Hey, EVs in Florida

[Major Tom]

How ya doing with yer electric cars now? LOL

[Allen]

How ya doing with yer electric cars now? LOL

+1

But right now they can't buy gasoline/diesel either and won't be able to perhaps for weeks. What little gas they have for their generators was bought before the storm too.

[Vern Humphrey]

Emergencies like this are why I always keep two 5-gallon cans of electricity in my shed.

[Allen]

Emergencies like this are why I always keep two 5-gallon cans of electricity in my shed.

If running a generator though that's only about 2 days worth.

[Art]

If running a generator though that's only about 2 days worth.

Depends on how you're using it. If you run the generator 24/7 or close to it two days is about max, but, if the aim is to keep the freezers cold, watch tv while that's going on you're talking about running the generator 9-12 hours a day. Using it that way I got a bit over a week out of 20 gallons in Hurricane Ike. Our current 5,500 kw generator in that mode will get about 2 hours per gallon hooked up to the house.

[Allen]

Depends on how you're using it. If the aim is to keep the freezers cold, watch tv while that's going on you're talking about running the generator 9-12 hours a day. Using it that way I got a bit over a week out of 20 gallons in Hurricane Ike. Our current generator in that mode will get about 2 hours per gallon hooked up to the house.

Well, 20 gallons a week comes out close to a 3 gals a day so... There's a lot of "if's" and "what if's" when determining fuel consumption including the size of your generator. We've always been very conservative with the gas during hurricanes because you don't know when you are going to be able to find gas again and when you do there will be lines and limited supplies. Plus you have to have/use gas in your car to go find it.

You need to run the freezer 2 or 3 hours then cover with blankets and switch the power to the fridge for a while. Small fans are a necessity and a small window A/C is a luxury.

The newer model generators with the Honda and Chinese engines seem to get better mpg. Best to use a small generator and not expect much than to use a big one and not be able to feed it for very long.

The best systems are the $15K-$25K (and more) nat gas whole house generators that rely on the municipal nat gas piped in gas.

Not the best of times.

[togor]

MT all of those EVs out there are lowering the price you pay for gas. And all those new drivers in India every year are raising it.

[dogtag]

Emergencies like this are why I always keep two 5-gallon cans of electricity in my shed.

Good one.
I hope you use rubber gloves when you pick them up.

[PWC]

I don't have room for a generator or large propane tank.

You might go to th "4 patriots" website and look at their solar generators with 2 foldable 100W solar panels. Depends on sunshine; the storms don't stay and usually sunshine follows.

I live in Phoenix where there is no shortage of sun. My test showed the generator's lithium ion batt, fully charged, ran my freezer full time for 6 hrs and took 3 hrs to recharge. It ran my fridge, normal use opening the door, for 3 hours, with 3 hr recharge. Will run while recharging at same time.

In emergency, usage would drop. Will run fans, microwave, any 115VAC or 12VDC appliance, predicated upon your priority. It won't run fullhouse or AC, but fans are ok. $2500.00

[Merc]

My cousin lives in Ft. Myers and had a lot of shingles torn off by the 150 mph winds. No flooding. He has kept his refrigerator running with a 5 KW generator but no power until last night. No cable yet so no tv - his contact with outside world has been zero. Fox News in Pittsburgh showed FEMA handing out tarps yesterday somewhere in Ft. Myers but did not say where the distribution center was located. There is a huge black mold problem in Florida so it in his best interest to get tarps on his roof as quickly as possible to prevent leaks. Thankfully, the weather in Ft. Myers has been dry since Ian came to visit. My wife found a FEMA sight on the Internet that offers to come and install tarps on damaged roof free of charge. It is called OPERATION BLUE ROOF. I gave my cousin the 800 number which he called right away. They will be out to install the tarps today or tomorrow and said they will place his shed back on its foundation. The wind blew it off. Without cable, not many Florida residents are aware of the FEMA program. It may be several months before a roofing contractor will be available to replace his roof.