Backup power

[DaBrowns]

I was just wondering how many people have a backup plan in case they lose power to their tanks...what each person has...and how long is too long for a reef to be powerless? We have a BIG storm hitting the PNW later this week and some of us will likely end up losing juice for a little while??

 

[trido]

I have a 500 watt power inverter mounted under the hood of my truck. I can run cords to my two tanks and keep a heater and pump running in each as long as I have gas in the tank. The big trick is actualy being home or not sleeping when the power goes out.

 

[mfinn]

I bought a 6500 watt electric start generator and had it wired into my house with it's own breaker box.

 

[trido]

I bought a 6500 watt electric start generator and had it wired into my house with it's own breaker box.

I want one of those. You could prbably watch TV and run the full tank with that baby!

 

[JaxReef]

8500w generator, Not hooked up like finns so I need to be home to run it. Cold beer a fan and tv is just as important as keeping the tank running

 

[mfinn]

I want one of those. You could prbably watch TV and run the full tank with that baby!

It takes care of most of the house, including the hotwater heater.

I do have to be home to start everything.

 

[Krish]

I have a 12KW generator on an automatic transfer switch that fires up about 5 seconds after the power goes out and can run everything in our townhouse

 

[spongebob lover]

I have a 12KW generator on an automatic transfer switch that fires up about 5 seconds after the power goes out and can run everything in our townhouse

you knwo that's my dream generator .

well now since i'm in a new house i told the husband that we should buy a generator, he says.... no what for, the hospital is right by our side so the energy can't go off because otherwise it'd go in the hospital and hospitals can't be without the electric power bla bla bla .
It's been really windy in here .... my only hope is that the lights never go off or i'm screwed and i'll be yelling at my husband ..... I #$%#$%^ told you ..... other than that, i don't have a plan .... may be a scream here and there but that's about it.

what i was thinking about is in getting one of those Honda generators, i think they'd do the job but we'll see what the tax return has to say because of the place where we used to rent... is trying to rip us off

 

[cwby416]

I have a 3,800 portable generator. just have to be home to plug in the tanks.......I watched tv and had the tanks running a few weeks ago when my power went out....

I am working on a DIY power outage notifications system, so my house can call me when the power goes out.....more on that later.....

 

[sidd129]

Till I can afford a generator I'm just going to buy one of those battery powered air pumps. I also have a 250w power inverter for a small heater.

 

[Slickdonkey]

Personally I have a 5500W generator, enough to run quite a bit of equipment. For $600 it's cheaper than replacing livestock in my tank. Our neighborhood has been without power for several days in the winter before. Typically we're one of the last to be hooked back to the grid.

well now since i'm in a new house i told the husband that we should buy a generator, he says.... no what for, the hospital is right by our side so the energy can't go off because otherwise it'd go in the hospital and hospitals can't be without the electric power bla bla bla .

Gaby, most hospitals have their own generators so they don't have to rely on city power.

 

[tamarindthai]

i got 6500w generator with full tank of gas and 2 -10gals spare to refill,already used couple time ,last was 3 weeks ago lost power for 4 1/2 hrs,i was saved.

 

[DaBrowns]

Well here are my thoughts as right now I'm in the same boat as Gabby: The TV Station I work @ is switching to a huge (room size) UPS/generator unit and will be "surplusing" a bunch of APC power supplies we currently use for computers. I "think" I only need 3 or 4. I plan on putting 1 on each of my sumps in our basement which there are 2. The other 1 or 2 I want to use for the tank.

My thought is that pumps and heat/cooling are the priority and lights would be secondary. Is that rights? What do you all think? I know that a whole house generator would be ideal...but not in the budget for the forseeable future...and the APC will be cheap or free!!

 

[dnjan]

We have underground service to the house (not overhead powerpoles) so it has to be something major before we lose power. Not that it doesn't happen from time-to-time ...

For now, I have the battery-operated air pumps (which come on automatically if no power gets to the circut the airpump is plugged into - this protects from blown breakers as well as total power outages).

A 6-8kw generator and a transfer switch is on my wish-list - more for earthquake reasons than wind-storm-related reasons.

 

[cwby416]

In the summer you can find genertors at garage sales for cheap... I got my 3800watt, only used once, not even a scratch on it, for $50.....that was 3 years ago, and I finaly got to use it 3 weeks ago, for 8 hours....it was a life saver

 

[Slickdonkey]

Speak of the devil, my power is out...

 

[mfinn]

For those of you that have a generator, better have some extra gas on hand.
The storm blowing in tonight is expected to bring 80 to 90 mile per hour gusts in some parts and 60 to 70 mile per hour gusts in alot of western Washington.

 

[Blazer88]

I'm on Craigslist right now looking for a small generator. I don't really need much, only enough for my tank. I found a 1000W for $150 in Auburn so hopefully it is still available. It would be worth the drive

 

[Herefishyfishy]

For a little tank, much easier to use an inverter and a portipack like for starting cars. (portable 12 volt battery with built in cables) Cheep, clean and easy. Had kept my 90 going this way in Black Diamond where the power goes out each year. Not that have 2 large tanks, got a generator last summer.

 

[mfinn]

I'm on Craigslist right now looking for a small generator. I don't really need much, only enough for my tank. I found a 1000W for $150 in Auburn so hopefully it is still available. It would be worth the drive

Sounds like a really good deal.


I actually am thinking about finding a small Honda 750 watt to 1000 watt generator to run on my tanks only. Like during the middle of the night.
I turn my big generator off from about midnight to 6 am to give the neighbors a little break from the noise.