Bad Weather

NEW222 wrote:So come to work this morning doing 12.5 to 18.5 mph in zero visibility. Now they just shut my highways homebound down, and if they do not open I either have to stay in the city or do some backroad travel to avoid the closures. Fingers crossed.

Darn Chancey, backroad travel doesn't sound so good. Glad that you have a cell phone. Double fingers crossed for your safe arrival.

Bob

10 degrees here today, - snow. Burned off some more brush, didn't have to leave home to do it.

Bob

Thank you. Home now and safe. They recently opened my highways home shortly before I was coming home. Visibility and road conditions were far from good, but I made it. The backroads were an absolute last resort that I did not need to use. Round number 2 of this system is starting now. Winds this morning were from the south, and now starting from the northwest. This morning was about 45 mph from the south, and now the gusts will be approximately the same from the other direction. And also some more fluffy snow in the second system will enter with the wind. I will watch this one from the window though....

Wonderful!! Glad you made it OK …..Driving in those conditions can be scary ..,

This week had us drop from 77F on Thursday to 29F that night and today we are in day 3 of below freezing over night. Power outages in some areas. Of course America is so vast many might read this and think, so what? Being exposed to every kind of weather over my life these deep into Texas arctic front events are a non issue for our family. But in out immediate neighbor hood are several older folk in the typical 25~50 year old trailer home with no skirting or insulation underneath. Every winter when we get below freezing for more than one night, Renie and I check in on those neighbors we know. More than a few times I have called the sheriff to do a welfare check when I could not get the elderly person to come to the door. 3 times in 29 years the deputy entered to find my fears we true. I think a year ago in early Feb we had very cold and no power for 5~7 days. Over 400 dead attributed to that storm. Some found stranded in their car, out of fuel. and NOT prepared with things in the vehicle to save their and passenger's lives.

New222s post reminded me to check Renie's Cherokee to see that our Get Back Home pack was up to date. Wipers were fresh, fuel was above 3/4, tires looked good, etc.

Last week knowing this blow was coming, I had moved fire wood under breeze way including staving some kindling. Re checked the exterior hose bibs ensuring they were all Covered. And filled several 5 gallon pails with water to flush toilets.

Last year after the no power event, I had intended to buy a replacement small generator to replace the too hard to start 30 Year old one...Haw! isn't procrastination a bugger. So candles and fire place again this year.

Can anyone guess why this frugal old man did not buy a new gen set in 2021?

The Honda's are all sold out???

Can anyone guess why this frugal old man did not buy a new gen set in 2021?

I think that CB nailed it Fred, but Frugal might describe why I didn't buy that 8K$ Generac, that's a whole lot of model airplanes and engines for something that might be used just once every three to five years.

I lose electricity and I use the basement fireplace (which is presently running on this five degree below zero morning) along with a KeroSun heater that keeps this house at a toasty 70 degrees.





Boots warming waiting to do battle this morning with snow and logs/brush pile.

I'm guessing a new Genset was not purchased in 2021 due to 'Covid Pricing'.

As for you Bob. I had a chuckle at the outside tap cover. I had one for each of my taps, but a couple years ago, they were degraded and no longer held up so I had to toss them. Kinda forgot about them till I saw yours. Brings back memories of the good old days shopping at Menards......

NEW222 wrote:I'm guessing a new Genset was not purchased in 2021 due to 'Covid Pricing'.

As for you Bob. I had a chuckle at the outside tap cover. I had one for each of my taps, but a couple years ago, they were degraded and no longer held up so I had to toss them. Kinda forgot about them till I saw yours. Brings back memories of the good old days shopping at Menards......

They are the best that I have found. Foam with a sponge type seal around the perimeter. Inside is a loop you put over the handle and friction stop on the pull end. Stays nice and tight.

But I had to put off using the tractor this morning, not because of any lack of desire, I checked the fuel tank and the diesel had turned to gel. A problem with diesel fuel in temps below 15 degrees F.

