I was twice without power; Charley 13 days & Jeanne 1 day. I am making a list of things I need to buy. I will not wait until next spring to get these because you know what happens when we hear a hurricane is approaching... panic sets in and everything is gone in the stores within days/minutes. Right now, I can't find a small TV anywhere; they sell as soon as the stores receive them.
So... I have the generator... that is the biggest problem out of the way. I need to get a:
- compact refrigerator/freezer
- small TV and rabbit ears
- portable A/C for a room.
Those are a bit expensive items but considering one can live comfortable with those during a power outage, it beats motel expenses, dinner out ect...
What is the one thing you intend to buy that you have miss from being without power?
Prep BEFORE a power outage....
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CharleySurvivor
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Prep BEFORE a power outage....
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Doc Seminole
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hibiscushouse
- Tropical Storm
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CharleySurvivor
- Category 1
- Posts: 308
- Joined: Thu Sep 09, 2004 3:38 pm
- Location: Tampa, FL formerly Port Charlotte FL
Just want a small 3 cu. ft refrigerator/freezer. I have a 32 cu ft and it sucks all the juice out of the generator. It's the same with the TV - have a 60" giant screen TV. I want to get small things so I can have more connected to the generator and not worry about overcharging it.
I have to look into those Coleman lanterns...good idea!
I have to look into those Coleman lanterns...good idea!
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After Frances - 7 days no power and Jeanner (never lost power!!!) we learned:
The snake light flashlights work great because you can wrap them around your neck and walk with them or use them to light a room. They run a long time on 2 c batteries.
Freeze 2 liter soda bottles in the days before the storm. They make fabulous ice blocks that last for days in coolers.
Duct tape for your doors and windows that dont have great seals. Works wonders with wind driven rain.
Rabbit ears are king. Rechargable batteries that you can recharge in your car while driving to get gas for the generator! I also had a 12 volt battery that you use for jumping your car which recharges from a wall socket. It has a flashlight and a 12v socket for charging your cell phone.
An $80 window air conditioner from Sears bought on the Thursday before Frances was a life saver. My bedroom was nice and cool every night with the generator going.
$10 box fans at Lowe's before the hurricane. They take almost no electricity to run and help a whole lot.
Here in Melbourne we had both Frances and Jeanne and we never lost Directv. Hooked up a small tv to it and watched away without killing the generator.
A proper hookup for your generator. We had an electrician come out and wire up a 10ga cable from the 240 side of the generator and take it to a break out box so we could get the full 30a of power from that side of the generator. Otherwise you only get about half the output of your generator.
Ventless 5 gallon gas cans. You need atleast 3. Fill the generator and go get 3 more and you have 2 days worth of gas. Big plastic containers that the 5 gallon gas cans can go in. About $5 at Target and saves your car from the inevitable gas spills.
Lots and lots of beer for when you spend a week sitting in front of your house catching a breeze and your neighbors come by.
By a couple hundred plylox. Greated invention since sliced bread.
Hammer drill for putting tapcons bolts in concrete where you cannot use plylox. Oh yeah, a box of tapcons and extra bits.
Bags for making sandbags.
Tarps for putting under your sandbags.
A couple of tarps for your roof.
Once you have the generator, the whole kit can be had for $300 or so and except for the beer and batteries, you can keep it for years.
The snake light flashlights work great because you can wrap them around your neck and walk with them or use them to light a room. They run a long time on 2 c batteries.
Freeze 2 liter soda bottles in the days before the storm. They make fabulous ice blocks that last for days in coolers.
Duct tape for your doors and windows that dont have great seals. Works wonders with wind driven rain.
Rabbit ears are king. Rechargable batteries that you can recharge in your car while driving to get gas for the generator! I also had a 12 volt battery that you use for jumping your car which recharges from a wall socket. It has a flashlight and a 12v socket for charging your cell phone.
An $80 window air conditioner from Sears bought on the Thursday before Frances was a life saver. My bedroom was nice and cool every night with the generator going.
