I was without mains power for almost 5 days...

[DemocraticPatriot]

just got it back a couple hours ago--- lost due to the "historic damage" in the Michigan storms last Thursday night...


It sucked anyways. I hope my freezer food is still edible--- a 20-pound bag of ice kept it all at "refrigerator temps" at least..... and has lasted longer than I expected...


I own 2 deep-discharge batteries which, powering a power inverter, allowed me to have a couple hours of TV at night, and one low-watt lightbulb, and a fan for a little while--- but they had not been used for a long time, other than to recharge them about twice a year, they had not been used for about 5 years... (otherwise, I would have gone completely goddam crazy..)
They may be wrecked now, but maybe they need a little distilled water--- but they are far beyond their expiration date if i had been actually using them all this time... (2016, but they were not used very much, only maintained)


Wish I had bought one of those Generac natural-gas generators, when I had the money to do it---
(but how many times do these emergencies actually happen RIGHT HERE where you are? LOL
twice in the last 20 years, but only once did it affect me)


Anyway, glad the lights are back on-- one day early against the previous predictions...

I will give more thought to possible future misfortunes....

[viva la]

1. Glad you're back online!

After my last time without power, I got a power block that you charge (when there is power), and then can charge things 100 watts and less-- so computer, phone, lights. NOT the fridge. But it was only about $70.
Also I got a mobile hotspot feature on my phone.

I feel more prepared now. But I'm always 'fighting the last war'. The next disaster will probably be no water, and I'm not prepared for that!

[DemocraticPatriot]

6. Oh god, water... at least that was not a problem...

wish I had natural gas for the stove and oven, the past 5 days, although that is not environmentally friendly... anyway, I survived without being able to cook anything.... I bought a one-burner propane 'camp stove' yesterday, but have only used it 2 times...


My deep-discharge batteries got my through for 3 good days with limited night-time use to power a small TV, one ten-watt lightbulb, and a box-fan for a little while when I thought I needed it---

but when I finally managed to check their "percentage of charge", they were down to 25 percent, which is very bad---- shouldn't let them get below 50.... the last 2 days I used my car running to try to recharge them, but they would never go above 70-some percent--- might be doing better now with mains power, I am not sure yet.... my theory is, I have not tried to use them to power anything for 5 years, only kept them charged up once or twice a year, all that time..... Since all seemed well, I never paid any attention to their water level.....

When I finally started drawing power off of them, that may be a factor--now they don't seem to hold the charge which they are presumed to have, when they are not being used..... blah blah blah

[gay texan]

8. Get an old school coleman

Camping stove. I love those things for power outages. Also keep some LED bulbs around for reduced power consumption

[OAITW r.2.0]

2. If you own your house and have a good Southerly exposure,

check out solar/battery back-up. You can't justify the investment in a a 10 year payback, but the investment in property value will more than compensate,

[DemocraticPatriot]

7. I do believe in solar power,

but my home does not appear to be geographically situated to take advantage of it...

Trees blocking the southern exposure...

[OAITW r.2.0]

9. Drop the trees....

[DemocraticPatriot]

11. My MAGA brother in law said the same thing,

but not for the same reason.........


Kill the trees?? wtf

[OAITW r.2.0]

13. I'm a tree hugging liberal Democrat in central Maine, blessed with 50 acres of awesome potential.

You don't destroy without a plan for a better vegetative outcome.

I need to plan ahead for catasptrohic fire probability.....and that means droppig all trees within 150' of the house, all directions. Because, eventually we will deal with the reality of a drier, more unpredictable climate.

[blm]

3. Glad you made out OK.

We did 48 hrs without power last month in NC mountains. I was lucky to get the last 2 bags of ice at the store.

[MiniMe]

4. I bought a generac, and I've used it twice

I bought it when I bought my house about 8 years ago. I didn't spend the money to get one that handles the whole house, but it handles enough that I have lights and TV.

[essaynnc]

5. A suggestion for the future....

Go to the auto store and buy an auto inverter. Buy the medium size one. Hook it up to your car battery and it will either charge your batteries or run your fridge. Last time I had to use it, I had to start my car every once in a while to charge up the car battery. Definitely less expensive and more usable than a large generator pack.

[DemocraticPatriot]

12. Ah, I have a 750 watt inverter, and used the car

to recharge my batteries--- but they would not recharge to 100% for some reason...


I did try to run the fridge off of it at one point, but my inverter shut down very quickly..

I thought I had "fried" it. I intended to go buy a new one,
but tried the old one "one more time" the next day, when it decided to work again.
I guess there was an 'overheated' shutoff, which resolved itself the next day.


Whenever using a power inverter off of your car battery,
you better have the engine running THE WHOLE TIME......


Been there. Done that... car batteries are very weak...

[mitch96]

10. Now throw in 90+ degree temps and high humidity and thats what it's like after a hurricane

and no power.
I can relate..it sucks.
m