@fordoford How are you managing in Boone?
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Does anybody like any of the quiet generators like the Honda that doesn't cost what a Honda does? I'm gonna need to get one to use to dry out the lake house and power some tools. No water inside yet but it's gonna be DAMN close. No telling when we'll get power back but the lake has to drain about 2 feet before I can even drive all the way to the house, and that's before whatever increase we get over current levels.
So far I can safely say that I've lost a lawnmower, backpack blower, weedeater, grill, 4 Adirondack chairs, a couple NATO cans of non-ethanol.
Possibly will lose my house propane tank (it's almost empty so I'm assuming it'll float and break free of the flex line), control box for my tankless water heater, and will probably have 5-6" of water in my HVAC.
I'm not complaining because I know I'm lucky to have any of that stuff to begin with, just keeping y'all posted on my experience at the last lake on the Catawba River chain - Lake Wateree, SC.
Trying to load some pics that a neighbor took today when he waded in about a 1/3 mile to check on our houses but MUD ain't liking it. Stay tuned.
You won’t think about the cost 20 years from now when you’re still using it.It killed me to write that check, but I bought a Honda EU2200i Companion. I looked at all the brands listed in response to my question, and I really liked what I saw, but in the end I realized that I know lots of people with the little Hondas and it might be good to have a compatible unit to link together if ever needed. But damn…$$$$.
It's the generator equivalent of the Toyota tax.It killed me to write that check, but I bought a Honda EU2200i Companion. I looked at all the brands listed in response to my question, and I really liked what I saw, but in the end I realized that I know lots of people with the little Hondas and it might be good to have a compatible unit to link together if ever needed. But damn…$$$$.
You won’t think about the cost 20 years from now when you’re still using it.
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About 15 years ago a friend asked me to fix this generator. It sat for awhile and needed a carb clean. When I gave it back to him I told him if he ever wanted to sell it let me know. About two weeks ago he called and asked if I still wanted it, of course I said yes.
While sitting with generator power, fridge on, TV on antenna, no hot water, camp cooking, we had a lot of time to sit and talk. One thing that came to mind is that in ten years in Key West and many hurricanes the longest I went without power was 5 days. This time around, far inland we are without power 7.5 days. Odd. But a few items came into play. First and foremost the Keys are built for it, not here. In fact I have been told in the past that my area has one of the oldest, worst condition grids in the Carolinas. The other came up when we were driving somewhere and Heather says "You know the linemen coming in from all over have to think the electric companies around here are idiots. There are wires running through trees all over the place, before the storm" It just seemed odd that we would go that long.
I'll be figuring out a better back up generator system soon. I've actually been thinking about it lately, prior to the storm. There is the Generac route. Numbers I have heard are around $20K all in. Another rout I am considering is a used work site light system. Basically a diesel generator on a trailer with a light tower. Not all that interested in the light so much as the 110 and 220 outputs. Wire the appropriate cut offs to the main gris and proper box and run a cord from the generator to the house input. Food for thought.