Steven Shipley wrote:
> Eric Murray wrote:
> >
> > On Sat, Dec 09, 2000 at 06:54:56PM -0800, Steven Shipley wrote:
> >
> > > I decided against the generator since I have very reliable electrical
> > > service. If I bought a generator a couple of years ago, for example,
> > > it would still be in the box unused. But I've lost power for as much
> > > as two days.
> >
> > I don't understand those two sentences- you have a very reliable
> > electrical service, yet you have been without power for as much as two days?
>
> It's so reliable I don't remember the date of the last failure (GT 3
> years?)
> The problem in Seattle is usually snow. We see it so seldom there's
> no incentive to prepare. I think I've driven in snow twice in 5 years
> and there was no power failure. So the generator isn't getting used.
>
> But every 10 or 20 years we get whacked and nobody's prepared. In the
> case
> of the two day failure, we had a big snow, a bunch of lines down, and
> the
> utility was unable to respond to the calls. The crews are pretty good
> at
> getting the power back on but I was affected by a localized failure and
> couldn't get through to report it.
>
> So I don't really need a generator that will get 15 hours usage in 15
> years.
> That's why I want to use natural gas and some basic device to burn it
> and utilise it. Open a valve and the energy is available. The basic
> natural gas appliance needs no maintenance. The generator is going to
> need some care and feeding even when it's waiting to be used.
snip happens
If what you want is for your gas heater to work without AC power or a fussy
generator you might consider getting a power inverter. You only need a few amps
and can get one that will run off of a car battery or two (better though if you
get a real deep cycle battery) for a fairly long time. Then recharge the
batteries in/on a car or wait till the AC returns. Good enough to run the
heater
intermittently for your two days every couple of years. (but you have to keep
the
batteries on a trickle charge or they'll be dead the only times you want them).
I have one to back up a sump pump. The pump normally kicks on every day or so
except in the rainy season when it will run quite a bit more often. Funny that
power failures and water are often seen together. . .
Mark Miller
Alameda, Ca
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