IReallyLikePizza2
Known around here
Alright first fence put back up temporarily, 2 to go
Emergency Power/Storms/Prepping etc
- Thread starter IReallyLikePizza2
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fergenheimer
Getting comfortable
Wow, Glad things were mostly OK. I saw KHOU noon time broadcast and there was lots of rain and wind. I was kind of hoping it would stay way south and I would get some west of SA. But it has been sunny, hot and dry all day.
fergenheimer
Getting comfortable
You did not waste any time cleaning up. Things look great!
IReallyLikePizza2
Known around here
Thanks, got the back cleaned up today
IReallyLikePizza2
Known around here
I think everything is done at my house apart from getting the fences fixed permanently, putting some root growth hormone fertilizer on the trees and fixing my gable walls so they don't leak, all of which are future tasks.
Loaned out my portable 8.25kw Champion generator to a neighbor who ran it for 20 hours. Magnetic spark plug got a lot of junk! Still low hour so its probably still in the break-in phase
Changed the oil out for 15W-40 when I got it back, much better for this hot weather. I suspect I'll loan it out again this storm or at least this summer
Also went and deployed 20 x 10 Port USB Charging stations, and a multi-bay secured USB Charging dock at a community center. It was PACKED to the gills with people cooling off and looking to charge devices
Saw T-Mobile out there with some of their trucks
Cool T-Mobile truck also (Note Starlink on the roof, because T-Mobile cell service is down
)
Loaned out my portable 8.25kw Champion generator to a neighbor who ran it for 20 hours. Magnetic spark plug got a lot of junk! Still low hour so its probably still in the break-in phase
Changed the oil out for 15W-40 when I got it back, much better for this hot weather. I suspect I'll loan it out again this storm or at least this summer
Also went and deployed 20 x 10 Port USB Charging stations, and a multi-bay secured USB Charging dock at a community center. It was PACKED to the gills with people cooling off and looking to charge devices
Saw T-Mobile out there with some of their trucks
Cool T-Mobile truck also (Note Starlink on the roof, because T-Mobile cell service is down
)
IReallyLikePizza2
Known around here
Something I bought for my preps just because its a super handy item is these Nite Ize CamJam tie downs. They just seem like they could be useful for nearly anything. Sure enough, they were very handy for securing my trees.
Another item is these ground anchor screws, again just seemed like something with a million uses that I might need
They came in very handy for securing my trees! If only I'd done this BEFORE the storm, huh? Next time I guess
The cord is paracord, I mounted a 1000ft spool in my garage with some scrap pipe, just so I can easily get access to it
Another item is these ground anchor screws, again just seemed like something with a million uses that I might need
They came in very handy for securing my trees! If only I'd done this BEFORE the storm, huh? Next time I guess
The cord is paracord, I mounted a 1000ft spool in my garage with some scrap pipe, just so I can easily get access to it
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abita_brewing
Getting the hang of it
I've had very good luck with the ryobi 18v inverter. You can charge a LOT of cell phones from a single 18v 4-6ah battery.
If you get the 'top' version it also have usb-c PD.
If you get the 'top' version it also have usb-c PD.
I lost power at 7:35am on Monday. Still no power. Went to the storage yard on Monday hoping they had opened the gate before losing power. Nope. But they had it opened early Tuesday. Brought the motorhome to the house and ran an extension cord to the refrigerator and the freezer in the house. Running off the generator in the motorhome. Got both down to proper temps in a few hours. Been monitoring the temps of the cords and so far no issues.
Spent the night in the motorhome since it has AC and TV. And we are now hanging out in there since it is cool.
No real damage otherwise. But there is real damage in the areas around us.
Seriously considering a whole house gas generator. Should have gotten one last year when there were no storms in the area.
Spent the night in the motorhome since it has AC and TV. And we are now hanging out in there since it is cool.
No real damage otherwise. But there is real damage in the areas around us.
Seriously considering a whole house gas generator. Should have gotten one last year when there were no storms in the area.
