Open Thread
Can’t Bring Yourself to Type the Word “Ass”?
Eager to share our brilliant political commentary and blunt media criticism, but too genteel to link to horsesass.org? Well, good news, ladies: we also answer to HASeattle.com, because, you know, whatever. You're welcome!
Quit thinking about it and just DO it, Goldy! Buy a generator. Really. Just buy one.
P.S., Buy a couple gas cans, too — and take them to a filling station BEFORE the power goes out because the gas pumps don’t work AFTER the power goes out and the generator doesn’t run if you have NO GAS.
Sincerely yours,
A Wise Old Rabbit
America’s next top model?
It’s also a good idea to dump the gas into your vehicle and put fresh gas in your generator gas cans every few months, ‘cuz gas goes sour after a while.
I’m in the same boat. And all generators have vanished from the hardware store shelves. Next shipment after Christmas. My sister, “the smart one” as she calls herself has a solar powered home with a wind backup…she’s the only one on her block with power AND just to rub it in she’s got all her Christmas lights on. And yes, her home is in Wash state. Sure makes one think about adding solar panels and some batteries, eh?
Actually, these http://tinyurl.com/ybxk22
are better, not only because they’re quieter and more fuel efficient, but — more importantly, they produce CLEAN POWER that’s safe to run computers with.
(You do not want to run a computer or other sensitive electronic equipment on a hardware-store type generator, because the uneven voltage may fry your computer or electronic equipment.)
Main,
Would it be possible to find out from your sister what company she went with for installation of her hybrind wind/solar system, and if she chose a particular ‘package’? I have been considering doing this, and going this many days without power convinces me I need to get off my ass and just do it.
Thanks,
brc
What the hell happened to “atoms for peace”? We should have an RTG in every garage.
I don’t know about you, but I keep an an unlicensed nuclear accelerator in my garage.
Why does the P-I say “full power expected by midnight,” but the Times reports “Thousands face fifth night without power?”
cool, but how is that personal gasoline consumption machine any different than a GMC H2 Hummer?
“how is that personal gasoline consumption machine any different than a GMC H2 Hummer?”
A generator could keep you alive if used wisely, while the H2 Hummer provides for a place to sit when you drive to the 7-11 to get a bag of Cheetos.
brc: here’s the scoop. She put the system in 5 years ago. They had a very knowledgeable guy from Whidbey Island named Tom Rentz come in for guidance (They think Tom may be retired now) The system consists of SIEMAN photovoltaic panels (the kind on an arm that track the suns progress across sky works best); a TRACE/Zantrac power inverter and the wind system is a WHISPER 900. They have a 24V system and have 12 batteries. The batteries are just now starting to falter in holding a charge. So that’s a 5 year life span on a system that runs a whole house. Total cost back then was in the neighborhood of $5,000. They also added a generator since the NW does not always provide enough sun and/or wind and it’s nice to charge the batteries. This system runs the whole house, dw, micro, laptop, laundry, refer & Christmas lights!
Good luck.
BIG OIL ,goldy???
how could you!!!
shame shame shame………heh heh heh
but really…..get warm. generators are expensive….maybe roger should buy you one using all the profits he made off his oil stock. now…wouldn’t that make you feel better, roger, about your ill gotten gains???
if you get one goldy…be sure to have someone who knows how to make sure of ventilation etc.
the best you can get is a diesel because they can run 24 hours a day 7 days a week with no problem. avoid the propane ones at all cost. but diesel is your best choice. we had a big one that could run everything on the ranch including the milkhouse. i loved that big green monster…….
If you’re feeling rich, a generator or solar and batteries are possible solutions, but you will also have to pay for a lot of expensive switching equipment. And all for a huge storm that only happens once a decade on average. You can’t just attach a wire to your house from the generator. It doesn’t work like that.
If you’re looking for an inexpensive solution to being comfortable during a power outage, choose one or two rooms that can be closed from the rest of the house, and buy one or two coleman propane lights and a five gallon propane tank and hoses to connect each of them. Each will burn for days on a tank of propane, and they will light and heat the room. We kept a 1200 sq. ft house heated with two lanterns. On cold days the best we could get was 64 degrees but that’s enough with a cap, lap robe, and sweater. I’m really fond of the new model that has a tube shaped mantle that attaches at both ends. It seems to be an honest equivalent to a 100 watt electric bulb.
