Just ranting a bit.
Just had a bit of a wind storm last thursday in the Seattle area.
Lost my power for a day, which is rare. I have gas hot water, gas fireplace , & gas cooktop—- so I was set, doesn’t really bother me.
We had about 1.4 million wothout power total, & I think there is still about a half million still in the dark.
So my BIL calls me & asks about hist gen powering his dryer, I said yeah that 3.5 kw gen should be able to do that, but nothing else at the same time. Told him he just needs to adapt his S O cord to fit a dryer plug.
I couldn’t remember what plug & S O cord he had for that gen—– 10-4 S O w/ 20amp plug.
So he got the right recepticle, I told him just tape off the neutral & use the 2 hots & the ground since he had a 3 pronged dryer.
He calls me back——- “nothing happens”
I was en route to his place anyway to get his 650 watt gen to take to my moms & wire her furnace to it. So I said hang on I’m almost there.
I get there he has it wired correctly—– I was going hhhhmmmmmm this is strange.
Pulled out my meter, one leg had 120v, other leg had 50v, & when across the two legs I only got 50v—— OK this is friggin strange.
As my fingers were goin numb I didn’t feel like taken oaprt the panel & seein what was wrong.
Started checkin voltages at the other outlets—– all worked fine. & found the two legs of the power supply.
OK here we go , got some more S O cord outta my truck, took the dykes to my 220 30amp male plug so I could fit it into the 30 amp 120v plug. Tied the 2 plugs into one S O cord so I could pull 2 120v legs.
Ran to dryer plug & viola!!!!——–I should have taken a pic of the 3- S O cord junction with wire nuts & all.
Well atlest now they can actually dry their clothes, rather than freezdry them in the garage.
Got to my moms with my 4yr old in tow—- dark out at this point—— using my headlights on my truck got her furnace temp wired to the lil gen, worked great & she 68 yrs old can pull start the honda with one pull.
Also had to put a valve in on her circ line to prevent backflow of cold through the pump & short circut the shower——-OOPS—-OK I know I know I should have done that when I put the circ in 8yrs ago.
OK rant over I have to get to work now.
“When the San Francisco Democrats treat foreign affairs as an afterthought… they [behave] less like a dove or a hawk than like an ostrich—convinced it would shut out the world by hiding its head in the sand… When the Soviet Union walked out of arms control negotiations, and refused even to discuss the issues, the San Francisco Democrats didn’t blame Soviet intransigence. They blamed the United States. But then, they always blame America first. When Marxist dictators shoot their way to power in Central America, the San Francisco Democrats don’t blame the guerrillas and their Soviet allies, they blame United States policies of 100 years ago. But then, they always blame America first. The American people know better.†—former UN ambassador Jeane Kirkpatrick
Replies
Count your blessings.
I used to live on Vashon Island. When we had big wind storms the power would go out for more than a week on occasion. And then there were the times the ferries were down or the Sound was too rough to dock a boat at the north Vashon slip.
I've never experienced anything quite like being the front center vehicle on a ferry when the wind was 80mph and the chop 12 feet high. Something about sitting in the seat of my truck looking straight ahead into the bottom of the trough... with only a couple of wheel chocks and a nylon web gate between me and Davy Jones.
"Doubt is not a pleasant condition, but certainty is absurd."
~ Voltaire
I'm just south & east of vashon---- can see it quite well from my deck.
I used to live in places where power outages were quite common---- so I adjusted my lifestyle accordingly------ Now when they hit me it pretty much just changes my TV, internet, & food habits.
I get more reading in---- & the diet switches to what is going to go bad first.“When the San Francisco Democrats treat foreign affairs as an afterthought... they [behave] less like a dove or a hawk than like an ostrich—convinced it would shut out the world by hiding its head in the sand... When the Soviet Union walked out of arms control negotiations, and refused even to discuss the issues, the San Francisco Democrats didn’t blame Soviet intransigence. They blamed the United States. But then, they always blame America first. When Marxist dictators shoot their way to power in Central America, the San Francisco Democrats don’t blame the guerrillas and their Soviet allies, they blame United States policies of 100 years ago. But then, they always blame America first. The American people know better.” —former UN ambassador Jeane Kirkpatrick
A 3 wire dryer is 2 hots and NEUTRAL. The dryer case is bonded to the neutral(with a prayer that the neutral is not open). And the neutral at the "source" is bonded to the ground. Normally that is the main discoonect.
