How to insult a Lightning

[Rage866]

My parent’s house lost power last night for about 5 hours. I ran a cable from one of the 120 volt outlets, in the bed, into the house and ran the sump pump and a few other things off that. This was super important since the ground is saturated and there was a steady rain. Yes, they also have a small generator. Around one in the morning after the power came back we decided to leave the load on the truck, because we trusted it more than the utilities. Anyways later this morning I noticed the per cent on the truck went from 59% to 60%. As if to say ‘you know I can do more’. I’m trying to talk my parents into getting an L14-30 outlet and a better generator.

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[bc1]

Very good. Sounds like you knew what you were doing and did what all those Ford commercials claimed the Lightning was supposed to do.

That said and for a heads up, the NEC secret police around here will remind you they will need an interlock, etc. according to your local code and it's not just a matter of adding another outlet. You might help them out when you are there but some older absent minded parent could get the switching backwards and they really will see some "Lightning".

 

[Montecarlossfan]

Totally ran the house last night , 1 am power went out , stepped out and plugged in the twist lock, turned the truck on , made sure lights etc were off and went into the house and transferred over and went back to bed. No fueling a generator, and the best part is the energy costs me just about the same as utility power with a little overhead compared to 3.79 gasoline that gets wasted.

 

[Shmoe]

In regards to the subject line — take away the frunk and install a gas engine.

 

[chl]

My parent’s house lost power last night for about 5 hours. I ran a cable from one of the 120 volt outlets, in the bed, into the house and ran the sump pump and a few other things off that. This was super important since the ground is saturated and there was a steady rain. Yes, they also have a small generator. Around one in the morning after the power came back we decided to leave the load on the truck, because we trusted it more than the utilities. Anyways later this morning I noticed the per cent on the truck went from 59% to 60%. As if to say ‘you know I can do more’. I’m trying to talk my parents into getting an L14-30 outlet and a better generator.

Do it right with a $400 GENERAC 6853 transfer switch kit that include the generator inlet and a cable, for example, to protect line personnel working to restore power for the utility and avoid ground fault trips from the Lightning PPOB.

 

[bc1]

And I might add that I've seen some deals at Sam's Club for various sized Generac generators. Save on the 50% to 100% markup some electricians may have. But look around online for other wholesalers. Let the electrician supply the wire and small stuff.

 

[Rage866]

If my parents do put in a generator, it will definitely have a transfer switch. They may do a major splurge and do an automatic setup.

 

[bc1]

If my parents do put in a generator, it will definitely have a transfer switch. They may do a major splurge and do an automatic setup.

It never fails, you spend thousands of dollars and then the storm cycles change and the generator will sit for years collecting dust. I can't forget the blizzard of 1981 and the ice storm of 1993 when we were without power for a week each time.

Right now we are transitioning from a major La Nina to a major El Nino and this particular pattern at this time of year may not happen again and then may go to an ENSO-neutral condition through the spring going into the El Nino which creates a higher wind shear in the Atlantic leading to a less active Atlantic hurricane season.

Right now it all depends where we are at in the Bruckner-Egeson-Lockyer Cycle (30-40 years), Hale Cycle (22 years), Gleissberg Cycle (80-100 years), Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO), and the Solar Cycle (28 years) for which we are now in Solar Cycle 25 but we aren't far from the end of it.

I can say we are in for a few days of near record temperatures in Kansas so I may get some work done outside based upon out TV weatherman who has a 50/50 record on his predictions.

 

[chl]

It never fails, you spend thousands of dollars and then the storm cycles change and the generator will sit for years collecting dust. I can't forget the blizzard of 1981 and the ice storm of 1993 when we were without power for a week each time.

Right now we are transitioning from a major La Nina to a major El Nino and this particular pattern at this time of year may not happen again and then may go to an ENSO-neutral condition through the spring going into the El Nino which creates a higher wind shear in the Atlantic leading to a less active Atlantic hurricane season.

Right now it all depends where we are at in the Bruckner-Egeson-Lockyer Cycle (30-40 years), Hale Cycle (22 years), Gleissberg Cycle (80-100 years), Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO), and the Solar Cycle (28 years) for which we are now in Solar Cycle 25 but we aren't far from the end of it.

I can say we are in for a few days of near record temperatures in Kansas so I may get some work done outside based upon out TV weatherman who has a 50/50 record on his predictions.

Yes, my gas generator sat unused for some time after I bought it in 2011, but then when needed I was glad to have it, despite the noise - ice storm in winter and below 10F outside one year (Jan 2014), derecho one year (June 2012) knocked down lots of power lines and power was out for days, etc.

Just like an insurance policy, there when needed but hope it isn't needed.

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