Landracing Forum
Loring Timing Association (Maine) => Loring (AFB) land speed venue => Topic started by: bearingburner on December 23, 2013, 09:56:26 AM
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Are You getting lots of new snow?
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We probably have 24" on the ground right now. Got 18" two Sundays ago, picked up about 10" through Thursday to this morning. So not a lot by any means.
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We went from 12" on the ground to 3" with the warm weather, fog and rain this weekend and today.
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BB, almost the same thing happened to us in Skandia, Michigan, except that it went the other way. We started the weekend with about 3" of snow on the ground -- and there's at least a foot of it there now. More's coming this afternoon and evening and tomorrow, though, so we're hoping to make up for the drastic lack of white stuff.
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I'm about four hours south of Jesse and we had about 18" but are now firmly in ice storm mode. Electricity has been out 24 hours, the backup batteries are getting a workout!
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I was born in Portland, and lived in Yarmouth from '74 to '81, riding dirtbikes in the woods. I remember the blizzard of '77 - that was a wicked storm.
My point being, you can keep that weather folks. It was 62 today. :-D
Merry Christmas,
Dean
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No 'skeeter, black fly, deer fly, no see ums, or tick problems though! :-D :-D
Ed
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There is no romanticism in a white Christmas.
I prefer precipitation that doesn't require a shovel - although I'll admit I'm living in the wrong part of the country for that..
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snowmobiling here still requires a trailer . 2200 ft. none on the ground. were behind :-(
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MM....if you can tolerate 48F and no precipitation......COME ON DOWN.
FREUD
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I'm about four hours south of Jesse and we had about 18" but are now firmly in ice storm mode. Electricity has been out 24 hours, the backup batteries are getting a workout!
You have power (grid) yet Frank? We lucked out, just a trace of ice
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There won't be a white Christmas here!.
Hot hot hot but there is a flu epidemic doing the rounds and I got me a piece of that.
The Skeeters here fly in formation though. :-D
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... the backup batteries are getting a workout!...
???
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Whole house inverter with 660A-H at 24 volts battery storage. That generally keeps us going for a day or so. We're grid-tied with a bunch of solar panels.
Jess, it came back last night for a few hours but then went out again. Lots of ice laden trees breaking everywhere. Still out now.
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POWER RESTORED YET ?
SAW FORECAST FOR MORE SNOW SUNDAY GOOD LUCK AGAIN.....
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... Whole house inverter with 660A-H at 24 volts battery storage...
Oh- I wasn't even aware of that being done. In rough numbers, how does that investment compare with a small gas-engine generator, say 2,500 watt?
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Nothing compares to a small generator. You just have to keep it prepped to run and be ready to add gas at midnight. I have a 15 year old generator from Home Depot that has plenty of use. It is about 6500w and cost about $500 back then.
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We've got a 6kw (6500 surge, I think) generator. I got it at a garage sale a few years ago for $250 or some ridiculously low price. I wanted one that size so we'd have 220 VAC to run the water pump (we've got a well, not city water) and stuff like the clothes dryer or even the tanning bed*. I keep a five-gallon jug of gas, marked "For Generator Use ONLY", and it's got a dose of StaBil mixed in when I buy the gas. About once a year I dump whatever gas hasn't been used into the car and refill/re-StaBil the 5 gal. jug. We haven't had an outage when I ran the generator since last March (I note the run date and running hours on a tag on the gen.) so I know when maintenance is due. I know, it sounds like overkill, but it makes it easy to laugh when, as it says on the bottom of the list of instructions on how to run/hook-up: "Enjoy the warmth while the rest of the people on the Dukes Road shiver in the dark."
* If there's any good way to let your neighbors know that you are the guy that thought ahead -- it's having them drive by during a blizzard that's knocked the power out and they see the bright glow of the tanning bed light showing through the basement windows. :evil: :evil: :evil:
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Problem is getting the fuel around here. Many of us are a good distance to get to the store...in hopes they have power to pump the fuel. In Franks case he has been since the 22nd without power
Call it 8 days, most (4-6k) generators burn a half gallon of fuel an hour @ 50% output (generally speaking) 8 x 24 = 96 gallons of fuel.... :-o @ 3.66 a gallon = $351
Don't get me wrong, a generator is great around these parts, but only if you have the means to supply it.