The heater is across the 240. The motor and timer controls are one hot to the neutral or on 120.
I saw on the news that over 100 people died from CO from generators and indoor heaters.
That is the difference. In the heartland and east coast they are used to it and only 1/2 dozen or so are that dumb.
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Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
Edited 12/19/2006 11:59 am by BillHartmann
Thanks for adding that info.
Very important especially when you are dealing with the double whammy(240v).
In the less then well read past I tried to make a dryer run, property only had 120 so even though I tried to pull 2 circuits I couldn't get it to heat- ha ha. I'm a little more informed now,not much but a little.
Two circuits will often work on a temporary, emergency basis, if the circuits are on opposite "legs" and the draw on the dryer is low enough.
Here in Ontario, kitchens are done with split receptacles and dedicated double-breakers. Many guys with 220 equipment carry a little bridge to marry the split receptacle into a 220V receptacle.
I've also had splitter/breaker boxes to tap into stove and dryer receptacles and convert it to 220V 20A receptacles or several 100V outlets if the house isn't trimmed out yet.
<!----><!----> <!---->
Phill Giles<!----><!---->
The Unionville Woodwright<!----><!---->
Ya man I follow what your saying, if you look at my post the prop was only 120V one leg.
Since that time I'm shockingly smart. And If you doubt that just ask my cutter dykes.
Are they still "cutters"
I have a pair that used to be cutters, but now are a perfect stripper, with two notches in them.“How many observe Christ’s birthday! How few, his precepts! O! ‘tis easier to keep Holidays than Commandments.” —Benjamin Franklin
This morning's paper said 'only' 12 dead so far from CO. Most non-english speaking.
Hauled 11 dump truck loads of branches off last Friday for neighbors.
Son's house was no power for 1-1/2 days, no place to get gas either, so he had to come over to get another 5 gal for the generator - about a ten mile drive, no lights or traffic signals the entire way until 3 blocks from our house, lucked out here this time.
Some AH came thru the yard during the storm and stole 3ea 10 HP 3 phase motors from a shed (while they were stealing gas too), neighbor saw the car but too dark to get a plate number. Too bad the big fir that fell in the back didn't get them.
PS: 10 AM PST news : since the fatality scares, local hospitals say over 1000! (thousand) people have shown up complaining of CO poisoning symptoms.
Edited 12/19/2006 1:06 pm ET by junkhound
I just checked and saw an article that indicated that there where over 100 addtional NON_FATAL CO posioning. I guess that is what I heard.In Kirksville, MO they found a family of 7 that died from CO. When found a CO alarm was going off. And the furnace appeared to be working OK. No apparent cause. But they are checking a van that was in the garage..
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Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
We had two people die this week from CO from running a generator indoors. I'm sorry, but that is about the most breathtakingly stupid thing that I've ever heard.Scott.Always remember those first immortal words that Adam said to Eve, “You’d better stand back, I don’t know how big this thing’s going to get.”
Had some Tennant's that I found out after getting the prop back were using charcoal grill for the stove. Gas had been shut off.
Kitchen had a nice black patina, especially the ceiling.
Least I didn't have to haul out bodies.
Neat,---- 240v appliance that could possibly not be grounded.
That's why I love my gas dryer----- But I did have to go look at the panel to see if the old line was ground or neutral------Yup it's a neutral not a ground, although typical all my grounds & neutrals are on the same bar. Learn somethin everyday.
I think were up to 17 deaths so far---- 3 by fallen trees, 1 by drowning in her basement, 1 guy & his dog for steppin on a downed line, & 11 by CO.
Over 100 admitted to the hospital for CO----- few from generators & the rest from some heating source. Everything from charcol brikets to coal & propane & a couple of kerosene incidents.
