For when the power goes out? I has a wood stove that will keep the house at 30c even in -40 weather.. I keep 4 to 6 cords of wood on hand at most times..
What do you do for heat for when and if the power goes out for days on end?
Go to a hotel... like my hubby says.... Seriously have no plan. BUT if we still have gas then Run the gas fireplace. That's the best plan I have at the moment since we don't have the resources at the time.
About a year and a half ago we lost power for 8 1/2 hours. Fortunately the temperature was near 0C but the wind was pretty strong. After about 4 hours I saw the temperature in the house drop a few degrees so I lit 8 candles and closed the bedroom doors. Over the next 4 hours I saw the indoor temperature rise about 3 degrees. My house is poorly insulated but sits down wind from quite a few trees which reduces wind chill. (yes, houses need more heat on windy days)
I have purchased a M 1950 Yukon stove https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOBjMbdUIO4 (not my video but it shows what I got) and intend on making an aluminum housing to capture the heat off the rear portion of the top of the stove. I'll run some stove pipe to move the warm air through a task specific vent and into the house. 12V computer fans running on battery power will circulate the air in the house. I strongly suggest testing this type of set up before it's needed and make sure you test the warm air entering your house for CO levels.
While this set up is not perfect it's far better than nothing.
Than= I’d rather be rich than poor.
Then= I first became hungry then I ate.
There = She is there now.
Their = They have their things.
They're = They're going to the mall.
To = They came to the house.
Too = That's too bad.
About a year and a half ago we lost power for 8 1/2 hours. Fortunately the temperature was near 0C but the wind was pretty strong. After about 4 hours I saw the temperature in the house drop a few degrees so I lit 8 candles and closed the bedroom doors. Over the next 4 hours I saw the indoor temperature rise about 3 degrees. My house is poorly insulated but sits down wind from quite a few trees which reduces wind chill. (yes, houses need more heat on windy days)
I have purchased a M 1950 Yukon stove https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOBjMbdUIO4 (not my video but it shows what I got) and intend on making an aluminum housing to capture the heat off the rear portion of the top of the stove. I'll run some stove pipe to move the warm air through a task specific vent and into the house. 12V computer fans running on battery power will circulate the air in the house. I strongly suggest testing this type of set up before it's needed and make sure you test the warm air entering your house for CO levels.
While this set up is not perfect it's far better than nothing.
Yes I would highly recommend CO monitors (battery powered) for anyone running a similar setup. Also make sure you test them and your smoke detectors annually
See you all after.
Woodstove, wood cook stove and seasoned firewood, solar array and generator on my parents motorhome to power our well pump and alternate on the freezer and refrigerator if they are in Canada at the time , we have a thousand gallons of stored water and lots of roof catchment capability which does not help much in summer . Solar garden lights . have outdoor cooking fire pit too . The usual solar/wind up radio and solar charger for some rechargeable batteries . I do have insulating bubble wrap and heavy comforters I use as winter curtains to retain heat in cooler months . It is a weak plan and not exactly set up into multiple layers of redundancy . It sounds like I have some grip but I think it needs to be strengthened a LOT to be reliable and fool proof .
I really wish I had a wood stove!!! But moving every 3-4 years for work, I'm limited in options. I'm confident I can ride a few day outage in the middle of the winter, but for a long term solution, I'm in a bit of trouble. Hoping to relocate next year and find a house where there is either a stove already installed or where I can install one.
In the meanwhile, assuming there is still natural gas going, I can : run the fireplace, hook up the furnace fan to the generator for a few hours every day and last quite a while (with current fuel reserve). Without natural gas, I have a couple of convection space heaters I could run with the generator... The it's down to kerosene lamps/lanterns in a closed room.
Off course, I would also think of using the warm southerly sun and then block off the windows at night.
Sounds like some great set ups .. We all need some work.. its progression... Keep on keeping on...
If the power goes out... I also have a gas fire place.. And lots of warm clothes and blankets..
I have 2 generators one small and one larger,my cousin who is a master electrician made me chords which require both ends are male ends the generators run outside so no carbon monoxide,plug in to your outlets outside your home or condo,important here plug into your house first then your generator second,as long as you have adequate gas which I do my furnace is 110 ,microwave is110 ,but enough power to keep my condo warm lights and eat popcorn no worries and watch tv
I am installing a wood stove very soon. Alternate power generation is something we are working on as well.
Hmmm, maybe I should rethink the quiet part...
Sorry when you use this syste turn off your main breaker to make sure your power does not go back into the grid and turn on each breaker as your generator will handle I bought a generator at Costco 400 dollars adequate to keep you comfortable works for me also looking to upgrade have a fireplace which will work
For those who don't have a wood fireplace they can get a portable woodstove or rocket stove with one of those USB charging pots. You can be warm and charge your small devices. It is small enough for your bov. I was thinking of making a small one out of an ammo can for camping or one of the larger version. All pipes would be stored inside the stove and it is a stove so you can cook on top of it too.
I have 2 generators one small and one larger,my cousin who is a master electrician made me chords which require both ends are male ends the generators run outside so no carbon monoxide,plug in to your outlets outside your home or condo,important here plug into your house first then your generator second,as long as you have adequate gas which I do my furnace is 110 ,microwave is110 ,but enough power to keep my condo warm lights and eat popcorn no worries and watch tv
Wow...I can't believe a master electrician did this!
This is simply dangerous...forget about the possibility of feeding the power grid if you forget to throw the main switch an possibly killing a linesman who is working to get your power back on.
Your home wiring is designed to handle between 15 and 30 amps, usually closer to the 15 - 20 amp range. Depending on what you are running when connected this way, you can easily overheat the wiring and start a fire.
Sure, it may work, but remember that electricity is one of the utilities that works, even if it is installed wrong and dangerous.
My advice...DON"T DO THIS!!!
Plugging in an external power source like a generator to your house does work. How safe it is I don't know. I work in construction and the new houses are plugged in from the outlet outside to test all the electrical in the house and people working inside can have power and lights.
What you can do is make your own breaker fuse box to bridge the connections so there is less risk for fire.
Plugging in an external power source like a generator to your house does work. How safe it is I don't know. I work in construction and the new houses are plugged in from the outlet outside to test all the electrical in the house and people working inside can have power and lights.
What you can do is make your own breaker fuse box to bridge the connections so there is less risk for fire.
Or you do it right and install a proper generator panel! Your master electrician cousin could surely install that for a case of 24 and about $150 worth of parts.