catastrofe
New member
I know. . .my wife told me the Ameren guy walked down our street making notes. He's the one that told her about the tree at the end of the block and resetting the transformer. I thought we had it made!
Storm is making me nervous...
- Thread starter Shooter7
- Start date
I know. . .my wife told me the Ameren guy walked down our street making notes. He's the one that told her about the tree at the end of the block and resetting the transformer. I thought we had it made!
Shooter7
New member
My coworker here next to me has had her power out since Thursday night and doesn't expect to get it back anytime soon. She said several trees and/or branches had fallen and had just completely taken out several power poles.
On this generator to furnace blower issue....I think the on/off switch that is right on the side of my furnace housing may have a hole in the side of it, could I just wire the end of a cut extension cord to the same screws on that switch that is hard wired, run the cord out the hole in the side of the switch box, and just leave it hanging there until the event where I would need to hook up my generator to it? I'm assuming I'd need to cover the exposed cord prongs with something to avoid shock, and I'm guessing I'd need to switch off the breaker to it to prevent back-bleeding electricity out of the house while using the generator, but does this sound like it would work?
On this generator to furnace blower issue....I think the on/off switch that is right on the side of my furnace housing may have a hole in the side of it, could I just wire the end of a cut extension cord to the same screws on that switch that is hard wired, run the cord out the hole in the side of the switch box, and just leave it hanging there until the event where I would need to hook up my generator to it? I'm assuming I'd need to cover the exposed cord prongs with something to avoid shock, and I'm guessing I'd need to switch off the breaker to it to prevent back-bleeding electricity out of the house while using the generator, but does this sound like it would work?
Hobbes8017
In Memoriam
Shooter
It is never a good idea to have things wired like that, someone will get shocked or heaven forbid, a fire.
If you do not want to disconnect a few wires if there is a power outage, then I think you should invest in a cut-over switch box. The one I am looking at is $218.00 at HD. If comes with the outside generator hook-up box, male to male generator cord, inside sub-panel for up to 6 circuits.
Just my opinion, but having 2 sources for power to 1 device hooked up at all times is a disaster waiting to happen.
It is never a good idea to have things wired like that, someone will get shocked or heaven forbid, a fire.
If you do not want to disconnect a few wires if there is a power outage, then I think you should invest in a cut-over switch box. The one I am looking at is $218.00 at HD. If comes with the outside generator hook-up box, male to male generator cord, inside sub-panel for up to 6 circuits.
Just my opinion, but having 2 sources for power to 1 device hooked up at all times is a disaster waiting to happen.
dcombs44
New member
I live in an apartment complex and was out of town on business when the storm hit. I came home friday morning to no power. I guess it was out for about 15 hours. I definitely thanked the good Lord that nothing was in my tank but rock and a few snails and crabs. There are still people without power in Springfield, IL as well.
Shooter7
New member
I wasn't talking about having 2 sources of power hooked up to 1 device at all times. I was talking about wiring just a heavy duty cord so that when the power went out, I could flip the circuit breaker switch to cut the possibility of power to the unit from the regular source and be able to easily plug my generator into the cord that I wired to that switch area. It would only be used in the event of a power failure, not hooked up at all times. And I'm not sure what wires you're talking about disconnecting since I don't have any wires readily available to disconnect except what is in that switchbox on the furnace housing. It's essentially a wall light switch with a metal box that was wired up on the side of the furnace as an easy way to turn power on and off to it.
Shooter7
New member
Or did I read that wrong...I'm getting that you're talking about having the generator hooked up at the same time that I have house power going to the generator. Or are you just talking about not liking have a cord that is connected to a power source available? If that's the case then, as I think I was trying to say, that I wouldn't do that unless I could have some insulated way of covering that end of the cord. I certainly wouldn't leave the prongs of a cord dangling about for anyone to touch. And no, I don't have a problem with disconnecting a few wires in a power outage, I was just asking if wiring something that way was a feasible option. If not, then that's fine.
DrBDC
Active member
Shooter, I think there is an idea exchange internet barrier here is all.
If you don't have the fancy switch box, then I think it would be best to have a regular wall socket wired there and to have an extension cord with 2 male ends made just for when power outages happen. That way it's nothing more than a regular wall outlet.
The only problem I see is that both the white and black wires would have to be switched off (they have dual pole swiches where you throw a lever just like on an old frankenstien movie) so that it doesn't alternate back to the main panel. The fancy switches just automatically do exactly what I'm saying w/o having to throw a switch.
If you don't have the fancy switch box, then I think it would be best to have a regular wall socket wired there and to have an extension cord with 2 male ends made just for when power outages happen. That way it's nothing more than a regular wall outlet.
The only problem I see is that both the white and black wires would have to be switched off (they have dual pole swiches where you throw a lever just like on an old frankenstien movie) so that it doesn't alternate back to the main panel. The fancy switches just automatically do exactly what I'm saying w/o having to throw a switch.