PS. We had no cell service until last night. Had to drive a few miles north to get emails and text messages.
bigredfish
Known around here
Man sorry to hear that. I'm surprised at the damage, flooding I'm seeing reported. I mean its not like it was the first Cat 1 to come through Houston. Seriously we dont even do any extra stocking up for Cat1's.
Musta had a lot of smaller vortices/'naders in the bands?
Musta had a lot of smaller vortices/'naders in the bands?
biggen
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Texas (Houston) must have some shitty power delivery or just a non-hardened power network in general. Here in PCB FL we laugh at Cat1s. All our wooden power poles have been replaced with concrete poles. It’s been ongoing for the last 5-6 years since Hurricane Michael. Maybe the power would be out in sporadic areas but not city wide here for this many days for such a small hurricane.
Saying that, I just threw down $11k for a Generac 24kW I may never use! Pics tomorrow!
Saying that, I just threw down $11k for a Generac 24kW I may never use! Pics tomorrow!
IReallyLikePizza2
Known around here
You lost it a few hours after me, been on generator ever since. Longest outage I've ever experienced! Honestly this whole situation has completely 100% cemented my existing view that you just NEED a standby generator if you live somewhere near the gulf. I would have been MISERABLE without power this whole time
T-Mobile in this area seems like a total loser. Verizon seems to be working good so far, so thats good. I'm still running on my Verizon 5G Home Internet, and its working alright. Big props to that at just $25/mo. But I am thinking of getting Starlink instead
Something was different for sure. I keep checking to see if NOAA might upgrade it after the fact. Massive damage. Largest power outage in Houston History. But CenterPoints incompetence didn't help either, I have some stories I'll share soon
Both! Power is a mess here. Can't wait to see the pics!
IReallyLikePizza2
Known around here
I think we're at 67 hours on generator right now, still running great
Our iPhones are Verizon and we have a Verizon Data Only Hotspot. We also have a Data Only Hotspot from ATT. All had issues with connections.
Here are some pics from the subdivision down the road. It is older and has tons of old, large trees. Much less now.
Here are some pics from the subdivision down the road. It is older and has tons of old, large trees. Much less now.
IReallyLikePizza2
Known around here
Similar old neighborhood here with lots of trees
IReallyLikePizza2
Known around here
I have a tree right near the corner of my house. Love nice big old trees, but honestly I'm thinking of chopping it down
bigredfish
Known around here
We were without juice for 8 days back in the 2017 hurricane. Saving grace was our Internet/cable was all underground and we never lost that. I put 140 hours on the then new Generac 10,000/8500 portable but we had a disconnect switch and plug (30amp if I recall right) outside by the breaker panel so it was an easy couple of flicks of switches to be up and running. $1250 I think I paid for that unit, I still have it and ran it two hours a few weeks ago when the power company replaced a few poles in the neighborhood.
I couldn't run my central air or pool pump (without shutting down other stuff) but everything else within reason. Had a window unit for a "cool room" and gave the Gernerac a rest between 6am and noon each day. It worked out well. Still wish Id had the whole house unit, but $10,000-$20,000 depending on what you do and having only lost power that one time for more than a day in 20 years, its a tough call.
I couldn't run my central air or pool pump (without shutting down other stuff) but everything else within reason. Had a window unit for a "cool room" and gave the Gernerac a rest between 6am and noon each day. It worked out well. Still wish Id had the whole house unit, but $10,000-$20,000 depending on what you do and having only lost power that one time for more than a day in 20 years, its a tough call.
Just got a text from my friend on the Water Board stating that they just lost their generator that powers the water plant. Oh well, glad I have 11k gallons in the pool for flushing toilets. Plenty of drinking water in house and coach.
Our next door neighbor with three kids gave up this afternoon and bugged out to her parents' house in San Antonio.
Up here in the northern part of Harris County there are no stations selling gas today. The ones open yesterday have sold all their fuel, except diesel.
Up here in the northern part of Harris County there are no stations selling gas today. The ones open yesterday have sold all their fuel, except diesel.
IReallyLikePizza2
Known around here
Got 80 gallons of gas in the garage 