I saw this from TMAN on aanother thread:-

"I was in Costco the other day and they didn't have a single generator, this made me wonder if everyone else was out of generators. After checking with several vendors (Homedepot, Tool Crib, Harbor Freight Tools ) I found that because of the storms on the east coast and y2k many generators were in short supply. Yet you can still find a generator if you look in the right places."

My question is why would you want a generator? I know this sounds pretty stupid, but I'm quite serious. If things hit the fan

1. They cost a lot of money.

1.a.

2. they are noisy and will draw attention to you.

3. they use precious fuel.

4. the fuel will need tobe stockpiled.

5. the fuel will eventually run out - then what?

-- Andy (2000EOD@prodigy.net), January 16, 1999

Answers

see new thread - screwed up again :)

Andy the doombrooder :)

"We're doomed I tell ye, doomed!"

Private Frazer, Dad's Army, Walmington-On-Sea Home Guard, 1939 (Undertaker)

-- Andy (2000EOD@prodigy.net), January 16, 1999.

Andy, I bought a 5000 watt generator and am putting up 300 gallons of fuel for it. The reason I did it is really pretty simple. I live in the country and if the grid does go spastic there is a very real chance that all available power will be routed to the cities. My primary use for the gen will be to run my washing machine. Yep. The washing machine. After looking over all the appliances and modern conveniences available to me,I have decided that is the most important. Of course it will also power my well pump. It's really kind of dependent on how you see the final scenario playing out. If the grid stutters for a few months, I'm cool got it covered. If the worst happens I can at least smooth the transition. If nothing happens, I still got the genny for Ice storms. One thing I want to add. I bought a 500 dollar coleman from Sam's. I don't expect this gen. to run more than six months without giving me problems, and that is all the fuel I am setting back. Total investment is about 800 dollars. I figure if they haven't got it straightened out in six months, it's not gonna get straightened out in the forseeable future.

-- Nikoli Krushev (doomsday@y2000.com), January 16, 1999.

Hi Andy:

You raise some valid points. To me, the value of a generator is only realized if you need it for short term use (i.e., if most of the "best-case" y2k scenarios occur, where you'd only need it to run vital/convenience items such as a well pump for short periods of time). If the worse-case y2k scenarios happen, yes, I feel that fuel will be unavailable, and most generators will use up any moderate- sized fuel supply within a few months (with on and off usage).

I feel that any of us considering (or who already have) purchasing generators should also be knowledgeable AND prepared to live without a generator. If the worst does happen, a generator will most likely be rendered useless. However, I have heard of a wood-fired generator (never seen one anywhere, though), and if you have access to land with trees, you'd be set.

With that said, though, I'm still researching purchasing a used generator this spring. I'm an open-minded person, and if y2k is nothing but a bump-in-the-road (which my intuition tells me it won't), we can still use it during weather-related power outages.

Elena

-- Elena Mauceri (elena-mauceri@worldnet.att.net), January 16, 1999.

Let me try again.

I saw this from TMAN on another thread:-

"I was in Costco the other day and they didn't have a single generator, this made me wonder if everyone else was out of generators. After checking with several vendors (Homedepot, Tool Crib, Harbor Freight Tools ) I found that because of the storms on the east coast and y2k many generators were in short supply. Yet you can still find a generator if you look in the right places."

My question is why would you want a generator? I know this sounds pretty stupid, but I'm quite serious. If things hit the fan there are a few things to consider.

1. they cost a lot of money.

1.a. maybe the money could be better spent.

2. they are noisy and will draw attention to you.

2.a. lights at night will draw attention to you.

3. they use precious fuel.

4. the fuel will need to be stockpiled.

4.a. fuel storage can be dangerous.

5. the fuel will eventually run out - then what?

