# short term power outages



## jimLE (Feb 25, 2015)

*i hope this in the correct area.*

*woke up to total darkness last night.just to learn that we're having a power outage,in which it lasted 1hr and 15min..combination of mind still some what foggy from waking up,to not use to being in total darkness.i was a lil slow to what's going on.my pc is off,and no screen saver to light up my room some what..to no light filtering in from the kitchen sink light.to complete cloud cover from rain clouds.then it dawned on me,that we have no electric.no lights.no tv.to no anything.so i searched in the dark for my flashlight that i keep on my night stand.in which i used it to locate my small camping lantern on my night stand.in which i used that light to get dressed.then,and only then i went n took care of the reason to why i woke up to begin with.(restroom)..then i grabed a oil lamp and took it into the restroom and lit it.and lit another in my bedroom.in which both gave off enough light for the duration of the power outage.now im wondering..what if this lasted longer.like 2 or 3 days? maybe 1 week? and what if it lasted 1 month or longer?

this happened in 2013

The attack began just before 1 a.m. on April 16 last year, when someone slipped into an underground vault not far from a busy freeway and cut telephone cables.

"Within half an hour, snipers opened fire on a nearby electrical substation. Shooting for 19 minutes, they surgically knocked out 17 giant transformers that funnel power to Silicon Valley. A minute before a police car arrived, the shooters disappeared into the night.

"To avoid a blackout, electric-grid officials rerouted power around the site and asked power plants in Silicon Valley to produce more electricity. But it took utility workers 27 days to make repairs and bring the substation back to life."

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way...on-calif-power-station-raises-terrorism-fears

here's more on it.. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metcalf_sniper_attack

now i ask..WHAT IF they did this on a large scale?WHAT IF they did that outside as many power plants as possible? are (YOU) prepared for a power outage? be it short term to long term power outage?it took them 27 days to get the electrical substation up n going again.again i ask,are you prepared for that? i know that im not.but yet,im working on it.

our last power outage lasted 20 1/2 hours.in which we lost,only a small amount of food.so we got off easy on that..that happend on may 25th and 26th 2014..now im keeping bottled water and blue ice in the freezer,for 2 reasons.1st is,it allows the freezer to stay plenty cold for a longer period of time while we have electric.and that alone cuts down on the electric bill at least some what.2ndly,i'll transfer some of the bottles of frozen water and blue ice to the fridge,just so it'll stay cold longer as well*

*i've transferred some of the bottled ice to the fridge,and put the blue ice into freezer,since i wrote that..on account a person don't always guess/know when the power will go out..*


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## Caribou (Aug 18, 2012)

The in floor heat will keep this place comfortable for at least a day. A radiant heater powered by propane will provide limited heat if the natural gas goes down as well. A high quality CO detector with a digital readout above 5PPM will assure my awareness of CO buildup.

Our moving blankets and spare blankets should keep the freezer in adequate shape for at least three days. 

A Honda EU2000i and a small amount of spare fuel should provide minimal electrical needs for at least another week. This is a relatively quiet generator but the immediate neighbors are close enough to hear it. 

Flashlights, lanterns, candles, and candle making supplies will provide light for an extended period.

A recent purchase of a Coleman camp stove, four dollars at a garage sale, will provide adequate cooking.

I can get by for at least a week and probably more. We are in a short term rental situation. When we get into our home I'll want to improve on this.


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## hiwall (Jun 15, 2012)

Our power was off around an hour yesterday. I fully plan on power being off a long time at some point in the future. I am reasonably ready for that to happen. I will miss reading and writing the posts on this site though


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## Viking (Mar 16, 2009)

Don't have the solar array installed yet, but this will give us a few days without cranking up the generator, which is dang noisy. I'm still considering getting a low rpm quieter generator from my friend that works on generators. We don't get enough wind here to consider relying on wind generator for keeping the batteries charged on no sun charge days, but I still would like to have a vertical axial one for when we do get some winds. It wouldn't be a bad idea to have more 1 liter bottles of frozen water on hand to put in the refrigerator compartment to slow down the warming process. As it is we use 1 liter frozen water bottles in coolers when we go into town for buying groceries that need to be cool, since those stores are 30 to 60 miles from home we take advantage of other shopping needs and it can end up being a long day and three to four of the frozen bottles per cooler works great and would more than likely do the same for the two refrigerators we have.


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## tsrwivey (Dec 31, 2010)

We've been without power for a week twice. The first time we sprayed at my family's house, stayed warm with a fireplace& cooked on a gas stove. Refrigeration was not an issue as an ice storm was the reason for the power outage. 

