Go Back   EcoModder Forum > Off-Topic > The Lounge
Register Now
 Register Now
 


Reply  Post New Thread
 
Submit Tools LinkBack Thread Tools
Old 02-15-2021, 11:17 PM   #11 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
freebeard's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: northwest of normal
Posts: 27,561
Thanks: 7,736
Thanked 8,554 Times in 7,041 Posts
Could be worse. In Texas the windmills are frozen still and the solar panels are under inches of snow.

__________________
.
.
Without freedom of speech we wouldn't know who all the idiots are. -- anonymous poster

____________________
  Reply With Quote
Alt Today
Popular topics

Other popular topics in this forum...

   
Old 02-16-2021, 04:12 AM   #12 (permalink)
Master EcoWalker
 
RedDevil's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Nieuwegein, the Netherlands
Posts: 3,998

Red Devil - '11 Honda Insight Elegance
Team Honda
90 day: 47.72 mpg (US)
Thanks: 1,711
Thanked 2,245 Times in 1,454 Posts
In the Nordic countries they have lots of windmills and lots of cold, and they never freeze solid. Maybe those Texas windmills are missing something essential, like frostproof bearings or internal heaters?

If the blades get covered with a layer of ice I understand why the mills got shut down. That's a rare and extreme condition though.

Over here we just ended one week of snow, the first in quite a while, down to minus 11 Celsius on our wall-mounted outside thermometer. Most of the solar panel arrays were completely covered, but some arrays were completely free of snow on an otherwise snow-covered roof. IIRC Tesla solar panels have a thaw program to melt off snow when needed, and apparently they are not alone.
The wind turbines were happily spinning in the mild cold breeze.
__________________
2011 Honda Insight + HID, LEDs, tiny PV panel, extra brake pad return springs, neutral wheel alignment, 44/42 PSI (air), PHEV light (inop), tightened wheel nut.
lifetime FE over 0.2 Gmeter or 0.13 Mmile.


For confirmation go to people just like you.
For education go to people unlike yourself.

Last edited by RedDevil; 02-16-2021 at 04:20 AM..
  Reply With Quote
Old 02-16-2021, 09:43 AM   #13 (permalink)
Somewhat crazed
 
Piotrsko's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: 1826 miles WSW of Normal
Posts: 4,043
Thanks: 462
Thanked 1,103 Times in 973 Posts
Flinging ice and snow off blades is a pretty bad juju when the tips are capable of +100 mph plus potential imbalance issue. If you stop them because of storm winds you need to wait until they thaw.... blades in places that freeze often have anti ice strategies.
  Reply With Quote
Old 02-16-2021, 12:40 PM   #14 (permalink)
Human Environmentalist
 
redpoint5's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Oregon
Posts: 12,390

Acura TSX - '06 Acura TSX
90 day: 24.19 mpg (US)

Lafawnda - '01 Honda CBR600 F4i
90 day: 47.32 mpg (US)

Big Yeller - '98 Dodge Ram 2500 base
90 day: 21.82 mpg (US)

Prius Plug-in - '12 Toyota Prius Plug-in
90 day: 57.64 mpg (US)

Mazda CX-5 - '17 Mazda CX-5 Touring
90 day: 26.68 mpg (US)

Chevy ZR-2 - '03 Chevrolet S10 ZR2
90 day: 17.14 mpg (US)
Thanks: 4,187
Thanked 4,378 Times in 3,353 Posts
I spent the 3-day weekend running a chainsaw and filling petrol cans, running extension cords from our generator to the neighbors, etc.

I cut the end off an extension cord and wired the generator directly into the main panel. Of course, I have the main breaker switched off. Being without grid power since Friday night has me realizing I'd like a 240v diesel generator so I can hook up both legs of the electrical panel and be fully powered up. As it is, nearly everything I'd want to run has power.

Our natural gas fireplace uses a thermocouple, so we never lost heat, and of course the gas water heater allows hot showers.

There are 2 roads to exit our neighborhood, and 1 has several oak trees across it (main street). Finding a route out on the remaining road was interesting, involving heading the opposite direction you want to go and meandering through neighborhoods.

I don't know why traffic is 3x more than normal. I doubt people in their lexus are headed to borrow a chainsaw, so where they're going I have no clue, and I don't think they know either based on how slow and confused people have been driving.

I've got 2 bars of cell strength, which is enough to give me internet service for the moment.

Our view Saturday morning; a little more open than before.




Then the sun came out


3.5 kW continuous generator prior to wiring to the panel.