Why not just do without? Get used to lanterns. Get used to going to sleep when it gets dark. Get up at dawn. If it's a relative bump in the road - 1 or 2 months without power will not kill you. If it's worse than that then you want to keep a very low profile until things stabilise (!), and as I said the fuel will eventually run out. If it's gonna be longterm, surely solar is the way to go, with wood burning stoves.

Any thoughts welcome.

Andy the doombrooder :)

"We're doomed I tell ye, doomed!"

Private Frazer, Dad's Army, Walmington-On-Sea Home Guard, 1939 (Undertaker) -- Andy (2000EOD@prodigy.net), January 16, 1999

-- Andy (2000EOD@prodigy.net), January 16, 1999.

Washing machine Nikoli? You big wuss :)

I plan on jumping in a stream, fully clothed, and doing "The Macarena", will save me $800!

No, I see your point, they will come in handy short term - maybe they can be made to run on home grown fuel like alcohol etc?

Andy the doombrooder :)

"We're doomed I tell ye, doomed!"

Private Frazer, Dad's Army, Walmington-On-Sea Home Guard, 1939 (Undertaker)

-- Andy (2000EOD@prodigy.net), January 16, 1999.

Ooops. Posted on the "wrong" generator thread.

Can't be dogmatic here. My mother-in-law's dairy farm desperately needs its big-time 16KW diesel gen with 3K gallons of fuel. More reasons than I can go into here.

We are ten miles own road and not using generator, but propane, oil lamps, wood cook stove, etc. Gravity-fed water makes a big, positive difference.

That said, my own feeling is it is best to get a generator only if you really need it. Your points are well-taken. It's not so much a matter of cost (believe me, we've spent bucks doing it this way) but some of the other things you mention and an important one you don't: installing, using and maintaining a generator is not rocket science, but it's more than a no-brainer. Respect is required.

-- BigDog (BigDog@duffer.com), January 16, 1999.

Andy, it isn't so much a matter of being a wuss as it is insuring domestic tranquility. Ha ha. Well come to think of it I guess it is a matter of being a wuss. Wash them clothes woman, and fetch up some more firewood while yore ate it.

-- Nikoli Krushev (doomsday@y2000.com), January 16, 1999.

Andy,

Agreed. We gave this a lot of thought, and decided we could do without the expense, the fuel storage, the lack of viable substitute when the fuel ran out, the conspicuous noise, the rewiring, etc.

We got a wood stove, and haven't run the heat yet this winter. House (2500 sq ft) has been toasty warm throughout, I built storage for 5 cords of wood, enough for one cold season here. Also got a half dozen oil lamps and a couple dozen gallons of lamp oil.

As an experiment, we simulated a blackout for a week, used the lamps for reading, the stove for heat and cooking, lived on a week's worth of our stored food to check for monotonous diet, bought nothing at any store, the whole nine yards. We learned a lot, and recommend this as an experiment. (Get a wider variety of foods, get more spices, don't rely on things freezing when put outside around here, our stash of paper products (TP, paper towels, etc.) is *way* short when you don't use water for washing dishes, on and on.) We did continue to flush the toilets, that might be trouble later if we can't for sure.

A generator might be good for the 1 to 3-day blackout. If you're looking at a couple of weeks or more, I can't buy it unless that's your only source of water (well pump).

YMMV

-- Flint (flintc@mindspring.com), January 16, 1999.

It's obviously a matter of priorities. We purchased a small 4KW propane generator. We also have enough fuel to run it for 3 years with reduction of lifestyle. We'll be able to run a couple of laptops, compact flourescent lights, well pump, and judicious stereo & TV use. However, we've gone the whole route, including batteries & inverter. Batteries charge in about 4 hours or so, then we can run around a week off the batteries before recharge. When generator is running, we do washing, wood cutting, dehydrators, etc.Then back to Alladin lamps.

So we've got three years to make a transition. We figure that's enough time to let the world get back together - or find another alternative.

Jolly

-- Jollyprez (jolly@prez.com), January 16, 1999.