View Full Version : OK Easterners, Time to Stock Up
...on candles, batteries, flashlights and such. Your electric grid isn't in much better shape than last year. (http://www.ohio.com/mld/beaconjournal/business/7997375.htm) The North American Electric Reliability Council is predicting some pretty bad congestion on that portion of the grid surrounding the Great Lakes.
While First Energy, the main culprit in last year's blackout, has added computer controls, the heart of the matter is insufficient transmission lines, and that hasn't been addressed. For the system to work at preventing large scale blackouts, I think you'll be seeing many more frequent, yet localized outages in the most congested areas.
Might as well stock up now on those emergency supplies, rather than wait for the run on all of the outlets when it does start.
Techie2000
02-23-2004, 04:23 PM
Don't you mean UPS's, generators, and laptops with lots of battery life? I haven't gotten the chance to test it, but I'd bet I could run my computer and internet connection for about an hour into a blackout. Never really got a chance to test how long the UPS on the modem and router lasts, but the one on my main rig right now went an hour and a half before quitting, and that was back when I had the behemoth 21" CRT that consumed a lot of power.
ethics
02-23-2004, 04:23 PM
There's nothing worse I despise than black outs. Give me snow, extreme snow, heat, anything... But I need my electricity.
joseftu
02-23-2004, 04:23 PM
I stocked up already! (I was pretty well stocked before the blackout, but I've doubled my supplies since then).
The only question is--how big a generator will it take to run my air conditioner all night! (Solar panels?)
But thanks for you concern, Coot! :)
With good load management, you should be able to get by on a 2 KW model. Depending on how your lighting is set up, you may have to alternate between the fridge and the AC...and no pesky clothes drying ;)
joseftu
02-23-2004, 04:42 PM
With good load management, you should be able to get by on a 2 KW model. Depending on how your lighting is set up, you may have to alternate between the fridge and the AC...and no pesky clothes drying ;)Who cares about the fridge! I don't drink beer anymore anyway :(.
And who needs clothes! Give me AC!
That was really the worst part of the last blackout for me. I must have taken 8 cold showers that night, but still couldn't sleep. I like it <b>chilly</b> in the bedroom. (No double entendres, guys!)
Allene
02-24-2004, 01:29 AM
There's nothing worse I despise than black outs. Give me snow, extreme snow, heat, anything... But I need my electricity.
Me, too! We had a 3-hour weather-related power failure in my neighborhood a couple of weeks ago. It's just amazing how many things are dependent on electricity.
I was in the blackout of 1965 (while working in Toronto), so I could empathize with you all last summer.