Lost Power 3 Days - Thoughts on My Solution

[Erakad]

Lost power in the house for 3 days. Luckily, I had a 3600 W battery that kept a fridge running. Situation: I spend summers in CO and winters with my kids in OK. During the outage, my kids consolidated my 2 fridges into 1 and would pick up the battery in the AM, let it charge to 90%, then return, repeat the next AM. A bit of hassle for them.

My thoughts: get another 3500 W battery and a small propane generator (1 for each fridge). From what I see, I can get a 4800 w dual fuel inverter generator for around $650. Can run up to 20 hrs on a 25 lb tank. I would run the generator 2x/day to recharge the batteries (batteries deplete in 12 hrs - 90% to 0%, 2 hrs to charge). AC/heat/stove are auxiliary, I can fire them up as needed, recharge batteries, if needed, or run directly from the generator. I have a BBQ and firepit that use propane, I would purchase an additional tank, and rotate as they empty, refill on the go.

So question to you, the experts, does this make sense??

If so, no need to wire directly into the electric box, I'm thinking to just put a male receptor on an outside wall going to a female receptor on the inside wall.

Make sense? I have a whole house generator in CO (same to worse problem), set me back $15K, don't want to repeat in OK.

[Zeke]

"...male receptor on an outside wall going to a female receptor on the inside wall." is potentially a widow maker w/o a transfer switch. If you know it's not connected anything else whatsoever unless it's just a through-the-wall connection like the 2 ends of an extension cord. There are still ways you could manage to inadvertently get some back feed into your house circuits so study what you are doing. If you unplug the fridge and plug it in to your device and nothing else, you might be safe. But it has to be isolated in every way.

[Dantilla]

Originally Posted by Erakad

I'm thinking to just put a male receptor on an outside wall going to a female receptor on the inside wall.

Illegal. Against every code in the book.
Killing the main breaker to the house should prevent electrocuting a lineman trying to restore your power, but still against code.

[Erakad]

male receptor on an outside wall going to a female receptor on the inside wall

Dang, knew it couldn't be that easy...back to the drawing board...heavy sigh

[Erakad]

Looks like extension cords are in my future

[schwarz633]

This is the correct way to deal with this. The breaker from the generator can't be turned on unless the main breaker from the utility is turned off. The main breaker from the utility can't be turned on unless the generator breaker is turned off.

[Erakad]

I see, I thought what I proposed was no different than a short extension cord, just to get the power through the wall...never integrated into the houses wiring. Just avoiding having an extension cord lodged in the door; just a junction box with male on one side and female on the other. This why I ask ya'll!

[Dantilla]

Originally Posted by Erakad

I see, I thought what I proposed was no different than a short extension cord, just to get the power through the wall...never integrated into the houses wiring. Just avoiding having an extension cord lodged in the door; just a junction box with male on one side and female on the other. This why I ask ya'll!

Got it!
That will work!

Woo-Hoo!

[Baz]

Quite a few years ago I bought this one.

Gasoline: 3600 Rated Watts | 4400 Peak Watts
Propane: 3300 Rated Watts | 4000 Peak Watts.

Dual fuel and electric start w/Honda engine.

Has wheels so can be moved around very easily.

I don't think you can get this exact model anymore but have to say it's worked fantastic over the years on those rare occasions when our power was out due to storm activity - usually hurricanes.

I just leave it year round on my back concrete covered patio. I bought a heavy duty electric extension cord meant to be used with portable generators to bring power into the house. I just go though my rear patio door opening. Not ideal and one day want to make a small access hole I can fish it through.

I always keep non-ethanol gasoline on hand for use with my motorcycles and power equipment, so along with filling up my truck I have never run out of fuel. I also keep a couple propane tanks on hand just in case.

Once inside I run extension cords to various appliances where needed. Refrigerator, window AC unit, a lamp or two, and my TV and DVD player.

I can also use my washing machine and microwave.

Aside from having extension cords all over inside, it works pretty good, for my needs.

BTW, I really liked this generator so much I bought a second one and keep it in it's original box in my garage. I also have new window AC units still in their boxes for backup. I'm a big believer in backups. I also have new fuel line I keep inside my house for the Honda engine as over time they can fail. That electric start is fantastic but it also has a recoil/rope pull as backup.

