In October of 1998, I wrote to our electric co op re y2k. I received a very nice letter back saying they were compliant but couldn't make promises as they are a non producer of power. Shortly after that a brochure came with the monthly bill that in essence said the same thing. But I got another letter enclosing the brochure and again saying all was well in our area providing they were able to buy power. A couple of months ago we received another brochure that answered questions that people had been asking. This time compliance or readyness was not mentioned. Instead, they" have a plan and are working on it!!" In the meantime hubby and I went shopping for a large generator. When we were at Catapillar the salesman told us that our electrical co op was buying generators and reselling them and installing them for businesses in their region. I checked this out with someone who works for the co op and he said , "yep, thats what we are doing". A couple of days ago we received a survey from the co op, mostly of which was customer service in nature. However, snuggled into it were a couple of y2k questions, one of which was "do you believe we are compliant for y2k?". Also enclosed was a post card where you can ask questions and send it back Post paid. In the meantime, hubby with his "bigger is better" philosophy has bought a 40kw generator which will have to be brought in on a truck and placed on our patio with a crane. He had some modifications made, ie., it sits on a 100 gal fuel tank as its base and he had it wired with a giant plug that will plug to the house, rather than having it all wired in. He also had 4 110 and 2 220 outlets put onto the generator. I think its a little over kill but am happy I have a spouse that knows how to do things and is a GI. My biggest fear is that the county or some govmint agengy will try and confiscate it when the SHTF. Therefore we have told no one we have it. It will be pretty well hidden and we have another 5kw generator wired to the well pump for pumping water for neighbors. They don't need to know we have the big generator. Our intentions are to run it only a couple of hours a day, max. Because it provides so much power, we can heat water, bake bread, do the washing, take showers and anything else we need to do. At night we will use oil lamps just like anyone else. And yes, we have 1500 gal of diesel. Hubby owned a dump truck operation in Washington State and Alaska for years, so he knows how to do all these things. Today I am going to ask the electrical co op why they were compliant last Oct and they now "have a plan and are working on it". I am also going to ask why they are installing large generators for businesses. I know the answer will be because they are a non producer but I am trying to push them to be a little more forth coming to their customers and advise people make some preparations. I am definitly in a "y2k whazzat? " region of Florida retirees and there is little or no stocking up. I watch the grocery shelves and the grocery carts like a hawk. Anyone have some good questions for our non producer power company? PS: don't flame me with the fact that diesel can run out. We know that. Hubby has also made me a bush box and a solar oven and we are as prepared as we can get for no power at all. I have bug out bag packed at all time because of fires and hurricanes. The generator is hubby's bug out bag. He says he will put it on back of his flat bed trailer and head for the hills. Too each his own. I would have rather had a nice little new red pick up truck, myself!!!

Taz

-- Taz (Tassie @aol.com), April 30, 1999

Answers

If they try to confiscate that honker, they'll have a hernia loading it! LOL LOL LOL Trying to get up off the floor!! And you are powering WHAT??

NO this is NOT a flame! I happen to LOVE IT!!

Thanks for the early chuckle!!!!

Chuck

-- chuck, a Night Driver (rienzoo@en.com), April 30, 1999.

Chuck....I agree. Told hubby that if a hurricane was headed our way I was going to chain myself to that damn generator. It is NOT going to blow away!! I thought we were going looking for a 6 to 10 kw diesel generator. Ha!! He had in mind a 20kw, but the 40kw"" was only about $2k more" so he bought that. Oh well, he does like his toys. How many people do you know with 10 ton of iron and a table saw that cuts iron, in their shop?? Along with two large air compressors, welder, drill press and all kinds of "thingies" I have no idea about their use. When he sold the business, the trucks and the cats went but he hauled the rest of that stuff to Florida and built a 72X32 shop. Does this sound like retirement??? Or downsizing? Oh well, I figure with that generator maybe he can fix things for people ifTEOWAKI hits. Also we have a neighbor who is on dialysis and I may have to do that for her at my house. We certainly live in interesting times. If we have a bump in the road, I think down deep hubby will be disappointed that he will have no reason to go forth and slay dragons. LOL I really think , no, I KNOW, he is enjoying the challenge of y2k. But far better havinng a spouse like him who can use tools and has a tool for everything, than one who doesn't know which end of a hammer to use or is not a GI. So I try not to complain. But I REALLY did want that little hot red pick up truck.!!

Taz

-- Taz (Tassie @aol.com), April 30, 1999.

What I am smiling imagining is Taz running this gargantuan generator and thinking the neighbors aren't going to know about it. Let alone needing a crane to put it on the back patio, but it's okay, nobody will see that going in. :-) These things are about as quiet as the second coming -- everybody within 3/4 a mile will know about it. Unless you live on a LOT of acres... :-)

PJ in TX

-- PJ Gaenir (fire@firedocs.com), April 30, 1999.

I like the 100 gallon fuel tank, too. Oh well, maybe a week or two is all you'll need. And opaque windowshades (if you really want to run deep). As PJ notes, you don't have the option to run silent.

