Hurricane prep
- Thread starter dent2011
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MikePowell
New member
get a honda generator. they sell small ones that will fit on your porch and are quiet. northern tools sells them pretty cheap.
Jon770
New member
if you get a generator - remember to stock up on gas at the beginning of the season or at the first sign of a storm. After the last hurricane you had to wait for hours for gas and then in many places you were limited in the amount of gallons you could even buy.
Now I stock up on 20+ gallons at the beginning of the hurricane season...it should be enough for a couple days, and by then the gas stations slow down a bit. if i dont use the gas by the end of the hurricae season I just put what's left in my car.
But one of those Guardian automatic home generators are DEFINITELY on my list of things I eventually need to get.
Now I stock up on 20+ gallons at the beginning of the hurricane season...it should be enough for a couple days, and by then the gas stations slow down a bit. if i dont use the gas by the end of the hurricae season I just put what's left in my car.
But one of those Guardian automatic home generators are DEFINITELY on my list of things I eventually need to get.
coralfragger101
Gone Postal
A generator can be purchased even though you live on the third floor. Running the generator on the patio is not a wise decision though. Risk of carbon monoxide poisoning along with the neighbors complaining. During Wilma we were without power for 9 days. A neighbor decided to run his generator on the second floor patio. The fire department made them remove it. They have to be run a certain distance away from the building. Simply set it out back and run heavy duty extension cords.
Does anyone have any links or suggestions for a marine battery backup system, or a good APC that they've had experience with for their tank?
Now that I've got $$$$ invested in just livestock, a backup doesn't sound like a bad idea. I've got a generator for the long haul, just nothing for the short term
Now that I've got $$$$ invested in just livestock, a backup doesn't sound like a bad idea. I've got a generator for the long haul, just nothing for the short term
ashrem
Premium Member
Marine battery and inverter best for us renting folks. I rather run my sump pump first and then resort to battery powered air pumps, that salt creep was massive last time. IMO from a cost/benefit, an APC is more expensive than the marine battery/inverter for the amount of time you get.
Sharkonwheels
New member
I dunno - you overpay for the name, and size.
Those Honda 1000W portables cost around $600-700.
I paid $749 for my 6000W Sears model including 3years extended on-site warranty. And that thing can run basically my house. I had an electrician wire up a 220v jack outside, where I switch off the utility, then switch on (also breakered) the generator.
I turn off the AC unit, and the water heater (turn it on when we need it) and it powers the rest of the house: TV's, computer, microwave etc... After Wilma, that generator powered 4 houses, including my own - mostly refrigerators, and TV's!
Speaking of which, do NOT forget to start it now and then, use Stabil for the gas, and change the oil+filter at recommended times!
Another thing to look at, is a Xantrex PowerPack. These are portable batteries+inverters that are a portable one-hand to carry solution:
http://www.xantrex.com/web/id/8/type.asp
They have everything from 100W (I have one of these for travel - great for recharging the PSP or laptop on the plane on those loooooong flights to Europe) up to 600W. Built in battery, can jumpstart your car, has AC outlets, as well as usually a cig. lighter adapter.
Xantrex also makes inverters up to thousands of watts, as well as full setups for solar power, so you should be able to find something.
No, I don;t work or benefit from them - they just make good products, and I have had good success with them.
Another good idea, is to have a few alarm batteries around - 12V 7Ah, and an inverter or 2. the batteries are relatively cheap, light, fit in a hand, and hold a good amount of power for their size.
I always have at least 3-4 of those charged units around, and cycle them so they don't go bad.
Tony
EDIT: This is a nice site, from the Navy. They have longer-range predictions, and are usually pretty dang close:
http://www.nlmoc.navy.mil/
click on "Public Site"
On left, under "Product Support" click "Tropical Cyclone"
Top of main frame, under Current Tropical Warnings, click on "Graphic" for the storm you're looking up.
I've used this site for about 3-4 years, and it is pretty accurate. As I recall, they combine quite a few models, and come up with a model that is usually dang close!
Those Honda 1000W portables cost around $600-700.
I paid $749 for my 6000W Sears model including 3years extended on-site warranty. And that thing can run basically my house. I had an electrician wire up a 220v jack outside, where I switch off the utility, then switch on (also breakered) the generator.
I turn off the AC unit, and the water heater (turn it on when we need it) and it powers the rest of the house: TV's, computer, microwave etc... After Wilma, that generator powered 4 houses, including my own - mostly refrigerators, and TV's!
Speaking of which, do NOT forget to start it now and then, use Stabil for the gas, and change the oil+filter at recommended times!