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A valid point, for sure. I don't plan on running the generator 24 hours/day, though. Even in the coldest weather our house will stay warm enough for sleeping if there's no power for maybe 6 hours or so, so I shut down the gen. at late evening and get up early early to put it back on. ditto when we leave the house to go to work, so maybe we would run it 16 hours/day. One reason we can take the colder house overnight is that we sleep in a waterbed that's warm - that alone keeps us comfy. And I do usually have a gas can handy for stuff like the mower/snow thrower, so I count on another few gallons available. And finally -- we've got a 1kw Honda generator that'll give us some power if the big one isn't available. I have the heating circuits wired so I can run the boiler's and the house's circulating pumps, if nothing else. So we'd stay warm.
And it's only 16 miles to town, with a few tiny gas stations between here and there. I wouldn't be surprised if one of them has a generator for the pumps.
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I'm still curious about the investment required for a 24v 660 amp-hour battery/inverter system?
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Jack,
This system is about 10 years old but I could probably duplicate it for $5K (not including PV panels). The best thing about an inverter is that it's seamless and quiet. The solar panels also feed back to the grid and our electric bill this year will be under $100 (the cost of having a meter). I rode about 1500 miles on electric motorcycles as part of that too.
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I've thought that propane powered would solve the problem with gas getting old. a couple of tanks will set a long time without degrading.My cousin can't be without power and has a 500 gal tank. Has gotten delivery after major ice storms.
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Jack,
This system is about 10 years old but I could probably duplicate it for $5K (not including PV panels). The best thing about an inverter is that it's seamless and quiet. The solar panels also feed back to the grid and our electric bill this year will be under $100 (the cost of having a meter). I rode about 1500 miles on electric motorcycles as part of that too.
Holy crap, I need solar panels!
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Frank- thanks for the numbers.
What fuel do you use for heat?
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We have a Tarm wood boiler that uses wood I cut on my in-laws wood lot. There is oil backup and we probably burn 50-100 gallons per year. It also supplies domestic hot water until I get too lazy to build fires in the summer (the system uses a 600 gallon storage tank.). I try to minimize oil use in the winter to justify all my fossil fuel addictions in the summer, lol!
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Haven't had to use it this year, but I've got the little 3K, and I put a break-out on the furnace to keep the house warm, and prevent the pipes from freezing. Despite an aging grid, I've never had to go for more than a half day without WENERGIES getting us back up and on line.
As far as the tanning bed is concerned - well - tan maintenance goes on the back burner in Beerhaven this time of year, but I do save energy by keeping the beer cold in the garage.
My buddy, Andy Kochanski has got the whole thing dicked. He owns Kochanski's Concertina Beer Hall, and he put a huge wood fired boiler on the back of the property that heats the bar, the rooming house above it, AND his own home next door.
The wood? He's an arborist for the city - oversees tree removal.
Hasn't paid a dime for heat in 3 years.
:cheers:
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We have a Tarm wood boiler that uses wood I cut on my in-laws wood lot. There is oil backup and we probably burn 50-100 gallons per year. It also supplies domestic hot water until I get too lazy to build fires in the summer (the system uses a 600 gallon storage tank.). I try to minimize oil use in the winter to justify all my fossil fuel addictions in the summer, lol!
Frank, if you look at my location you'll see I live in Canada's equivalent to Houston. Most of the administration for the country's petroleum production is based in this city. While I'm not directly employed by the petroleum industry I get very tired of all the so called environmentalists calling false alarms on global warming and heavy pollution. At the same time I think it's important that we do what we can to minimize our footprint on this Earth within practical limitations. CONGRATULATIONS to you for setting a fine example of what can be done. The so called green community would be much better off following your example instead of jetting all over the world in huge polluting jets telling everyone how to live their lives while they consume and pollute more than anyone.
End of rant! 8-) 8-) 8-)
Pete
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FYI, its getting cold up here :-D Spent the day ice fishing at zero degrees (F), looking like -30 tonight and tomorrow night, might have to get out the winter jacket
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At this point in a weather thread some PIA from CA/AZ usually makes the liquid sunshine remark, tells all he had the AC on today.
I had a guy here from "Solar City" here two weeks ago, wanted to put Photovoltaic grid on my "perfectly oriented" south facing roof. Like 800sq ft of it. Deal is, no cost for me, I pay about a 30% discount on E bill to them as opposed to Con Eddys 24 cents a KW . Actually a lease, 20 years, then I get to buy it. Sounds good today, but I'm 69, lifetime Guarantees and 20 year deals don't appeal to me anymore.
