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Our longest stint with no juice was (if I remember correctly) about 3 days (we've had a couple in that time range over the years). We have a small pond and were able to fill buckets to flush the commode and take care of kitchen/human clean up. Kitchen range is propane, so we could manually light the burners and boil collected water as required before transferring to the Fireview (no oven, though). Aladdin oil lamps in good working order and plenty of lamp oil provided steady and easy lighting. We kept a large stockpot of pond water warm on the Fireview (after it was boiled on the range top). It was cold enough to keep food from spoiling. But I missed a shower, too!

We have to replace the boiler this spring and I will insist that the system be filled with "anti-freeze"! After '98 and the near catastrophe in Mum's home (now my brother's and mine) I will never again have a forced "hot water" system filled with anything but "anti-freeze". You can easily drain domestic water, but why mess with the heating system if you don't have to?!
 
I think I am going to have to call the insurance company. The "head" of the electrical connection attached to the house is cracked, and my electrician says it will cost a couple of hundred to replace and cleat the supply back to the house properly. the huge limbs of the neighbors pines are not only all over the place, but many of them with girths of ten inches or more are hanging precariously about 30 - 40 ft up. I don't have the strength, know how or proper tools to take care of that.
I was elated when power was restore, but after that initial high, I am getting depressed. I guess I will have to call the Ins. Co. first, then start shopping around for a tree service.
I hope you folks with no power get restored real soon, and with minimal damage. I'm pulling for ya.
 
I think I am going to have to call the insurance company. The "head" of the electrical connection attached to the house is cracked, and my electrician says it will cost a couple of hundred to replace and cleat the supply back to the house properly.
Your talking about a $20 part that would take about 15 minutes to change. Couple hundred sounds like a lot. Hardest part is settin up the ladder. If this is the part your talking about.
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fro...EU+4/0+Weather+Head+Cap+200+Amp+Cable+Wire+SE
 
Your talking about a $20 part that would take about 15 minutes to change. Couple hundred sounds like a lot. Hardest part is settin up the ladder. If this is the part your talking about.
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_sacat=See-All-Categories&_nkw=New Service Entrance Weatherhead SEU 4/0 Weather Head Cap 200 Amp Cable Wire SE
I think the cost is for the licensed electrician. The power company has to disconnect service on their end before the job can be done.
 
I think the cost is for the licensed electrician. The power company has to disconnect service on their end before the job can be done.
These (the ones pictured) can be changed out with out disconnecting power,unless the line is damaged. I do my own, as i install new services on my own properties ,but yes its not something someone who dont know what they are doing should tackle.
 
We lose power here often but not for days yet. I have a UPS for the router and modem that will keep the net up and running for10 hours or longer if used sparingly. At least I can pass the time using the tablet then.
 
Power and internet is back on. I was more distraught over lack of Internet than lack of power.

Agreed. I run my cable modem and wifi on my little HF genny. My wifi was down (cable out) for maybe 4 hours.
 
Have some old friends over in Drescher, PA whose cul-de-sac is still without power, 3.5 days in. They have been ok staying with some folks with power, but their house was getting too cold, low 40s, and they have hydronic gas heat. They are spooked by the single digit temps forecast for Monday.

I dropped by with the little blue HF genny and we had that boiler going in 20 minutes.
 
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We're entering day 5 today at our place in Chester county, and PECO has gone from saying Friday night, to Sunday night, to "sometime next week". But the gennie, pellet stoves and big battery bank have kept us warm, connected, and showered. In fact, we've become "shower central" for our friends. Personally, if I could get the county to cut down some trees behind he house (we border a park) I would go solar and off grid (of course the two trees I wanted to see fall are just fine!). In fact, we're considering solar for the retirement house. I haven't even turned on the gennie yet as I figured out that the coffee maker works just fine on the battery bank, which we haven't even taxed hard thus far. Stove is cranking away on battery as well, and I'm determined to make it to 9:00 before I start burning liquid dinosaur.
 
Liquid dinosaur-- I like that -- Sinclair oil co's logo, haven't seen it in many years.
 
We're entering day 5 today at our place in Chester county, and PECO has gone from saying Friday night, to Sunday night, to "sometime next week". But the gennie, pellet stoves and big battery bank have kept us warm, connected, and showered. In fact, we've become "shower central" for our friends. Personally, if I could get the county to cut down some trees behind he house (we border a park) I would go solar and off grid (of course the two trees I wanted to see fall are just fine!). In fact, we're considering solar for the retirement house. I haven't even turned on the gennie yet as I figured out that the coffee maker works just fine on the battery bank, which we haven't even taxed hard thus far. Stove is cranking away on battery as well, and I'm determined to make it to 9:00 before I start burning liquid dinosaur.
Is the battery bank just for these occasions? Inside? It must be quite a few batteries?
 
Yep, just for the 2-3 times/year we lose power. In garage. 110 AH at 48V. MT Vernon AE pellet stove on its own battery (110 AH at 12V). Recharge them during day as gen puts out more than we can use, and same gas usage up to ~ 50% load. Float charge when not in use.
 
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