$10 box fans at Lowe's before the hurricane. They take almost no electricity to run and help a whole lot.
Here in Melbourne we had both Frances and Jeanne and we never lost Directv. Hooked up a small tv to it and watched away without killing the generator.
A proper hookup for your generator. We had an electrician come out and wire up a 10ga cable from the 240 side of the generator and take it to a break out box so we could get the full 30a of power from that side of the generator. Otherwise you only get about half the output of your generator.
Ventless 5 gallon gas cans. You need atleast 3. Fill the generator and go get 3 more and you have 2 days worth of gas. Big plastic containers that the 5 gallon gas cans can go in. About $5 at Target and saves your car from the inevitable gas spills.
Lots and lots of beer for when you spend a week sitting in front of your house catching a breeze and your neighbors come by.
By a couple hundred plylox. Greated invention since sliced bread.
Hammer drill for putting tapcons bolts in concrete where you cannot use plylox. Oh yeah, a box of tapcons and extra bits.
Bags for making sandbags.
Tarps for putting under your sandbags.
A couple of tarps for your roof.
Once you have the generator, the whole kit can be had for $300 or so and except for the beer and batteries, you can keep it for years.
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PhinPhan...
I second everything!!
and add,
I buy a 24pk/pallet of 500ml water, pour about 1/2 of up to 12 bottles into a jug, and freeze the 1/2 bottles.
Then use the jug to fill-up those 1/2 bottles of ice to pass around to the "clean-up crews"
And of course....a gas grill, (finally replaced our dead one after Frances), and use a cast iron skillet for those tricky things that'll fall through.
I also boil about 3 bags of "Success" rice, or a pot of pasta right before the storm hits, so we have that as a "delicacy" that isn't often found as part of a blackout dinner.
I second everything!!
and add,
I buy a 24pk/pallet of 500ml water, pour about 1/2 of up to 12 bottles into a jug, and freeze the 1/2 bottles.
Then use the jug to fill-up those 1/2 bottles of ice to pass around to the "clean-up crews"
And of course....a gas grill, (finally replaced our dead one after Frances), and use a cast iron skillet for those tricky things that'll fall through.
I also boil about 3 bags of "Success" rice, or a pot of pasta right before the storm hits, so we have that as a "delicacy" that isn't often found as part of a blackout dinner.
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PurdueWx80
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nolabelplez
- Tropical Low
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We lost power for 12 days after Frances, only a few hours with Jeanne.
I can cook chicken nuggets and macaroni on my grill!
Swiffer Wet Jet pads. They're great, but no one had them after the storm.
I found disposable dish cloths with dish soap in them. Great for washing dishes in the boiled water you brought up from the lake.
Battery operated fans - a life saver!!!
I got the flashlights you wear on your forehead, they're great for reading, just don't look up when your significant other calls you (yeah, they're pretty blinding)
One thing that was a waste of money: I got a solar heated shower, like you use on the boat. Well, duh- it rained for so long after Frances, the sun never came out long enough to heat the water anyway. I guess it would work now.
We're on a lake, so we just went swimming. We smelled like the lake, but it was better than nothing.
I can cook chicken nuggets and macaroni on my grill!
Swiffer Wet Jet pads. They're great, but no one had them after the storm.
I found disposable dish cloths with dish soap in them. Great for washing dishes in the boiled water you brought up from the lake.
Battery operated fans - a life saver!!!
I got the flashlights you wear on your forehead, they're great for reading, just don't look up when your significant other calls you (yeah, they're pretty blinding)
One thing that was a waste of money: I got a solar heated shower, like you use on the boat. Well, duh- it rained for so long after Frances, the sun never came out long enough to heat the water anyway. I guess it would work now.
We're on a lake, so we just went swimming. We smelled like the lake, but it was better than nothing.
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weatherlover427
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nativeflacracker
- Tropical Low
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- Joined: Mon Aug 30, 2004 11:20 am
- Location: Lake Worth, FL
Re: Prep BEFORE a power outage....
