[Rhodes22-list] And now for something completely different -
Power outages
Brad Haslett
flybrad at gmail.com
Thu Jul 27 12:39:50 EDT 2006
Bill,
When I commuted from Nashville to Memphis I drove a Mercedes 300
turbo-diesel. I gave it to Spencer when he was 16 for his first car. His
first reaction was, "Wow, my dad gave me a Mercedes!" Then reality set in
and he realized he was driving a 15 year-old dog with 300K miles on it. I
was in the car with him one day and a non-turbo MB 300 pulled up beside us.
I wondered out loud how much difference the turbo made and my son told me
he'd drag-raced one and it mattered. I died laughing just thinking about
all the smoke and noise, and little speed, that event must have created.
I drove the new VW turbo-diesel right after they came out and was very
impressed with the low noise level and acceleration. There will be another
diesel in my future.
Brad
On 7/27/06, Bill Effros <bill at effros.com> wrote:
>
> Brad,
>
> The last time I was in Europe I rented a diesel. I was amazed at how
> good that car was. I owned a 1980 Toyota diesel. It was okay, but you
> always knew it was a diesel. With the modern diesels, you don't. It
> used so little fuel, and we were driving all over the place, that fuel
> price became a nonissue. You had to remember to pull up to the diesel
> pump, because it didn't drive like a diesel, it didn't sound like a
> diesel, and it didn't smell like a diesel. I was really impressed.
>
> Bill Effros
>
>
>
> Brad Haslett wrote:
> > Bill,
> >
> > Yup, I remember 1973. I was supposed to fly to London for Christmas
> that
> > year but BOAC cancelled the flight. Avgas doubled and we bought fuel
> for
> > the airport I was a mechanic at on the spot market. I got rid of my
> 1966
> > 283 cu. in. Chevy Nova for an Opel Manta. When the second oil crisis
> > hit in
> > 1979 I bought a diesel Rabbit. My 12 year old Lexus is getting a bit
> > frayed
> > and will probably need to be replaced in the next couple of years. If
> > forced, I'll go back to another diesel VW. What I really want is a
> > diesel-electric hybrid in the 80-90 mpg range. It will come. Now as
> > to our
> > dump trucks and my jet, there ain't no solution.
> >
> > Brad
> >
> >
> > On 7/27/06, Bill Effros <bill at effros.com> wrote:
> >>
> >> Thanks, Brad,
> >>
> >> The last time I had to seriously use a generator was in 1973 when we
> >> moved into a new house that didn't have any electricity because a major
> >> ice storm ate up all the available wire. Then the oil crisis hit.
> >> Diane was pregnant. You could only buy gas on alternate days. It was
> a
> >> challenge (solved by a BMW racing motorcycle with a 10 gallon tank that
> >> was allowed to go to the head of the line any day of the week) -- but
> >> not something we soon forgot. That generator was so loud that hearing
> >> it run out of gas sounded good. It was half a year before we could use
> >> electricity without associating it with a deafening sound.
> >>
> >> Generators have been out of the question here ever since. Until I saw
> >> the one you guys were talking about. The modern appliances are so
> >> efficient it's amazing. We have installed the new low-power air
> >> conditioners throughout our home. They really work!
> >>
> >> I kind of thought low-power low noise low weight was the way to go, but
> >> it's good to get the confirmation before I have to step up to the
> plate.
> >>
> >> Bill Effros
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> Brad Haslett wrote:
> >> > Bill,
> >> >
> >> > I have a Honda 1000eu for home and a Yamaha 2000 watt at the gulf.
> >> The
> >> > Honda is much lighter and can be handled by one person easily. The
> >> 2000
> >> > watt units need two men at our age. With 1000 watts you can run a
> >> > 5000 btu
> >> > a/c unit or a small microvave. I can run two fridges. The Honda
> >> uses a
> >> > quart of fuel about every six hours. Fuel consumption is the real
> >> > issue for
> >> > long power outages, not comfort.
> >> >
> >> > Brad
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > On 7/27/06, Arthur H. Czerwonky <czerwonky at earthlink.net> wrote:
> >> >>
> >> >> Bill,
> >> >> You might want to look at the 2K Honda also, and make sure the
> >> generator
> >> >> is enough. The extra 1K is little more in cost and same db, or
> >> close...
> >> >> Art
> >> >>
> >> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> >> >From: Bill Effros <bill at effros.com>
> >> >> >Sent: Jul 27, 2006 10:13 AM
> >> >> >To: The Rhodes 22 mail list <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
> >> >> >Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] And now for something completely
> >> different
> >> >> - Power outages
> >> >> >
> >> >> > Brad,
> >> >> >
> >> >> >I've come round on this one. I hadn't looked at portable
> generators
> >> >> for
> >> >> >20 years, and am just about to buy a $700 Honda 1K because of the
> >> gas
> >> >> >sipping qualities and extremely low noise. The only reason I
> looked
> >> >> >this time was because of you and ...Wally? talking about the
> >> >> >practicality of bringing one on board. I may even try that.
> >> >> >
> >> >> >Bill Effros
> >> >> >
> >> >> >Brad Haslett wrote:
> >> >> >> 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
> >> >> >> __________________________________________________
> >> >> >> Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >__________________________________________________
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> >> >>
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> > __________________________________________________
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