The second time was in the summer after the remnants of a hurricane came through. We hooked the generator up to our fifth wheel & had all the comforts of home. 

I will REALLY miss air conditioning when the grid goes down long term but I will live. We have all the stuff & know how to do all the necessities without electricity but it would still be a minor adjustment. Hubby is seriously considering buying a gasifier & I'm seriously considering blessing the purchase. Electricity sure makes life a lot easier & more comfortable.


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## Wellrounded (Sep 25, 2011)

I've lived 11 years out of my 46 without any power, none at all, not even a torch. Not really that big a deal in my climate. We have most things running or able to run on alternative power (quite a few run on elbow grease) Heating, cooking and hot water have always been wood. Most other stuff we can work around. We have about 6000 watts of panels, plus two generators, plus half a dozen other ways of powering stuff. My main concern in the long term would be powering up the workshop every now and then and having some after dark lighting (love LEDs ) . I built my second home during one of my power free periods with nothing more than hand tools, so even power in the workshop can be done without if that's what it comes to.


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## Starcreek (Feb 4, 2015)

Wellrounded said:


> I've lived 11 years out of my 46 without any power, none at all, not even a torch.


Our family has lived off-grid maybe 6 years altogether, divided up into 3 different times over the past 30 years. We used an out house, solar panels, etc. The main benefit of that experience is knowledge:


Knowing that it's not that big a deal. Living without utilities is do-able and you quickly adjust.
Knowing what's important.... don't prepare with short-term fixes like gennies and batteries, prepare with long-term, oftentimes old-fashioned equipment, like lanterns, wood heat, and a well.
Funny to run across this thread today, because we had an incident here a few hours ago in which our internet and landline phone went out. We used the cell phone to call the phone/internet provider. Being a Sunday, it took a while to get it back on, then it was on and off for a while. Some of the family went to visit someone a couple of miles from us, and their power was off. Seems to be happening a lot around here lately, but it's a great reminder of what _can _happen, in the not-too-distant future.


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## Caribou (Aug 18, 2012)

Sorry, paste would not work.


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## jimLE (Feb 25, 2015)

*a great thing about topics like this..is folks can learn from the,..including coming up with better ideas,then what they already have.*


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## TheLazyL (Jun 5, 2012)

jimLE said:


> *i hope this in the correct area.*
> 
> woke up to total darkness last night.just to learn that we're having a power outage,in which it lasted 1hr and 15min....not use to being in total darkness...flashlight that i keep on my night stand.in which i used it to locate my small camping lantern on my night stand.in which i used that light to get dressed.then,and only then i went n took care of the reason to why i woke up to begin with.(restroom)..then i grabed a oil lamp and took it into the restroom and lit it.and lit another in my bedroom.in which both gave off enough light for the duration of the power outage....


Great Scots man! You needed 4 lights for a 1 hours and 15 minutes outage?!

What are your your plans for a long term SHTF?!

We leave no night lights on:

1. Preps us for no electricity.
2. Why give a home invader the advantage of lighting?
3. Saves on the electric bill.


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## BillS (May 30, 2011)

We have ways to heat our home, cook our food, and light our home for about a year. No air conditioning though. I hope the coming economic collapse happens in the fall.


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## jimLE (Feb 25, 2015)

TheLazyL said:


> Great Scots man! You needed 4 lights for a 1 hours and 15 minutes outage?!
> 
> What are your your plans for a long term SHTF?!
> 
> ...


only time light(s) is neded during the day.is when one or more of us is reading a book,or what ever..other then that.lights aint needed during the day.and as for night time.it does get mighty dark around here at night.especilly with no lights...


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## jimLE (Feb 25, 2015)

*oh and as for long term goes.im starting out with oil lamps,in which i do have already.buying extra burners,,wicks and lamp oil,just to start out with..and as for sources of long term electric lighting goes..i havent decided yet..*


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## Starcreek (Feb 4, 2015)

jimLE said:


> *oh and as for long term goes.im starting out with oil lamps,in which i do have already.buying extra burners,,wicks and lamp oil,just to start out with..and as for sources of long term electric lighting goes..i havent decided yet..*


Go to bed when it gets dark.
Get up when it gets light.
Keep some candles and matches by the bed in case somebody gets sick during the night.


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## Caribou (Aug 18, 2012)

TheLazyL said:


> Great Scots man! You needed 4 lights for a 1 hours and 15 minutes outage?!


