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202 sats \ 7 replies \ @justin_shocknet 20h \ on: Check your preps. Don't wait DIY
That's your weakest link, no forced hardening 🤣
I added a 30amp whole home solar battery to compliment the generator after our last 5 day outage, we're usually good for at least a few multi-day events every year... With a deep well drawing a lot of watts we can't get by with 15 amp kits. Also really sucks when it's sub zero wind chills and the generator needs fuel in the middle of the night.
Just installed a running cover for the generator as well, been a few times the storm itself precluded running it. Oil change / battery check is a fall ritual.
I been thinking about installing a battery system for my home
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Yea depending what appliances you have they've gotten pretty cheap, its really only my well that necessitated a big unit
I went with the Anker Solix, and got some portable panels with it
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What’s the horse power of your pump? You running a single phase water pump?
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All I know is that its on an 30 amp circuit and the surge is over ~3000w, so the path of least resistance was just to get a generator port and interlock. That would also power the boiler which is hard wired to the panel.
The Anker was the first battery setup I saw at a reasonable price with a 30 amp output, and with that I hook into the whole house with the same port we use for the generator.
I also like that I can charge it back up with a regular 15 amp wall plug from the vehicles, with a little harbor freight inverter. Nice plan C should the generator shit the bed or we run out of fuel for it in an extended event and weather is incompatible with the solar panels.
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Well... maybe its the weakest link. Maybe not. I have enough fuel to run this thing for 20 days. There are no solutions, only trade-offs. Home batteries or whole house generator means less sats to my savings. Solar battery backups are in my future for sure. If I lived in a different place I would have a whole house generator in addition to this little guy.
The reality is, the generator did its job. I was able to get it going. Just not as quickly as I wanted. Its duel fuel and I think the issue was the gas in the carb. It started right up on propane. It also is running like a champ now. These engines are not meant to sit.
I can think of a few things that are weaker links that i can fix. But the likelihood of them happening is smaller. I still have a long way to go though. You never are really 100% prepared for anything. Building skills is the real important thing people neglect. And, you don't have to master everything. Just get competent in a handful of things and have friends/family that can fill in the gaps.
That's my approach at least. I like the saying, Jack of all trades, master of some. Jack Spirko says that.
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I mean the forced hardening itself, no better prep than living where the weather messes you up regularly lol
I've otherwise accepted that it's going to be madmax by day 10 of major grid down event
Just making sure you have 10 days of heat and water is a tall order.
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Yep
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