Power Outage...

22-rimfire said:
If your camping stuff and home emergency is mixed as one would expect, I would just concern myself with a couple important items that would allow you the time and some convenience in searching for the other junk that is spread around. Those might include lanterns (have several battery operated ones and a couple old gas lanterns), flashlights, perhaps a generator, and candles (which I pretty much refuse to use anymore unless they are attended). There is something calming to be able to turn on the lights. You go from that point based on the circumstances and you always have the next day during daylight to search.

Even though my wife doesn't know it, I keep sleeping bags stored for emergency use. She is no camper or hiker.

Good generators are pretty expensive. But I think buying one with a Honda engine is important and worth the extra bucks.

KDucky, the trout stream sounds great, but it seems when you need to catch some fish to eat, they can be pretty elusive and uncooperative. Plus your typical trout populations can be thinned down pretty rapidly when you keep everything you catch. Sounds like you have a great little spot.
Click to expand...

Hell, if its that bad, I'll be squirrel hunting here around the house too(I'm hunting them this season. already have a freezer full). But I have lots of stored food on hand. Most being non perishable. Also have a fairly large garden in the summer.

My generator is a Briggs n Stratton OHV version. Actually its 8750 surge. 7k sustained. so I was somewhat wrong. Looks like this one but an older model.
213278_400x400.jpg


I'm up on the side of a mtn just below the Appalachian trail. This is just one big watershed. A few locals sometimes fish thru our property. Just the way it is up here. Right now the creek is raging and impossible to cross because of all this rain. Kayakable tho. As dangerous as it would be, since its full of Holes and Strainers at this flow. I've even pulled 2 big arse 10-12lb Snapping turtles from it.
Turtlefrontyard022.jpg
[/URL][/img]
Hes not happy. They also eat the fish, so I moved him. I'd rather not kill'm if I don't have too.

Front yard creek the day that turtle was caught. A lot lower then it is right now lol. The house is 30 yard to the left of pic.

We're isolated and surrounded by miles of US Forest service wilderness lands. That and 500 acres of family (all wilderness also)and Cherokee Indian Reservation lands. Lots of bear, deer, coyote, wild pig, etc around the property. I'm already where everyone else wants to come if the SHTF some day.

Heres the stove. It goes 24/7 most winters for about 4 months. It'll run you outta the house(its only 1200sq ft) if the vent is not kept 80% closed. We go thru about 7-10 Face cords per season, depending on the severity of winter. We get lots of snow since I'm relatively high.


I have an 85-90ish yrd shooting rage in the back yard. This was 2 weeks ago. I shoot several times weekly.


A short walk from the house give me this view. The AT runs along that high ridge. That powerline goes up to a remote unmanned fire tower. This dirt road ends at a locals cabin. Most of what you see here is US Forest service land.
 
Last edited:
We usually wait a while and often call the power company to find out what's going on. After that, in cold times of the year the generator starts up to keep the pipes (and us) from freezing. Usually when the power is out for an extended period of time, it is due to a blizzard and we simply cannot get out. We always keep enough supplies on hand to keep us all well and good for several days. The folks in the area tend to check on each other during big storms, so as soon as roads are clear help usually isn't too far away.

Loss of power here is more annoying than cause for panic. It happens several times a year, though usually not for more than a day or so. When we had livestock and had to keep them fed and healthy things were a bit more tense but with a generator to keep the well going it never ended up too bad.
 
22-rimfire said:
An electrician suggested that when you run your gasoline generator and want to turn it off, turn off the fuel supply switch rather than just turnning it off to burn the fuel that is inside the carburator. He said that with ethyinol additive, this is a problem if you store gas in the generator for more than 6 months.

I believe the stuff you are referrign to is Stabil. I may have the spelling wrong.
Click to expand...

I have stored my generator for years and I put that stuff in it and ran the generator. Believe me it works very good.
 
There is more to this topic than can be covered in a single thread. People have written volumes on the subject. The question is how far do you want to go, how much do you want to spend, how much of a lifestyle hit are you willing to take?

Your preps could be anything from a few bottles of water and cans of food in the basement to a fully stocked, off-grid, food producing homestead. One requires little time and money, the other considerable amounts of both. Both examples attempt to cover the basic needs of food, water, and shelter. The difference is the duration of self suffiency mode. With the water and food you could get by for a few days. With the self sufficient retreat you could hold out until your property got claimed for unpayed taxes or something came up that you didn't know how to fix.
 
batosai117 said:
So my question is what gear do you guys/gals have at the ready or wish that you had at the ready in times of emergency be it a real emergency or a quick fix like my power outage. Do y'all leave stuff readily available for your spouses and little ones? Inquiring minds would like to know.
Click to expand...

I live in the northeast and my house is dependent on electricity for running my oil-burning hot water baseboard heating system. In case of a long-term winter power outage, I have a good-sized kerosene heater, a fireplace, and for heat AND light, several Coleman lanterns in white gas, kerosene and propane versions, with plenty of fuel for all types. I have a small (900W) generator that can run the refrigerator/freezer in the case of a summer outage. Being an outdoors person makes power outages a lot less of a hassle. Chances are good you already have all the gear you'll need, and like another said, it's just like camping out at home.

