My husband went to an N.H.Northern store in San Antonio yesterday. He's an ARTGI (absolutely refuses to get it). He said that he hated to tell me but that they had signs posted all over the store that they were no longer taking orders for ANY generators because they were unavailable because of severe weather and Y2K demand. I guess this means all Northern stores(?) because I don't think that it ever even froze in San Antonio this winter; the blue bonnets were already in full bloom in February.

-- Mostly Lurking (Mostly Lurking@Podunk.Texas), March 09, 1999

Answers

I read once at Norths site that he thought you would be unable to get generators "by June". Currently all stores in my area of WI also out. There probably are some around, but the predictions of panic by fall (?) sure seem realistic at this point.

-- Jon Johnson (narnia4@usa.net), March 09, 1999.

Terrible irony: in Austin we possibly might need the gens this summer. We're projected to outconsume generated and purchased MWs, and are planning to re-commission a plant that was shut down for environmental reasons.

In what will probably be one of the hottest summers on record.

-- Lisa (lisa@work.now), March 09, 1999.

People: Try calling their 800 number (if we're talking about the same "Northern" store) It is 533-5545. That's for Northern Tool & Equipment. I believe they are headquartered here in Minneapolis and last time I checked they still had lots of different brands & models available though for some, you had to pre-pay with delivery promised at a later date. It would at least be worth a call to them since it's their dime.

-- Rick (I'mset@home.house), March 09, 1999.

Mostly Lurking,

I say thank your lucky stars that you couldn't buy a generator.

Noisy generators will make many people easy targets for those who haven't prepared.

-- happy (protect@yourself.com), March 09, 1999.

Consider a solar generator:

www.alltel.net/-profg/solar/order.htm

-- bob (bob@bobco.com), March 09, 1999.

the correct link to the solar gen site is

http://www.alltel.net/~profg/solar/index.htm

has anyone heard of these guys before? or done business with them?

-- Shelia (shelia@active-stream.com), March 09, 1999.

Same situation in Atlanta with Northern. My father ordered a diesel generator in November. They told him delivery in January. That was put off until February, and now the plant is telling him hopefully in April. They are out of many makes and models, backordering is already into spring of 2000. Signs are in the Atlata store about y2k causing the shortage also.

-- mybit (mybit@cyber.space), March 09, 1999.

Happy- Oh, we've got a generator. Last December, I thought my husband finally saw the y2k light while in Home Depot. He bought a massive 10000 Genset. I found out recently that he STILL refuses to get it; last December he was merely suffering from severe generator envy and succumbed to purchase. Now he refuses to buy a gasoline tank. I guess he can always use that generator as an anchor or something.... Sure am glad I'm solving the water pumping problem with solar panels instead of counting on him & his genset. (no potential y2k marital problems here. Nosirree!)

-- mostly lurking (mostly lurking@podunk.texas), March 10, 1999.

Mostly lurking: Perhaps he's sharper than you think. He will put the thing up for sale in early December and probably get 10 times what he paid for it!

-- rick (I'mset@home.house), March 10, 1999.