A positive is you do get juice backfed into the grid for later use, but he had no info on Battery storage, which I thought would be a selling point for his outfit. Obviously did not arouse my independant genes, as in just get a generator and inverter.
Electric Blackouts more frequent around here the past 10 years , linemen not that quick either nowadays.
I only need to power the oil Burner and circulator pumps, few small lights, and two refrigerators. Only.
Is this doable on Batts ?
Seriously, when is a major Automaker coming out with a hybrid with a 10K built-in generator > AC and DC ?
Bob W... single digits tonight, 12 in whiteness tomw..
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72 in San Diego today, 70 with the wind chill though :evil:
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Here's part of the local weather forecast for us in Skandia, Michigan - speaking of low temps:
THE COLDEST ARCTIC AIR MASS IN YEARS WILL MOVE INTO THE UPPER GREAT
LAKES SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY. IN THE SNOW BELTS FAVORED BY
WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS...LAKE EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS WILL PRODUCE LIGHT TO
MODERATE SNOW ACCUMULATIONS AND OCCASIONAL WHITE-OUT CONDITIONS.
OTHERWISE...VERY COLD AIR AND WIND WILL PRODUCE DANGEROUSLY LOW WIND
CHILLS SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING.
Nancy says: "Throw another log on the fire, Jon"
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I had a guy here from "Solar City" here two weeks ago, wanted to put Photovoltaic grid on my "perfectly oriented" south facing roof. Like 800sq ft of it. Deal is, no cost for me, I pay about a 30% discount on E bill to them as opposed to Con Eddys 24 cents a KW .
Bob W...
Bob,
Are you saying your power company charges you 24 cents a KW? I thought mine was high at 14 cents a KW.
Tom G.
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Tom, we pay about 20 cents/kwh. We're on a two-county REA co-op, and I'm happy to have the electricity. The "rate" is about 15 cents/kwh, but by the time you add tax, title and license (so to speak) the gross amount is the aforementioned 20 cents. I believe Bob when he says he's paying that 24 cents. Take your total electric bill, divide by kwh used -- and that's what you're paying.
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Bob- you should put into your 'profile' where "here" is.
[You're welcome, Slim!]
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Bob,
The emergency sub panel in our house includes the 220 volt water pump (via a transformer), all lights, fridge, circulators, etc. Etc. The only way we know the power is out is because the light goes out on the microwave.
It's all doable with batteries, just need to size things appropriately.
Happy New Year by the way!
Feck
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11 F here in W. Mass this morning. Snowing and 8-10 inches predicted by tomorrow. -14 F for Sat morning,+5 F for high temp.
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I hear youse guys on the east coast are in for a big storm. Batten down the hatches, turn off the air conditioner, and make sure you've got enough food and milk in the house. But it could be worse:
http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=48.6023149&lon=-93.40406789999997&site=all&smap=1&searchresult=International%20Falls%2C%20MN%2C%20USA#.UsWKg_ayw7A
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taken at the house this morning before I left for work
(http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r180/jessechop/1214_zpsdac2bef8.jpg) (http://s144.photobucket.com/user/jessechop/media/1214_zpsdac2bef8.jpg.html)
I guess a few days of this and upper 40's and rain on Monday..go figure.
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Been snowing here in Chi Town for the last couple days. 10in. on the deck and its still coming down. Next up is sub zero temps tonight, maybe -14 on Monday. Its coming your way on the east side. :cheers: At least the days are getting longer again. :-D
Stay warm
Jimbo
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"It's all doable with batteries, just need to size things appropriately"
Yorktown Hts, NY 10598, 34 miles North of NYC.
And, 24cents a KWH includes all the taxes and fees that subsidize "those
what ain't got"
Con Ed highest in the country, unfortunately.
Problem is how long you need the batts. Longest we were out was like 36 hours, in the winter, but 40ish overnight, luckily.
More research needed, obviously.
Maybe I'll move someplace balmy, like Phelps, NY. LOL
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Down under , we are at the other end of the scale,,Here in Brisbane (7.15 AM Sat) it is already 85 degrees and predicted to reach 110 today.
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I suppose that means you are wearing those hideous shorts again, Bob......At least buy Cynthia some heavy duty sunglasses to ward off those `leg rays.....~` :-D
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... someplace balmy, like Phelps, NY...
