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(04-14-2025, 10:49 AM)EightFingers Wrote: Hotel room is cheaper
They get crowded fast when the power's out
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(04-16-2025, 09:10 PM)Snipe Hunter Wrote: They get crowded fast when the power's out
And then criminals rob your house.
John
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Or it freezes and the damage leaves it uninhabitable for 4 months.
Blackhat
Bad experiences come from poor decisions. So do good stories.
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(04-16-2025, 09:52 PM)blackhat Wrote: Or it freezes and the damage leaves it uninhabitable for 4 months.
What if you have to go in to work?
Anyway, I set my house up so I can drain the entire system in a few minutes. I actually tested that scenario out one winter when the power was out for almost two weeks. I drained the system, put antifreeze in the toilets, locked the house and spent the rest of the time at my then girlfriend’s house. My work still had power so I had to go in to work. I did check on things everyday, but nothing bad happened. The lows at the time it happened were near zero for six days, but my house did not get below 50.
VH07V
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(04-16-2025, 09:22 PM)jteneyck Wrote: And then criminals rob your house.
John
Not where we lived. Mt Airy Md is the lowest crime per capita in the state, highest gun ownership per capita in the state and no police department. We were pretty proud of that. Proud enough where the shops had it on signs on the front door and at the cash register.
I heard they have a cop now. Part time. He drives his own car.
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Being I'm in FL and lost power last hurricane I'm contemplating the same. Just wondering where you folks keep your portable generator parked while it's running.
I looked at making my own from batteries but don't think I can get the long term run time I would want. My well pump is wired to my detached garage so I might do a simple battery system with that along with a grid tied inverter.
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(04-22-2025, 05:01 PM)Brian in sunny FL Wrote: Just wondering where you folks keep your portable generator parked while it's running.
I built a small enclosure for mine. The fan on the top operates when the unit is operating to evacuate exhaust from the enclosure. The enclosure was more about minimizing noise that might affect my neighbor then security. The enclosure is insulated, and the generator isn’t much loader than my AC unit when it is operating (I can lock it – but it is so heavy I do not worry much about it being absconded). Also keeps it out of the weather
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(04-23-2025, 09:01 AM)Don_M Wrote: I built a small enclosure for mine. The fan on the top operates when the unit is operating to evacuate exhaust from the enclosure. The enclosure was more about minimizing noise that might affect my neighbor then security. The enclosure is insulated, and the generator isn’t much loader than my AC unit when it is operating (I can lock it – but it is so heavy I do not worry much about it being absconded). Also keeps it out of the weather
A gasoline/propane generator surrounded by combustible materials? Not good. Unless it's made out of cement board, I'd have it far away from my house.
John
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(04-23-2025, 10:07 AM)jteneyck Wrote: A gasoline/propane generator surrounded by combustible materials? Not good. Unless it's made out of cement board, I'd have it far away from my house.
John
Are you suggesting there is a combustibility issue while in operation? The blower operates at 800cfm and pulls fresh air in from two side vents and basically evacuates the entire enclosure once every 3 seconds. Even when sitting idle it is fairly well vented and I close the propane at the source - but gasoline can be in the generator tank so point taken (although I have never noticed any leakage or odor in the enclosure). Also, it is lined with mineral wool, which I believe is quite resistant to fire. Anyway, interesting point - appreciate the feedback. I may consider replacing the outer skin with cement or hardie board
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(04-23-2025, 11:47 AM)Don_M Wrote: Are you suggesting there is a combustibility issue while in operation? The blower operates at 800cfm and pulls fresh air in from two side vents and basically evacuates the entire enclosure once every 3 seconds. Even when sitting idle it is fairly well vented and I close the propane at the source - but gasoline can be in the generator tank so point taken (although I have never noticed any leakage or odor in the enclosure). Also, it is lined with mineral wool, which I believe is quite resistant to fire. Anyway, interesting point - appreciate the feedback. I may consider replacing the outer skin with cement or hardie board
Well, yeah, or after operation. Mufflers stay hot for a long time after running for a while. It sounds like you have a well thought out system, but I would never put a generator or any other engine right next to my house, just in case. Your insurance company might not respond well if you ever had a fire caused by the generator. When I had the whole house Generac installed, the local codes were very specific about how close it could be to combustible materials. I think it was 18", but I'm not positive, and I think that only applied to Generac as they had approvals that that distance was OK. That motor is inside a metal shell.
John