Near my parents (the barn is barely visible in the background). Miles of down lines and half the poles are snapped. My grandmother thought she'd have power restored "at 4:15pm" because she had called PGE and the automated message said that. There weren't even crews working on it Sunday.


Dad made a rain collector so they can flush the toilets.



Quote:
Originally Posted by JSH View Post
That doesn't look like fun. A bit north of you we spent the weekend XC skiing in the streets and enjoying pints at the local brewery.

Attachment 30156
Attachment 30158
That looks fantastic.

My Friday night wasn't too shabby. Heated some sake up on the stove.
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	63492174094__4186D205-E552-4053-AF6C-AAF072EA6E1C.jpg
Views:	124
Size:	159.7 KB
ID:	30161   Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_1535.jpg
Views:	127
Size:	199.3 KB
ID:	30162   Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_1539.jpg
Views:	142
Size:	150.3 KB
ID:	30163   Click image for larger version

Name:	63495047538__EBA90CD4-69BF-4C16-A8C5-426C0441B237.jpg
Views:	131
Size:	114.6 KB
ID:	30164   Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_1548.jpg
Views:	120
Size:	193.9 KB
ID:	30165  

Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_1552.jpg
Views:	123
Size:	101.4 KB
ID:	30166   Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_1527.jpg
Views:	123
Size:	66.6 KB
ID:	30167  
__________________
Gas and Electric Vehicle Cost of Ownership Calculator







Give me absolute safety, or give me death!
  Reply With Quote
The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to redpoint5 For This Useful Post:
Gasoline Fumes (02-16-2021), wdb (02-18-2021)
Old 02-16-2021, 01:10 PM   #15 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
freebeard's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: northwest of normal
Posts: 27,561
Thanks: 7,736
Thanked 8,554 Times in 7,041 Posts
Quote:
Maybe those Texas windmills are missing something essential, like frostproof bearings or internal heaters?
Whatever it was stopped the windmills, covered the solar panels and stopped the pumps in the natural gas pipeline, a week or two after the current Resident in the White House invited the CCP into the power grid.

edit:


Nicely framed. Life is all a matter of perspective.
__________________
.
.
Without freedom of speech we wouldn't know who all the idiots are. -- anonymous poster

____________________

Last edited by freebeard; 02-16-2021 at 01:25 PM..
  Reply With Quote
Old 02-16-2021, 01:44 PM   #16 (permalink)
Master EcoWalker
 
RedDevil's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Nieuwegein, the Netherlands
Posts: 3,998

Red Devil - '11 Honda Insight Elegance
Team Honda
90 day: 47.72 mpg (US)
Thanks: 1,711
Thanked 2,245 Times in 1,454 Posts
And the CCP immediately started throwing ice and snow and breaking poles etc.
Damn commies!
It sure is good to have someone to blame, hm?

Take care over there.
__________________
2011 Honda Insight + HID, LEDs, tiny PV panel, extra brake pad return springs, neutral wheel alignment, 44/42 PSI (air), PHEV light (inop), tightened wheel nut.
lifetime FE over 0.2 Gmeter or 0.13 Mmile.


For confirmation go to people just like you.
For education go to people unlike yourself.

Last edited by RedDevil; 02-16-2021 at 01:55 PM..
  Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to RedDevil For This Useful Post:
Gasoline Fumes (02-16-2021)
Old 02-16-2021, 03:17 PM   #17 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
redneck's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: SC Lowcountry
Posts: 1,795

Geo XL1 - '94 Geo Metro
Team Metro
Boat tails and more mods
90 day: 72.22 mpg (US)

Big, Bad & Flat - '01 Dodge Ram 3500 SLT
Team Cummins
90 day: 21.13 mpg (US)
Thanks: 226
Thanked 1,353 Times in 711 Posts
Quote:
Redpoint5

I'd like a 240v diesel generator so I can hook up both legs of the electrical panel and be fully powered up. As it is, nearly everything I'd want to run has power.

Our natural gas fireplace uses a thermocouple, so we never lost heat, and of course the gas water heater allows hot showers.
My 2 cents.

I would get a Generator that runs off of natural gas. Just like you never lost heat you wouldn’t lose power either because natural gas rarely stops flowing through the pipes unless there’s an earthquake. Even then you could change the orifice and run on LPG. Natural gas engines run super clean, require very little maintenance and usually start easily.


Oh and just so you know, they make a multi fuel carburetor (NG, LPG, Gasoline) for your generator just look on Amazon you’ll find it. They’re very inexpensive.