Stay sharp,
desmobob
 
Key I you have an amazing property. I hope to someday retire to a place like yours...
 
Kducky's bro, you have a great little spot. I have fished many trout streams that size. My brother lives in a place along the same lines. You must be up close to Cherokee. I head that way a fair amount. My wife initially wanted to buy a place in the country surrounding Sevierville, Gatlinburg, or Townsend and then after more thought, she was uncomfortable being more distant from doctors and hospitals as we age. So, we stay put.
 
22-rimfire said:
Kducky's bro, you have a great little spot. I have fished many trout streams that size. My brother lives in a place along the same lines. You must be up close to Cherokee. I head that way a fair amount. My wife initially wanted to buy a place in the country surrounding Sevierville, Gatlinburg, or Townsend and then after more thought, she was uncomfortable being more distant from doctors and hospitals as we age. So, we stay put.
Click to expand...

This is KDuckys brother on my late brothers other 2nd acct. I think I said that right.

But yeah, we only have a clinic here, having 1 real doc. Farthest e-room is Bryson City, which is about 40 minutes away. That is a drawback of living here in the mtns. Other stuff is easy tho. Relatively zero traffic on this side of the Park. In town you can walk to the tag office.. Then to the court house.. Then to the driver license place.. Hardware.. Grocery.. Eat.. Whatever, all in a 1/2 mile radius. I'm close to Robbinsville, Fontana Dam, etc. I backpack, whitewater kayak, mtb, hunt, and ride motorcycles. So its paradise to me. I used to live in N Ga for along time before.

My wife teaches high school. .I'm trying to stay retired, since 03. I'm 55 now. You can live cheap here, but its hard to make a living. I do work part time at the NOC outfitters store, or bicycle shop sometimes.
 
Last edited:
batosai117 said:
So my question is what gear do you guys/gals have at the ready or wish that you had at the ready in times of emergency be it a real emergency or a quick fix like my power outage. Do y'all leave stuff readily available for your spouses and little ones? Inquiring minds would like to know.
Click to expand...

Lots of great suggestions. Living in FL I've gone through my fair share of power outages and hurricanes. The longest stretch was 2 1/2 weeks after Opal. The roads and bridges were literally washed away so in addition to power outages travel in general was difficult. Can't speak as much to dealing with the cold though. For those without a generator flower pot heaters are inexpensive to make and can warm a small space up a bit. I keep hand warmers in my car kit.

For a known event a Water Bob is a liner that fits in your bathtub that can hold 100 gallons of water. I'd still keep stored water bottles for surprise outages. We have a well so when the power goes out so does our water until I hook up the generator. A large water cooler placed on a counter over a sink aids in hand washing. Another helpful item is emergency lights. I found mine at Lowes. Plug them in around the house. They are inexpensive and look like night lights. When the power goes off they light up so you are able to find your way to your other supplies and the kids won't be as frightened. If you unplug them they sub for a flash light. Candles and oil lamps have their place but I prefer a non flammable light source around pets and small children such as battery/crank/ or solar lights. Goal Zero makes some great products but they can be expensive. Power outages and other issues can be less inconvenient and stressful if prepared. My family does know where supplies are and how to use them. In some situations phone service is not available.

In addition to water/food and a way to cook the food baby wipes, paper plates, and garbage bags all came in handy. The store shelves will clear quickly when a storm warning is issued. It's less expensive and less stressful to pick up a few extra things each week than to get everything you need in one trip just prior to a storms arrival. If you have city water a way to purify water would be essential. If you are on city sewer the lift stations can be shut down during power outages. They were out in the aftermath of Opal. Just an FYI to plan ahead for when nature calls. I also have kits for the cars in the event of break downs and a go bag for each family member in the event we needed to leave the house on short notice (family emerg/fire etc) Lots of info on the web on ideas of what to include ex change of clothes, water, snack, comfort item for a child, glow sticks, back ups of important documents, meds, toothbrush etc are just some ideas. Search for 72 hour kit/bug out bag. If you have a generator other than a short term local event be prepared to chain it and keep your eye on it. It doesn't take long for people to realize they are unprepared and that you have what they need. They are loud and will call attention to your home.
 
I've tried to standardize my emergency power source to rechargeable Sanyo Eneloop AAs...other than the cr123s in the weapons lights, and the D for my ceiling fan motor, the rest of my hurricane supplies take AAs... and for boredom a 12v digital TV with rabbit ear antenna... if you have only a single bath room, a 33gal plastic trash can placed in your shower allows you to store bathing and flushing water (pour directly into the bowl) without blocking access to the shower drain... I use a garden sprayer for water pressure...I've use kero lanterns and recently a HMN110 kero radiant heater just in case...usually too much heat is the problem down here...propane camp stove, and fish cooker for food...with a multi fuel Coleman single burner that runs on unleaded gasoline as back up...though I have a 3500w Honda, my in house source for immediate power is the AAs... I have a GoalZero 7w panel, but most likely will charge them with the deep cycle trolling battery...I hard wired a 12v cigarette receptacle to the - terminal to make hook up a little easier...the + terminal is uncovered for the picture.... I've attempted to centralize the location of most of my hurricane supplies to a Sears rolling tool chest... but the flashlights, and especially the head lamp are in a central location... get your wife a Fenix E05 with a lithium cell for her key ring...

shown with a Fujicell SCH808F charger that works on 5v USB, 12v, or 120v

 
Last edited:
I have a genset and a few extension cords and power boards , enough to run the fridge , freezers , computers and lights . Its dedicated to the house , I have a little inverter type genset for camping , charging stuff up .