[sc_rufctr]

Guys seriously.. What?... Three days????

What's up with your power companies?

[Baz]

[Baz]

Originally Posted by sc_rufctr

Guys seriously.. What?... Three days????

What's up with your power companies?

Our power company is amazing.

But when a hurricane hits - there's always going to be outages.

Our hurricane season is during summer/fall and in Florida it's hot and humid. The hell if I'm going without AC! And maybe some fans too.

You think your food won't spoil after several days in the fridge with no power? Ha!

[Erakad]

Baz - thanks for the inputs, hadn't got to the extension type yet...will find that one! Oh, I'm a believer also; those that fail to plan, plan to fail. I have the 1 backup and it was "ok", just not great. With possible ice storms this winter...want to be prepared. Was at Vance AFB in 2002 and lost power for a week due to ice; I learned my lesson. Will also look up that generator!

Peter - I don't know what gives with this company either, I've owned the house for 18 months; first 6 months lost power for a day (bought the battery), now 3 days. Got to say, just don't trust them anymore...you figure!

[vash]

I ran my fridge and my neighbors fridge with one single EU2200. had enough juice to light up a few rooms with floor lamps and charge phones. it was romantic as heck. candles

I went 8 days. I had cords going everywhere. but for the few instances, I felt cords were the way to go. I havent used anything for about 5 years now, but I am ready. I drained the generator and changed the oil and put it away neatly.

[john70t]

Timely thread. The block across the street lost power the last couple days. Dark windows and generators buzzing at night.

[CurtEgerer]

Maybe I'm reading this wrong, but refrigerators don't use much power. 300-400 watts max. My neighbor borrowed my spare 900W 2-cycle generator the last hurricane and ran his refrigerator and chest freezer for 2-3 days with no problem. I've got a 5200W gas generator but last hurricane I used a 1200W electric power bank with a solar panel. It powers 2 refrigerators, lights, fans and TV easily. And I set it inside the house so no need to run cords thru a door. Maybe solar is not a good option in winter in CO?

[id10t]

Originally Posted by Erakad

I see, I thought what I proposed was no different than a short extension cord, just to get the power through the wall...never integrated into the houses wiring. Just avoiding having an extension cord lodged in the door; just a junction box with male on one side and female on the other. This why I ask ya'll!

When we have hurricanes and no power, I run my extension cord from generator into house via the laundry room dryer vent.

[greglepore]

Originally Posted by sc_rufctr

Guys seriously.. What?... Three days????

What's up with your power companies?

We still have an overly large portion of our grid above ground on wooden poles.

[Baz]

Originally Posted by id10t

When we have hurricanes and no power, I run my extension cord from generator into house via the laundry room dryer vent.

Great idea but my incoming dryer vent is a PITA to get to due to tight space behind the dryer.

I also want to add that when I need my generator, I don't need to run it 24 hrs./day.

I'll run it at night while sleeping and then off and on during the day as needed. The fridge and house stay pretty cool for a while due to decent insulation and it gives the generator some "rest time" and also a chance for me to re-fill with gas if needed.

[GH85Carrera]

My neighbor behind us paid a lot for a full house Generac natural gas generator. After about 10 years it has run for a total of 12 minutes of power outage. That is some expense electricity.

Out neighborhood is all underground utilities. Our biggest help is a assisted living center three blocks away on the same circuit. When power goes out the hospitals are on generators, and high on the list behind the police and fire departments. Nursing homes and assisted living centers are high on the list as well. We had a power outage of about 10 seconds. I was just standing up to get flashlights when the power came back on. Most likely a transformer or fuse was hit, and the electricity was rerouted.

We had a big thunderstorm come through a few nights ago. 60 MPH winds here and 1.6 inches of rain in just a few minutes. In Norman the had one weather station record 95 MPH straight line winds. Lots of tree damage, and building damage. They lost power for three days in parts of Norman. The power company is awesome in getting the power back up.

Every time we have a generator thread I get the urge to get a generator. Then I think of the cost and benefit, and I just go back to other ways to spend money.