welder ... I have still been fighting with the idea of getting a whole house generator installed. I typically don't loose power alot and im still wondering whether its worth the 10k ball park of estimates I have got to put in one. Does anyone in here have one and can speak on their experience with them? I am speaking of systems like the generac generators.

I've thought about it but in my whole life we have never been without more than a day or two. That being said where I live now if we have a major event we might be out for weeks. In that case I'll be in the truck headed somewhere that isn't sold out of gen sets.

 

[dun]

Farm roads are not so fun to drive on without 4 wheel drive!

Neither are secmdary roads when it's icey even WITH 4wd. I got back from town with no problems but a servcie truck that tried to get here half an hour later slid well past our drive way and he was driving slow.
Now we're getting a good covering of snow over the ice, such fun!

 

[Anonymous]

With the 2004 hurricanes we were without power for a week with each one (3) in a. 6 week time period. And being in the sticks we were low priority. A 800.00 8500 watt generator will run an entire house with a few limitations. We had my electrician buddy wore up a dedicated breaker and connection. Shut the main off, hook the gen up, start it, flip it's breaker to on.
Saved 8k and got us through it.

 

[dun]

With the 2004 hurricanes we were without power for a week with each one (3) in a. 6 week time period. And being in the sticks we were low priority. A 800.00 8500 watt generator will run an entire house with a few limitations. We had my electrician buddy wore up a dedicated breaker and connection. Shut the main off, hook the gen up, start it, flip it's breaker to on.
Saved 8k and got us through it.

I run the generator back through the breaker for the welder. We also have one of those big 2 handed main grid breakers so I'm not supplying everyone else.

 

[skyhightree1]

With the 2004 hurricanes we were without power for a week with each one (3) in a. 6 week time period. And being in the sticks we were low priority. A 800.00 8500 watt generator will run an entire house with a few limitations. We had my electrician buddy wore up a dedicated breaker and connection. Shut the main off, hook the gen up, start it, flip it's breaker to on.
Saved 8k and got us through it.

Thanks brother hook... That is some great advice. What are the limitations though of what it can't run?

 

[Anonymous]

You have to choose either Ac or water heater or stove. But none at the same time. Other than that it will run a well, all lights, outlets etc.

Dun, when I shut my main breaker off it prevents it from backfeeding the line. Mainly to protect anyone working on lines that are supposed to be dead