Really LL? Do you have fewer than four backup light sources? I saw the power go out for eight days. After that first hour we expected it to come back on any time. We were ready for that first hour.


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## Woody (Nov 11, 2008)

In an emergency situation, I'm in the camp of just finding ways to do without. 

Getting a genny for the frig/freezer? What are we looking at, $1,000 for basic, maybe a few thousand for a larger one. Plus the gas stored and rotated through to run it for how many days? I'll just keep it closed in short term, longer term eat what I can then write off the rest. What am I losing, maybe $200 at most?

For light I have a small tealight lantern with a reflector and magnifying glass front. Besides the flashlights and headlamps that is. I light it and carry it with me. It will "light up" a 16' by 24' area enough to see everything. Walking with it will light up enough to see clearly 8' in front of you, more than enough not to run into anything.

I know it will be a lifestyle change. I don't try to make it be just like I live today.


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## farright (Mar 25, 2010)

Flashlight in nightstand and in a few other places around the house. The wife has candles all over and I always carry a lighter also have kero lamps and coleman lanterns both gas and propane. If it is a winter outage we close off main room heat with propane at the moment.


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## Gians (Nov 8, 2012)

Recently put the flashlight by the bed on a hook, in case we wake to a shaker don't want it somewhere on the floor.


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## TheLazyL (Jun 5, 2012)

Caribou said:


> Really LL? Do you have fewer than four backup light sources? I saw the power go out for eight days. After that first hour we expected it to come back on any time. We were ready for that first hour.


I wasn't thinking backup sources. I was thinking a 1 hour and 15 minute outage.

My prostate says it's time (usually it is lying). I get out of bed, hang a left, hang a right, lift the lid and go, without turning on a light. Only time I had a problem was when the wife left the laundry basket in the middle of the bedroom floor.

Getting dressed? I do that in the dark too. Work shirt is hanging in the middle of the closet, pants (bluejeans) are rolled up on the shelf with wallet and keys already in the pockets. I lay out my clothes the night before. Everything has a place and everything is in it's place mentality (thank you Dad).

Shop is in the woods 150 feet from the house. Don't need no light. Eyes adjust and I know the route. Why have a flashlight flashing the woods and alerting anyone who may be interested I'm coming.

Outside nightlights. They shine on your windows. Then when you pull back a curtain to see who's out there, you end up making yourself visible instead.

Now the wife...power goes out and the light bulbs don't even have a chance to dim and she's already asking when I'm firing up the generator. 

Back to the OP. I was just flapping my pie hole wondering if 4 lights were necessary for a 1 hour and 15 minute outage, how many would be needed for a longer term SHTF event? My wife would need every last light she could turn on and for me I wouldn't need any. Doesn't make me right and her wrong or vice versa. We're just different characters.


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## jimLE (Feb 25, 2015)

*some,if not most power outages we have,is when it's dark out.(night time).so yes,it helps to have these different lights.this flashlight i keep on my night stand..not a lot of light.but it does get the job done.and there's to many things in this home to stub a toe on.or trip on.*


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## ZoomZoom (Dec 18, 2009)

Woody said:


> Getting a genny for the frig/freezer? What are we looking at, $1,000 for basic, maybe a few thousand for a larger one. Plus the gas stored and rotated through to run it for how many days? I'll just keep it closed in short term, longer term eat what I can then write off the rest. What am I losing, maybe $200 at most?


For my situation, the $ numbers are the exact opposite.
A small genset (lets say 3KW costs around $3-400 new). A couple 5-gallon cans of gas will last you for a week of running it (as needed, not constantly).

A freezer full of meat costs around $2000. I'd rather have the genset than lose the meat.

We've had outages for a week or more. It was no real problem. Run a big genset (whole house minus heat pump) for an hour or so in the AM to get hot water, fridges, freezers all back up. Run a smaller genset (110V only) for about 30 minutes mid-afternoon and again before night to do a little cooking (maybe), charge devices and allow the fridges/freezers to top off their cooling.


