How To Prepare for an Extended Power Outage?

[CZALONZO]

I've purchased solar battery chargers for my cell and Macbook. It works great. Also purchased a solar powered radio. Looking into satellite phones but they are pretty pricey.

[Larry Caldwell]

I recommend the Coleman Powerpack propane hot plate. It is low, has a large, secure cooking surface, is well designed with a heat shield to keep the supporting surface cool, and is all around very well designed. They sell it as a camp stove, but it is way too bulky to go in a backpack, but would store well in a closet, along with some quart propane canisters. I would want a dozen cans of propane to last for cooking and making coffee for a month. You can also get a hose that will connect it to a 20 lb. propane tank, but that's probably awkward in an apartment.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0009PUS6M...a-273400956902

If you think you might want to simmer something without scorching, buy a flame spreader.

https://www.amazon.com/Maxi-Aids-Sim...+for+gas+stove

For keeping a freezer frozen, a small camp generator is all you need. Energy star freezers only draw about 850 watts, the apartment sized Frigidaire is both cheap ($299) and efficient, pulling only 600 watts.

https://www.frigidaire.com/Kitchen-A...er/FFFC05M1TW/

The smaller the generator the less gas it takes to run it and the less noise it makes. Tiny camp generators are designed to be quiet enough that people can sleep. You would only need to run the generator a couple hours a day to keep an efficient freezer cold. Bring it inside when you are not using it. They have a distressing habit of growing legs and walking off if unattended, particularly since they are very portable.

Best Quiet Generator For Camping | Generator Power Source

If you don't want to store gasoline in your apartment, you can siphon gas out of any unattended vehicle, even your own in a pinch. With a little prep you don't even have to suck on the hose. Practice in advance, since many cars are designed to defeat siphon hoses. Don't forget to buy a small gas can, though a clean plastic milk jug will serve in an emergency.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06X3XXG47...a-407288303007

[Larry Caldwell]

Originally Posted by Cloudy Dayz

LOL, my chest freezer is a violation of my lease. I keep it hidden in a closet. I wouldn't be worried about violating my lease to save my life. The main reason I don't think I'm going to buy a generator is I don't want to spend that much money on it. I think the cheaper solutions of the butane stove to heat the food, and maybe going out and buying block ice or dry ice as needed will solve the problem, just fine. The fact that I wouldn't be violating my lease more than I am now, is just an added benefit.

Just as a comment, I bought a cheap 1000w camp generator at Coastal Farm for $149. It's pretty primitive. The engine is 2-cycle, so needs an oil mix, but is very well muffled and quiet. The regulator is just an interruptor that kills the spark if the generator goes over voltage. It will also run 4.5 hours on a gallon of gas, which will keep the freezer frozen for 2 days. Never leave gasoline in a small engine - run them empty before you put them away or you will have to rod out the carburetor.

[markjames68]

Originally Posted by Rabflmom

During our 7 days and 7 long nights without power from Irma we used 10 gallons of gas for about every 10 hours we ran the generator(usually 8pm-8AM). Close to $30 a night to run 2 fans on the patio while we slept out there. Nothing feels better than cold showers to cool you off, too. We were lucky we have city water, but most houses here have wells so without electricity you have no water.

My nearly 12,000w continuous generator burns around a gallon an hour, and runs a 3 and 4 ton AC, most circuits and either the pool pump or hot water heater. Essentially my entire 3000 sq ft house. Yours sounds really inefficient.

While gas wasn’t a major issue, my “fallback” was to run a 1000 Yamaha inverter which would power a 5100 BTU window AC to keep one room cool. That thing runs forever on a gallon of gas.