Shooter7
New member
Now that would be awesome. Have those big glass globes with the electrical bolt going between them....sorry, got carried away.
Ok, I was just tossing ideas about and trying to find a way to do something like this without having to cough up hundreds of dollars for parts. Wish I just had the change to drop on a whole house built-in system. Essentially, I was just going to stoke the fireplace and gather everyone in the living room if ours had gone out. Generator would power the tanks, fridge, and probably have the TV/VCR running for some entertainment. Biggest issue would be getting gas for the generator. Outside of siphoning my car, I only have maybe a few gallons available.catastrofe
New member
Woo-Hoo!
Ameren got my power back on at ~7:30. Once they got to my street it took them no longer than 30 minutes to trim a few branches and flip the cutout. Just wish they could have done that on Friday when they were here. . .
Ameren got my power back on at ~7:30. Once they got to my street it took them no longer than 30 minutes to trim a few branches and flip the cutout. Just wish they could have done that on Friday when they were here. . .
MayoBoy
Movin' on Up
That was my plan. Filled up the car and the van so we'd have 45 gallons available in very safe storage containers. I have 5 gallons in a container (stabilized) plus 5 gallons of kerosene for a heater but if worse comes to worse, I'd have the car and van as a back up.
Congrats Bob - now would you mind sending them down the road a bit so I can send my mother home?
beapeams
New member
Amazing. I lost power Thursday, power came back on Monday at 2am, Tank went from 79 to 62 in the five day span and i loss no fish, or corals. I have the sump currently recirculating and allowing the tank to slowly rise in temp from the powerheads, acintic lights and from room temp going backup. It is back up to 69 degrees. I will hook the sump up later tonight after I do a 15 gallon water change on the sump and 15 on the tank(30 total) and if the tank temp is at 72 or higher when I get home from work.
So question to the more experienced. How did everything survive. I assumed I would loose everything with the temp drop. Was it is because it was gradual drop 18 degrees over 5 days is a litttle over 3 degrees per day. So can the fish and corals handle that better than if the tank shot up in temp. i just knew if any kicked it my emperor Angel would be the one, since angels can be a little finiky. Even my reef lobster survived. Also, my plan for getting the tank back up to temp, does that sound good. I don't want to heat the tank to fast because that could be worst than what the power outage did.
I just know I can't wait to January, we are getting one of the automatic Generators that will be attached to the house and have a propane tank installed to power it. Uprooting the family twice in a year was enough for us. We had already planned on the generator for the begining of the year, Looks like that was not soon enough.
So question to the more experienced. How did everything survive. I assumed I would loose everything with the temp drop. Was it is because it was gradual drop 18 degrees over 5 days is a litttle over 3 degrees per day. So can the fish and corals handle that better than if the tank shot up in temp. i just knew if any kicked it my emperor Angel would be the one, since angels can be a little finiky. Even my reef lobster survived. Also, my plan for getting the tank back up to temp, does that sound good. I don't want to heat the tank to fast because that could be worst than what the power outage did.
I just know I can't wait to January, we are getting one of the automatic Generators that will be attached to the house and have a propane tank installed to power it. Uprooting the family twice in a year was enough for us. We had already planned on the generator for the begining of the year, Looks like that was not soon enough.
saltyunderground
In Memoriam
They turned our power off Saturday afternoon due to a live wire in a neighbors yard while we were out of town. We came home on Sunday afternoon to find our tanks at 66 degrees. I learned that you can have a generator hooked up and running in less than an hour when in panic mode.
It appears that we have no losses other than our SPS that were not looking very good before we left. It's hard to tell because we can not run all of the lights on all of the tanks. We have all heaters, pumps and the furnace running off of a 5500 watt generator plus a few lamps.
They are working on the lines down the street so I am hoping we have our power back today.
Now to handle the ick outbreak on the fish I am expecting to come next.
It appears that we have no losses other than our SPS that were not looking very good before we left. It's hard to tell because we can not run all of the lights on all of the tanks. We have all heaters, pumps and the furnace running off of a 5500 watt generator plus a few lamps.
They are working on the lines down the street so I am hoping we have our power back today.
Now to handle the ick outbreak on the fish I am expecting to come next.
jwhockey23
New member
My power just came back on it has been out since midnight thursday, i was just using battery powered air pumps and 2 floatting crappie lights in my tanks, the water temp got down to 60, i lost all my fish in my 60 gal. except my eel, and I lost 3 in my 135gal.
saltyunderground
In Memoriam
Yippee! Our power just came back on.
The most important thing I learned from this expereince... It pays to marry a man who knows how to improvise in a pinch. Kevin had all of the tanks running and figured out how to rig the furnace to run off of the generator in an hour. He had never done any of that before.
If I had to do any of that, I'd be calling for my mommy.
The most important thing I learned from this expereince... It pays to marry a man who knows how to improvise in a pinch. Kevin had all of the tanks running and figured out how to rig the furnace to run off of the generator in an hour. He had never done any of that before.
If I had to do any of that, I'd be calling for my mommy.
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