The problem is where the heavy copper wire to the breaker box comes up in a heavy conduit on the roof and is joined to the aluminum service wires that go the transformer on the pole. Some installers of WH generators use heavy aluminum wire to go from the generator to the auto transfer switch if the distance is very far. No problem if installed right but it takes months to get an electrician around here as they are booked solid. We have an emergency electrical home service but they charge $250 minimum even if the job is 10 minutes. They also do sloppy work.
I think diesel is easier to store, so I only keep two containers of it, and then get more from a gas station that's only two blocks away.
That is truly silly. What if things were bad and the streets were blocked? I figured most people have a corner where a generator could be stashed. A garage or a shed maybe? If worse came to worse, it could be just covered with a tarp in your climate. It would be no more intrusive than an A/C unit. My brother's WH generator is twice the size of his A/C.
We have eagles and ravens short out entire substations occasionally. They are big enough to reach across the gap between insulators.
Of course, in a long-term or wide-spread situation, that gas station might not be up & running. That's the wall I keep running into when I think of getting a generator. Diesel is gonna have a longer shelf life than gas, but you can only store but so much.
The thing about having a whole house generator is unless your neighbors do also, be prepared to have a house full or be known as a heartless person and shunned for as long as you live there. I was discussing this with a friend and she is thinking of getting a WHG and storing more food so her friends, kids, and grands will have a place to survive. I pointed out to her that she has less money than they do and their attitude of happy-go-lucky no preparation, shouldn't be at her expense. They have every opportunity to prepare and some have the cash and skills to install a WHG, but they see no need. They spend their money on having fun vacations, new vehicles, eating out, parties, and things like golf. I encourage her not to prepare because they should take her in and care for her if a long blackout occurs.
The Ant and the Grasshopper plays out forever, and in many forms (short stories, Twilight Zone episodes, etc.) The nuance in real life is that not many of us could turn our backs on others (regardless of how justified.) We are not insects. And unlike in the fable, the grasshoppers are not likely to just go quietly away and shiver in the cold. There are givers and there are takers, but very few who fill both roles to any degree. I guess very few of us really know for certain what we'll do until the time comes (of course, this is a topic for a survival thread.) But you do make a great on-topic point when it comes to installing one of these. Unlike other stores of food & water, a generator is a hard secret to keep...you can hear it from blocks away. People thinking of getting one need to consider the possible scenarios should the circumstances unfold where they'll actually need it.
This guy isn't the sharpest saw on the tool bench. (He's one of those "one-upmanship" bores.) Anyway, when Ike hit here in 2008, we were unable to leave the subdivision because of large trees over the exit streets. Hopefully he has enough sense to go get the generator if a major storm heads this way. Personally, I just want a permanent installation that automatically comes on when the power goes out. When the power was out for a few hours yesterday I could hear a few gennys running on the street.
The thing is, when there's a major catastrophe it really brings out the best in people. After the storm in 2008, the power was out for 2-3 weeks in the entire Houston metro area. All the neighbors cranked up BBQ pits and started cooking meats that were thawing in the freezers. The various disaster relief agencies set up ice/water/MRE stations and everyone would get all they could carry and then share. On our street, our side of the street is on one transformer and the other side is on another electrical feed... so our power came on a couple of days before theirs. They were all welcome to come in, cool off, take baths or whatever. Very few of them accepted, though. I'll never forget when the power came back on. We were sitting on the floor in the den in the dark and I glanced over toward the kitchen. I noticed a small green light blinking on the microwave and it took me a minute for it to register.
My brother went through that last year when they had an extended power outage after a storm. My sister-in-law went around and turned off all the lights as she was embarrassed that they were the only ones in their small town with power. When we had an extended outage, I was more worried about marauders. You stand out in the dark, and I was concerned that we might have unwelcome visitors, but none came.
That has been my experience. It is sad that there has to be a catastrophe to bring people, especially neighbors together.
That is a big concern, especially in this day and time. I am lucky to live in a fairly good neighborhood.
Yes, there are only seven to ten days' worth of provisions in every town and city worldwide. It's more difficult for places that are far away from depots.