Another power loss, lessons learned

Even us power loss veterans get rusty. At 0430 this AM a large tree limb fell on the power line next door. I got out of bed at 0440 to set up one of my small gens. I grabbed the first torch I came across which was a clear body shake light. That was my first mistake. The clear body creates a glare that makes it much tougher to see detail. I pulled out a single Honda EU2000. That's the only unit I keep fuel in for this type situation. I had to get up quickly to set my "level one" power immediately because my son sleeps with a fan going and would get up if it were off very long. He also goes straight to the couch to watch a video when he does get up. If his routine is broken we all pay a heavy price. From the time I walked out the door and took the pre-fueled gen. out of it's storage box to the time I finished running the extension cords to the TV/DVD and his fan I had spent 25 minutes.

Why did it take so long? The gen was in one box, the extension cords were in two other locations and the 3' multi-plug adapters were in another box. None of the boxes were near each other and I had to do a little searching. Add that to the fact I used the wrong torch for this type job and you get 25 minutes. I would have thought I could do it in 5 minutes. I thought I was ultra-prepared.

Lessons learned: All the items will go in one box and next time I will grab a torch with more poop and no glare. I will also complete the transfer switch installation I have been meaning to finish for 6 months.

-Caught that, 5 BY 5
Those are the same type of things that I have scolded myself about in the past... :green:

The clear body creates a glare that makes it much tougher to see detail...

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Thanks. Great point! I know that it's probably only a matter of time before I buy one of the better shakelights. (Nightstar?) Of all of the reviews I've read none mentioned that.

Note to self: Only buy shakelight with opaque body.

Sub_Umbra said:

Note to self: Only buy shakelight with opaque body.

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That puts you in a greater risk of being ripped off by counterfeit lights...

A clear body You have an option of making it opaque, [spraypaint, duck tape, etc]

A opaque body, theres no going back...

This is why I prefered the opaque bodies of the original Inova MicroLights and the recessed LED. I'm glad the better flashlights have opaque heads that prevent glare.

IIRC at least one of the shakelight companies claims that their opaque lights offer greater resistance to various chemicals, too.

I don't understand how your son is going to watch a video if the power is out. Why not just go back to bed and let the utility deal with the fallen tree in the morning? All the preparation seems like more trouble than it's worth .

paulr said:

I don't understand how your son is going to watch a video if the power is out. Why not just go back to bed and let the utility deal with the fallen tree in the morning? All the preparation seems like more trouble than it's worth .

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Sure is, If the son wakes up and try to turn on the TV and it wouldnt work...maybe he would be discouraged to continue trying and do something productive for a change.
Althought I dont know what you can do 4:30 in the morning...i'd go back to sleep...

Have any of you guys seen the "how-to" article on spotting counterfeit shake lights on eBay? Apparently some vendors are using three button cells to power an LED, and the moving magnet and coil of wire inside the light is just for looks.

My son is Autistic so breaking his routine is not a good idea in fact it's just plain bad. Envision a 2 year old with extra bad temper tantrums thats 6' tall and weighs 250 pounds. That's my 16-year-old son. He gets his fan and DVD. I'm sure it's hard for people to understand. After I posted this AM my wife told me he got up and unplugged and re-plugged the fan about 20 times while I was getting the gen. set up. He then went and sat in the bathroom until after I was done. I never saw him. He's a great kid he just has to have his routine in order to stay calm.

Dave,

When your lives were disrupted by that hurricane a while back it must have been incredible. I had no idea.

Do you think a computer UPS with battery backup would run the fan for a while? It might be a good way to ensure continuity but I'd see if it has an alarm that goes off when the power does, that would be annoying.

-LT

Erm... You should have given Dave the benefit of a doubt. In his first post, it's quite obvious that he knows what he's doing -that something's amiss and sometimes somethings should not be probed into. I know you didn't mean any harm but come on guys! We should have a little more faith behind the decision-making abilities of our moderators!

Diesel Dave has had a tremendous load of responsibility to shoulder-I sure don't envy him.......

-and in just two weeks another hurricane season starts again....

If I would have read the first post not knowing the situation I would have thought the same thing as everyone else, "Damn man, get a grip on your spoiled rotten kid". It's a perfectly natural response and no apologies are necessary whatsoever.

As far as the situation after the storm in 2004: My wife took him and my daughter to Texas before the storm. My wife came back on day 3 but the kids stayed in Texas with my in-laws for the first week after the storm. When they got home the situation was still grim but we had him a new bed, fan and TV/DVD player. He lived with power from a generator for two weeks and to our amazement it was his best period of behavior in a number of years. We have a number of theories about the good behavior but nothing concrete.

How do you like the Honda EU2000? I have had my eye on them lately. I need something for those times when I don't want to fire up the big generator. I'm thinking the Honda is quiet enough I could put it on the back patio without making too much of a racket.

I salute you Dave. It takes a load of patience and understanding to raise a child, and I'm sure it takes just a *little* more for special children.

scott.cr said:

Have any of you guys seen the "how-to" article on spotting counterfeit shake lights on eBay? Apparently some vendors are using three button cells to power an LED, and the moving magnet and coil of wire inside the light is just for looks.

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Wrong place to post...but oh well..


http://www.flashlightreviews.com/features/fff.htm


I bought a few fake nightstars....off ebay, I know how you feel...first of all, the LED sucks...second of all..the coil is not copper, its this tape with graphics on it, third...the batteries dont last too long in my keychain lights...

Dave, my hat is off to you. My mother worked with special-ed kids back when she was still alive(Autism, Down's syndrome, etc.) and I know it's a battle.

I don't know how often you use your generator, but one thing that helps me start my (one and only)gas powered generator is storing it with avgas in the tank. It starts on the first pull, every single time. Last time it sat for four months, still started on the first pull.


Cheers. :buddies:

one problem may be transparent shakelights but your other prob is definitely
opaque boxes! they are nothing but black holes. labels don't always work. things get moved - labels dont get updated..

what you need are Rubbermaid Polycarbonate (clear) food storage boxes to store stuff you need to find quickly. somewhat pricey; ie $23 with the lid for a 12x18x6 box (don't forget you must order the lid for each box seperately) but they are just about unbreakable and you can SEE THE STUFF IN THEM!!

I am surrounded by them in all different sizes. very stackable. very useful.