[ThinkingThinking]

More specifically, power. How often does the power go out due to natural causes in and around Burlington? We are coming from Houston and have a small generator, which was very handy when we were without electricity for 2 weeks after hurricane Ike. Will we still need it, should we take it with us when we move or should we buy a larger one when we arrive?

Is there anything we should know about, moving from the south to the north, besides having to purchase new wardrobe and studded tires? I am originally from the pacific northwest so I do have some clue about what we'll need for colder climates, but it doesn't snow as much in Portland as it does in VT.

[Summerz]

Originally Posted by ThinkingThinking

More specifically, power. How often does the power go out due to natural causes in and around Burlington? We are coming from Houston and have a small generator, which was very handy when we were without electricity for 2 weeks after hurricane Ike. Will we still need it, should we take it with us when we move or should we buy a larger one when we arrive?

Is there anything we should know about, moving from the south to the north, besides having to purchase new wardrobe and studded tires? I am originally from the pacific northwest so I do have some clue about what we'll need for colder climates, but it doesn't snow as much in Portland as it does in VT.

In a nut shell........Hang on to that generator.

[flu189]

There is no set routine for weather related power outages. The Burlington area this season so far has had minimal outages of very short durations. Three years ago in October I went without power for four days, but of course this does not compare to the thousands over in NH recently who went without power for over two weeks. Storms and tree damage can knock out power locally for a few hours to over a day. On a night like tonight with temps below zero the generator can come in handy. Also depends on what you need to power. I have a 5000 watt generator that will run the furnace (forced air oil fired), the well pump, fridge, and numerous outlets. The more rural the area the more chances you will lose power and also in widespread outages it will also usually mean you will be a lower priority for crews to get you back on line.

[ThinkingThinking]

Trust me, I know all about "priority" when it comes to power. We had 2 weeks without it earlier this year. It's a small gen, it could power a fridge stove or a washer I suppose. Is that enough to run a furnace?

[flu189]

Originally Posted by ThinkingThinking

Trust me, I know all about "priority" when it comes to power. We had 2 weeks without it earlier this year. It's a small gen, it could power a fridge stove or a washer I suppose. Is that enough to run a furnace?

Regarding the power demand to run a furnace you would have see what the load is. In my case, the igniter and the blower for the forced air does not use all that much power. Certain appliances will initially draw quite a bit when starting up, but then drop off. I do know that even with a 5000 watt system I cannot add the electric hot water heater because it just draws way too much power. I'm not exceptionally well versed in electronics, but research on the net concerning generators will explain load factors and capacity. The most important aspect of running a generator is to be sure it is properly connected into the house system so you will not have a backfeed situation which not only can damage equipment, but be a major hazard to workers on the lines. I have a buddy who works for Ct Light and Power as a lineman and he has told me numerous stories of dangerous and improper use of generators. I had an electrician install the right connection equipment when we moved in.