Yes because of the long deadly outage last Feb 2021 nearly ALL gensets above HFs 2200Kws' were sold out. Many to arseholes that bought dozens to flip. Also a invigorated whole house generator industries in Texas, a state that never did have many of them previously. They obviously need product to sell and install. In Fact my son the Master electrician tells me the fail over panels have tripled in price that his Big sized company has to pay whole sale to get. And Covid related EVERY thing has supply chain seriously backlogged. Of course like used or new cars everything like this is 41~65% higher the last 2 years. I don't want a monster but do want electric start, dual fuel, 7500Kw to 9500Kw with wifi/cell connectivity AND not pay shipping from Minnesota/Maine or anywhere up north where they are not backordered

So fingers crossed that ERCOT ( Texas's unelected Utility Managers) mostly got their crap together and can keep the lights on this winter...

In case folks don't know we go through this every post hurricane event...with high volume water pumps. In areas NOT impacted by the flooding a $399 pump sell for $599 for about 6 months..don't get me started on Price of plywood just before a hurricane hits

I am in Vermont. This was this morning when I started the rental car. It was -13 by the time I got to work.

rsv1cox wrote:
I lose electricity and I use the basement fireplace (which is presently running on this five degree below zero morning) along with a KeroSun heater that keeps this house at a toasty 70 degrees.

That's a cozy looking room, Bob. Supposed to hit -18f here tonight. I have a fuel oil burning heater as the main system, three kerosun heaters,


an old Perfection kerosene heater,


and a wood burning stove.
Also have several old Rayo center draft kerosene lamps that put out about 4000 btu/hr. You can heat a room with a couple of those.


Also have a few Aladdin kero lamps.


Gotta have backups to the backups.

My Kerosun is very similar to yours. I keep it in the garage during the winter in case we lose electricity.



Love your "Perfection" kerosene heater. What a beauty that is along with your green shaded lamp.

Was minus five degrees in the remote garage this morning turning the diesel to gel in the tractor. Perhaps your familiar with that. Trying to warm it up so I can use it this afternoon.

I grew up being warmed with a heater very similar to your Kerosun. Worked well. I remember being allowed to light it, but I wasn't allowed to refuel it. I think such kerosene heaters are now banned out here due to CO emissions.

OldEngineRod reminded me of lighting a heater....Phred will get a kick out of of this.

Back in the 80s, the US Army heated tents with a gasoline-fed furnace/blower unit called a Herman-Nelson heater. Think horizontal shaft small engine with a fan mounted on the output shaft, blowing through the sail panels of a vertically vented furnace about twice the size of a large fridge laid over on a trailer. This is connected via canvas accordion ducts stuffed under the side walls of the old canvas tents (like in MASH, the TV show).

I was just sent to permanent party, first assignment out of training, to Ft Irwin, CA. This place is between Las Vegas and San Bernardino, CA, in the Mojave Desert. And, yes, it snows there! I was promptly thrust into a field excersize just after arrival. Seeing a small engine didn't bother me...after all, it is just a glorified, green lawnmower engine. Well, time came to refuel the unit...and light it off. According to the basic instructions on the data plate,  Turn the burner fuel supply off...check. Turn engine fuel supply off...check. Fill fuel tank...check. Dip steel wand cotton batting in tank...check. Open fuel to furnace... check. Ummm, what's next battle-buddy?

Oh, light wet-with-fuel wand...got it! Open trap door at base of furnace and insert wand...POOF, said Puff the magic dragon! Second degree burns resulted on that hand. I'm surprised I still have fingerprints!

My battle-buddy and I failed to read the warning "Do not attempt a refuel/restart within FIVE minutes of previous operation." Our first line supervisor didn't do his job (supervise). The two privates attempted to do as told without guidance, reading data plates on a dangerous piece of equipment in a rush, with no prior training.
Since I could not perform my duties as KP (Kitchen Patrol...mess hall duties/pots-n-pans washer/trash hauler) with only one hand, I was sent "to the rear" to recover.

I later found out there were unpublished "instructions" related to immediately hot-starting one of those in "emergency conditions." I'm surprised to this day that's all that happened. It could have been much more POOf! Ah, the memories...

Got the tractor running, warm air turned the gelled diesel fuel to liquid. Dumped more logs and brush on the burn pile but this time put it in the attached (warmer) garage.

From 1973 to 1996 and beyond I learned that every fuel fired heating device the Army had, was dangerous with a Capitol DANGERUOS.  Never understood why only fire guards at night.