The propane should burn efficiently enough that you won’t get a deadly build-up of carbon monoxide, but it’s a good idea to have a CO alarm any time you have something unvented burning in the house.
Those of you who are addicted to your computers, recharge at the nearest bistro that has power, or use your car as a charger.
wingnut idiot @13: Check the author of this thread again. I believe it says “by Will,” not “by Goldy.”
13 (continued) Why should I feel guilty about making money off oil? If you humans are fool enough to make yourselves dependent on oil, I’ll sell it to you! Rabbits have to make a living too. And owning oil stocks beats hell out of working for the wages that CHEAP LABOR CONSERVATIVES pay!
I mean, why the fuck should ANYONE work? There’s no incentive to work. Wages receive unfavorable tax treatment, and you have to put up with surly supervisors and hostile customers and you get no respect from anyone. Republicans, in particular, look down on anyone who works as their social inferiors. The old-time Democrats used to say, “We’re Democrats so that someday we can live like Republicans!” Well, for Roger Rabbit, “someday” has arrived. Fuck work! I’m living on my pension, dividends, and capital gains.
As far as I’m concerned, the Republicans can flip their own burgers.
@13 (continued) “if you get one goldy…be sure to have someone who knows how to make sure of ventilation etc.”
Well, this part of generator technology isn’t hard. If you run it indoors, you die. If you plug it into the house wiring, the lineman working on the pole outside dies.
So … run it outdoors on the patio or deck, a healthy distance away from the house with the exhaust pipe pointing away from doors and windows, and bring the cords plugged into the generator in through a window or door (open just a crack), and plug your lights and appliances into the cords plugged into the generator.
Never, repeat NEVER, run a generator in a basement, garage, house — and never, repeat NEVER, plug a generator into the house circuitry.
That’s all there is to it.
Well, there IS one more thing … don’t blow yourself up while putting gas in the generator. In other words, turn the fucking thing off before you begin refueling it.
Oh, and another thing, don’t stand in a puddle of water while plugging cords in a running generator. And use outdoor cords, and keep them up off the ground. I wouldn’t put the generator in the fish pond, either. Water and electricity don’t mix, and generator electricity kills you just as dead as the hydropower dam or electric chair kind.
“If you run it indoors, you die.”
As was sadly demonstrated in Burien.
Whiner!
My power was out until mid Sunday and I did fine.
@17 Rodent;
Why do people work? Without we worker bees, unproductive, non-contributing members of society like yourself wouldn’t get even the tiniest little shred of gov’t cheese benefits. Don’t make too much noise on this issue, I know my heart would bleed if I saw you actually working a 9 to 5 instead of sitting on this website all day every day pretending you have a life. Good luck to you, you leach.
With the DOD posting the complete counter-insurgency manual online and jihadist websites now linking to it it’s a great time to list some interesting facts about the 2006 congress
I have to agree with Roger – those Honda generators are very nice. My fire department has the Honda EU2000i and the thing is very quiet!
If you want to plug it into your house electrical system, have an electrician install a cutoff at your main breaker box so you can pull yourself off of the electric grid. Then you can plug the generator in and have it available house-wide. I have no idea how much it costs to do this (but I will find out once I get a generator that can actually power enough equipment to make this worthwhile)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/.....signs.html
Republican baby-raper number 292,092 gets outed.
So much for the moral majority!
Buy a siphon to go with your shiny new gas cans and generator. The world is now your gas station.
I love my Honda 2000. I still have no electricity….except for what Mr Honda provides.
Have you folks ever thought about standby generators? They run on natural gas or propane, then you don’t have to worry about filling up gas cans when the power goes out. Natural gas already supplied to your home can do the trick.
If you want to learn about a “free” America, log onto http://www.losthorizons.com and READ THE BOOK “Cracking the Code” by Peter Eric Hendrickson. Warning: I wish I hadn’t read it…