Another thing to look at, is a Xantrex PowerPack. These are portable batteries+inverters that are a portable one-hand to carry solution:
http://www.xantrex.com/web/id/8/type.asp
They have everything from 100W (I have one of these for travel - great for recharging the PSP or laptop on the plane on those loooooong flights to Europe) up to 600W. Built in battery, can jumpstart your car, has AC outlets, as well as usually a cig. lighter adapter.
Xantrex also makes inverters up to thousands of watts, as well as full setups for solar power, so you should be able to find something.
No, I don;t work or benefit from them - they just make good products, and I have had good success with them.
Another good idea, is to have a few alarm batteries around - 12V 7Ah, and an inverter or 2. the batteries are relatively cheap, light, fit in a hand, and hold a good amount of power for their size.
I always have at least 3-4 of those charged units around, and cycle them so they don't go bad.
Tony
EDIT: This is a nice site, from the Navy. They have longer-range predictions, and are usually pretty dang close:
http://www.nlmoc.navy.mil/
click on "Public Site"
On left, under "Product Support" click "Tropical Cyclone"
Top of main frame, under Current Tropical Warnings, click on "Graphic" for the storm you're looking up.
I've used this site for about 3-4 years, and it is pretty accurate. As I recall, they combine quite a few models, and come up with a model that is usually dang close!
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Sharkonwheels
New member
Because marine batteries are deep-cycle.
Either get marine batteries, or batteries built for the Solar Energy industry. There's a few places around S. Fla to get them. I think there's a company named Magnum down south that does solar batteries.
Otherwise, marine/deep-cycle batteries are made for longer periods of discharge at a higher amperage, whereas, for example, car batteries do MUCH higher amperages, but at short bursts. Car batteries cannot handle extended periods of relatively high rates of discharge. This also means marine batteries can be discharged to a lower *USEFUL* level, whereas a car batt won't. It'll have a steeper drop-off point in it's discharge profile.
If your talking just a few hundred watts, I'd get a decent car battery. However, if you're talking over, say, 800-1000W, and for more than, say, an hour or so, then I'd get a marine/solar power battery. You'll either not get enough out of the car battery, or it may actually get damaged.
Another thing you may want to consider, is that if you have the tank in like a 10'x10', 15'x15' room or so, and have a window, get one of those $100-150 window ac units. I got one at Home Depot for like $129 2 years ago, and although most homeowner associations don;t allow them, during/after a hurricane, all bets are off.
Another thing, is if you happen to have a small, fuel efficient car, it may cost less to get a 2000-4000W inverted, and run it off the car, running it when you need to recharge. gotta be careful on the battery as I said above, though. We did this after Wilma with my wife's RAV4, at night when I didn't want to run the loud generator. Thank goodness for remote starters!
First thing, thoug, is to make sure your pumps will run on an inverter, as most are modified sine wave (MSW) and alot of pumps don't run on that, from what I've heard.
Try to get a decent brand, and with an efficiency of at least 85%.
Tony
Either get marine batteries, or batteries built for the Solar Energy industry. There's a few places around S. Fla to get them. I think there's a company named Magnum down south that does solar batteries.
Otherwise, marine/deep-cycle batteries are made for longer periods of discharge at a higher amperage, whereas, for example, car batteries do MUCH higher amperages, but at short bursts. Car batteries cannot handle extended periods of relatively high rates of discharge. This also means marine batteries can be discharged to a lower *USEFUL* level, whereas a car batt won't. It'll have a steeper drop-off point in it's discharge profile.
If your talking just a few hundred watts, I'd get a decent car battery. However, if you're talking over, say, 800-1000W, and for more than, say, an hour or so, then I'd get a marine/solar power battery. You'll either not get enough out of the car battery, or it may actually get damaged.
Another thing you may want to consider, is that if you have the tank in like a 10'x10', 15'x15' room or so, and have a window, get one of those $100-150 window ac units. I got one at Home Depot for like $129 2 years ago, and although most homeowner associations don;t allow them, during/after a hurricane, all bets are off.
Another thing, is if you happen to have a small, fuel efficient car, it may cost less to get a 2000-4000W inverted, and run it off the car, running it when you need to recharge. gotta be careful on the battery as I said above, though. We did this after Wilma with my wife's RAV4, at night when I didn't want to run the loud generator. Thank goodness for remote starters!
First thing, thoug, is to make sure your pumps will run on an inverter, as most are modified sine wave (MSW) and alot of pumps don't run on that, from what I've heard.
Try to get a decent brand, and with an efficiency of at least 85%.
Tony
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Sharkonwheels
New member
What's the wattage on your Mag5?
I have an 80W (continuous) Xantrex Portable PowerPack 100 unit. It'll drive up to 80W continuous, and we can test it with that.
Tony
I have an 80W (continuous) Xantrex Portable PowerPack 100 unit. It'll drive up to 80W continuous, and we can test it with that.
Tony
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