miss_thenorth
Frugal Homesteader
Colored Egg Farmer said:
generators
- Thread starter mirime
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mirime
Power Conserver
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wow, thanks SOO much to everyone for your helpful posts and guidance.
And I didn't realise that food keeps well for 24 hours in a freezer.
You all are terrific; I really appreciate it!
And I didn't realise that food keeps well for 24 hours in a freezer.
You all are terrific; I really appreciate it!
Colored Egg Farmer
Way Too Many Chickens
hey Ive never passed a spelling test 
And No we don't have an out house. Just a pot in the closet 
And No we don't have an out house. Just a pot in the closet
miss_thenorth
Frugal Homesteader
OK, Ot I know---- my uncles used a bicycle innertube out the window in winter!!!!!!Colored Egg Farmer said:hey Ive never passed a spelling test
:coolsunLMBO!!!!miss_thenorth said:OK, Ot I know---- my uncles used a bicycle innertube out the window in winter!!!!!!Colored Egg Farmer said:hey Ive never passed a spelling test
Last winter I was trying to figure out something to rig up for the boys upstairs..... they drive me NUTS... none of them can make it in the stinkin' toilet. There is no bathroom upstairs (yet.. it's in the remodeling plans) and so when they have to pee, they just open up the sliding glass door (and freeze the upstairs) and pee off the porch, well if there's snow on the deck (most all winter) they won't walk out there, so they jsut pee from the stinkin' door... and try to aim it off the deck <grrrrrrrr> So I may just think about getting a bicycle innertube. LOL!! That is so funny! Less messy than the peein' 'n aimin' out the door I suppose? Boys are just gross!
ticks
Hunting Crazy
Our neighbors have a generator, so if we ever had a power outage I guess we could go there. We don't really know them that well though.
miss_thenorth
Frugal Homesteader
We have a generator, so we would probably invite ppl over to our house, if needed. I don't think your neighbours would mind if you knocked on there door--at least we wouldn'tticks said:
As Chirpy's husband, she asked if I would like to get in on this discussion.
I have this thing about efficiencies, and the idea of self-sufficiency is very appealing to us!
It seems to me we have to ask if we EVER need electricity, but I would venture to guess that most all of us would say yes. So the question becomes how much we need, when we need it, how long we need it when the time comes, etc.
I agree with Pat that a generator is an expenditure that needs to be weighed. But I decided a few years ago that I not only appreciate much of what electricity provides, but some of it is important. Not to mention the fact that I actually enjoy watching TV occasionally, using the microwave, having an operational well pump, working electric clocks, a functioning electric stove/range or (as in our case) an electronic ignition required for our gas range, refrigeration of the milk we keep in quantity, a working laundry, etc.
A basic 6000 watt (6kw) generator is generally around $500 or so. I have found 7kw generators for about that in the past though I haven't checked recently. We tie ours into a manual "disconnect switch" which I installed in the garage near an exterior door. This inexpensive device allows for supply to 6 circuits I chose around the house that were most critical. In the event of an outage, we simply plug the generator into the "disconnect", switch the circuits over, and enjoy most everything we would otherwise have enjoyed without the service interuption.
For example, those 6 circuits are sufficient to run the refrigerators and freezer, the Living Room circuit for TV/radio/lights/cordless telephone, the well pump, the kitchen circuit which supplies the microwave and stove/range (gas for specifically this reason), and in our case, the two circuit legs (220 volt) of a hot water heater. We have never even needed the 6th circuit.
The 6kw generator (Generac) has been more than sufficient to supply all of these circuits without an apparent drag on the engine. That's it! It's easy!
We don't experience outages more than 5 or 6 times a year for a few hours at a time, but it has been a wonderful and generally inexpensive option for our home.
But ... like Pat, just my opinion!
I have this thing about efficiencies, and the idea of self-sufficiency is very appealing to us!
It seems to me we have to ask if we EVER need electricity, but I would venture to guess that most all of us would say yes. So the question becomes how much we need, when we need it, how long we need it when the time comes, etc.
I agree with Pat that a generator is an expenditure that needs to be weighed. But I decided a few years ago that I not only appreciate much of what electricity provides, but some of it is important. Not to mention the fact that I actually enjoy watching TV occasionally, using the microwave, having an operational well pump, working electric clocks, a functioning electric stove/range or (as in our case) an electronic ignition required for our gas range, refrigeration of the milk we keep in quantity, a working laundry, etc.
A basic 6000 watt (6kw) generator is generally around $500 or so. I have found 7kw generators for about that in the past though I haven't checked recently. We tie ours into a manual "disconnect switch" which I installed in the garage near an exterior door. This inexpensive device allows for supply to 6 circuits I chose around the house that were most critical. In the event of an outage, we simply plug the generator into the "disconnect", switch the circuits over, and enjoy most everything we would otherwise have enjoyed without the service interuption.
For example, those 6 circuits are sufficient to run the refrigerators and freezer, the Living Room circuit for TV/radio/lights/cordless telephone, the well pump, the kitchen circuit which supplies the microwave and stove/range (gas for specifically this reason), and in our case, the two circuit legs (220 volt) of a hot water heater. We have never even needed the 6th circuit.
The 6kw generator (Generac) has been more than sufficient to supply all of these circuits without an apparent drag on the engine. That's it! It's easy!
We don't experience outages more than 5 or 6 times a year for a few hours at a time, but it has been a wonderful and generally inexpensive option for our home.
But ... like Pat, just my opinion!
When we lived in FL, after a hurricane (a close one) our new neighbors (had only recently moved in) we didn't know them that well b/c they both worked f/t.... they offered an extension cord to us to plug in our refrigerator and a light or whatever. We did the refrigerator and a fan, it was too HOT!ticks said:
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