Rolling Blackouts Today?

[firecadet613]

I had been considering buying a 9500W portable generator, but I just don't think it's worth it after doing the math. I've read that one really needs a dedicated backup generator of 20k watts or so to run everything in a typical household, including heat/AC, well pump, etc.

I don't have LP or NG, my house is total electric. So I'd have to go with a gasoline or gas/LP dual fuel portable. Purchasing a portable, getting the breaker box setup for generator input, building a little generator shed with sound deadening to keep the unit somewhat discrete during operation and then paying $100 a day to run it while still not being able to use my heat/AC just doesn't seem to make a lot of sense to me. If it's a 1 hour blackout, I can put up with that. If it's an extended outage, I can hop in the truck and go visit family that has power.

Am I thinking about this wrong?

My 9500 super quiet will run my air and electric dryer or range. Gas water heater and furnace though. I spent just under $400 and added a soft start kit to my a/c to ensure it'll start no problem.

I'm very impressed with what it can handle. If you don't think it'll work for you, save some cash and get a 3500w version.

 

[Route 45]

My 9500 super quiet will run my air and electric dryer or range. Gas water heater and furnace though. I spent just under $400 and added a soft start kit to my a/c to ensure it'll start no problem.

I'm very impressed with what it can handle. If you don't think it'll work for you, save some cash and get a 3500w version.

What brand is your 9500W? I was looking at a Westinghouse dual fuel 9500W, they are about $1250 or so.

 

[Ingomike]

What brand is your 9500W? I was looking at a Westinghouse dual fuel 9500W, they are about $1250 or so.

I have one of these. Do note the reduction in output on propane.

 

[thompal]

According to the MISO website, they are forecasting a generating deficiency beginning around 1pm and continuing through the evening. We'll see if their forecasts hold out today.

If you want to follow along:

Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO)

This is MISO's home page.

www.misoenergy.org

View attachment 206016

I'm not sure why there is a shortage now, when there never has been before.

We used to have lots of manufacturing, which used massive amounts of power. They are mostly gone now.

Everybody used to have horribly inefficient air conditioners. Almost all are newer, much more efficient units. Plus many people are using LED lights, which use much less energy (and generate less heat).

These temps are not record-breaking, and not even that unusual.

So, not only can we no longer manufacture things as simple as masks, baby food, or tampons, we can't even keep the power on?

It's like we've become some failed third world nation.

 

[actaeon277]

I can't argue with any of this. The only thing consistent is the flow of golden parachutes.

Should be consequences for them.

 

[firecadet613]

What brand is your 9500W? I was looking at a Westinghouse dual fuel 9500W, they are about $1250 or so.

Harbor Freight, almost $2500 with tax and the warranty, but it's quiet. I had picked up the 3500 when covid hit but it won't run much. This spring decided to get the big boy and very happy with it. But we've only lost power for about 3 hours in 15 years....so it's likely for nothing.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

I would think there would be excess in the summer when the gas furnaces are not running…

They ask big users for daily forecasts a month ahead so that they can plan on having the correct amount of gas available. The MISO charts I showed earlier are the analogy that gas producers do as well. The idea is to have enough capacity without having too much and not being able to sell it. A sudden, unexpected demand causes problems.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

I had been considering buying a 9500W portable generator, but I just don't think it's worth it after doing the math. I've read that one really needs a dedicated backup generator of 20k watts or so to run everything in a typical household, including heat/AC, well pump, etc.

I don't have LP or NG, my house is total electric. So I'd have to go with a gasoline or gas/LP dual fuel portable. Purchasing a portable, getting the breaker box setup for generator input, building a little generator shed with sound deadening to keep the unit somewhat discrete during operation and then paying $100 a day to run it while still not being able to use my heat/AC just doesn't seem to make a lot of sense to me. If it's a 1 hour blackout, I can put up with that. If it's an extended outage, I can hop in the truck and go visit family that has power.

Am I thinking about this wrong?

Backup power is not cheap. I'm putting one in right now and just the wire--HOLY COW!

 

[Mark-DuCo]

Harbor Freight, almost $2500 with tax and the warranty, but it's quiet. I had picked up the 3500 when covid hit but it won't run much. This spring decided to get the big boy and very happy with it. But we've only lost power for about 3 hours in 15 years....so it's likely for nothing.

My BBQ team has the Predator 9500 watt from Harbor Freight too. The team paid for half, and one team member paid the other half since it stays at his house and is his back up genny. We love it, it runs our team trailer with an AC unit, big stereo system, 4 pellet grills, and my camper with ac.

 

[Ingomike]

I'm not sure why there is a shortage now, when there never has been before.

We used to have lots of manufacturing, which used massive amounts of power. They are mostly gone now.

Everybody used to have horribly inefficient air conditioners. Almost all are newer, much more efficient units. Plus many people are using LED lights, which use much less energy (and generate less heat).