Jim can probably tell a story or two of burned down tents, Exploding immersion heaters, the folly of MoGas in a Diesel carbureted post belly stove, How loud a Yukon stove is with MoGas, and how high up an exhaust stack can be made bright white/red. No to forget MoGas powered cooks heat units under griddles and ovens.

I too have some Kerosun brand fuel oil/wick heaters as back ups in my 5 shops. Would love to have a few of those good looking chimney lamps. Propane Coleman Lanterns put out a lot of heat also.

Around here I an serious about our Co2 and Carbon Monoxide sensors and test them every 90 days out in the shops, annually in the house

rsv1cox wrote:My Kerosun is very similar to yours.  I keep it in the garage during the winter in case we lose electricity.



Love your "Perfection" kerosene heater.  What a beauty that is along with your green shaded lamp.  

Was minus five degrees in the remote garage this morning turning the diesel to gel in the tractor.  Perhaps your familiar with that.  Trying to warm it up so I can use it this afternoon.  

Thanks for the comments on the lamp and heater.
Looks like your heater might be a Radiant 10?
I'd try running that tractor on number 1 diesel fuel or kerosene when it's cold out.

NEW222 wrote:I'm guessing a new Genset was not purchased in 2021 due to 'Covid Pricing'.

As for you Bob. I had a chuckle at the outside tap cover. I had one for each of my taps, but a couple years ago, they were degraded and no longer held up so I had to toss them. Kinda forgot about them till I saw yours. Brings back memories of the good old days shopping at Menards......

I did a little modeling work on my outside tap covers and glassed them and painted them to match the house.
Had them now for over 15 years. Just have to replace the foam tape that seals up to the house.

TLAnderson wrote:
I'd try running that tractor on number 1 diesel fuel or kerosene when it's cold out.

The Australian Antarctic base apparently uses Jet-A1 (aviation kerosene) in all its Diesel engines.

TLAnderson wrote:

rsv1cox wrote:My Kerosun is very similar to yours.  I keep it in the garage during the winter in case we lose electricity.

Love your "Perfection" kerosene heater.  What a beauty that is along with your green shaded lamp.  

Was minus five degrees in the remote garage this morning turning the diesel to gel in the tractor.  Perhaps your familiar with that.  Trying to warm it up so I can use it this afternoon.  

Thanks for the comments on the lamp and heater.
Looks like your heater might be a Radiant 10?
I'd try running that tractor on number 1 diesel fuel or kerosene when it's cold out.

Yes, Radiant 10.  Must be about 40+ years old, we bought it in the 1970's.  Lots of coffee water boiled during power outages on that thing.  Only maintenance that it has required is a new wick that I replaced a few years ago.  



Locally, we only have two types of diesel, "low Sulphur" on road, and off road.  Only difference is purple color on the off road and no tax so it's slightly cheaper.  

Got the tractor stuck yesterday, couldn't believe it.  Four-wheel drive, low range and it got stuck on the bank of snow piled at the end of the driveway. I had to shovel it out.  



How's the weather?  Got another inch of snow last night.  Burn pile getting smaller, how do you eat an elephant? - one branch at a time.  I move it from the big pile to a cave cut into the dirt pile for safety reasons.  

I have an old Kerosun "Moonlighter" heater. Besides heat it gives off light for free.

I'm told they will run fine on gasoline, but restarting it when warm can cause an explosion so therefore not recommended.

706jim wrote:I have an old Kerosun "Moonlighter" heater. Besides heat it gives off light for free.

I'm told they will run fine on gasoline, but restarting it when warm can cause an explosion so therefore not recommended.

NOOOOOO! gasoline. You'll blow yourself up. My Kerosun heaters all have warning labels on them stating "no gasoline"

rsv1cox wrote:
Yes, Radiant 10.  Must be about 40+ years old, we bought it in the 1970's.  Lots of coffee water boiled during power outages on that thing.  Only maintenance that it has required is a new wick that I replaced a few years ago.  

I have a Radiant 10 also. Using it as I write this. Also have a Radiant 8, and an Omni 15. I'd like to find one of those Moonlighters that 706jim mentioned. They're not common around here.