Here is a sample of life without power here at my place. Nothing much changes.

http://youtu.be/LNBnCYm0vgE

nice power setup!

How many and what size and type of batteries do you need to run that setup?Looks like a nice clean setup.I had a transfer switch installed in my house a couple years ago during a remodel project. I previously had about half a dozen extension cords running throughout the house and had a rotation schedule for our 2 chest freezers and refrigerator.I ran a 5k watt gen with 2 15 amp 110v outlets and 2,20 amp 220v outlets which was not the best but it got us through a couple of week long outages, along with the old gen I now have a new 6500w generac gen with a 30 amp 220v plug to plug into the transfer switch. much easier. I now have a 98% efficient LP furnace that is 110v so I don't have to worry about frozen pipes if have to leave with the gen running.

You're self sufficiency is making all those poor, helpless, people from Katrina and Sandy look really bad Mike!!!!! Afterall; isn't the government supposed to take care of us!!!!:banghead::think:I like your set up!!!:thumb1:I just rigged up my house last year for generator power. Wired in the stuff to handle the 8000watt generator I bought. I try to keep at least 10 gallons of gasoline on hand for stuff now.That coupled with my wood stove install....................Not too much would change at my place either!!

How many and what size and type of batteries do you need to run that setup? Looks like a nice clean setup. I had a transfer switch installed in my house a couple years ago during a remodel project. I previously had about half a dozen extension cords running throughout the house and had a rotation schedule for our 2 chest freezers and refrigerator. I ran a 5k watt gen with 2 15 amp 110v outlets and 2,20 amp 220v outlets which was not the best but it got us through a couple of week long outages, along with the old gen I now have a new 6500w generac gen with a 30 amp 220v plug to plug into the transfer switch. much easier. I now have a 98% efficient LP furnace that is 110v so I don't have to worry about frozen pipes if have to leave with the gen running.

I have installed a transfer switch at my place also. I have 7KW electric start diesel generator that is my electrical backup. This power will run my two wood pellet stoves, my two refers and freezers and misc lights, pumps and a microwave. Can't run the oven, electric stove or hot water heater. But I have a propane grill, propane cook stove and propane cook oven if the outage is a long one. Why I could even run my HDTV and use the computer to stay occupied. Longest outage we have had to deal with has been 15 hours so far.

nice power setup!

Thanks...

How many and what size and type of batteries do you need to run that setup?

Eight 6V batteries 810 Amp/hours. http://www.trojanbatteryre.com/PDF/datasheets/L16REB_TrojanRE_Data_Sheets.pdf

Looks like a nice clean setup. I had a transfer switch installed in my house a couple years ago during a remodel project. I previously had about half a dozen extension cords running throughout the house and had a rotation schedule for our 2 chest freezers and refrigerator. I ran a 5k watt gen with 2 15 amp 110v outlets and 2,20 amp 220v outlets which was not the best but it got us through a couple of week long outages, along with the old gen I now have a new 6500w generac gen with a 30 amp 220v plug to plug into the transfer switch. much easier. I now have a 98% efficient LP furnace that is 110v so I don't have to worry about frozen pipes if have to leave with the gen running.

Would you believe I live off of 4Kw daily? My inverter is only 120V output (no 220 VAC). So I got a step up transformer for the well pump. Everything else in the house is converted to 110VAC. As for 3 things not covered by the inverter cook stove, oven, and the drier. Those are the only things not attached to the inverter.

You're self sufficiency is making all those poor, helpless, people from Katrina and Sandy look really bad Mike!!!!! Afterall; isn't the government supposed to take care of us!!!!:banghead: I like your set up!!!:thumb1: I just rigged up my house last year for generator power. Wired in the stuff to handle the 8000watt generator I bought. I try to keep at least 10 gallons of gasoline on hand for stuff now. That coupled with my wood stove install....................Not too much would change at my place either!!

Geez... 10 gallons of gasoline would go a very long ways for me. Typical loads here are about 3-10 Amps 120 VAC. (360-1,200 Watts) Then spike periods is in the morning with showers, coffee maker, space heater, etc. Now we are pumping maybe 25-30 Amps 120 VAC. (3,000-3,600 Watts). Like today the power was only out a short maybe 30-40 minutes. My neighbor has a propane generator that totally autostart but there is lag time. Like my computer typical can withstand the burn out where MoparMom's typical shuts down. But the only thing I do is set the timer on the oven to 0 minutes and turn of the water heater. Soon as the buzz sounds powers back on and turn the water heater back on. I've seen power outages that lasted over 24 hours. No biggy. Just fire up the generator just before bed charge the batteries up. Shut it down. Then go to bed watching movies. The neighbor has to manually shut down his propane generator at night. Stumble around with flashlights. Just normal life here. Just like being in the RV just more room!

Longest outage we have had to deal with has been 15 hours so far.

Got you beat longest outage has been 14 days...

Mike, a "power outage" here usually lasts about 2-3 hours at most. The one last year due to the wind storm was what made me do this wiring project and the wood stove install. At my house last year, I didn't have power for 3.5 days..........and then after I got power, it'd be off for hours at a time whilst they got others in the neighborhood on line again. My Bud, just 1/4 mile away, was without power for almost 8 days from the same storm!!!

Tidbit...When a tree or object is shorted across the lines the power typical will go out and come back on three times. After the third time it stays out. Now some thing interesting the power breaker for the canyon (from Riggins, ID to New Meadows, ID) is located in New Meadows, ID in the middle of town more or less. Now the local power company is in McCall, ID. They stock a few things for supplies but not much. So if it serious they have to truck down to Boise, ID typically and pick it up from the main warehouse. So now knowing all this I started out with a 4Kw generator years ago. Survived the 96-97 Flood of Idaho where we lost power, phone, etc. for over 14 days and longer in other areas. After that I talked the parents into investing into the inverter, solar panels, and the hydro generator. Now looking back I'm glad I twisted there arms and got them to purchase it. We've had this system now since 1998 so nearly 15 years now. Been through 1 set of batteries lasting 13 years. Like during the summer I typically limit the city down to 20 Amps. That means any load above 20 amps I have to provide for out of my own generation or batteries. Remember when I state amps its on 120 VAC not 220 VAC. (so 2,400 watts). That's all I'll take from the Idaho Power. So typically in the summer time the power bill is $30-$40 bucks. But come winter time, no hydro, and very limited solar, power bill jumps again. But now I've been twisting Moparmom's arm to replace most of the standard light bulbs with compact florescent. I'll have to do a video of that. But when I was out in the RV I fire up the little 400w inverter and plug in MoparMom's little lamp for the kitchen. Well the first bulb was a true 60w bulb and would eat two 12V deep cycle batteries rather quickly. So I popped out the standard bulb and got a compact florescence talk about a huge drop in amp draw. Then I've got the computer rigged for power management. MoparMom's goes to sleep. Mine goes to low power mode. So all in all I've walked down to the inverter and check the household loads and lot of the times in the evening it can vary about 3-7 Amps total loads.