-- Tom Carey (tomcarey@mindspring.com), April 30, 1999.

Thanks for the lighthearted post! People really are amazing creatures.

Your husband reminds me of "Norm Abrams" (or something like that) on this old house. If you ever see the show on PBS, he really does have tools for everything. When he wants a different router bit he doesnt change bits, he changes routers with the different bits already installed (and not just for the show either)!

Now I know where to come if my generator gives up.

-- Jon Johnson (narnia4@usa.net), April 30, 1999.

We do live on acreage and no one within 500 yds or so. But on the contrary that baby barely hums. It has a residential silencer on it. Now the 5 kw, you sure can hear for a country mile. Also where we live(in a forest) no one is likely to see it come in once its off the road. But still.......I sure wanted that little red truck!!

Taz

-- Taz (Tassie @aol.com), April 30, 1999.

Just have to comment...

D*mn, now that's a generator!!!!

-- Sharon (sking@drought-ridden.com), April 30, 1999.

Taz....

As Chuck said, I too love it. Your wit and sense inspire. And to think that I am a neighbor of yours. Same state anyway. Wish you the best, but you need nothing from me. You and yours have it all.

Charon.

-- Charon (Thatplace@downbelow.com), April 30, 1999.

Hell, Jon....y'all don't have to come here. We'll just run ya'all a line to yer place!! LOL

Taz

-- Taz (Tassie @aol.com), April 30, 1999.

But Taz still wants that little red truck!

-- Mitchell Barnes (spanda@inreach.com), April 30, 1999.

Taz, love it.

Now, is there a creative way to convince hubby that little red pick-up truck is Y2K essential?

;-D

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), April 30, 1999.

Hi Taz! We recently bought a much smaller diesel generator - about 12,500 watt I believe. Our system is not hooked up and running yet. Please ask your wonderful hubby about the "residential silencer"? What is it? Is it a car muffler of some type? Pretty please - describe what this wonderful thing actually is, and where to get one. Our generator will have to sit next to the patio and I really dread the racket.

-- jeanne (jeanne@hurry.now), April 30, 1999.

Diane...I am working on it. If push comes to shove, I will just have to make his life hell. LOL We women have our ways...........muuwahahahahah!!

Taz

-- Taz (Tassie @aol.com), April 30, 1999.

Jeanne...our generator came with an industrial silencer and the residential silencer was an extra option. the exhuast pipe is on top and will be vented through the roof of porch just as you would vent a woodstove. I would call the place where you bought the generator and ask them about a silencer. If push comes to shove, I don't know why one couldn't make one from car muffler, etc. Hubby's intentions are to run this thing (wiring isn't finished yet) for about 30 days 24 hrs a day to break it in and make sure there are no glitches. It will also give us an idea as to how much it burns/hour. We have 1500 gal of diesel and with the 100 gal tank under the generator, he won't have to be filling it everyday. We really will not use it that much. Doesn't make sense to use it all the time. I say two hours every other day will take care of all of our needs. But I can just see me flying down the road in that little red truck. Sigh!!!!!

Taz

-- Taz (Tassie @aol.com), April 30, 1999.

Talking about overkill, my parents are DGIs and they just bought a 22 acre tract of land with a mountain stream and a house that they are going to tear down and build a new one in its place. The wild thing is, there is a new outbuilding with a 100KW GENERATOR that has never been used. It sits on a 100 gallon tank and has a John Deere engine. I forget the brand of the generator. Does anyone know anything about it? Unfortunately, the new house won't be completed until next summer, and the old one will probably be razed by the rollover, so here you have DGIs wasting a perfectly good genset.

-- Lurker (eye@spy.net), April 30, 1999.

--hey lurker @eyespy, etc. Here's a thought. why don't you offer to build an adjacent foundation, and just drag the house over to it? then they can always tear it down next year or whatever, and in the meantime you'd have a nifty house with all the juice in the world. I worked one summer moving houses and it's really not that hard, especially keeping it on the same piece of ground. Just a thought......

-- zog (zog@avana.net), April 30, 1999.

I'm jealous.

Not of the generator, Of the saw! Cool man, I agree it's fun chopping up & welding up steel. Anybody can do the whimpy wood bit, but steel, now that's neat stuff to play with.

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (Kennesaw, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), April 30, 1999.

thought of something there "lurker" - that size genset in a little house would keep the little house nice and cozy (noisy, but warm) if problems occur. No need to burn firewood.

Tell them to keep it up until the spring - but test run the genset, make sure the tank's clean and has good fuel first.

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (Kennesaw, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), April 30, 1999.

Taz,I have to say.....40KW? Somewhere in the specs that came with that beast is a table of what and how much it is going to eat....and even with a residential muffler on it....I dunno...

