Storm Season among us. Power outage readiness!!!

Gundy

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 8, 2021
Messages
221
Reaction score
283
Location
Utah
Rating - 100%
1   0   0
We live in Utah and put in a Generac about a year ago that powers our whole house. I know in Utah, the wait is about 9 months to get one installed. Even a year go after we ordered ours, we had to wait 6 months to get ours installed.

I haven’t set up my new reef tank yet but I am assuming that when the generator kicks on after a power outage, I won’t have to do anything with the reef equipment or be concerned?
 

spacedcowboy

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 18, 2021
Messages
91
Reaction score
120
Location
San Jose
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I live in San Jose. I looked into a generator, but it's just not ever going to be permitted, and I happen to have a neighbor who takes perverse pleasure in calling code compliance out on anyone around the place. I've had compliance come out before now when an electrician's van is parked outside... The problem is the noise-level, the city insists on a minimum of 70' in any direction from the generator to get acceptable noise levels. My lot is pretty big at ~10k sq.ft in San Jose, but that's only ~140 x ~70. Basically there's no way, unless you have acres of land, that they'll let you install one :(

I pointed out that it was for backup only (the regs are written with the idea that it's a permanent generator) but city hall wouldn't budge. I pointed out that in the event of a power-outage, my neighbors might be very keen on the generator if I threw a cord over the fence (apart from *that* guy, obviously). No way, says San Jose.

It doesn't help that in this Mecca of technology in Silicon Valley, the electrical infrastructure hasn't been upgraded since it was installed 50 or more years ago. If it rains (admittedly rare, here), power cut. If the wind blows too hard, power cut. You get the point.

So I went for Tesla power-walls. I have three of them, which gives me 24 hours of "we don't care, just keep using electricity as we normally do", or 48-64 hours of "just things like the fridge, tank, and a/c in summer". They come with an app that looks like the flux-capacitor out of Back To The Future, and you can see how energy is flowing into/out of the solar panels, the batteries, the grid, and the house.

The app also logs when you had an outage. My count so far this year is 23 times (just counted). Yeah. Most of those are short (< 30 mins) but one of them was ~30 hours. Others have been 12-20 hours. It's really nice to have someone knock on the door to ask how come your lights are on, and you haven't even realized there's a power cut going on :)

IMG_4028.JPG
 
Last edited:

Johnny Turvin

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 29, 2022
Messages
4
Reaction score
5
Location
Eustis
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I am very grateful for this thread. No tank yet, still planning. Now storm response can be part of the plan. I had thought of (dreadfully) the possibility (probability) that this could become an issue, but hadn't worked out a solution. Still haven't TBH, but there is time to work it out. Central Florida, so not as risky, but remember Charlie/Francis/Jean in '04. In an apartment, so limited options, and am an Arborist, so will be working in or immediately after a hurricane and may not be home for days. Not an optimistic scenario. May just have to start over ... time will tell.
 

BZOFIQ

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 31, 2014
Messages
4,649
Reaction score
3,952
Location
NYC
Rating - 100%
8   0   0
I live in San Jose. I looked into a generator, but it's just not ever going to be permitted, and I happen to have a neighbor who takes perverse pleasure in calling code compliance out on anyone around the place. I've had compliance come out before now when an electrician's van is parked outside... The problem is the noise-level, the city insists on a minimum of 70' in any direction from the generator to get acceptable noise levels. My lot is pretty big at ~10k sq.ft in San Jose, but that's only ~140 x ~70. Basically there's no way, unless you have acres of land, that they'll let you install one :(

I pointed out that it was for backup only (the regs are written with the idea that it's a permanent generator) but city hall wouldn't budge. I pointed out that in the event of a power-outage, my neighbors might be very keen on the generator if I threw a cord over the fence (apart from *that* guy, obviously). No way, says San Jose.

It doesn't help that in this Mecca of technology in Silicon Valley, the electrical infrastructure hasn't been upgraded since it was installed 50 or more years ago. If it rains (admittedly rare, here), power cut. If the wind blows too hard, power cut. You get the point.

So I went for Tesla power-walls. I have three of them, which gives me 24 hours of "we don't care, just keep using electricity as we normally do", or 48-64 hours of "just things like the fridge, tank, and a/c in summer". They come with an app that looks like the flux-capacitor out of Back To The Future, and you can see how energy is flowing into/out of the solar panels, the batteries, the grid, and the house.

The app also logs when you had an outage. My count so far this year is 23 times (just counted). Yeah. Most of those are short (< 30 mins) but one of them was ~30 hours. Others have been 12-20 hours. It's really nice to have someone knock on the door to ask how come your lights are on, and you haven't even realized there's a power cut going on :)

IMG_4028.JPG


I love it but this is one very expensive option.
 

neo1738

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 4, 2020
Messages
258
Reaction score
182
Location
Toledo
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Generac for the main panels and solar powered battery backup for remaining panel but the tank/life support is on generac generator. You can get a 20kw 200A whole home generator from costco in stock (at least at mine in Ohio) right now for about 5-6k then another 1-2k installation.
 
