Northeast Storm- Live Well With No Power

How to live well through an extended power outage (on the cheap)

 Please add your own questions, tips or tricks in the Comments Section below

With the coming March Storm, I thought it would be worth posting this if even one suggestion can help just one person, now or in the future. 

Every household has a different utility situation, and every family has a different comfort level. Ours is pretty close to a worst-case scenario; yours is almost certainly MUCH better. We live

Forecast by Wild About Weather (https://www.facebook.com/wildaboutweather)

on the north east side of a mountain in central NH, in a VERY rural area that is last on the power company's list to restore due to the sparse population. In the past, we've had our power out for up to four days and were not prepared for it. Never again!! 

I'm not going to get into the obvious preps like having batteries, flashlights, drinking water, etc.  

That said, the key for us is a gizmo called a Power Inverter.  They're inexpensive, easy to use, and have the ability to keep you warm, fed, and entertained while your neighbors are shivering, eating Slim Jims, and playing Scrabble by candlelight.  Sound like fun?  Sure, a gas or diesel generator hard wired into your home's electric system is best, but you're talking about THOUSANDS of dollars instead of under $100 for a decent inverter.  And what if you rent your home?  You're probably going to need it only once or twice a year anyway...The Power Inverter simply clamps onto your (running) car's battery terminals.  Then, run a heavy-duty extension cord through a slightly opened window (seal it with towels or something), and you're good to go.  Just Google "Power Inverter" and you'll find one that will fit your needs and budget. 

So here's our situation at home.  Like I said, most people will have it a bit easier.
-Electric powered well water (useless during an outage)
-Satelite TV & Flatscreen
-DSL internet
-WiFi
-Kerosene furnace w/electric pump and blower (useless during an outage)
-Fireplace w/electric blower (blower is useless during an outage)
-Electric oven/stove (Draws too many watts to use with an Inverter)

Here's how we deal with it:
Water: We have two bathtubs that we fill in advance of a storm. No "city" water here, so we use this to flush toilets and wash. Of course, use bottled water to drink and don't forget the pets!

Heat: In the past, we found that the fireplace was pretty useless for general heating if the electric blower didn't work. Our solution was a to use the inverter to power a small, efficient (and quiet) "squirrel-cage" fan in front of the fire, blowing out into the home.

Power: This is the big one, since the lack of it is what's causing your problem to begin with...Duh!  Most importantly, KNOW HOW MANY WATTS YOU ARE DRAWING!  An inverter can only do so much for you, but you might be amazed at what you can do with 1200 Watts. The one we have is rated at 1200W max continuous (better to keep it at 1000), but can handle a momentary spike of up to 2400W. By "spike", I mean that most electric devices draw about double their "running" wattage when it first starts, especially anything with a motor like a fridge or a fan. The UL label on the back lists the max spike wattage and will typically run much lower. For example, our fan's label says "120W", but only draws 60 while running. You can use an in-line Watt meter to monitor your total usage, or just keep track yourself. A good chart for most appliances can be found at: http://www.donrowe.com/usage-chart-a/259.htm

Tips: 
-ALWAYS use heavy-duty extension cords!  A good rule of thumb is that if an extension cord is warm to the touch while in use, you need a heavier one.  Also, forget about the part of the inverter that plugs into a car cigarette lighter; use the alligator clips on your car battery instead. Remember that your car's gas engine was not designed to run idling for extended periods the way a diesel can.  Go outside and gun the gas every few hours.
-Stay away from anything that has a heating element, like a space heater (if you can) , toaster oven, or coffee maker. If you MUST use these, shut EVERYTHING else off first. Maybe make a pot of coffee ahead of the storm to be reheated later on.
-Refrigerators are important, but do not have to be run constantly. Ours starts at 600W and settles in at about 350. The problem is that you never know when it will kick in and spike back to 600. Just plug it in every few hours until you hear it shut itself off, then unplug.  Keep the doors shut as much as possible.
-If you've got an electric stove, consider getting a propane powered camping stove. Now you can reheat your coffee, pan fry or pot-cook your dinner.
-You can use your router for other WiFi devices like tablets even if the computer is shut down
-Flat screen TV's use MUCH less power than "standard" TV. Our 32" HD only uses 35W (instead of 300), and the DVR powering the satellite dish uses 30W.

Using this strategy, we've found that we can enjoy Satelite TV, Internet, electric light, heat, flushing toilets, and unspoiled food for the duration. Good luck with the storm!

Today's Link: (and every day until the contest ends) The Rock N Roll Resort is doing a VIP Hotel Package Giveaway in The Catskills April 4-6…Check it out!  First, click ROCK N ROLL RESORT to enter.  Then visit their EVENT PAGE and click "I'm Attending" to complete the contest entry process.  It only takes seconds, and the winners will be announced on 3/20/14.  Dozens of bands will perform, and you'll get the full VIP treatment!    Good Luck!