What would you include?

[prairiemom]

I'm sketching out my Preparedness newsletter for Oct and one of the goals for Oct is: Store alternative fuel/heat sources such as wood, propane, a generator, etc. So what are some points you would bring out? What are some websites with good information? Specifically websites that cover how to choose a generator, good methods of heating the house during a power outage, how to store fuel, what kinds of fuel to store, etc.

TIA

[Alma the Younger]

Storing fuels is one of the more difficult propositions we face in prepardness. It is very important to consider stability of fuel and safety.

For example, gasoline is fairly unstabil. In other words, it does not keep very long unless it is properly treated. In addition, it is very volitile so storing it safety becomes an immediate concern.

For generators I believe that the best choice is propane as it does store safety and performs well. You won't get as much power out of propane as you would gasoline, but the advantges out weight the liabilities.

Most people have a propane grill that can be used as an alternative heat/cooking source. Buying and storing several propane tanks can make a big difference. Tanks can be purchased at most wholesale warehouses like Sam's Club and Costco.

Another option is to buy a grill that uses charcoal. Charcoal can be stored very easily. I have a couple 55-gallon barrels that have removable lids. These barrels are both water resistance and sturdy. Each barrel holds approximately 11 bags of charcoal.

419!

[prairiemom]

What is the price difference between a propane and gasoline generator (initial outlay for buying the machine as well as using it)? What is the difference in energy output? What would you look for when buying a generator? What would you consider when using it?

We're not thinking long-term energy, like end-of-the-world collapse. Mostly for emergencies, winter storms, power outages. We have an ice storm at least once a year in our Stake that will take out power anywhere from 12 hrs to 10 days.

Since about 1/2 our year here is winter, heat is an important concern. So we'd be mostly concerned about heat, but cooking as well. A charcoal grill wouldn't do too well in the winter.

[BackBlast]

When considering fuel storage, you have to consider a few things...

Fuel storage

There are laws regarding this, in many locations you cannot store more than 10 gallons of gasoline. I believe you can store more Kerosene and Diesel. Propane is going to have limits.

You can overcome some of these laws by having underground tanks professionally installed at your residence. Large propane tanks are possible, as are diesel tanks.

I, myself, am a renter. So I look for mobility/portability as a requirement. Propane is very heavy per BTU due to tank weight. Charcoal is heavy per BTU. Which leaves gasoline and kerosene. My fuel storage is "white gas", which is most similar to unleaded gasoline. I chose it mostly because we have a colman white gas stove already. It won't varnish like gas, and as long as it's in the sealed containers it should keep for many years. In a pinch, it can be used in cars and generators that use unleaded gasoline - it's intended as a backup cooking fuel though. We try to keep our tanks full and do not yet have a generator.

Backup Power

I have a healthy supply of UPSes and batteries to keep some of my electronics running during outages. It is my profession and during a quaranteen or such event I would like to keep a paycheck flowing if possible.

Choices of generators. There are two major components, the engine (fuel -> mechanical energy) and the generator (mechanical -> electrical). The part that universally fails first is the engine. Cheap chinese gen sets have a useful life in the single digits on up to hundreds of hours, depending on how lucky you are, not really recommended. The most important aspect of the gen set is, who made the motor? Honda is good, Briggs and Stratton is okay, other Japanese brands are okay. You can expect potentially thousands of hours out of these units. For extra money they can all be converted to run a variety of fuels including propane and natural gas, but I don't think reliability is significantly changed with fuel type. Look for stuff marketted to professional end users rather than the weekend camper or backup home power user. They will be better built and last a reasonable span of time.

Summary: Look at the professional line, do some research into the model you are interested in, find out who made the engine, expect to pay 800+.

The next step up dramatically reduces portability. Slow rpm diesel engines can last thousands of hours - potentially decades of constant use. There are heavy propane and natural gas solutions in this same ball park. Very nice units, some day worth their weight in gold I'm sure. You can power whole blocks off the larger units. Not cheap.

Brandon

[prairiemom]

Wow, guys! Thanks for all the great info. Any websites or books you would recommend?

[BackBlast]

A few questions unanswered...


What is the price difference between a propane and gasoline generator (initial outlay for buying the machine as well as using it)?

http://www.generatorsales.com

Have a look around, you can find tri-fuel generators there as well as the base models, take a look at the price difference. It varies based on the model. "Industrial portable" is a china model that's been rebranded more than a few times..


What is the difference in energy output?

I don't think this matters much, you'll pick your fuel based on other criteria.


What would you consider when using it?

Oil level. Watch your oil levels carefully and make sure you have a low oil light and preferably low oil shutdown. Buy a case of oil for your gen set to match the fuel you have stored for it. Take care of your engine.


Since about 1/2 our year here is winter, heat is an important concern. So we'd be mostly concerned about heat, but cooking as well. A charcoal grill wouldn't do too well in the winter.

For heat, I'm a fan of coal. It burns cleaner and longer than wood, and easy to store. It came out of the ground so you can certainly store it in the ground :001_005:

Or you can do a large propane tank.

Brandon

[waif69]

For heat, I'm a fan of coal. It burns cleaner and longer than wood, and easy to store. It came out of the ground so you can certainly store it in the ground

I too am a fan of coal. The retirement house is planned to have some sort of stove/furnace/heater that can run on coal or wood. Dual power items will be used as much as possible.

[LoudmouthMormon]

Glad someone mentioned coal - and that one can have a fireplace that will burn both coal and wood. Would be quite handy to have. And yeah, you can have a ton of coal buried in the backyard. It lasts longer than a can of wheat will. It might even last until you turn into coal yourself.

LM

[threepercent]

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[prairiemom]

Thanks for that link! There's a lot of great stuff there.

[waif69]

I guess that would be good for someone who isn't that versed and fabrication, but it doesn't seem to be a big deal. I guess I am just a little cynical, sorry for the attitude.

[prairiemom]

That's exactly who this is for. This is our stake preparedness newsletter and has already been pointed out, less than 15% of our members are not prepared. So it's safe to say that at least 90% of my readers are novices. I need simple, basic, anyone-can-do-this, information.

Thanks!

[thermocouple]

Specifically websites that cover how to choose a generator
This forum includes a thread entitled "Basic Generator Calculator", in which there is a simple calculating tool wherein you can select basic items and appliances that you would like to be able to keep running, and the calculator will tell you approximately how many watts you need out of a generator. It's a good starting point for at least determining what size generator you should be shopping for.