It's between 0` and 2` tonight. I guess that's "balmy" to some people.
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Jack, maybe Bob typoed - meant to say "barmy". :roll:
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-9 F here 5this morning in W. Mass. 6" snow here Thur-Fri. Much more to east along coast. 24" North of Boston.
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70dg here in S Texas today!! :-D :cheers:
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Sent to me by my wife - For my friend, Fordboy, who lives in Chicagoland, and whose furnace decided to go south this weekend . . . :-o
A Chicago weather index -
60° F: Arizonans shiver uncontrollably; people in Chicago are still sunbathing.
50° F: Californians try to turn on the heat; people in Chicago plant gardens.
40° F: Italian sports cars won't start; people in Chicago drive with the windows down.
32° F: Distilled water freezes; Lake Michigan water gets thicker.
20° F: Floridians don coats, thermal underwear, gloves and wool hats; people in Chicago throw on a light jacket.
15° F: People in Chicago have the last cookout before it gets cold.
0° F: All the people in Phoenix die. Chicagoans close the windows.
10° below zero: Californians fly away to Mexico . The Girl Scouts in Chicago are selling cookies door to door.
25° below zero: Hollywood disintegrates; people in Chicago get out their winter coats.
40° below zero: Washington, DC runs out of hot air; people in Chicago let the dogs sleep indoors.
100° below zero: Santa Claus abandons the North Pole. Chicagoans get frustrated because they can't start 'da car.'
460° below zero: All atomic motion stops (absolute zero on the Kelvin scale); people in Chicago start saying, 'cold 'nuff for ya?'
500° below zero: Hell freezes over. The Cubs win the World Series."
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Wrong, Chris.
At 60F we Arizonans don heavy coats while we ride the range. :cheers:
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
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500° below zero: Hell freezes over.
(http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee171/4-BarrelMike/Miscellaneous%20stuff/ColdinMichigan.jpg) (http://s233.photobucket.com/user/4-BarrelMike/media/Miscellaneous%20stuff/ColdinMichigan.jpg.html)
:cheers:
Mike
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-18F in Skandia, Michigan overnight. It was about 10 below zero in the evening while I was out in the barn doing some chores, and when I got back to the garage (which is heated to about 40) - - wow, was it ever warm in there.
It's all relative, hey?
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Californicans......http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72mvm0tx_28
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Sent to me by my wife - For my friend, Fordboy, who lives in Chicagoland, and whose furnace decided to go south this weekend . . . :-o
Well, it wasn't like the furnace was brand new. Now that our home is 25 years old we are going through the replacement/upgrade routine, ie:
2009/ Replaced 100 sq. ft. deck with new 540 sq. ft. deck, including repairs to jack up sagging kitchen bump out. All me & my sons/daughters.
2010/ 20 cubic yds of new, red, textured and brick stamped concrete. New front walk, front stoop, rear walk, patio, deck approach and hot tub pad.
2011/ Repair/repaint/restain whole house exterior + deck, to match desires of red queen. Included 300 lineal feet of new PVC trim I got tired of replacing every paint job.
2012/ New roof.
2013/ All new S/S appliances + S/S kitchen accessories + new energy efficient washer + dryer.
Had scheduled furnace replacement with energy efficient unit for May, 2014. Missed by 4 months & a few days . . . . . I've already scheduled the hot water heater replacement . . . . . . . soon . . . . . .
5 days without a furnace in -15 Chicago weather, no problem. (I should add that for 12 years I ran 12 the Cub Scout Winter Challenge and for 7 years the Boy Scout Klondike Derby, and I loved it.) Well no problem for me, the wife or oldest son. I ran the gas oven pretty much full time, had 2 1500 watt electric space heaters on 4 hr shifts, and had the fireplace going 20 hrs/day and a fan to circulate the heat. Stayed between 70/63 degrees inside despite outside weather. My daughters, however, did not seem to understand the phrase, "Wear more layers.", either from dad or mom. Go figure.
500° below zero: Hell freezes over. The Cubs win the World Series."
I'll cover any sensible wager on that, 'cause it ain't gonna happen, even with Hell frozen over. Anytime they get close, they remember 1969 . . . . . it's goatesque. :roll:
:cheers:
NolongerCubsfanboy (since 1969 and counting . . . . . . .)