Prepared for Planned (and Unplanned) Power Outage

[ErehwoN]

Today in the mail I received notice that they are going to be replacing our electric meter sometime this month. They will give us an hour notice and expect the outage to last not more than 5 minutes.

Five minutes isn't a long time but I'm still prepared with the UPS I found on Craigslist last month.

I only have the critical components hooked up to the UPS: Return and flow pumps. Lights, skimmer, and heater are surge protected but not battery protected. I figure if the power's out longer than the max 84 minutes I better break out the generators, which I also have.

This is our first year in this house. We've heard horror stories of the power in this area being out "for days" after winter storms. I'm not sure if those are tales or not but we're prepared!

We'll consider this 5 minute outage a drill to make sure everything works as planned.

Jim

 

[WIReefer]

Always great to be prepared! We lost power for 16 hours not too long ago had the generator running the whole time!

 

[Blue Spot Octopus]

Make sure to unplug as much as possible, FAU's, TV's, electronics, DC pumps, lights. If it is 5 minutes or an hour no big deal, but the turn-on is the killer.

 

[gabrieltackitt]

Make sure to unplug as much as possible, FAU's, TV's, electronics, DC pumps, lights. If it is 5 minutes or an hour no big deal, but the turn-on is the killer.

I’ve always been told that you should breaker everything off except a lamp or light(to let you know when everything turns back on), as the inrush can be killer if not done perfectly. Then you don’t have to pull things out and, you add protection to things people wouldn’t think of unplugging, such as refrigerators and stoves and such.