ANOTHER Power Outage

💬 Lounge
1

This is getting ridiculous.

Power went out at 11:15 AM.
Power Company estimates 1:00 PM restoration.

Standby generator came on as it should, but I turned it off for whatever reasons I have. Haven't broken out the little generator. Three hours is no big deal, if the prediction is accurate.

I got a Pushover notification as designed, and I'm browsing the web, so apparently the cable broadband is still working. I believe it usually craps out after a couple, three hours.

The lights I have to come on when the transfer switch goes to generator came on as designed.
Note to self: Note which these lights are on switch plates or something, lol.

Ironically, I pulled utility power from the hub at 8:30 this morning to let it drain down some. It's my theory that the first battery failed because it was never drained, any, always at 100%.

Battery backups for modem/router/hub working as designed.

Zigbee sensors reporting as designed. Not losing power probably helped.

I just got an announcement from the Ecolink Chime Siren that "There is mail in the mailbox". The Ecolink CS has its own backup battery.

What I'm going to look into is see if I can use battery power for the display on the wood stove insert's PID thermo controller. It's hard to get good readings with an IR gun on an insert.

What is interesting is that the Ecowitt large console display does not come with a backup battery with my little ones do. I had to change sources to get current data. Now I know it's 26.4 F, with the wind coming out of the SSW at .7 mph, gusting to 4.5. Of course, the weather station's anemometer has snow all over the little cups, and the solar panel is also going to need brushing off.

Gotta go tend the stove now.

edit: Actually, I can take a trim piece off and get a clear shot. Give off more heat as well, I imagine.
edit2: I think I can tell the Hue motions are still connected because they're not giving me the red light upon detecting motion.

thumbnail-1
thumbnail-1651×1156 61.1 KB

2

Doesn't seem like you have a "power company." Seems like you have a "power outage company." :slight_smile:

4 Likes
3

I think I my house got reconfigured with the "losers", for the greater good of course, and to improve the company's numbers. It's never been this bad, and they trimmed the circuit last year.

However, it could be the Trump flag flying at the end of the driveway. :slight_smile:

2 Likes
4

Also, two lights came on (when they shouldn't have) when the transfer switch closed after the standby started up.

They were both GE/Jasco dimmer switches.
I've noticed this in past power outages, only with another GE/Jasco dimmer switch. I only have three, I believe.

edit: Oh, and here's my Totally Dumb fridge temp monitor.
It's been a little over an hour, and I didn't open the doors.
It probably started at its usual -2/37 happy place.

thumbnail-1
thumbnail-1651×1156 51.8 KB

1 Like
5

were on east coast also.. at least now ).. power blinked at 1:09 am and everything stayed up as designed except fffing hue bulbs which did not go to last state as set and stayed bright on.. so had to get up and turn all the mfers off .. oh well.

7

I could only wish for just a "blink", lol.

1 Like
8

My new favorite spot:

image
image520×924 236 KB

4 Likes
9

Unopened fridge is up to 16/40 at about 2 1/2 hrs.
What probably hurt was that in the last outage I emptied the automatic ice maker's pan of ice, and turned off the ice maker.
On the one hand, it would've provided some thermal mass.
On the other hand, if it melts it makes a big mess.

Utility sent out an automated message saying my power was restored but it isn't. They did that last time too.

10

where are you located.. come and grab my generator

11

I have a generator, or two.
I'm just being lazy.
Hopefully the utility can finally close the fuse, or whatever.

1 Like
12

ya i bought it after that huge ice store line 10-15 yrs ago.. test the battery every year and never used the sob.. our power is on the same line as the high school police fire and shelter so we are the first restored.

2 Likes
13

Very clever...

14

A friend of mine live about 500' from his substation.
That's not bad either.

My second favorite spot:
(The Aladdin lamp puts out a fair amount of heat.)

thumbnail-1
thumbnail-11156×651 129 KB

2 Likes
15

Now they're saying 3:45PM.
Lunchtime?
Excuse me for being sardonic.
edit: Back at 2:36.

1 Like
16

observations:

-this time, 3.25 hr duration, did not lose cable broadband
-ups batteries for modem/cable/hub held
-devices behaved
-opinion: outage conditions have to replicated for testing, this includes no web access, which here is normal
-question: how much does the hub "need" the web? For something that's supposed to be "local", I hear about the time server thing a lot. I wonder if that's a factor, somehow, or some other unknown internet dependency, even in the zigbee problem I had the last outage.

17

I'm curious why? What is the fuel for your standby generator? Natural gas or propane?

Also, while I'm asking questions .... why is there a license plate on your kitchen island? :smiley:

18

Nah! That couldn't be it.

2 Likes
19

Propane.

I usually get criticized for trying to run as little as possible.
That's why I used those words.

Traded in car. Have to turn in plates. Want to wait 'til the roads clear up...they detailed it so nice, except for that greasy kid stuff they put on the rubber floor mats. Probably won't wait. Going stir crazy already, after staying in yesterday.

1 Like
20

@kahn-hubitat didnt say he was paying for it. :sunglasses:

1 Like
21

We were without power for 11 days. When I say we, I mean the house. My wife and I went to a hotel after being without power for 5 days. It was too icy to get down to our backup generator (AKA our Diesel motorhome) until day 3. It was all I could do to get from the front door to the wood pile 10 feet away (3 meters for you smart people). Lesson learned. To be purchased when we get back from Maui (yes, I left that part out, been here for 3 days):
Crampons
Propane generator and tank

2 Likes