If you have a generator

[Echo2]

When needed....how do you utilize it?

I use a main disconnect and a exterior plug...ran with my Miller 225 Bobcat 8kw welder/generator.

What method are you using to hook power to your house?

transfer switch?

Extension cords?

Magic?

Candles and oil lamps?

[bacpacker]

I have a genny, but it will only be used to keep our freezers and fridge cold until we can get the frozen food canned. No real plans for it beyond that. I just got it (used $200) to do some work around the property where power isn't available

[rentprop1]

I back feed, cause I can, its easy and it works well in my situation, and yes I kill the main

[Stormfeather]

I have a genny, but it will only be used to keep our freezers and fridge cold until we can get the frozen food canned. No real plans for it beyond that. I just got it (used $200) to do some work around the property where power isn't available

Same plan here. We actually have a ton of Oil Lamps and gallons upon gallons of lamp oil!

[Katrina]

I have standby we installed in 2010. Have used it 3-4 times over the last 2 years. Am working on solar panels /shingles for roof for sump pump, Furnace fan (after we install add on fire burner). Trying to convince DH to put in electric water heater and hook that to solar for when natural gas goes out.

[The Stig]

I have a genny but have never had to use it thus far.

The plan is to kill the mains and backfeed the house. We'll only run the fridge/freezer and one room. Have a couple of box fans we bought to move air and the Mrs is on the lookout for an old windown unit AC so we can at least cool one room.

[realist]

I have a generator but only have used it when we were towing a fifth wheel. However now that has all changed since I got rid of the trailer. I am now starting to build a cabin, it is no longer a BOL, the correct term that does not raise eyebrows is vacation cabin. Sooooooo the cabin will be off the grid since I do not have a million dollars to pay to the local utility company to run the lines. It will be wired just like a house only the feed will be the generator and solar. All it takes is money.........

[Evolver]

Same here as most of the above. We have a genny for temporary usage only... for the frig, freezer and some fans and will be using an extension cord and splitters. We are only stocking a two weeks worth of gas so after it runs we are set up to go back to the basics just like they did back in the good old days. :)

[Evolver]

I should say... Thanks to now days technology... Back to the basics but a little easer then the old ways.

[Sniper-T]

Yep, back feed the house, although I need to grab a 220V line. The genny has it, I may as well use it. I have a couple few weeks of gas, more once I get my new tank in the air, but I would be running the fridge freezers only as long as it looked like power was gone for good. then it'll be pushing the dehydrators and smokers, Then it will be incidental, as we really wont need power for much after that.

I am tossing around the idea of picking up a small bar fridge, that I could use intermittingly to keep things like my milk cold.

[4suchatimeasthis]

Yeah, we have one, right now its out at the conservation club, where my fil used it for somethin'. When we lived in town and lost power it was for the fridge, since I too have boxes of candles and oil lamps and oil out the wazoo.

Now that we live out in the country the big issue with loss of power isn't so much lighting or cooling, but WATER. We have a well, the well pump is run on electricity, so when we lose power, we lose water. Before storms I routinely stockpile some drinking water, and we always keep the 300 gallon water tanks for the horses full anyway, but, if we lost power for several days, we are in big trouble.

I have been trying to talk hubby into an old fashioned hand pump, I assume that means we would have to have another point drilled, but our well perked quite high, and so it's reasonable to assume we have a lot of water under us. It shouldn't be too hard to hit some again.

Hubby's take on the whole thing is to find a way to use the genny to power the well. Which would work, in theory, for however long we have fuel. If we just turn on the genny to use the well pump and then shut it off when we are done getting water, it would probably last quite a while. But it still gives me the hereby-jeebys to rely on a genny for our water. I would just feel 100x better knowing that we have as much water as we can pump out of the ground ourselves!

BTW, those old cast iron hand pumps? Not so cheap!

[Sniper-T]

How deep is your well? you have to match a hand pump to the depth (to some degree) And no, they aren't cheap. However, they are somewhat plentiful in the country, as almost every old homestead has one. start talking to some old farmers, there might be one you can snag. It may need a seal kit though.

[Echo2]

I believe the Buffalo pump we have at the BOL is rated to draw from 400ft.