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## jimLE (Feb 25, 2015)

*our free standing stove n oven,and water heater runs on propane.but stove and oven has electronic light.no big deal there.i simpley use a long steem lighter to light the burners during a outage.so my primary need for a generators.will be for fridge n freezer to keep things cold.microwave time to time,to save on propane when needed.plus the generators will need to have a 220 outlet,as well as 110 outlet.on acount there's been times i was doing my laundry when electric goes off.and the lid on the washer dont unlock during a outage.even during the 20 1/2 hour outage.it stayed locked.ever smell clothes when they stayed wet to long? LOL..and as you pointed out zoomzoom.only run it when needed.generators are there to keep food good n all.and that saves on gas..*


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## ZoomZoom (Dec 18, 2009)

jimLE said:


> *i simpley use a long steem lighter to light the burners during a outage.*


As a sidebar, those long-arm lighters always give me problems.
If you need a long lighter to reach into spaces like those burners, take a single, uncooked piece of spaghetti and light the end of it with a regular lighter or match. It burns very nicely and long enough to reach into those spots.


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## Country Living (Dec 15, 2009)

Jim, I'm not sure why you would need a 220 since it sounds like the only appliance needing a 220 is the dryer. Do you really want to run a 220 on a generator? It'll suck gas like a sweaty man guzzling a cold beer on a hot day. Put up a clothesline. Your washer should only be 110. 

I am so glad we have the old mechanical (ca 1982) Maytag washer and dryer because there isn't any of that fancy stuff to go wrong. 

Occam's' Razor - the most simple solution is probably the best one. Our backup to wash clothes is a metal tub, a plunger, and a bit of effort.

ZZ - thanks for the hint on using spaghetti.


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## Caribou (Aug 18, 2012)

This thread is about short term outages. That is what my generator is for, to keep the boiler and the freezer going for that week or more till I can put the freezer contents in a jar or the power comes back on. The generator is for a short term crisis or to buy me time in a long term SHTF situation. I know there are scenarios where I will run out of fuel but that is down the line. The line is fairly short right now but that will change.


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## Caribou (Aug 18, 2012)

jimLE said:


> *the generators will need to have a 220 outlet,as well as 110 outlet.on acount there's been times i was doing my laundry when electric goes off.and the lid on the washer dont unlock during a outage.even during the 20 1/2 hour outage.it stayed locked.ever smell clothes when they stayed wet to long? LOL..and as you pointed out zoomzoom.only run it when needed.generators are there to keep food good n all.and that saves on gas..*


In the event of another power outage try slapping the dryer door near the latch with your hand or the side of your fist. I used this trick on a washer before.

If all else fails it will probably take the removal of four screws to remove the front of your dryer giving you access to the clothes before they get moldy. You should be able to download a service manual or order one from the manufacturer.


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## Country Living (Dec 15, 2009)

Maybe I misunderstood... I thought it was Jim's washing machine that locked. Is that something the newer machines do when the washing machine is running (regardless of cycle)?


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## Caribou (Aug 18, 2012)

Country Living said:


> Maybe I misunderstood... I thought it was Jim's washing machine that locked. Is that something the newer machines do when the washing machine is running (regardless of cycle)?


Door locks are standard on all washers and dryers and have been for many years. Evidently, numerous Darwin Award applicants decided to reach into the appliance while it was running and managed to mess themselves up. I would expect the door to unlock after the machine quits spinning but that is evidently not always the case.

One thing I forgot to mention. Unplug the machine before removing the door incase the power comes back on while you are working on it.


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## HardCider (Dec 13, 2013)

I don't worry much about short term outages and the long term outages mean I get called into work until everyone is back on. Nice to know the extent of every outage, how many people are working on it and about how much longer it will be before my wife is back on. I give her updates so she knows how it's going and so she doesn't worry. And you don't get that powerless feeling(pardon the pun) when you are actually working out there doing something to restore it.


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## jimLE (Feb 25, 2015)

Country Living said:


> Maybe I misunderstood... I thought it was Jim's washing machine that locked. Is that something the newer machines do when the washing machine is running (regardless of cycle)?


yes it was my washer that locked up..i simply don't like the smell of wet clothes after a few hours of them being wet..the 110 generator will be mainly for fridge n freezer.but yet it can be used to finish washing the clothes if needed..the 220 will be for drying the clothes..other then that.the 220 wont be used much,if at all..


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## readytogo (Apr 6, 2013)

jimLE said:


> yes it was my washer that locked up..i simply don't like the smell of wet clothes after a few hours of them being wet..the 110 generator will be mainly for fridge n freezer.but yet it can be used to finish washing the clothes if needed..the 220 will be for drying the clothes..other then that.the 220 wont be used much,if at all..


Whatever happen to the Sun and a clothe line?


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## jimLE (Feb 25, 2015)

during a rain storm? LOL..they get washed again if they set up 10 to 20 hours.then and only then dried...


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## Country Living (Dec 15, 2009)

That's where you have a Plan B and run a line indoors.


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