TC generator saves the day.....and the fridge contents

[Geewizard]

I have fallen in love all over again. With my Honda EU2000i generator, that is.

A devastating wind storm knocked out power to most everyone in the Spokane and Coeur d'Alene areas on Tuesday night, a reported 380,000 people. Some will be without power until Sunday.

Windstorm

I rewired the gas furnace, ran extension cords to it and the refrigerator, DSL modem, and wife's computer, and outside through the dog door to the Honda and we were back in business very shortly.

I bet there wasn't a generator to be bought within 300 miles.

Glad I bought the Honda when I got the TC.

[Downwindtracke1]

Now you'll getting a artic front coming down. We're getting out flows in the Fraser valley.

[Geewizard]

You have an hourmeter on your Honda? If so, what brand?
I need to get one for mine.

Thought I'd get a Tiny Tach since I used those on my Go-Devil mud motors in AK.

[deltabravo]

Geewizard wrote:
Are you on Avista?

Nope, Inland Power.

Power was restored sometime today while I was at work.

I racked up 125 hours on one of my EU2000s. I loaned the other to my neighbor. Not sure what the total hours are on it yet.

I put about 30 hours on the loud generator I bought on Thursday.

[Geewizard]

Are you on Avista?

[deltabravo]

EU2k ran all last night, most of the day and is going to run all night tonight. The only times it doesn't run is when I run the big genny to power the well pump, or washer and dryer.

I still don't have a very good ET for restoration of utility power.

[deltabravo]

Old-Biscuit wrote:
Similar to this set up on these 60A CBs

That's the style transfer panel I had on my house in the Tacoma area.

My current house has NO transfer switch.

My EU2000 has 239 hours on it now. Still no power up north where I am located.

[Old-Biscuit]

Kayteg1 wrote:
My vintage motorhome was build before transfer switches got invented I guess.
Whoever build it still had ingenious idea.
On electric panel there are 2 main double breakers coming from different power sources.
A metal plate was cut and riveted below the breakers that rotate flipping one breaker off, when the other is turned on.
Coach is in storage, so can't take picture easy and then - today good transfer switches are easy to get.

That is how my 5vr is set up.
I have dual 50A receptacles on 5vr (front & rear).....originally had ATS that failed at 8 mos. Mfg. sent new replacement (5 days no power) and after swap new one would only energize one side. Mfg. stated "Yeah we've had some issues. Please send back for us to troubleshoot"

I installed a sub-panel with double pole 50A CBs that are mechanically interlocked...only one CB can be closed at a time. That was 8 yrs ago

Similar to this set up on these 60A CBs



ATS's went in the dumpster. IF I have any issues parts can be found at most any hardware store for $10

[deltabravo]

There's still parts of town where traffic is rerouted around downed trees.

Tonight I saw a tree that smashed a GMT800 model Tahoe and a laid over power pole. The smashed Tahoe was still sitting there.

[deltabravo]

Geewizard wrote:
I have fallen in love all over again. With my Honda EU2000i generator, that is.

A devastating wind storm knocked out power to most everyone in the Spokane and Coeur d'Alene areas on Tuesday night, a reported 380,000 people. Some will be without power until Sunday.

Ditto.

THe storm was of epic proportions. The wind blew nearly all day long, and got really bad after 3pm... then a dust cloud blew in and made everyone's vehicles a mess since it rained a little prior to the dust blowing in.

I've only lived here 2.5 years. Previous wind storms are just a quick passing event, maybe lasting 30 minutes. This one was like a storm on the west side of the state where storms just hang over the area and get blocked by the Cascade Mtns.

I loaned my standard EU2000 to my neighbor to power his pellet stove and Fridge.

I kept my Companion model to power my lights and wood stove. It ran non stop from Tuesday about 4:30pm until sometime yesterday morning. I don't know why it shut down.

Tuesday it had 156 hours on it. Last night when I changed the oil it had 202 hours. I ran it all last night and most of today.

Yesterday I scored a contractor grade 7.5k generator on CL. I rigged that up to power my well pump. I switch between the two generators as needed. The person I bought it from only owned it a day and put 12 hours on it. They had to drive to Pullman to get it.

Yesterday I called all over the dry side of the state and everyone said they were sold out, and/or shipped their gens to Spokane.