>

.
__________________


Woke means you're a loser....everything woke turns to ****.

Donald J Trump 8/21/21




Disclaimer...

I’m not a climatologist, aerodynamicist, virologist, physicist, astrodynamicist or marine biologist..

But...

I play one on the internet.

  Reply With Quote
The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to redneck For This Useful Post:
Piotrsko (02-17-2021), redpoint5 (02-16-2021)
Old 02-16-2021, 04:24 PM   #18 (permalink)
Human Environmentalist
 
redpoint5's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Oregon
Posts: 12,390

Acura TSX - '06 Acura TSX
90 day: 24.19 mpg (US)

Lafawnda - '01 Honda CBR600 F4i
90 day: 47.32 mpg (US)

Big Yeller - '98 Dodge Ram 2500 base
90 day: 21.82 mpg (US)

Prius Plug-in - '12 Toyota Prius Plug-in
90 day: 57.64 mpg (US)

Mazda CX-5 - '17 Mazda CX-5 Touring
90 day: 26.68 mpg (US)

Chevy ZR-2 - '03 Chevrolet S10 ZR2
90 day: 17.14 mpg (US)
Thanks: 4,187
Thanked 4,378 Times in 3,353 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by redneck View Post
My 2 cents.

I would get a Generator that runs off of natural gas. Just like you never lost heat you wouldn’t lose power either because natural gas rarely stops flowing through the pipes unless there’s an earthquake. Even then you could change the orifice and run on LPG. Natural gas engines run super clean, require very little maintenance and usually start easily.


Oh and just so you know, they make a multi fuel carburetor (NG, LPG, Gasoline) for your generator just look on Amazon you’ll find it. They’re very inexpensive.





>

.
Good points. I was looking on Amazon for a NG adapter, but I'm not sure which would fit this 7HP 4k peak watt Sportsman generator.

Don't know why it didn't come with the carb that allows NG too. Would be super easy for me to hook up to one of the BBQ lines.

... the ones I'm finding on Amazon show Friday delivery. We should have power before then, but if we didn't, it sure would be nice to have the adapter. I plan to get one anyhow so I'm prepared for the next time.

Maybe this one? Free return if it's not right I suppose, and the price is right.

https://www.amazon.com/Saihisday-Car...511187&sr=8-12
__________________
Gas and Electric Vehicle Cost of Ownership Calculator







Give me absolute safety, or give me death!

Last edited by redpoint5; 02-16-2021 at 04:37 PM..
  Reply With Quote
Old 02-16-2021, 05:12 PM   #19 (permalink)
JSH
AKA - Jason
 
JSH's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: PDX
Posts: 3,477

Adventure Seeker - '04 Chevy Astro - Campervan
90 day: 17.3 mpg (US)
Thanks: 305
Thanked 2,050 Times in 1,384 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by redneck View Post
My 2 cents.

I would get a Generator that runs off of natural gas. Just like you never lost heat you wouldn’t lose power either because natural gas rarely stops flowing through the pipes unless there’s an earthquake. Even then you could change the orifice and run on LPG. Natural gas engines run super clean, require very little maintenance and usually start easily.
While I'm a fan of NG generators we are in the Cascadia subduction zone that spits out 9 - 10 magnitude earthquakes on occasion. The last Cascadia earthquake was in 1700.

If I was redpoint I would want a LPG back-up or a way to store some of the his solar energy from that new system he installed.
  Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to JSH For This Useful Post:
redpoint5 (02-16-2021)
Old 02-16-2021, 05:18 PM   #20 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
freebeard's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: northwest of normal
Posts: 27,561
Thanks: 7,736
Thanked 8,554 Times in 7,041 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by RedDevil
It sure is good to have someone to blame, hm?
I know.... correlation does not imply causation. But I followed Robert Anton Wilson.

Robert Anton Wilson: Consciousness, Conspiracy & Coincidence -- Thinking Allowed w/ Jeffrey Mishlove

Is you mind inside or outside of Universe?

Simulation Theory suggests the must likely outcome is the most entertaining one. So I expect that after the 2nd failed impeachment, Trump won't run again. That would blow some minds, but he's proved in the last four years that the idiot box is more powerful than the Presidency.

JSH: Best ROI would be a gravity battery in a dry well.

__________________
.
.
Without freedom of speech we wouldn't know who all the idiots are. -- anonymous poster

____________________
  Reply With Quote
Reply  Post New Thread


Thread Tools




Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Content Relevant URLs by vBSEO 3.5.2
All content copyright EcoModder.com