Our house is heated by a woodfire in winter , our airconditioners are all broken and I havent repaired them .. we use the ceiling fans or have the doors open / closed , as cools the place best in summer.

I cook in the back yard mostly in summer , no point having a rocket stove and a sheltered outdoors area if were not going to use it .. saves heating up the house or stinking it up if Im cooking fish or garlic whatever , or better yet , garlic prawns .. now Im hungry ..

winter time we just break out our camping stoves and cook inside .

We do make sure the oldies in our area who we call friends in a winter black out , have enough warm blankets ( sling em a sleeping bag if they dont ) hot water , and a good warm meal each day the power is out . Made some outstanding friends doing this , and some enemies .. younger folk assuming we are aiming to cash in on their inheritance .. Cant always guarentee that people will be glad you helped someone , or at least not give a dam . Id still hate for anyone to have had a hardship or worse when I could have so easy have helped a friend .

one thing to note , when the power is out , the loudest most annoying noise anyone can hear is someone elses genset theyre not getting power from . Doesnt hurt to have it runing a fair ways away from houses if you can , or to be ready to run a neighbours fridge a while ( at their risk ) . My experience anyway .
 
I remember when out power went out. a tree fell over and rip up our serves so we didn't have any power. I went out a got a generator and fired it up. the police can by and told me I had to turn if off after 10 pm. I said get real. I have not power. they looked and told me ok. some old person called and complained about it.
 
We use a few of the plug in outlet emergency power lights. Around 20.00 each but give good light in a large room, they charge all the time on standby and come on wehn power goes off or you pull them out of the outlet. Haveing the lights go out while working in a crowded basement at night kind of sucks.....stumbling to find the stairs.

Also keep some solar powered lights along the sidewalk and can bring them inside for some low level non flammable light- helps to get around the house with no flame and no cost or batteries.

Then come the chemlights, headlamps and flashlights/recharhable lantern. But those outlet lights are what turns and "Oh crap" moment into a minor inconvenience as we get the other items sorted out. These lights are also cool in that they wake you and let you know that your alarm clock will not be waking you up for work...

The first few minutes behind us, the rest gets easier.

Bill
 
I do love to grill. To that end I have three 20 lb propane tanks, two of which are always full and ready to go. Great for cooking and heat when other options are not available. I also keep the camping gear stored in plastic containers and in one location. So batteries, flashlights/headlamps, blankets, stoves, first aid, etc. are all easy to get at. Plenty of firewood on hand. Every vehicle has a small pack with basic essentials including first aid, light, fire, water, food, shelter etc. I think keeping gear organized and in a central location makes life much easier when there is a problem.
 
Power blackouts and storms that block the roads are common in these parts. I keep the generator inside the house at room temperature and its ready to go in a pinch. Once the power goes out I don't wait, and get the generator outside and plugged into the house, then wait in comfort for power to return. I always keep a weeks supply of gas or better, and enough whiskey to wait out the storm. I carry the chainsaw should I have to travel anywhere when a storm is expected. A chainsaw is a great friend to have when coming home to find the road blocked by fallen trees.
 
Some here regarding blocked roads. Besides the usual stuff, an evasive beatle has killed almost all the millions of Hemlocks in the SE mtns. ..including some of the old growth tree in the Joyce Kilmer Mem forest and wilderness areas. Its a crying shame. Beautiful tree. Anyways, many of those have long been dead and now poised(3 100+' tall all leaning over my powerline. its not if, its when) to take out lines the next storm that comes thru. Because of, I also sometimes drive with a chainsaw in the truck over a yrs time. Typically my road gets blocked at least a couple times a year.
 
We've had a few power outs here, and being at the top of the hill we'll loose water pressure first. We have a pretty sizeable rainwater tank that I would like to upgrade from steel to poly some day, and install a pump and filter (when I buy the house maybe) and at some point the house will get solar feed-in panels. when that happens, I'll probably get the house wired to charge a couple deep-cycle 12V to at least have a little backup power. a genny would be cool, but not very useful for us here, but if I did, I would probably invest in a propane powered one, as large bottles are very common here for hot water and cooking service so it would be fairly economical to have a plumbed in grill, and be able to run the genny. That said at this point, the power generation system in Australia has been turned on its head due to the popularity of feed-in systems, ironically driving up prices, making feeders much more economical (if the local grid can handle it, which in many places it no longer can handle the feed in load!)
I'm pretty well situated at home though, if the flood gets to me, there will be nothing left to worry about, 'cause it will be all over.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top