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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Hi, all you Floridians,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>When hurricane Isabel hit here in =
Virginia, one of
the worst problems we all faced was that we didn't have power. If =
you
think about it, without power, you can't run wet vacs, sump pumps, fans, =
dehumidifiers, refrigerators, etc. You also can't take warm =
showers
(if you're electric), and food preparation is difficult.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I'M NOT A QUALIFIED ELECTRICIAN, AND MY =
ADVICE
ISN'T STRICTLY WITHIN CODE, SO TAKE ALL MY ADVICE WITH A HUGE GRAIN OF
SALT. CONSULT WITH A QUALIFIED ELECTRICIAN BEFORE DOING ANY OF =
THIS
STUFF. MISTAKES CAN KILL YOU AND OTHERS, RESULT IN FIRES, RUIN =
ELECTRICAL
AND ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT, AND OTHERWISE PROVE VERY
EMBARRASSING.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>However, if you're stuck for power =
without 12 days,
the way we were, then you may want to risk some of this stuff =
anyway. It
worked beautifully for us. Again, your call, your responsibility, =
etc.,
etc., SO DON'T SUE ME!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>If you do, here's what I figured out =
about
emergency power, in the event your power lines go down:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>(1) Switch off the main =
breaker.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>(2) Feed your power directly into the =
breaker panel
via an appropriate breaker. You'll have three insulated wires =
and a
bare ground wire. Wire the ground wire to the ground lug, where =
all the
other bare wires are connected. Be careful not to short it with =
any other
terminals. Use white for your neutral line. Wire it to the =
same
lug. (You'll see bare wires and white wires all connected together =
here.) Use the red and black wires to go to the two hot terminals =
of the
generator. These should connect into the two terminals on a double =
(220V)
breaker. Use the correct amperage of breaker. To calculate =
the
number of amps, divide the wattage of the generator by 220. Then =
find the
next smaller breaker. Hint: You can disconnect the hot wires =
from
some other circuit (e.g. your A/C) and use that breaker for your power
feed.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>(3) Switch off all of your =
breakers.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>(4) Connect up the generator, READ THE
INSTRUCTIONS, and start it up according to the recommended
starting/connection sequences.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>(5) Switch on the feed breaker that you =
just
wired.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>(6) One by one, switch on all of the =
smaller
breakers. If you have more than one refrigerators/freezers on =
one
circuit, start them up separately. Either plug them in separately, =
or put
them on different circuits, so that you start them up with =
different
breakers. Don't run the major stuff like A/C and electric stove =
unless you
have enough generator to handle the load.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Now, here's how you get hot water from =
an electric
heater, even if you don't ordinarily have enough generator to run the
thing: Disconnect the white wire from the water heater line, and =
connect
it to the neutral lug (where all the bare wires and white wires are =
connected
together. Now switch on the breaker. You'll be running your =
water
heater on 110V, instead of 220V, which will cut the power draw of the =
water
heater to 1/4 of its rating. It will be slow to heat, but you'll =
still
have hot showers. Warning: If you have copper plumbing with =
lead
solder, don't use the water heater's hot water for cooking.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Heat food with your microwave, not an =
electric
stove.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Do not use hair dryers or coffee
makers!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Don't run your computer! The =
power is a bit
rough on it.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>If you use a TV or radio, use your =
oldest, most
awful one. Don't use anything you couldn't stand to see
fried.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>You will probably be able to run a =
window
A/C. A small one draws about 500 - 1000W.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>For power at night, charge a deep cycle =
battery
during the day. At night, switch off the generator's power feed =
breaker
and shut down the generator. Shut off all other breakers. =
Wire the
output of a power inverter into a single pole (110V) breaker of the =
appropriate
amperage (no more than the rated continuous power, divided by =
110). Plug
it into the breaker panel, and turn it on. Turn on only the =
breakers
you will need for lighting in the middle of the night. Now test =
those
lights. If they don't come on, move the inverter's power feed =
breaker one
space over. Try the lights again. (They should work =
now.) This
circuit will power only half of your household circuits and of course =
won't run
anything 220V. It's just for lighting at night -- and =
television/radio, if
needed. A good battery should hold out just fine throughout the =
night, and
you won't have to run that noisy generator, wasting all your =
gasoline.
Your neighbors will appreciate it! In the morning, before you fire =
up your
generator, don't forget to flip off the inverter's power feed =
breaker.
Better still, just remove it from the breaker panel, so that you don't =
get
confused and accidentally flip it on. (I also like to remove the
generator's power feed breaker when it's not in use.)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Don't forget to change the oil in the =
generator
according to the recommended schedule. Yes, you'll have to do it =
once or
twice during a long outage. Failure to do this can put you in the =
same
boat as all the folks in the dark houses.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>When the power goes back on, shut down =
and
disconnect the generator and inverter. Change all the wiring back =
to the
way it was. Switch off all your breakers. Then turn on the =
main
breaker, and switch on the breakers one by one.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>When power is restored to your =
neighborhood, don't
be too confident that it will stay on for very long. A transformer =
somewhere may blow after 30 sec or a min or 30 min. In fact the =
whole mess
may go down again when they connect up power to another =
neighborhood.
Don't run your A/C or sensitive electronics for a while, until your =
power is
reliable.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Hint: You should identify all of =
your
circuits BEFORE your power goes out. ;-)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Oh, also print out this email, because =
you won't be
able to look at it after the power goes out!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I hope all this helps. Of course =
it's a moot
point if you don't have a generator. My advice: If you =
don't, you
really should. A 5500W one will be about the right size and will =
run you
about $600.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Do all this at your own risk, and don't =
sue me if
it doesn't work!! Still, I can tell you that our lives were =
immensely
improved for that 12 days we were without power from Isabel, by virtue =
of having
emergency power and knowing how to budget it. Very few of our =
neighbors
had this luxury.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Good luck! Fingers crossed for
ya'...</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Peace,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Sarah</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
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