Your last generator Maintenance Run

[TheMan419]

There is a happy medium... personally I don't know what it is... regarding storing fuel vs. refreshing regularly in determining your regular usage needs vs. anticipating a continuous usage up to an apocalyptic event. Everyone's usage and remoteness varies greatly and I am no expert. I hope I have a couple weeks gas (generator), a month's propane, and of course some diesel for my tractor in a power outage in winter temps. Kinda wondering what others think is appropriate?

That depends on where you are. For us a couple days worth of fuel for the generator would suffice. If there is a big storm that dumps a couple feet of snow on us we will be plowed out in a couple days.

We recently had a polar vortex that caused -20F actual temps with windchills -50F. My thought of what constitutes a couple of days of fuel for the generator changed. However we would have been able to get out and get more fuel during that entire time.

 

[3930dave]

Variables..... re. fuel storage........

First.... don't create potential fire hazards..... overstating the obvious....... but insurance policies also often limit residential fuel storage volumes.....

As various people have described here and there, have a plan for rotating through your stash of fuel.... it's not rocket science (rotating cans), but pouring a 5 year old can into a small engine during an emergency may not be helpful.....

Unless you live in an area where it's mandated by law, a lot of gas stations do not have standby gens. I've seen the military extract fuel directly from underground commercial tanks during an emergency, but other than that, it ain't gonna happen......

We can try and plan for known emergency stresses...... then the "other" stuff comes along......

This train got stuck recently...... not much the local town could do to help.....

Amtrak train snowbound in Oregon is rescued by crews - BBC News

Active large farms have an advantage, as they often have large fuel tanks by default...... the rest of us usually muddle through on a smaller scale.....

Rgds, D.

 

[TheMan419]

Variables..... re. fuel storage........

First.... don't create potential fire hazards..... overstating the obvious....... but insurance policies also often limit residential fuel storage volumes.....

As various people have described here and there, have a plan for rotating through your stash of fuel.... it's not rocket science (rotating cans), but pouring a 5 year old can into a small engine during an emergency may not be helpful.....

Unless you live in an area where it's mandated by law, a lot of gas stations do not have standby gens. I've seen the military extract fuel directly from underground commercial tanks during an emergency, but other than that, it ain't gonna happen......

We can try and plan for known emergency stresses...... then the "other" stuff comes along......

This train got stuck recently...... not much the local town could do to help.....

Amtrak train snowbound in Oregon is rescued by crews - BBC News

Active large farms have an advantage, as they often have large fuel tanks by default...... the rest of us usually muddle through on a smaller scale.....

Rgds, D.

Yeah I am not talking about SHTF type. I am talking serious weather conditions cause multi day power outage. I am not in earthquake or hurricane land. So a large power outage for us would not take down ALL the gas stations in the area. I might have to drive 20 miles for them.

My plan for fuel storage would be on the order of 30 gallons in jerry cans. Hit them with stabil but come spring work my way through them in the lawn mower so come fall they have all been turned over at least once.

For 9 months or so of the year 10 gal of gas should last me a couple days on the generator. I am not the kind that needs to run it 24/7 unless it is so cold out I need to do that for the furnace.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I would go to great expense and effort, not to have to stand in some line. Day to day, or worse in an Emergency. Maybe, I think, some people, even like that. Heck, I witnessed a little while ago, people, clearly not far from home, standing in line twenty minutes to get a coffee at Tim Hortons.

 

[LouNY]

I'm somewhat fortunate in that my main generator is pto, with 2 tractors available to drive it.
As far as fuel storage I usually have well over a thousand gallons around. I'm the lowest
in the late spring after the winter heating season, I'll only have 300-500 gallons left.
I can't get fuel delivered in the winter so I stock up well before winter. I fill the winter diesel tank in the fall
and the summer tank starting in the spring.

 

[3930dave]

Yeah I am not talking about SHTF type. I am talking serious weather conditions cause multi day power outage. I am not in earthquake or hurricane land. So a large power outage for us would not take down ALL the gas stations in the area. I might have to drive 20 miles for them.

My plan for fuel storage would be on the order of 30 gallons in jerry cans. Hit them with stabil but come spring work my way through them in the lawn mower so come fall they have all been turned over at least once.

For 9 months or so of the year 10 gal of gas should last me a couple days on the generator. I am not the kind that needs to run it 24/7 unless it is so cold out I need to do that for the furnace.

Those are the kind of numbers that would work well for many of us, for basic household coverage.

Rgds, D.

 

[3930dave]

I would go to great expense and effort, not to have to stand in some line. Day to day, or worse in an Emergency. Maybe, I think, some people, even like that. Heck, I witnessed a little while ago, people, clearly not far from home, standing in line twenty minutes to get a coffee at Tim Hortons.

Or sitting in drive-thru that long, to get a coffee....... At least we don't have "Standing" Taxes here, yet,... but I shouldn't even joke.....

Rgds, D.

 

[3930dave]

I'm somewhat fortunate in that my main generator is pto, with 2 tractors available to drive it.
As far as fuel storage I usually have well over a thousand gallons around. I'm the lowest
in the late spring after the winter heating season, I'll only have 300-500 gallons left.
I can't get fuel delivered in the winter so I stock up well before winter. I fill the winter diesel tank in the fall
and the summer tank starting in the spring.

:thumbsup:

Rgds, D.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Olympic Cyclist Vs. Toaster: Can He Power It? - YouTube

This is actually a really interesting video (and kind of funny) and can give you a pretty good idea of how much power the lines coming into our places actually deliver to our lives.

 

[3930dave]

Haven't watched that yet..... but will.....

Amongst the data stuck in my head, I seem to recall something like 40 watts......... as in the output that a average adult human can sustainably deliver.

Olympic class athlete.... obviously a bit higher, but likely nothing close to toasting bread.

Easy to forget how much energy we chew through in a day.....

Rgds, D.