I hate to sound heartless, but most CO poisoning during power outages is a darwin award.“When the San Francisco Democrats treat foreign affairs as an afterthought... they [behave] less like a dove or a hawk than like an ostrich—convinced it would shut out the world by hiding its head in the sand... When the Soviet Union walked out of arms control negotiations, and refused even to discuss the issues, the San Francisco Democrats didn’t blame Soviet intransigence. They blamed the United States. But then, they always blame America first. When Marxist dictators shoot their way to power in Central America, the San Francisco Democrats don’t blame the guerrillas and their Soviet allies, they blame United States policies of 100 years ago. But then, they always blame America first. The American people know better.” —former UN ambassador Jeane Kirkpatrick
Starting a week ago, last sunday, (The 10th.), and lasting until a quarter to ten pm last night... I had power up here for a total of twelve hours.
I spent several days down in Bellevue helping someone else get emergency power.
I picked up some kinda bug there. (Those little 4 foot high bug factories were there. Running around, making noise, and just generally spreading those little germs all over the place. Oh my !!) And now, I have power just in time to be the sickest dog I have been in years !!! Oh well, at least I can be -warm- and sick...
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I am looking to take steps before the next time this happens.
I need to rebuild an RV furnace. Forced air. But it runs on propane and 12v. Sealed combustion, so there are no fumes to worry about. I have the furnace, and two old donors. I am halfway certain I'll find enough parts on all three to get one working.
Next, a golf cart battery. They have something like ten times the life expectancy of normal deep cycle. I'm not talking cycle time. I'm talking how long the battery itself will be good for. Being bigger than standard deep cycle batteries means the cycle is longer as well. Keep this on a trickle/maintenance charger.
Last, but not least, I need a small generator. I don't want or need a huge one.
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Run a power invertor for the computer.
Switch the tiny fridge to propane.
Either run 12v lights, or use what I normally use for light.
I'll be getting a hand cranked pump for the rain barrel.
There you go. I'll have water, fridge, heat, lights and computer. The five main life essentials. LOL
Oh, I forgot. The power lines in this trailer are all screwed up. I'll have to run new circuits for the 12v stuff.
But when the power goes out, I'll immediately go to the battery. Then I can run the generator for a couple hours every day, to re-charge the battery with a regular, heavy battery charger. (Not the trickle charger.)
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The people I gave my huge generator to, have already sworn they are going to get a gas water heater, a gas dryer. And probably a gas cookstove.
The 220v went out on the generator right away. I decided not to open the guts of the generator itself, but did remove the panel, and had a look around.
I ALMOST did the same as you did, and wired in a 220 circuit of my own, there at the generator, using the two separate 110v circuits. But decided that I wanted to keep it as "clean" as possible. They will have the generator looked at by a shop pretty soon, now that their power is back on as well.
Get over it....... The angry going eat you up. ~Brownbagg '06
Hey Luka
While your at it with the 12v stuff, why not add a 12v pump for water? A Shurflo for marine works great. I have a couple, one that will attach to my car battery and pump a 55 gal. barrell of water all over my job sites, or in emergencies.
I have another one in line with my house pump and it has worked great for 7-8 yrs. (Here in the tropics we have lots of power outages and also have rainwater cisterns)
nuvue
I already have a 12v pump on the main trailer water tank.So I would already have at least some water. But if the power outage lasted long enough, I would need to pump water out of the rain barrel as well. I don't want to plumb the rain barrel together with the main water storage tank.A separate pump for that might be a good idea, though.=0)
Get over it....... The angry going eat you up. ~Brownbagg '06
I know by now you've heard all the horror stories as we have, but we lost power for 1/2 time, the 3rd quarter and half of the 4th quarter of the Seahawks game. When power came back on, we were sunk.
Now that is true hardship.
http://www.wolfmother.com
LOL
I was at a bar in Renton that was on satalite--------- I got to see more replays than live feeds.“How many observe Christ’s birthday! How few, his precepts! O! ‘tis easier to keep Holidays than Commandments.” —Benjamin Franklin