Ice storm

390fe · #1 (**permalink**) 12-12-2007, 08:22 AM

How about that ice?? I think we got nearly 3/4 inch of ice under out sleet and snow. Yesterday morning popping tree limbs and transformers made the town sound like the opener of shotgun deer season. I haven't lost power, but good portions of town have.

mhartman · #2 (**permalink**) 12-12-2007, 08:35 AM

Sounds like fun weather to play in. I moved here to Fl. a few months ago and it's 80 at Christmas. Crazy... Of course those power outages arent fun at all.

stryder · #3 (**permalink**) 12-12-2007, 08:42 AM

Runnong off the generator here since 5:00pm yesterday. We didnt get nearly the ice we had in Feb., but half the town will be without power until tonight. One of the neighbors said a main transformer blew. i guess it was quite the light show to watch. He said toward the end of it, it caught fire and the firetruck came a runnin'.

390fe · #4 (**permalink**) 12-12-2007, 09:08 AM

Those transformers can put on quite a good show. Good thing you've got a generator. I'm going to have to get a one. One big enough to switch from the furnace to the fridge.

stryder · #5 (**permalink**) 12-12-2007, 10:08 AM

Yeah after spending 4 days with my mother-in-law after the last ice storm, a generator is worth EVERY PENNY! Mine is a 6250 watt with a 9hp Briggs, and its enough to power the entire house (minus the dryer) all at the same time. Very glad I switched the hot water heater to gas last winter!
For only the furnace/frigde a 3000 watt should power both at the same time with enough to spare for some lights.

firstrider · #6 (**permalink**) 12-12-2007, 11:51 AM

I feel sorry for all of you who got whacked by the ice storm . After 34 yrs. in S. Fla. we will be moving to S.West TN. in the near future .The taxes , insects , influx of every race known to man , and not to mention you have to gamble with mother nature every yr. hoping the big wind doesn't blow all your belongings to the next county is getting old. Do not think I could stand seening my beloved '52 F-1 masterpiece wadded up in the canal .That would hurt .Probably would resort to daily healthy does of tall frosties after that . Was up in the attic during hurricane Jeanne making sure the roof was not leaking . Held onto the trusses as I was walking and they were vibrating . That was scary . All the roofs on the houses around me were toast . The only thing that saved mine was I spent 2 weeks in March '04 putting a fresh layer of shingles on and with the high heat down here they had time to seal . I thank the Lord every time I think of it . We are survivors as are all of you in the ice storm .

fellro86 · #7 (**permalink**) 12-12-2007, 12:34 PM

Didn't lose power here this time, but we still have a generator from last February... they come in handy from time to time, and not just for ice storms... REC does a pretty good job keeping ahead of trees and bad poles around here.

FarmForward · #8 (**permalink**) 12-13-2007, 02:53 AM

The power at my place was down from noon Tuesday until about 11am Wednesday, along with a good chunk of the rest of town. And once it got restored, there were flickers and brown-outs the rest of Wednesday. My town job cancelled 2nd and 3rd shifts for Tuesday, and I took Wednesday off because the roads were still a bit treacherous (not much to do this time of year... I called in and got excused for "no work").

I've lived here all of my life, give or take a couple of years in college, etc., and I still can't get used to ice storms. Makes me wanna just stay inside and have some "beverage", if ya know what I mean.

Stay warm out there, guys.

michaelbrainardatwor · #9 (**permalink**) 12-13-2007, 01:27 PM

Heck of a nice day today! The ice and garbage is melting nicely...too bad it isn't going to last.

Speaking of generators...

I spoke with a guy earlier in the week who hooked up his genset to his home in a bizzare way....seems like it should work but i'm not sure I would want to try it.

He made an extension cord with male ends on both ends and simply plugs into a 15amp circuit on the generator and a outlet in the house which should also be 15 amp.... He kills the main supply in his breaker box so there is no chance of the power coming on and doing God knows what...

Anyone else done this?

stryder · #10 (**permalink**) 12-13-2007, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by michaelbrainardatwor

He made an extension cord with male ends on both ends and simply plugs into a 15amp circuit on the generator and a outlet in the house which should also be 15 amp.... He kills the main supply in his breaker box so there is no chance of the power coming on and doing God knows what...

Anyone else done this?

That's exactly how mine is hooked up, only the outlet is on the side of the house. I have a 8 space outdoor breaker panel, that I just shutoff the main 200amp breaker, switch on the 30amp for the the generator outlet, and fire it up. Works pretty slick. Quick and painless.

fellro86 · #11 (**permalink**) 12-13-2007, 06:20 PM

I did the same, but the trouble I had was that it only powered the side of the box that was common to that circuit, but not the other. I did this when the house was being set up, the power company hadn't even put the poles out yet...
Last spring when we got hit, I did that with my parent's house, and pulled the main so no chance of backfeed.