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generator for hurricane season
#11
RE: generator for hurricane season
You will want to have a battery pack also. After a hurricane gas is sometimes hard to get.

After Wilma in 2005, it took me 3 days to get gas. I have a generator, but I'm shopping for a battery solution.
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#12
RE: generator for hurricane season
(04-30-2012, 10:32 AM)hoser Wrote: You will want to have a battery pack also. After a hurricane gas is sometimes hard to get.

After Wilma in 2005, it took me 3 days to get gas. I have a generator, but I'm shopping for a battery solution.

That could be addressed by having several 5 gallon gas cans that you fill up ahead of a storm and add stabilizer to it. There are also 25 gallon cans with transfer pumps but they are pretty $$$

Another option if available would be to install a natural gas generator with an automatic transfer switch. It would definitely be more pricey, but would eliminate the problem of running out of fuel or having to get up in the middle of the night to get a generator up and running.


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#13
RE: generator for hurricane season
(04-30-2012, 10:37 AM)Rritch Wrote: That could be addressed by having several 5 gallon gas cans that you fill up ahead of a storm and add stabilizer to it. There are also 25 gallon cans with transfer pumps but they are pretty $$$

Another option if available would be to install a natural gas generator with an automatic transfer switch. It would definitely be more pricey, but would eliminate the problem of running out of fuel or having to get up in the middle of the night to get a generator up and running.

Or you could do as I have, and install a adapter on your generator (I think mine cost around $250 three or four years ago) which enables your portable to run on either propane or gasoline. Propane tanks last around 18-24 hours, do not need stabilizer, and virtually last indefinitely if cared for properly. A full gas tank on my generator lasts around 10-12 hours. I also do, as Rritch mentioned, store gasoline with Stabil (my stabilizer of choice). Each year around middle of May, I use last year's gasoline in my car and refill my portable 5 gal cans. I keep 4 or 5 during hurricane season, both for auto in case of emergency evac (unlikely for me) and for the generator. I keep more propane bottles. They were on sale at Academy a few years ago.

For the difference in price of an automatic system, I can afford to get up when the power goes out and push the electric start on the generator. :grin:
Breathing keeps you alive. And PAP helps keep you breathing!
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#14
RE: generator for hurricane season
Many municipalities have limits on how much gasoline you can store in residential areas. My locality says it's a $2500 fine for each violation if you get caught storing more than 10 gallons of fuel on your property (aside from what which is already stored in vehicle tanks). They say it's a fire hazzard. Oh-jeez

That's why I've gone the cheap solar and deep cycle battery route. You can get a basic system up and running that will power your CPAP for a long time (assuming you have average sunshine levels) for less than $300.

The one shown below is the one I use, (Google "Harbor Freight 45-watt solar kit") for around $150 (with coupons) - all you have to add is a $70-80 deep cycle battery, and get the 12-volt power supply for your particular CPAP machine. The kit comes with 2 12-volt CFL lightbulbs, a charge controller, which includes a cigarette lighter adatper and universal charging adapter for charging things like cell phones, etc. I expanded later to 3 kits and an extra deep cycle battery. One kit and battery will power your CPAP just fine for several nights, you can even operate your CPAP completely on this kit, assuming you get sunshine at least every other day or so. Add 2-3 more kits to the mix and an additional battery and you can power your CPAP and heated humidifier completely with this system indefinitely, even with moderately cloudy or overcast weather (these panels, unlike others, don't need full direct sunlight to charge the batteries).

I like this system much better for emergencies... no fuel storage, no generator noise, no fuss, already set up, easy... no maintenance other than checking the water level in the batteries once every 3 months or so. It's not going to power high amperage devices by any means (such as freezers, electric stoves, refridgerators), but it provides a basic way to keep your CPAP going and a method for charging other devices and providing a small amount of lighting if needed.

I do have a small gas generator also, but with this, I don't need it to run my CPAP or a couple of lights at night.

Here's a pic of these low-cost kits:

[Image: attachment.php?aid=165]






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SuperSleeper
Apnea Board Administrator
www.ApneaBoard.com


INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEB SITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.


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#15
RE: generator for hurricane season
(04-30-2012, 11:20 AM)SuperSleeper Wrote: Many municipalities have limits on how much gasoline you can store in residential areas. My locality says it's a $2500 fine for each violation if you get caught storing more than 10 gallons of fuel on your property (aside from what which is already stored in vehicle tanks). They say it's a fire hazzard. Oh-jeez

Fortunately, I don't have your limitations. Does your municipality also proscribe propane?
Breathing keeps you alive. And PAP helps keep you breathing!
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#16
RE: generator for hurricane season
(04-30-2012, 12:19 PM)JumpStart Wrote: Fortunately, I don't have your limitations. Does your municipality also proscribe propane?

I think so... pretty sure it's limited to one or two 20lb propane bottles for use an an outside grill... can't remember off-hand.

Stupid laws, I think. Our city has numerous ordinances and codes like this, most of which are unenforced or unenforceable, or selectively enforced. There's so many of them that no matter what you do, if you have a normal life, you're probably violating about 10-20 city ordnances without even knowing it. It's crazy. If they want to "get you" there's tons of laws on the books they can use to do it.

We've got a basic socialist, over-controlling local government that thinks they can legislate away every human problem. Can't wait until the city goes bankrupt like all the other socialistic municipalities who try to micro-control their citizens... they keep spending our tax money, never listen to citizens who complain, and then use the plethora of constricting laws to punish dissenters who stand up to city officials in open city council meetings, levying fines upon them using obscure ordinances. And the idiot, uninformed populace keeps re-electing these little fascists to city positions, thinking they're doing a good job.

Of course, this kind of thing is happening all over America, not just here, on local, state and federal levels. The whole stinking system needs to fail, so we can start from scratch again, and base government off true liberty and constitutional ideals.

Annoyed-and-disappointed
SuperSleeper
Apnea Board Administrator
www.ApneaBoard.com


INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEB SITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.


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#17
RE: generator for hurricane season
alabama only started requiring auto insurance in the last few years. no proof is required. you just need to sign stating you have insurance so they can nab you after ruin someone else's life. i think they say 25% of cars are ininsured in the state and they still don't require an insurance card or even a policy number to register/reregister a car. need i say more about non-existent building code enforcement?
First Diagnosed July 1990

MSgt (E-7) USAF (Medic)
Retired 1968-1990
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#18
RE: generator for hurricane season
I think I need to move to Alabama. Smile
SuperSleeper
Apnea Board Administrator
www.ApneaBoard.com


INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEB SITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.


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#19
RE: generator for hurricane season
(04-30-2012, 02:55 PM)SuperSleeper Wrote: I think so... pretty sure it's limited to one or two 20lb propane bottles for use an an outside grill... can't remember off-hand.

Well, I would be in trouble for sure if they sought to enforce - I just counted, and I have 7 full plus a bottle in the bbq 1/2 full,, and 2 empties! On the other hand, if challenged, I guess I could create a rather large conflagration. :grin:

I also agree about the every increasing laws and regulations. Seems cradle to grave is no longer enough for some, and daily living is to be conducted "by the book". Question is, whose book? Please don't get me started on the stupidity of voters. And while a test to vote might be useful, it would quickly be overturned. Ah, well ... and away we go.
Breathing keeps you alive. And PAP helps keep you breathing!
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#20
RE: generator for hurricane season
(04-30-2012, 03:07 PM)SuperSleeper Wrote: I think I need to move to Alabama. Smile
Sweet Home Alabama


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