CharleySurvivor wrote:
So... I have the generator... that is the biggest problem out of the way. I need to get a:
- compact refrigerator/freezer
- small TV and rabbit ears
- portable A/C for a room.
Those are a bit expensive items but considering one can live comfortable with those during a power outage, it beats motel expenses, dinner out ect...
What is the one thing you intend to buy that you have miss from being without power?
Heads up on the portable a/c unit, we got one instead of a window unit and the problem is it has an exhaust tube that has to be run out the window and even though the one we got includes the panel to put in the window with the opening for the tube, the tube puts off so much heat in the room that unless you wrap it in foam or insulation, it totally defeats the purpose. We are very disappointed and will be exchanging it for a window unit even if it means knocking out a window next time. This unit cost $400 and it's a joke so go with the window units that are much cheaper anyway.
Also, an inverter is nice until you can get your generator going for watching tv during the storm and running a fan in your safe room!
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tronbunny wrote:Then use the jug to fill-up those 1/2 bottles of ice to pass around to the "clean-up crews"
YES! I have been working on fire departments for about 8 years, and a lot of our "work" is sitting. Watching a field burn while protecting houses, waiting on a fire inspector after a house fire is out, etc... Several times we have had neighbors and homeowners bring us hotdogs, hamburgers, cold water, lemonaide, juice... I dont' know how power companies deal with it, but offering that guy sitting in the fire truck blocking the road (so nobody drives over a power line) a bottle of ice water is an extreemly nice gesture. Even if your neighbors help out, and you have a way to cook them some hotdogs (that are going to go bad if you don't use them) is a great way to use that food (heck, cook them the good steaks you were saving). And there is nothing like a bottle of ice water on a hot day!
The only thing I would add to the list is a big roll of plastic sheeting, duct tape, and a staple gun. They are not as strong as tarps, but you can get one that will probably cover most of your roof for very little money (Lowes sells them), very easy to store, and would certainly keep the rain out (after the storm showers), for several days.
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HurricaneQueen
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- Location: No. Naples, Fl (Vanderbilt Beach area)
Laptop with Centrino or get a data modem for your cellphone to use with laptop. I used an invertor when the battery was low and charged everything with a (Heartland) 12 volt power source until it ran low. Was able to recharge the power source with the invertor as I drove around trying to find gas. Never lost contact with Storm2k during the three days we were w/o electricity after Charley. After that, I bought the first decent generator I could find and we've never lost electricity since!
Thanks for all the great tips. Power Source was found last year at Target in the camping section. Great in the short term!!!!
Thanks for all the great tips. Power Source was found last year at Target in the camping section. Great in the short term!!!!
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GO FLORIDA GATORS
I've seen the statement "while driving around for gas" mentioned several times on different threads which discuss prepardness. Why on earth would anyone spend $500-$5000 on a generator and not invest in a portable gasoline storage tank with the hand held pump to fuel it with??? We learned, the hard way of course, that driving following a storm of any type is dangerous and only creates more headaches for officials having to deal with one more person in an unstable situation. In our situation it was for more propane but nevertheless we had the grills and propane heaters and nothing to fuel it with. DH took a drive to refill the tanks only to have a frozen tree limb join him via the windshield. I vowed then to bring all of the tanks in on May 1st of each year. When I purchase my generator I immediately purchased a 40 gal portable fuel storage tank on wheels with a hand pump as well as my 7 5-gallon ventless fuel storage tanks. Again, May 1st those get filled up as well with Pri-D for the diesel and Stabil for the gasoline as a stabilizer to extend the life of both. Please learn from my mistakes and don't wait until your engines or appliances need fuel or batteries. Buy it now!
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Don't forget that if the gas tank is intact, any vehicle you have parked on your property can serve as that "reserve gas tank" if you have a hand pump... It does not have to be licensed, registered, street legal-or even running--to serve this purpose--go and fill your car, bring it home and siphon it into the "storage tank" and go and refill your car--you can do all this before the storm. Probably safer than having a whole bunch of gas cans stored....
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