1

131696

Guest
View Badges
Generators NO during hurricane season NO .learned my lesson with hurricane laura and delta . How you suppose to get enough gas for 1-2 months without electricity At pump when you run out? Go SOLAR all the way after storm put out solar panels keep running tank just get enough batteries , run fan,tv well everything besides 220v. Go solar don't go generator learn from me solar is cheaper also in long run don't lose 20k in corals because of no power at gas station. this year I have solar just for tank and a small ac to keep room and tank at the right temperature during the heat of summer Can run both 24/7.
 

neo1738

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 4, 2020
Messages
258
Reaction score
182
Location
Toledo
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Generators NO during hurricane season NO .learned my lesson with hurricane laura and delta . How you suppose to get enough gas for 1-2 months without electricity At pump when you run out? Go SOLAR all the way after storm put out solar panels keep running tank just get enough batteries , run fan,tv well everything besides 220v. Go solar don't go generator learn from me solar is cheaper also in long run don't lose 20k in corals because of no power at gas station. this year I have solar just for tank and a small ac to keep room and tank at the right temperature during the heat of summer Can run both 24/7.
Natural Gas generator with buried natural gas line. If my electric, natural gas, and solar all go down then I have bigger problems than my tank.
 

Lee adams

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
May 8, 2022
Messages
35
Reaction score
26
Location
Philippines
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Where we live
I live in San Jose. I looked into a generator, but it's just not ever going to be permitted, and I happen to have a neighbor who takes perverse pleasure in calling code compliance out on anyone around the place. I've had compliance come out before now when an electrician's van is parked outside... The problem is the noise-level, the city insists on a minimum of 70' in any direction from the generator to get acceptable noise levels. My lot is pretty big at ~10k sq.ft in San Jose, but that's only ~140 x ~70. Basically there's no way, unless you have acres of land, that they'll let you install one :(

I pointed out that it was for backup only (the regs are written with the idea that it's a permanent generator) but city hall wouldn't budge. I pointed out that in the event of a power-outage, my neighbors might be very keen on the generator if I threw a cord over the fence (apart from *that* guy, obviously). No way, says San Jose.

It doesn't help that in this Mecca of technology in Silicon Valley, the electrical infrastructure hasn't been upgraded since it was installed 50 or more years ago. If it rains (admittedly rare, here), power cut. If the wind blows too hard, power cut. You get the point.

So I went for Tesla power-walls. I have three of them, which gives me 24 hours of "we don't care, just keep using electricity as we normally do", or 48-64 hours of "just things like the fridge, tank, and a/c in summer". They come with an app that looks like the flux-capacitor out of Back To The Future, and you can see how energy is flowing into/out of the solar panels, the batteries, the grid, and the house.

The app also logs when you had an outage. My count so far this year is 23 times (just counted). Yeah. Most of those are short (< 30 mins) but one of them was ~30 hours. Others have been 12-20 hours. It's really nice to have someone knock on the door to ask how come your lights are on, and you haven't even realized there's a power cut going on :)

IMG_4028.JPG
We had a typhoon
 

Lee adams

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
May 8, 2022
Messages
35
Reaction score
26
Location
Philippines
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
We just got hit by typhoon Odette..3 months without power..Just had a 6 kw off grid system installed...Nothing like you guys have but seems its all we need from now on!
 

BZOFIQ

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 31, 2014
Messages
4,649
Reaction score
3,952
Location
NYC
Rating - 100%
8   0   0
Generators NO during hurricane season NO .learned my lesson with hurricane laura and delta . How you suppose to get enough gas for 1-2 months without electricity At pump when you run out? Go SOLAR all the way after storm put out solar panels keep running tank just get enough batteries , run fan,tv well everything besides 220v. Go solar don't go generator learn from me solar is cheaper also in long run don't lose 20k in corals because of no power at gas station. this year I have solar just for tank and a small ac to keep room and tank at the right temperature during the heat of summer Can run both 24/7.


After hurricane Sandy gas stations in NY were required to get a generator and I believe most did.

Most of the installations in NYC are tied to the grid, no grid power means no power from solar.

The answer really depends on where you live and whether you can store fuel or install solar panel or both....or neither.
 

thatmanMIKEson

Reefing ain't easy$
View Badges
Joined
Jan 10, 2021
Messages
4,965
Reaction score
4,994
Location
florida
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Is Generac what everyone buys as a whole house generator?
They have a good system i have installed several, they have a good transfer switch and easy installation, I'd say wfactors. Experience/you tube it could be installed by a home owner, and get a homeowners permit no problem depending on install facrors.
 

Snoopdog

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Apr 23, 2018
Messages
1,556
Reaction score
1,117
Location
Mobile, AL
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Not just a generator but something that also scares me is heat! I am in Alabama and although I have replaced both of my AC units, it really scares me knowing how fast the inside of a house gets when the AC dies. I currently have an inverter generator, decent sized but I need to be thinking about heat too. Even when I do pull the plug on a whole house generator that will not help if an AC dies. It is hot as hades outside this week, this seems to be unusually hot for May.
 

Snoopdog

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Apr 23, 2018
Messages
1,556
Reaction score
1,117
Location
Mobile, AL
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Generac for the main panels and solar powered battery backup for remaining panel but the tank/life support is on generac generator. You can get a 20kw 200A whole home generator from costco in stock (at least at mine in Ohio) right now for about 5-6k then another 1-2k installation.

I never thought about Costco, good to know.
 

t5Nitro

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 9, 2011
Messages
1,749
Reaction score
1,332
Location
WI
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Consensus is that generac is a good option? Looking at installing some form of relatively cost effective failsafe for power outages. Even thought about doing the smallest one at 7.5 kW just to power the tank and fridge.
 

Aquatic acrobat in your aquarium: Have you ever kept an eel?

  • I currently keep an eel in my tank.

    Votes: 27 14.2%
  • I have kept an eel in my tank in the past.

    Votes: 32 16.8%
  • I have not kept an eel in my tank, but I hope to in the future.

    Votes: 32 16.8%
  • I have no plans to keep an eel.

    Votes: 96 50.5%
  • Other.

    Votes: 3 1.6%
Back
Top