These temps are not record-breaking, and not even that unusual.

So, not only can we no longer manufacture things as simple as masks, baby food, or tampons, we can't even keep the power on?

It's like we've become some failed third world nation.

Just spitballing here, but we likely have a huge parasitic load from smart TV’s in every room, phone charging stations, all this electronic wizardry that did not exist 10 years ago. All from stuff not in use…

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

I'm not sure why there is a shortage now, when there never has been before.

We used to have lots of manufacturing, which used massive amounts of power. They are mostly gone now.

Everybody used to have horribly inefficient air conditioners. Almost all are newer, much more efficient units. Plus many people are using LED lights, which use much less energy (and generate less heat).

These temps are not record-breaking, and not even that unusual.

So, not only can we no longer manufacture things as simple as masks, baby food, or tampons, we can't even keep the power on?

It's like we've become some failed third world nation.

Just spitballing here, but we likely have a huge parasitic load from smart TV’s in every room, phone charging stations, all this electronic wizardry that did not exist 10 years ago. All from stuff not in use…

It has more to do with shutting down coal fired generation than anything else, if my estimations are correct.

All of the "sustainability" talk, ESG, etc--this is what it looks like when the rubber hits the road.

When you hear a CEO or politician talk about being "all in" for our sustainable future and such ****, this is a part of the image they don't show you.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

It has more to do with shutting down coal fired generation than anything else, if my estimations are correct.

All of the "sustainability" talk, ESG, etc--this is what it looks like when the rubber hits the road.

When you hear a CEO or politician talk about being "all in" for our sustainable future and such ****, this is a part of the image they don't show you.

ETA: This is from the Orange County REMC FB page:

 

[DoggyDaddy]

ETA: This is from the Orange County REMC FB page:

View attachment 206217

"Unexpected events"... you mean like "summer" and "winter"?

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

"Unexpected events"... you mean like "summer" and "winter"?

LOL... Yeah but I think they mean when mechanical things do what they're prone to do--fail when you need them the most.

 

[mmpsteve]

I had been considering buying a 9500W portable generator, but I just don't think it's worth it after doing the math. I've read that one really needs a dedicated backup generator of 20k watts or so to run everything in a typical household, including heat/AC, well pump, etc.

I don't have LP or NG, my house is total electric. So I'd have to go with a gasoline or gas/LP dual fuel portable. Purchasing a portable, getting the breaker box setup for generator input, building a little generator shed with sound deadening to keep the unit somewhat discrete during operation and then paying $100 a day to run it while still not being able to use my heat/AC just doesn't seem to make a lot of sense to me. If it's a 1 hour blackout, I can put up with that. If it's an extended outage, I can hop in the truck and go visit family that has power.

Am I thinking about this wrong?

I installed a 14k whole house genny a couple years ago. I have NG to the house, and it still wasn't cheap. About $8,000 with an upgraded breaker box, etc... It will run everything in my house - seamlessly. I mean, we don't turn everything on in the house at one time anyhow.
No-one does.

As to whether it's worth the $$, it all depends on what you have to lose without power. In my bi-level house, I have much more to lose if my lower level floods, than the cost of the genny. Even with insurance, the hassle is not worth the risk, to me.

I don't have a clue what it costs to actually run it, but every time the sump pump runs, it's dollars well spent, for me. We had a three day outage in a wet winter, the first year we had it, and it paid for itself right then. Everything else is gravy.

.

 

[actaeon277]

ETA: This is from the Orange County REMC FB page:

View attachment 206217

Well, that and some providers used to try to provide all the electricity needed, and then they started to switch to, well if demand is high, we can just buy it from another provider.

Because you know, when demand is high, it's NEVER high in other places.

But, the other providers think the same thing, till there is no surplus left to buy.

 

[Bugzilla]

So did anyone here experience a blackout?
I did not experience any in my area.

After the 5th shot I don’t recall much!

 

[Ingomike]

It has more to do with shutting down coal fired generation than anything else, if my estimations are correct.

All of the "sustainability" talk, ESG, etc--this is what it looks like when the rubber hits the road.

When you hear a CEO or politician talk about being "all in" for our sustainable future and such ****, this is a part of the image they don't show you.

I agree with you on the biggest issue, but all that ancillary stuff is a drain and it is in 90% of homes.

 

[TheTrooper]

OUr local REC put out a warning yesterday saying that they would get a notice from MISO to try to curb their usage and they would start switching off areas for an hour at a time to hopefully get it below the limit. If that isn't enought Miso will start shutting off huge areas of the grid for longer.

Fear porn. Don’t panic. Prepare. Currently not that bad, relativly.

 

[TheTrooper]

After the 5th shot I don’t recall much!

No, because it didn’t happen.