Are we going to see a hurricane in a couple days?

[John_]

I just went and purchased another 9 gallons of gas @ 0630. My favorite local non ethanol station on University Ave, I was worried they might be sold out but no problem. And there was only 1 other guy at the pumps. Now I have 7 five gal jugs ready, just in case.

And on the radio while driving it came to my attention today is 9/11. I was semi-conscious, only half a cup of coffee as I was rushing to get out the door. They were remembering that fateful day, 23 years later. 2900 lost their lives on that day, never forget!

 

[John_]

One thing I do NOT do during any power outage is try to maintain a "normal" way of living. I only run the generator long enough to keep the fridge and freezers where they should be.

Same here for Ida, I only had a single 2200 watt Craftsman portable that I purchased just months B4. I was in survival mode exclusively. Keep the fridge cold, 1 light at night til bedtime, and my pedestal fan blowing while I slept in my underwear only, on my leather sofa. I did a "movie night" somewhere in those 9 days once, and early on I ran my microwave to eat a few meals from the freezer.
By day 7 and 8, I was hanging by a thread, the house was hot, was thinking/dreaming of closing up shop and driving to Jackson MS (or farther) for a hotel room and AC. Sleep at 68F, lol. Most all my neighbors had left, too uncomfortable for them. 95% had left as the days went on. Even one originally from Vietnam, he told me "too hot". lol
But I hung in there and the power was restored on a Monday at 1800! 9 full days without grid power on a 2200 watt gen. I slept a couple nights out in my driveway in a recliner, pistol just under my thigh.

That pedestal fan made all the diff in the world, let me tell you! Still have it today. Purchased a 2nd box fan, just in case.

 

[Gator 45/70]

I ain't gonna lie about it, We run the snot out of our generators because we can!
Tri-fuel is the way to go!
We like the beer cold and our ice colder, Ceiling fan on with one leg out the covers.

 

[dantheman]

Well we went from a unsurvivable 10' swell to 1-3' possible. Im emotionally drained.
Now i know why hurricanes are so bad down here. Its not the storm its the reporting.

 

[noob]

For the west bankers, The Algiers discount had gas this morning (they were filling up yesterday evening when I was on my way home). I stopped by this morning as I drove from nola to lafayette for work yesterday and drove home.

 

[Bolt Head]

Same here for Ida, I only had a single 2200 watt Craftsman portable that I purchased just months B4. I was in survival mode exclusively. Keep the fridge cold, 1 light at night til bedtime, and my pedestal fan blowing while I slept in my underwear only, on my leather sofa. I did a "movie night" somewhere in those 9 days once, and early on I ran my microwave to eat a few meals from the freezer.
By day 7 and 8, I was hanging by a thread, the house was hot, was thinking/dreaming of closing up shop and driving to Jackson MS (or farther) for a hotel room and AC. Sleep at 68F, lol. Most all my neighbors had left, too uncomfortable for them. 95% had left as the days went on. Even one originally from Vietnam, he told me "too hot". lol
But I hung in there and the power was restored on a Monday at 1800! 9 full days without grid power on a 2200 watt gen. I slept a couple nights out in my driveway in a recliner, pistol just under my thigh.

That pedestal fan made all the diff in the world, let me tell you! Still have it today. Purchased a 2nd box fan, just in case.

It would definitely be uncomfortable, especially in comparison to our normal lives. That which does not kill us only makes us stronger. Fine job toughing it out, John!

 

[John_]

It would definitely be uncomfortable, especially in comparison to our normal lives. That which does not kill us only makes us stronger. Fine job toughing it out, John!

TY sir.

 

[noob]

It would definitely be uncomfortable, especially in comparison to our normal lives. That which does not kill us only makes us stronger. Fine job toughing it out, John!

my problem with my 8500 watt portable was actually getting power to the things in my house. having enough extension cords and having a high enough rating. I was just powering 2 fridges and a chest freezer, a floor standing AC unit and a small TV

 

[dantheman]

Ethanol fuel is not going to kill your generator . I have never bought non ethanol fuel for my equipment because I run it regularly . Generators get exercised at least once a month and the OPE weekly . I buy gas 5 gallons at a time so it's always fresh . I have two cans for this storm but it will get used one way or the other .

 

[cbbr]

my problem with my 8500 watt portable was actually getting power to the things in my house. having enough extension cords and having a high enough rating. I was just powering 2 fridges and a chest freezer, a floor standing AC unit and a small TV

Have a transfer switch installed. Or get a whip if you now what you are doing and won't get anyone (linemen especially) hurt.

 

[noob]

Have a transfer switch installed. Or get a whip if you now what you are doing and won't get anyone (linemen especially) hurt.

oh, I ended up getting a 24kw generac. Power went out 4 times in May where I live (after living here over 12 years and the power never going out outside of Ida). I got pissed off and just went and bought one. My wife works from home, and when the power goes out (even if it's a short time) she has to use PTO to take the rest of the day off and once she submits it, she can't unsubmit when it comes back on.