For the benefit of those who are reading these posts looking for information: We bought a 7.5 kilowat (KW) Kohler years that runs on propane. It uses about a gallon and a half an hour. We use it to run the well pumps, the big saws and stuff that himself has, the washing machine, the copier, the big printer, etc. We generally double up some tasks, like pumping water, irrigating, and doing the laundry or printing stuff from the web. It does have a residential muffler on it, and while it is quite noisy when standing next to it, from a distance, say 300 feet, it sounds like an automobile is running.

Essentially it IS an automobile engine, but running an electricity generator instead of a car transmision.

Himself says that the fuel consumption on the 40 KW is going to be something like 8 gallons an hour.

I find that when ours is running....it makes me nervous...I am always aware of it running, and try to hurry the task. So when I use the computer, I'd rather be on the solar, so I can think better.

Taz...did you run a "needs assessment" before you decided to get one that big? I mean, on your normal electric bill, how many KW do you consume?

BTW...I enjoy reading your posts!

Mary

-- Mary (CAgdma@homenoaddress.com), May 01, 1999.

Run a "needs assessment"??????? Like something that tells you how much power you REALLY need? Shoot! That is too practical. We don't do things that way. Bigger is better is hubby's philosophy. If something needs two nails he pounds 5 in that sucker. LOL Actually we have about 4000 sq ft. 1200 of it is a mother in law wing and she runs lights, TV and washing machine 24 hours a day if allowed to. Goes to bed with lights and fans on and TV going. That is definitely going to stop when hubby pulls the plug on the generator. But I maintain that we won't use more than 2 hours per day. Its so big that we can run everything during that two hours. My thoughts are that we will begin to add solar and use this as a back up and for his stuff in the shop. I know its OVER KILL, but you have to understand "it wasn't much more than a 20kw." LOL I figure if its TEOWAKI everyone in the north is going to be down here camping in the forest by the lakes. We can set up an RV park on the back 40 and run power out to them in the evening so they can have TV in their tents. LOL

Taz....who STILL wants that little red truck!

-- Taz (Tassie @aol.com), May 01, 1999.

Taz....I'm glad you are still following this post...sometimes I forget to come back and see what people are saying.

Two important things..(I picked himself's brain this am)

1) be sure - real sure - that you have a way to disconnect your house from the regular power supply. this may be more difficult than you may think, depending on how it was done. Otherwise......your utility power may go out, your hubby goes out and plugs in this monster, and the current can go right out the lines and fry some poor lineman working on the power grid. This was a point made on some other board I was following. I think it is accurate, but maybe somebody else can comment.

2) the other thing, himself says its bad to run a generator without a load....so when you are "checking it out" make sure it is doing something.....but check out #1above.

The third thing.....you said you had a 5 kw generator running the water pump. I am assuming that this is a domestic well....which leads me to ask if you are perhaps confusing kilowats with horsepower? Most water pumps are in the neighborhood of 1 to 3 horses.

If you had a 5 horsepower generator motor on the well, and a 4 KW generator on the patio, I would say you were right in the ballpark for domestic power.

Earlier you said that your power company didn't make its own power. Plug that behemoth on your patio into the gird, and you can take care of the whole block!

I hope somebody can verify my understanding of point one.

-- Mary (CAgdma@homenoaddress.com), May 01, 1999.

Hi Mary...yes, hubby knows all about hooking up so we don't make crispy critters out of the line men. We are having it all done by an electrical contractor, but instead of just wiring it into the house and having it come on automatically when grid goes down, we are having it done so that we have to plug it into a special receptacle (the damn plug is $900) and then we have to manually turn on the generator. Usually one this big is wired in and put on automatic. We didn't want that and we wanted to be able to move this hummer if we ever sell and move. Or at least have the choice of moving it. Hubby knows how to use generators. Used to build airports, run cement plants, etc in wilds of Alaska. The generator for the well is a 5k Onan. The well is wired with a plug and we just plug the well into the 110 or 220, which ever it is. It will also be on the big generator with the rest of the house. But for purposes of pumping water for the neighbors, we will use the 5kw. Hope this explains it all. I try to keep up with it just in case something happens and hubby isn't here. But I would REALLY rather be out cruising country roads in a new hot red pick up!!!

Taz

-- Taz (Tassie @aol.com), May 01, 1999.

from Mary....Earlier you said that your power company didn't make its own power. Plug that behemoth on your patio into the gird, and you can take care of the whole block!

Mary....i wish there was a way that we could send some juice to a couple of our neighbors, especially the new widow that lives alone behind us in the forest. I am sure if the grid goes down it would be a life saver for her to have two hours of power now and then. Both my mother in law and I have washer and dryers so I plan on inviting a few friends that are close by to come and do their laundry if the grid goes down and stays down. Re load. Hubby says he is going to put a good load on it when he tests it out the first month. If this all turns out to be a lot of BS re the silencer, you will hear me screaming whereever you are. But they did fire up the same gen where we bought it and it was very quiet.

Taz....sans little red truck

-- Taz (Tassie @aol.com), May 01, 1999.

The hot red truck would have been cool though Taz! In another life...

PJ in TX

-- PJ Gaenir (fire@firedocs.com), May 01, 1999.