[Rhodes22-list] And now for something completely different - Power outages

[Arthur H. Czerwonky]

Brad,
I was advised 2K watts for even a small a/c, due to the surge demand when it cycles.  The EU2000 Honda has a remote tank that works well for long term use.
Art

-----Original Message-----
>From: Brad Haslett <flybrad at gmail.com>
>Sent: Jul 27, 2006 4:48 AM
>To: The Rhodes 22 mail list <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
>Subject: [Rhodes22-list] And now for something completely different - Power	outages
>
>Some of you that have been here for awhile may remember the rather spirited
>discussion we had on generators a few years back.  With the power outages in
>the NYC area and other cities, now may be a good time to review the issue.
>During Hurricane Elvis (strong line of thunderstorms that knocked out power
>in Memphis for up to three weeks) my neighbors ran big Y2K generators for
>ONE day until they ran out of gas, then went looking for filling stations
>with power.  We're putting the finishing touches on our MS Gulf Coast
>evacuation plan and hurricane preparedness skills.  Here's my experience
>from Elvis.  Small is better.  You need to run one window A/C unit during the
>day (available for $60 if you buy before the crisis) and a fridge at
>night.  One 1000 watt genset  will run on 5 gallons of gas for a week.
>Someone on this list will go for days without power this summer for one
>reason or another.  Don't say you weren't warned!
>
>Brad
>
>----------------
>
> JULY 21, 2006Posted 5 days and 0 hours ago on July 21, 2006 Blackout
>Survival Guide
><http://www.popularmechanics.com/blog/home/3391786.html?c=y&imageID=1338716&caption=%3Cb%3EBatteries+Included%3A%3C%2Fb%3E+Prepare+your+blackout+kit+now%2C+not+in+the+dark.>
><http://www.popularmechanics.com/blog/home/3391786.html?c=y&imageID=1338716&caption=%3Cb%3EBatteries+Included%3A%3C%2Fb%3E+Prepare+your+blackout+kit+now%2C+not+in+the+dark.>
>*Batteries Included:* Prepare your blackout kit now, not in the dark.
>When it's as hot and humid outside as it is right now in the northeast, air
>conditioning feels like a miracle. Until the lights flicker, dim, and go
>out. With air conditioning creating massive spikes power consumption,
>occasionally the grid calls it quits. That's just what happened on Tuesday
>evening, when more than 200,000 homes in the New York region lost their
>power. Many people are still waiting for the power to come back.
>
>Before you're sweating it out in candlelight, take a look at our blackout
>survival guide.
>
>Download the blackout survival podcast
>here<http://media.popularmechanics.com/audio/Popular+Mechanics+PodcastBlackoutSurvival1.mp3>
>.
>
>Have a Flashlight: If you haven't done so already, go out and buy at least
>one small, inexpensive flashlight?one that takes 2 D cell or 2 AA batteries.
>If you already have a flashlight, swap in new batteries. Leave it standing
>on a book shelf, or on an easy-to-reach countertop so that you can get to
>quickly and safely in the dark.
>
>Be Prepared to Empty the Fridge: A freezer packed with dry ice will stay
>cold for days, but it's tough to find dry ice at the local corner store. So
>if you've been without power for more than four hours, start emptying the
>fridge now. Even if the power does come back soon, chances are your food
>won't, and you don't want to let food melt in the freezer or, even worse,
>rot in the appliance. Cleaning that up is not a mess you want to deal with.
>
>Shut Down Your Appliances: If your power goes out, make sure you turn off
>your air conditioner or reset the thermostat so the air conditioner will not
>turn back on until you turn it on manually. When the power does turn back
>on, the combined load of thousands of air conditioner spooling up
>simultaneously can be enough to trip the grid again, starting another
>blackout. However, if everybody turned on their air conditioners
>individually, it would stagger the power demand on the grid. Every small bit
>of help counts during an emergency.
>
>(Also, now's a good time to unplug that circular saw you were using when the
>power went out.)
>
>Don't Overdue AC: When you do turn an air conditioner back on, don't set the
>thermostat lower than 78 F. This is good practice in general: Although it
>doesn't seem very cool, the dehumidifying effect of air conditioning will
>make your house much more bearable, even at 78 F.
>
>Use Passive Cooling: If the power goes out, open as many windows as
>possible, especially windows and vents in the attic and the upper floors.
>However, use shades on the sunny side of the house (south and west) to
>minimize solar heating. This is a good practice in warm months, even when
>you've got your AC cranking like a Pratt and Whitney turbofan.
>
>If you really got caught off guard, take this opportunity to learn from the
>mistake and assemble an emergency preparedness
>kit<http://www.popularmechanics.com/home_improvement/home_owner_clinic/2076037.html?page=4&c=y>consisting
>of lighting, food, water, a first aid kit, tools and anything
>else you'll need. ?Roy Berendsohn
>__________________________________________________
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