I'm still without power.

I have an extended run tank I built myself. This is it a few years ago. Unlike the photo below, I set the can higher than the generator so the siphon effect works.

[Kayteg1]

Old-Biscuit wrote:

GordonThree wrote:

Old-Biscuit wrote:
I'm fortunate enough to have an power pedestal in side yard.

Main power meter disconnect are on this pedestal so all I have to do is flip MAIN OFF, plug in Onan 4KW to receptacle open up circuit breakers in house panel to non-essentials and fire up generator.

So the main breaker for your house service is in a pedestal, in the side yard? Is that typical of service installs for your area?

When I had the fuse box ripped out of my house and 200 amp service installed, I asked about having the main put someplace more accessible than in my crawlspace where the panel is. Nope, couldn't do it per (local/national?) electrical code. I didn't press on exactly why or what code.

YES in this 'neighborhood'
Originally ALL pasture lands that owner developed ----lots were set up with utilities (water/gas/electric and irrigation water services) then sold. Homes were then built by owners that purchased the lots.



Reddog1
As to MAIN getting turned on with gen running.
25 yrs as a power plant operator....I was the one that generated the electricity and worked closely with the transmission side so fully aware of dangers involved.

Power pedestal is LOCKED so MAIN CB are not accessible by 'joe blow'

Generator is in bed of truck so I have to park truck/plug in gen etc.
NOT an auto standby system so no ATS needed

No different than others hooking up/using their Honda portables
except easier for me due to power pedestal.

My vintage motorhome was build before transfer switches got invented I guess.
Whoever build it still had ingenious idea.
On electric panel there are 2 main double breakers coming from different power sources.
A metal plate was cut and riveted below the breakers that rotate flipping one breaker off, when the other is turned on.
Coach is in storage, so can't take picture easy and then - today good transfer switches are easy to get.

[tattoobob]

I did that 2 years in a row when we lost power the first time was for 5 days and the second was for 7, after that year I saved and installed a whole house stand by generator, now we'll never lose power again

[Eric_Lisa]

A few years back we had five days in December with no power. The Onan 2500 propane generator built in to my Lance kept the fridge, freezer, and a couple fans running. Long extension cord runs though.

After that outage DW said 'go buy a real generator'. So now I have a Onan/Cummings 6500 generator in a special generator room with air inlet and ventilation fans. A 200amp transfer switch will move the entire house load over to the generator. Yes, I only have 30amps to work with, but it was necessary to go this route because of the location of the well pump wiring and the already full house breaker panel.

I got a 275 gallon fuel tank which is about 3/4 of non-ethanol premium gas. I will even sell gas out of the tank to my neighbors who also have generators, but always forget to have fuel on hand. I'm not making a profit here, but I didn't get the gas for free either.

-Eric

[Old-Biscuit]

GordonThree wrote:

Old-Biscuit wrote:
I'm fortunate enough to have an power pedestal in side yard.

Main power meter disconnect are on this pedestal so all I have to do is flip MAIN OFF, plug in Onan 4KW to receptacle open up circuit breakers in house panel to non-essentials and fire up generator.

So the main breaker for your house service is in a pedestal, in the side yard? Is that typical of service installs for your area?

When I had the fuse box ripped out of my house and 200 amp service installed, I asked about having the main put someplace more accessible than in my crawlspace where the panel is. Nope, couldn't do it per (local/national?) electrical code. I didn't press on exactly why or what code.

YES in this 'neighborhood'
Originally ALL pasture lands that owner developed ----lots were set up with utilities (water/gas/electric and irrigation water services) then sold. Homes were then built by owners that purchased the lots.



Reddog1
As to MAIN getting turned on with gen running.
25 yrs as a power plant operator....I was the one that generated the electricity and worked closely with the transmission side so fully aware of dangers involved.

Power pedestal is LOCKED so MAIN CB are not accessible by 'joe blow'

Generator is in bed of truck so I have to park truck/plug in gen etc.
NOT an auto standby system so no ATS needed

No different than others hooking up/using their Honda portables
except easier for me due to power pedestal.

[Bedlam]

My main breaker is outside next to the meter and underground service, but the breaker box for the house is on the third floor. It's up to code, but not the way I would have wired it.