 

[Magdump]

No! The cat is last after the cat food runs out!

I called animal control on the possum on my carport this morning. Then I thought maybe I should fatten him up until after the storm. Any good recipies?

Dude, I got you..

 

[Magdump]

And on the radio while driving it came to my attention today is 9/11. I was semi-conscious, only half a cup of coffee as I was rushing to get out the door. They were remembering that fateful day, 23 years later. 2900 lost their lives on that day, never forget!

Yeah, kinda hard to forget how somebody did a controlled demolition of 3 buildings with folks inside and blamed it on jet fuel so we could go to war…

 

[Gator 45/70]

Dude, I got you..

I was trying to get the neighbors to go fishing today!

 

[SVT Bansheeman]

My wife works from home as well but once the power is out, she has no internet to work. We don't do the hot spot with mobile date thing.

We put almost 200 hours on our portable generator for Ida in the 13ish days we had no power. We ran it from around 7-8pm to around 7-9am at the min.
We slept with ac in one room. In the afternoon, we ran it so my daughter could take a nap and my wife could do clothes etc. It was great. We bought it to run it. We also kept all windows and shutters closed to keep humidity out.

Since then, we have had it converted to additionally run natural gas. Waiting in line for fuel was the biggest pita.

 

[John_]

Ethanol fuel is not going to kill your generator . I have never bought non ethanol fuel for my equipment because I run it regularly . Generators get exercised at least once a month and the OPE weekly . I buy gas 5 gallons at a time so it's always fresh . I have two cans for this storm but it will get used one way or the other .

I worked in the Operations Dept of a major oil refinery in Garyville LA for 30 years. I made gasoline for 25 years, worked 2 diff TDC consoles in the control room over the years, and qualified on 25 units (not the norm, I have always enjoyed learning new data/info). 29 years of training on site and off site. Ethanol is the biggest scam ever created in the gasoline industry. It was created to use corn to extend gasoline supplies/reduce our reliance on imported crude oil. BUT, ethanol is not soluble in a hydrocarbon (gasoline). Ethanol will go into solution with water, but not gas. Why they inject it at the pump, cannot be mixed with gasoline stocks beforehand. It will never fully mix with gasoline. My 2012 Camaro hated ethanol mixed gas. It had a direct injection V-6, and sometimes after fueling with ethanol gas, it would misfire and buck for 15 or 20 seconds after startup. Then run ok. It did not like ethanol blended gas.

Second, the octane of pure ethanol is around 100. For regular unleaded gas, it is an octane booster. So refineries can blend/sell 84/85 octane gas and blend at the pump with 10% ethanol for a combined 87 RON octane spec. Once your vehicle sits for 8 or 10 hours after a fill up, the ethanol separates and is on the bottom of the tank. Fuel pump suction is on the bottom of your fuel tank. Once the bulk of the ethanol is pumped and combusted, you are left with 85 RON gasoline at best, but you paid for 87. Not always good.

Ethanol attracts water, is water soluble. And is corrosive long term. Absolutely terrible for boat engines, boats that sit sometimes for 3 or 4 months idle. They sell E85 gas, which is a mix up to 85% ethanol. Your motor vehicle must be E85 compliant. The rated octane of E85 fuel is like up to 100. E85 can actually be anywhere from 50 to 85% ethanol blend, legit sale, acceptable by the state and the feds.
Finally ethanol contains its own oxygen, is an oxygenated fuel. Aids combustion in an engine, cleaner burning than a pure hydrocarbon fuel. Also def aids corrosion. If you like your lawn equipment and your portable generators, don't use ethanol blended fuel. Especially when stored for 12 to 24 months, or more.
I know, possibly TMI. Hopefully this info will help you going forward.

 

[dantheman]

Did you miss the part where I said I run my equipment regularly and I keep the fuel in my cans fresh ?

 

[John_]

Did you miss the part where I said I run my equipment regularly and I keep the fuel in my cans fresh ?

My post above was not meant exclusively for you, nor was it addressed to you. It is simply info shared with all here on BS. You do as you wish, ur a big boy. It is simply my experiences and opinion. Yours may be different.

For some that 20 or 30 cents more for non-ethanol gas is too rich for their deductive powers, or wallet.

 

[dantheman]

My post above was not meant exclusively for you, nor was it addressed to you. It is simply info shared with all here on BS. You do as you wish, ur a big boy. It is simply my experiences and opinion. Yours may be different.

For some that 20 or 30 cents more for non-ethanol gas is too rich for their deductive powers, or wallet.

You quoted my post . Hence my reply .

 

[John_]

You quoted my post . Hence my reply .

You are correct, my bad.