- - - Updated - - -

Not cheap though.....but simple stupid and has a parts list that is easy to get some extra seals for.

[Sniper-T]

Stig brought up a good point in another thread. For those who plan on backfeeding their homes, do you have a cord set up and ready to go? Rather than dedicate a long cord as a wall hanger, I made my male2male out of a 6' 12/3 block heater cord. This way my long ones can still be used for anything else.

Other thoughts...

Where do you plan on running the generator?
Does it have a shelter of sorts so it isn't getting pounded by the elements, or debris?
Is it accessible? If you have a Cat 2 storm raging outside, can you go out to it to start it? Fuel it?
If it is in a sheltered spot, can it still breathe properly? both fresh air intake and exhaust squared away?
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[rentprop1]

a guy I know made me a cord similar to this, I think it's 12/3 and about 25 foot long, my dryer outlet is just inside the walk in door to my garage, the cord is long enough to keep the gen outside and back under the overhang, out of the rain, I should build something for it with a rack or something for fuel storage / transfer above it, cause I don't use the actual tank on the gen as they have been known to melt under the heat...I also run a small box fan blowing against it
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http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r134/rentprop1guns/DSC01430.jpg

[LUNCHBOX]

Where do you plan on running the generator?
Does it have a shelter of sorts so it isn't getting pounded by the elements, or debris?
Is it accessible? If you have a Cat 2 storm raging outside, can you go out to it to start it? Fuel it?
If it is in a sheltered spot, can it still breathe properly? both fresh air intake and exhaust squared away?
.
.
.

Good questions Sniper, another one though.....can you secure it from theft? I know they are on the top of the list when the power goes out.

[The Stig]

Stig brought up a good point in another thread. For those who plan on backfeeding their homes, do you have a cord set up and ready to go? Rather than dedicate a long cord as a wall hanger, I made my male2male out of a 6' 12/3 block heater cord. This way my long ones can still be used for anything else.

Other thoughts...

Where do you plan on running the generator?
Does it have a shelter of sorts so it isn't getting pounded by the elements, or debris?
Is it accessible? If you have a Cat 2 storm raging outside, can you go out to it to start it? Fuel it?
If it is in a sheltered spot, can it still breathe properly? both fresh air intake and exhaust squared away?
.
.
.

Sadly, right now I don't have anywhere that will allow for sheltered operations of the genny during a storm. I could *possibly* do it on the front porch but I'm not totally sure about that.

The other outdoor plugs are all in areas inaccessible during a storm. One is right outside the garage (which will be locked down with hurricane braces), the other along the back wall of the house and would require me to go outside.

Unless I come up with a bright idea, it's going to be wait for the storm to pass, then fire up the generator for Casa Del Stig.

[Echo2]

depending on the size of your generator...build a movable doghouse with louvers on the ends and sides. I have a semi sheltered area for my welder/generator.....it's shrouded anyway.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7167/6854325013_e3fe04c6c4.jpg

only pic I have of machine....:)

Also....I personally am using a 8/3 cord....but wouldn't go any smaller than a 10/3....due to heating issues of anything smaller....another thing.....go wuth the heaviest amp rated plug you can get to fit your outlets.

I have a tongue lock and a cable lock for the wheels......not to mention i can lock the parking brake.(axle was out of a minivan....kept the parking brake active)

The fuel tank on board will run for 10hrs at full speed.....and I keep a bit of fuel at the house....enough to completely fill my Subaru and the wife's Suburban both.

[4suchatimeasthis]

That's an awesome idea, Echo! That has my wheels spinning.....hmm...a small trailer, and some "disguise", dog house, play house, etc.

Of course, then there is the issue of sheer NOISE. Once you fire that baby up, if the rest of the neighborhood is silent, it's pretty easy to follow the sound. A person could somewhat sound proof it, but not completely.

[Echo2]

I do have an aux muffler to attach to it.....for working in neighborhoods on weekend mornings.....but the shear volume of mechanical noise would be loud when it's quiet.

Having it secured is the way to do it.

A friend of mine has a great set up.....2 Honda EU3000s on his widows walk...you have to go through the house to get to them.