General North Texas is getting lake effect snow.

Welcome to our Community
Wanting to join the rest of our members? Feel free to Sign Up today.
Sign up

Grateful Dude

TMMAC Addict
May 30, 2016
8,929
14,267
You know, looking back on yesterday is kind of cool. My whole neighborhood was out and about and helping each other. It just sort of happened that way very naturally. People were out playing with their kids and stuff like that, but us worker bees spent most of the day shoveling driveways, getting cars started or unstuck, chopping firewood, getting water to those without, etc.

I’m lucky to have great neighbors, and yesterday was like having one big team in our hood. No complaints were said by anyone, and if someone needed something about 5 people would volunteer. We already loved most of these people, but yesterday was another great example of “community”.

However, I did give one of my neighbors some of my oak firewood, and then he tried to light it without the flue open and smoked out his house hah. I kind of wish I had that wood back, but whatever ?
 

jason73

Auslander Raus
First 100
Jan 15, 2015
74,172
136,225
While it is pretty funny that Texan society is collapsing as a result of all this snow/cold weather, I can confidently say that in the exact same scenario, the death toll in Florida would be at least 500.
thats because florida man runs a generator in the house
 

Splinty

Shake 'em off
Admin
Dec 31, 2014
44,116
89,900
For anyone looking for a fighting chance in the future consider installing a back up generator. I’ve installed a handful of these in the past few months. Customers are happy with the product and support from company is really good.


Some will run off your homes natural gas or if you have a big propane tank that’ll work too. I haven’t looked but they may have a gas/diesel option as well. For a 5kw to run just essentials loads to keep food good and phones charged all said and done it’s around $8000CA, that’s parts and labour. We did one that was a 27kw for an older guy which would run his whole house and he could sell power to neighbours for around $20,000. Once installed it’s all automatic with a transfer switch. Power goes out and within 10 seconds it’ll fire up and run. Wifi capable so if you’re out of town you’ll get notified of it turns on. Would recommend.
That's pretty great.
5k would be enough to run a space heater (3k) and power fridges, some sockets, etc.
So you tie this into the circuit breaker to determine which circuits are on backup power?

Quick google says it'll burn 2-3 gallons of propane an hour. I've got a 500 gallon tank but lets assume I'm at half capacity before the season starts (yes I could pay to have it filled but my tank currently lasts me 4-5 years since I only have log lighters and a stove hooked to it).
100 hours of propane if I'm caught off guard = 4+ days of electricity. A week if I'm topping off the tank before each season. Not bad.

I've got a gas generator (thanks hurricane planning!) and can get a half day of run time at 50% load off a tank which is like 4-5 gallons. Have to fill 2 x 5 gallon gas cans to be able to run around the clock and get my gas cans refilled daily. And that would only do a small space heater. Adding fridges, etc would run it faster and not be automatic.



2020 and 2021 is surely giving Texans some lessons in emergency planning for more than hurricane prep.
Thanks to the pandemic, outside of my attic water pipe situation, we were very well prepared. Food, water, frozen water containers in all the freezers, flashlights, med kits, etc etc.
 

Sex Chicken

Exotic Dancer
Sep 8, 2015
25,818
59,384
This is probably the most unprofessional post in the entire thread.
I love playing local hero and plowing the whole block, while neighbourhood husbands put their wives in headlocks to keep them from running out into the street to give me a hand job.
98A421DD-1474-4FB3-A64A-4F02A8D0D861.jpeg
 

Grateful Dude

TMMAC Addict
May 30, 2016
8,929
14,267
For anyone looking for a fighting chance in the future consider installing a back up generator. I’ve installed a handful of these in the past few months. Customers are happy with the product and support from company is really good.


Some will run off your homes natural gas or if you have a big propane tank that’ll work too. I haven’t looked but they may have a gas/diesel option as well. For a 5kw to run just essentials loads to keep food good and phones charged all said and done it’s around $8000CA, that’s parts and labour. We did one that was a 27kw for an older guy which would run his whole house and he could sell power to neighbours for around $20,000. Once installed it’s all automatic with a transfer switch. Power goes out and within 10 seconds it’ll fire up and run. Wifi capable so if you’re out of town you’ll get notified of it turns on. Would recommend.
I want one.

I’m kicking myself because I almost bought a mid size generator a few months ago. I only needed it for one project, so I rented instead to save the extra cash. Love and learn. I like this system you’re talking about here though, that would be awesome right now.
 

MMAPlaywright

First 100
First 100
Jan 18, 2015
6,030
10,649
Still without power. 32 hours without power. It’s in the mid-20’s in my house. We’re still at the house of a friend.